I minorminorminorminorminorminorminorminorminorminorminorminorminorminormino

dodson PROMISE dodsondodsondodsondodsondodsondodsondodsondodsondodsondodson

saylessayles TO STOP saylessaylessaylessaylessaylessaylessaylessaylessaylessaylessayl

stricklandstrickland GOOGLING stricklandstricklandstricklandstricklandstricklandstrick

cattledrovercattledrover MY ANCESTORS cattledrovercattledrovercattledrovercattledr

teacherteacherteacherteacher UNTIL I ORGANIZE teacherteacherteacherteachertea

farmerfarmerfarmerfarmerfarmerfarmer RESEARCH I HAVE farmerfarmerfarmerfar

Google, you have me crying UNCLE!  I can’t stand the information overload, or rather the product of my search overload.  I give up!!! Time to start thinking like the cloud–how do I store data so that I can retrieve it when, where and how I like.

I have purchased a big box of manila folders, a set of heavy duty alphabet tabs; cleaned out a file drawer in my work space; sharpened my pencils, assembled my pens.  A sheaf of computer paper stands at the ready, to be inserted for web print outs or to record my thoughts.  Each folder will be labeled with a category hierarchy and filed by broadest category:  CENSUS> 1860> Dodson> James and Sarah.

All paper accumulated must be filed–NOW.  All paper generated must be filed–as generated.  All computer file lists must get copied, pasted and printed–and filed NOW–so I remember how I organized and stored things on the blinkin’ computer.  All doodles explaining events and relationships–saved and filed.  All correspondence saved, printed and filed.

Filing resembles writing.  Just the act of creating relationships puts down more neural pathways in my brain, creating greater retention and synthesis of diverse ideas and media.  I only wish I had taken the advice of more experienced family historians sooner–start with a organizational system and use it!!  Oh, well.  Better late than never, right?

And until that table is cleared, the floor folder-free, the odd drawer emptied out, NO MORE GOOGLING ANCESTORS!!!!   🙂