Organize Your Family History

Stay focused and happy while exploring your roots

My 8th blogiversary!

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On June 14, 2012, I published my first post on this blog. (It was called My quest to learn more about my family history.) When I started the blog, I had no idea what would become of it and I didn’t spend much time trying to visualize what it might turn into. But I’m really proud of what it has become. In eight years, I’ve published 588 posts, had 360,000 unique visitors and 725,000 views. And I’m still going strong. Amazing.

I tend to look at these numbers about once a year (on my blogiversary). But pretty much every day I think about how much I love my readers. You all are so wonderfully interactive and I love reading your comments. Your desire to help me and other readers, along with your kind, encouraging words about my contributions, has made this blog a joy. Thank you.

Last year in my blogiversary post, I listed six ways this blog has enhanced my life. Today seems like a good day to repeat them.

How this blog has enhanced my life:

  • I’ve learned so much from my readers! I’ve been fortunate to have such engaged readers who provide lots of great advice and input in the comments. And everyone is so kind. Thank you!
  • Some readers have become in-person friends. I’ve done some meet ups at genealogy conferences, which always adds to the conference enjoyment. I’ve even been recognized at conferences by people I hadn’t prearranged to meet!
  • I research more often. I’m confident that without this blog I would not research as much. My 30 x 30 challenges, in particular, really keep focused on the research.
  • I’m a better researcher. Because I’m researching more often, attending conferences, and benefiting from the wisdom of my readers, I’m most assuredly a better researcher than I was eight years ago and probably a better one than I would be today without the blog.
  • I’ve become acquainted with some well-known genealogists, which is always a treat. Through my How They Do It series, as well as Family Tree University webinars and just attending conferences, I’ve gotten to know some folks I admire
  • I’ve even made some money! I sell my Orderly Roots Guides and The Paperless Genealogy Guide (with Brooks Duncan) and I’ve earned some money through speaking, writing and consulting. I feel so fortunate for that!

I want to thank you, my readers, for coming along on this ride and for being such a big part of it. I can’t wait to see what the future holds!

NGS 2020 virtual family history conference recordings available for purchase

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The National Genealogical Society made some serious lemonade when it figured out what to deal with their conference, which was to be held in May in Salt Lake City, in the face of the COVID-19 crisis. Rather than cancelling it, they made it virtual. As I understand it, this is what they did. (It’s relevant today because you can now purchase recordings of the presentations that would have been made at the conference.)

Registrants for the conference could watch five featured presentations live. Well, sort of live, on May 20. The presentations from Judy Russell, Blaine Bettinger, Elizabeth Shown Mills, Thomas Wright Jones and storyteller and re-enactor Stephanie Raff, were pre-recorded (to prevent technical snafus) and streamed on May 20. The presenters monitored the live chat during the streaming of their recorded presentations so that registrants had a more live, conference-like experience.

There were also three sponsored sessions that were presented as part of the live event on May 20. And another 18 sponsored bonus sessions were recorded.

See this page for a list of the NGS Live! presentations and sponsored presentations.

The rest of the conference presenters–a total of 85 presentations–recorded their lectures, which will be available for streaming. See this page for a list of those presentations.

If you’re interested in watching the NGS lectures, there are three streaming packages available. They all include the 26 above-mentioned featured presentations and bonus sessions and the syllabus.

  • Light package: Your choice of 10 sessions, plus the 26 additional sessions for $150 for NGS members/$185 for non-members.
  • Full package: Your choice of 20 sessions, plus the 26 additional sessions, for $215 for members/$250 for non-members.
  • The Works: Your choice of 45 sessions, plus the additional 26 sessions, for $395 for members/$430 for non-members.

These are available for purchase now; you can choose your OnDemand sessions on June 15 and on July 1, the OnDemand sessions will be released. Once purchased, the subscriptions run from 1 July 2020 to 15 May 2021.

I applaud the ingenuity of the conference planners! They managed to make the content available for the registrants as well as those hadn’t been planning to attend the conference. The presenters still had the chance to create their content for an audience. And I love that people can choose from among all the classes.

I’ve attended the NGS conference twice and both times the classes I took were top notch. I think this is a great opportunity to learn some great stuff at your own pace.

Finding solace in my ancestors

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This is a very difficult week. Witnessing police brutality and civil unrest layered on top of the fear, uncertainty and loss surrounding the global pandemic feels almost unbearable for me, and I am in a relatively comfortable situation of great safety.

Thanks to the most recent 30 x 30 challenge, at least I’m spending some focused and productive time on my genealogy research. That is a wonderful respite from the worry. One of the things I love most about genealogy research is learning about my ancestors’ lives and what they experienced. That feels particularly useful right now.

Going through this current time of difficulty (which for me in my privileged life has led to emotional, but not physical, pain) makes me feel even closer to my ancestors. When I research my Civil War soldier ancestors and their families, for instance, it’s hard to imagine what they went through. A country divided in war is virtually incomprehensible.

I don’t know how my ancestors who lived during that time bore the emotional pain and physical difficulties of the Civil War (as well as the Antebellum and Reconstruction eras). But those who survived did bear it. They had to. And I take strength in that.

Layered on top of all of this is the knowledge that systems of oppression benefited my white ancestors, even when their lives were difficult. This is particularly informative right now in the context of the civil unrest. I know these systems have benefited me as well, even if I don’t consciously participate in them.

I will continue with my daily genealogy research as I look for ways to feel less helpless and more useful right now. I am grateful for the solace it provides.

New 30 x 30 challenge starts June 1!

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One thing I’ve learned from all the time I’ve spent at home during this pandemic is that it isn’t a lack of time that prevents me from doing regular genealogy research. Apparently it’s a lack of accountability. So I’m declaring a new 30 x 30 challenge for June.

Will join me in committing to 30 minutes of genealogy research for 30 days in a row? Of course you can modify the challenge any way you want. But I’m looking to get into a groove of daily research, which was woefully lacking this month. I’m actually going back to working with organizing clients on June 1, but I won’t be so busy that I can’t insert 30 minutes of research into my daily routine.

If you’re in, please let me know in the comments. Here’s to a great research month!