Family History Compass
Come out of Your Cocoon
by Juliana Smith
Last week as I looked around the remnants of last year's gardens, I was dismayed to say the least. I lost at least one rose bush, and it seems that many of my perennials are either late or aren't coming back. I'm writing them off as wimps. C'mon, this is the Midwest! This winter wasn't that bad!
But even my hardy herbs seem to be taking their time in recovering, and I'm suffering from the same lack of energy. Typically by now I'm in full garden swing. This is the time of year when I'm driving my family nuts, dragging my husband and daughter from one garden center to the next, enthusiastically planning for the upcoming growing season, as they groan and frantically try to distract me from garden displays. "Mom, look over there! I think I saw a genealogy book through that door." (Hah! I won't fall for that one again!)
Even though we've had some nice days, I have been focusing on indoor projects, avoiding the work outside, simply because I didn't know where to start. Saturday as I looked out over the mess, I decided it was time to take action. I headed to the local garden center where I loaded up my minivan with as many bags of mulch and compost as I could and headed home. Now I was inspired. I was out there getting dirty and my gardens looked so nice and tidy. I can't wait to start planting. I had forced myself out of my winter cocoon and it paid off. In that one weekend, I finished all but one of my gardens and am planning a new one by the garage. (Shh, don't tell my husband!)
When we're inspired, I truly believe we can accomplish anything, but the hard part is finding that inspiration. There are times when we need a little inspiration to get our family history searches rolling too. This week, let's talk about some ways to find that nudge in the right direction.
A Change of Venue
Whenever I'm stuck on a problem, whether it is a brick wall ancestor or what to write about in this column, I like to step out of my office cocoon and curl up in my favorite comfy chair, or on nice days, sit out on my back porch. Sometimes I take the family laptop and sometimes, I just grab a pen and a notepad. The change of scenery often helps me to clear my mind and look at my dilemma from a different perspective. It also takes me away from the distractions of e-mail and work.
In her article "Popcorn and Paper Chains," Pat Hatcher advocates the use of a technique called "popcorning," whereby you look at a document and jot down the ideas for further research that pop out of it at you, without stopping to analyze or pursue them. This is one of my favorite ways to jumpstart my research from my comfy chair. 
A Clean Workspace
Whenever I clean my office, I get inspired to do more research--often because of the gems I typically find while I'm cleaning. If your office is already clean (yes, you can laugh if you like), maybe it's a good time to clean out some files and review. How current is your family history database? Check and make sure you've entered any recent finds and recorded your sources.
Is there an organizational issue that you frequently get hung up on? Search for a solution. For example, I often have to stop mid-way through my research to pick up my daughter, fix dinner, locate missing homework papers, or perform some other non-genealogical task. When I was finally able to return to my task, I often forgot where I left off and the papers I was working on would find their way to that ever-present pile. Allowing for this problem, I bought myself an office organizer with a top tray that I use for unfinished business. It has a drawer below it for office supplies, and I keep pens and post-it notes in it so that I can add a post-it to let me know where I last left off.
I've found that my piles have gone down a bit since I got this tray because when I sit down to research, I usually start with that tray and finish what I started. Go figure!
Dare to Try Something New
While I was at the home improvement center over the weekend, I finally purchased a new screen for my kitchen window. When we first got my dog, Max, he took a dislike to it and completely destroyed all but the frame. I've been meaning to replace it but kept putting it off because it was something I had never done before. I went to where they sold the screens and found all the things I needed, including a handy tool for securing the strips that hold the screen in place. In about ten minutes, I had a brand new screen inserted and in the window. I couldn't believe how easy it was to do and am wondering why the heck I waited so long to do it.
The same thing can happen in our research. Is there a nearby library, courthouse, archive, or other venue that you've thought about exploring but keep putting off because you're not very familiar with it? Or maybe it's a particular record that you've procrastinated requesting because it's something you haven't done before and aren't sure exactly how to go about it.
We have so much information at our fingertips via the Internet, these excuses don't hold up. The Ancestry.com Library (www.ancestry.com/learn/) is full of information about researching various record types. In addition, most government agencies, libraries, archives and other repositories have websites that detail what they hold (and in some cases, what records they don't hold and where they're held), how to request copies, fees, restrictions and other necessary information. Hours of operation, maps, collection availability and online catalogs can help you to familiarize yourself with a repository before you go, so that when you get there you can settle in and get right down to business.
Try Hiving
No, that's not a typo. I didn't mean "Try Hiding." (I tried hiding in a closet once. The piles fell on me.) With my renewed interest in gardening, I bought one of those garden magazines from the supermarket. The editor's note said that people used to "cocoon" (meaning that we retreated to our homes and wrapped ourselves in them), but that it was more fun to "hive" (cocooning with company). Basically it was about entertaining family and friends on the decks that were featured in the magazine. That thought stuck with me though and was part of the inspiration for this article. We tend to cocoon with our research, particularly during the winter months when travel isn't very appealing. We huddle up in our cozy dens or offices with our computers and files, and our only reach to others is electronically. This is all well and good, but we may forget how much fun it is to "buzz around" other family historians.
The National Genealogical Society's Annual Conference is in Nashville, Tennessee, this year (www.ngsgenealogy.org/), and with comes it the opportunity to mingle with other genealogists and learn from the pros through workshops and lectures. In September, the Federation of Genealogical Societies' (FGS) Conference will be held in Salt Lake City (www.fgs.org/), home to the world's largest genealogical collection at the Family History Library. If you can't make it to a national event, check out what local societies are hosting in your area. The FGS Society hall has a calendar of events that you can browse (www.familyhistory.com/societyhall/main.asp).
If you're in the mood for entertaining, invite some of your genealogical friends over to your house and tell them to bring their toughest problems. By sharing ideas and getting fresh eyes to look at your problems you may be able help each other break down some of your toughest brick walls.
Just Do It
I think the best way to get inspired though, is to just dive in. I wasn't really up for the garden this year, but by making myself take action, I was able to pull out of my rut.
As I walked around my yard today, I noted quite a few of my perennials seemed to have gotten the message too and are peeking their heads out of the ground. Now I'm going to apply this advice to my own research and hope my family tree blooms as well.
Juliana Smith is the editor of the Ancestry Daily News and author of The Ancestry Family Historian's Address Book. She has written for Ancestry Magazine and Genealogical Computing. Juliana can be reached by e-mail at ADNeditor@ancestry.com, but she regrets that she is unable to assist with personal research.
Copyright 2005, MyFamily.com.
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