Genealogy Do Over ~ Progress on Weeks 1-3


It has been couple weeks since I have posted regarding the Genealogy Do Over. I had malware on my MacBook Pro, and have been striving to demolish it for well over a month. I have made short, but sweet progress each week until last week, when the malware (Genio?) was finally gone, KAPUT!

 Great, now I can start scanning! I pulled out my flatbed scanner, which is fairly new, and prepared for some MAJOR scanning. Next, I went through three thick piles of paperwork that had been building up in my office. These piles were all items needing to be scanned. I went through each pile and pulled out only those papers that pertained to me, personally. In essence, the three piles now became two. 
Ok, on to scanning these papers! It didn't take long to find out my scanner wasn't working. It was fairly new, so why wasn't it working? Dang. If it isn't one thing then it is another. I was neither prepared nor ready to go out and purchase a new flatbed scanner. Heck mine was only about a year old. Then, suddenly it dawned on me! When I first took my computer in to have the malware removed, they also upgraded my MacBook Pro.

Well, heck. My Family Tree program hasn't worked properly since the upgrade (that I never asked for by the way) and now the scanner doesn't work either. Even my printer won't work with the latest version I have been upgraded to. So, what do I do about all of this?

My first solution came when I decided to hook up the printer to my husband's desk top. Now anything can be printed from there. Next, I purchased the upgrade, Family Tree Mac 3 which works with Yosemite. Finally, I found an upgrade for the scanner. I was pleased to have handled all of this inexpensively. Time, however, it all took time.

I spent three or four days off and on scanning my "personal" pile. When it was completed I had scanned over 1000 pieces of paper! The scanning of "my" personal items always got pushed aside, as I previously focused on scanning photos and never felt it a primary function to preform. But, can you believe 1000 pieces? 

This is one item of memorabilia. 
A few years ago I won this with my dynamite
 looking Harley!

Since I scanned these items, Roots Tech came along, no I didn't attend, unfortunately. I did however listen to a few of the sessions that were live streamed. Valerie Elkins session about "The Write Stuff" as well as the Genealogy Do Over made me really realize it had been time to scan these items. After all, it starts with me and I want my descendants to know my stories, right?

I haven't finished scanning my personal items. I am most certain I have at least one scrapbook packed away in a box, somewhere. At that point though, I had over 1000 scans that needed labeling.

So, last week I scanned, this week I am labeling. What a daunting task this is! It would have been better to do this in smaller increments, but when I get on a roll, I am on a roll!

The best news? I have labeled about half of these scans already AND sourced my vital records and personal documents in my tree!  

How do I label my scans, you may ask? My labels look something like this:

Person-date-item (+ #1, #2, #3 if more than one page.)

Have you scanned all of your personal documents and memorabilia? How do you label your documents?

Thanks for stopping by! 

 Wishing you success in all of your genealogical treasure hunts! 




 Copyright © 2015 Cheryl Palmer All Rights Reserved

Comments

  1. You are doing great, Cheryl! I have so many piles . . . you have given me the inspiration to start sorting my piles and make a "scan" pile. Thank you! I am not near as far along as you are in the Genealogy Do-over but I am slowly working my way there. Excellent post!

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  2. Thanks Gini! It is tough to stay on track, but I am trying to focus on one one thing at a time. Major problem is time as you know! Good luck with your scanning pile! I have filed the completed scanned papers in my binder so getting rid of that pile of paperwork really helped me to feel good about what I am doing.

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  3. lol! I have been there! My new PC has all the bells and charms but it gave me heck when I wanted to use my Family Tree maker and get on Ancestry,,,,so I had to purchase new upgrades for them. Technology, what would we do without it?

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  4. Thank you for the comment The Path Traveled! Isn't that the way? Drives a person crazy! For instance, when you think you have time to spend on doing a bit of research you find out you have to spend that time updating something! Yes, it seems to happen more than I would like, but how right you are, what would we do without it?

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