HAPPY NEW YEAR!

There has been quite a bit of stir on Facebook regarding Thomas MacEntee’s Genealogy Do-Over.

I have had a rough 2014 and am glad to see much of it go.  I haven’t really been blogging or into my genealogical research during the last half of the year.  Now I am ready to get back to the passion that has kept my interest for over 20 years!

This week’s schedule has the following recommended tasks:

• Setting Previous Research Aside
• Preparing to Research
• Establishing Base Practices and Guidelines

I have started a new family tree file – from scratch and will be whittling away at it over the coming weeks.  I have not gotten rid of all my previous research, but it is now only going to be used to extract vital records or other such evidence.  I will not be using it for much else as I do not want to be tempted to “cheat” and take information from there without the necessary due diligence.

When I have gone back and reevaluated a particular family line in the past, I have been pleasantly surprised (and sometimes frustrated) at clues or information that I had overlooked way back when.  Starting over, taking my time, will help me find even more hidden gems!

If you decide to join the Do-Over, please remember to take it slow!  Quick is what results in missed information and hap-hazard tree members.

OH – and don’t think that after 13 weeks you will have your family tree back to 200 A.D. with thousands and thousands of ancestors and source citations!!

Consider this:  Genealogy is very similar to the game of golf.

Happy Ancestor Hunting in 2015 and I look forward to getting back to my weekly blog posts!