Boy do I need a 30 x 30 challenge. I barely did any genealogy research in September–my priorities kept shifting away from genealogy. I did spend one day at the library with my genealogy buddy (more on that next week), which was great. But otherwise, my research log for September is pathetic.
So clearly I need a 30 x 30 challenge to elevate genealogy on my priority list. Who would like to join me? This month, I vow to spend 30 minutes a day working on genealogy research every day for 30 days. My focus will be finishing up (or at least making great progress on) processing the documents I obtained on my Kentucky research trip in June. And I’m committing to creating an entry in my Evernote research log each day.
If you’d like to join me, please just leave a note in the comments. If you’d like to mention what you’ll be focusing on, all the better.
I have high hopes for October!
Edited to add: Apologies if you tried to comment and were blocked (and thank you to the readers who told me about it). The firewall issue is now fixed.
I am in! Still working on my same goal of doing over my tree. it is PAINFULLY SLOW, but I am learning so much. I went to FGS in DC in August and learned so much my brain kinda shut down in September, I needed a break! I really want to get back 3 or 4 more generations before January. My husband and I are planning a research trip to Georgia in February and that would help get me to the proper information of what I want to research! Wish me luck!!!!
Good luck! Three or four generations in as many months is quite a goal! I completely understand what you mean abut your brain shutting down after learning so much. I hope the conference was amazing for you.
I am in! I want to spend the month doing a Rogers line study. Following the various collateral lines forward in time to find living cousins. Collecting naming pattens to help spot candidate matching families back in County Armagh (or surrounding) in Ireland. Then share the findings on my blog as cousin bait.
That sounds like a fantastic goal and a fun project. I hope the challenge is helpful!
Hi Janine, I’m in!!! I really need to focus on my Mayflower application to be ready for next year’s celebration and also for a DAR supplement for an ancestor who is a Mayflower descendant. I have let these both go for way too long, so I really appreciate your challenge opportunity!
Excellent, Sue! So glad to give you an opportunity to focus on your lineage societies!
I’m in. I need some prodding. When I cleaned out my parents home as part of my executor duties, I found thousands of documents from multiple families. Trying to go through all this, scanning, organizing, transcribing, etc. takes a lot of self-discipline.
I can imagine how overwhelming that is, Terry. But taking it a little bit at a time (like 30 minutes a day) should make it seem more doable. Good luck with that amazing project and feel free to email me if you need any guidance on getting started.
Hi Janine! I’m in, too! I need to continue work attaching my documentation and citations to my tree. This will be great focus for me!
Welcome to the challenge, Susan! Documentation and citations are a great thing to do 30 minutes at a time!
30×30 during Family History Month, superb. I’ll work on my DAR Supplemental Application for my 4th Great Grandfather Adam Bratton.
Gosh, I hadn’t even focused on the fact that it’s Family History Month! That’s terrific. I hope you enjoy working on your application!
I’m iin! I have lots of clean-up work to do–follow up on several research trips, organizing material I’ve gathered. I’ve also got several drafts of blog posts I want to finish.
Excellent! You and I will be working on the same kinds of things! Good luck with it.
This is great motivation. I will be working on my Nova Scotia Ancestor Certificate for my ancestor Jehan Poirier who can to Nova Scotia in 1642. Let,s see how far back I can get. I only need to get back to July 1 1867 if that ancestor lived in Nova Scotia but my Acadian ancestors migrated to Prince Edward Island about 1758 and the ancestor needs to live in Nova Scotia. So we shall see.
Welcome to the challenge. And good luck on your quest!
I’m in! I’m working at documenting my fathers life story.
Excellent! Welcome to the challenge!
I am in – this has been a struggle for years as I stored papers in folders and eventually surname notebooks. I have oodles of digital files and cannot remember which USB/SD Card/External HD has what I am looking for. In addition, I have duplicates (many times over) of the same files stored in various locations that I am trying to cull through and organize.
In addition to organizing files/papers, I am trying to update the citations of the items so that I can properly attribute where I got the information. Some is very simple because there were only a few online sources when I started. Today, a number of sources exist because of the ‘Cite this’ information. But trying to define the elements of those ‘Cite this’ information into the properly locations of a template needs to be organized also.
I like these monthly challenges that are focused to eliminate one aspect of stress and anxiety as I look at the breadth of the project in front of me.
John, you have quite a few projects in front of you! I’m glad that the 30 x 30 challenge is helpful. I hope it’s a very productive month!
I’m absolutely in! I need to focus on writing for submission to the journal of the state genealogical society of which I am a member. I’ve published in it once, but that’s just not enough! 🙂
That’s an excellent goal. Welcome to the challenge!
This will be fun and productive! I’m in. Been working on less paper and less clutter by going digital. Then working on breaking down a brick wall on my paternal line.
I fully support your efforts to go digital! That was a game changer for me! Welcome to the 30 x 30 challenge!
What a good idea. I accept the challenge
Excellent. I hope it’s an excellent month for you!
Sounds like fun – I’m in
Terrific, Lynette! Welcome to the challenge!
Hi,
I’d love to do it. I’ve just spent 30 minutes entering data from some documents into my Family Historian software.
This month, however, I want to focus on writing. While I have some basic systematising in file organising & processing documents (learnt from this site – thank you!), I keep putting off writing or creating anything readable for my family to read. It’s not such a straightforward system!
So I’ll probably spend my 30 minutes on evenings this week thinking through what I want to create & looking at some examples.
Susan
Susan, I’m so glad this blog has been helpful! Welcome to the challenge–you can get a lot done on your writing project in 15 hours, which is what 30 x 30 offers you!
I’m in also, Janine, and off to a good start–one for one already! My initial focus is to follow up on a list of 25 genealogy-related emails dating back to Dec 2018 where I have the person’s email address, made initial contact, but didn’t get a reply to my last email question. Nearly all the leads are from AncestryDNA matches.
Great, Russ! I hope all that outreach and follow up bears fruit!
I’m in!! Now to decide on which of my many projects to work on! I’m currently working on the e-course of Research like a Pro, an online course on the Scrivener program and writing my family history. Plus my never ending clean up of my tree. Oh, did I mention that last night I thought it would be nice to do a book each for my mother and father in law on their ancestors for Christmas. Yeah, I have high hopes to get all these done! I’m excited and can’t wait to see where I’m at the end of this 30X30 challenge!
Thanks!
Sandi
I can’t wait to hear where you end up at the end of the month, Sandi!
Count me in. I have a stack of genealogy questions/mistakes/odd notes that I need to clear up. I imagine that each could benefit from 30 minutes of attention from me.
It will feel so good for you to get through that stack, Virginia! That’s a great 30-minutes-at-a-time project!
I’m in also and will be focusing on reviewing my Guffy line; sorting, citing, and information I have; and completing a RLP objective. Thanks for the incentive.
Great, Gwen. Welcome to the challenge. I hope it’s a productive month!
Hi, I’m in! I started a Do-over of my Addams Family genealogy. Right now I have a mess of papers and notes on the dining room table
Good luck with the do-over. Sometimes starting fresh is the easiest way to go! Daily action will be really helpful.
I’m in! A few months ago, I started *actually* proving my ancestry the correct way (making it metaphorically be a foundation of brick instead of solid wood). This month, I want to prove a couple of vital dates and locations for my dad.