In a general way, I’m reevaluating my life and the systems I have left employed and unquestioned. I’m questioning if I really enjoy the sweaters in that pile that remain unworn, or the foods I eat mindlessly that leave me wishing I hadn’t. And I’m taking stock of the things that do bring me joy, and optimizing them. One of these omnipresent interests has been my genealogical research.
In line with my reappraisal of Everything, after years of hot and cold, on and off family research, I’m finally revamping, renovating, and renewing. This quest for optimal function has led me to realize that I need a genealogical overhaul. Simply put, halfhearted source searches on Ancestry that lead into rapidly-proliferating tangential side quests just aren’t good for big picture productivity and accountability.
This blog is hence born from this new, nervous place of opportunity. One in which I realize that my methods and systems won’t grant me the success I strive for as a capital-R Researcher. Here, I will hold myself accountable and document my journey as I learn and implement better ways to do genealogy. I also would like to begin crafting more personal reflections on the process, what genealogy means to me, and shining stories dusted off from the family archives.
The journey of a thousand sorted sources begins with a single citation, or something along those lines. Here we go! It’s bound to be a fun ride.