What To Do ... a test of organizational skills

The mess begins here!

This is not a "what to do" day.  It's an "I need motivation day."  Actually I'm not lacking for motivation, but after traveling all summer, it seems strange to be home with nothing on the agenda for a few weeks.  I returned Sunday from another jaunt here in Nebraska.  Looking at my luggage, I don't want to think about traveling any too soon.  I can pack it with my eyes closed ... well almost.  Since early May my various pieces of luggage have been kept in waiting in the extra bedroom.  It has been a fun-filled summer of lecturing, book signings and travels.

YGGG #2 just returned from her vacation in the Wyoming mountains.  She was there without cell phone reception and obviously no Internet.  Locked out from the real world, I hope she got caught up on her genealogy reading.  While I was wrestling luggage in and out of hotels and going through the packing and unpacking routine, she was peacefully watching the sun go down over the mountains and then counting stars in the sky.

To make the best of today, my granddaughter will be here this afternoon after an early-out at school.  She will be helping with chores around the house, like those little things I have not done all summer.  Also on the list is my computer/genealogy room.  It has been organizationally neglected all summer.  Books are askew on the shelves, the closet is piled with carrying bags and supplies.  It's like open door and throw something in.  I am behind on reading genealogy periodicals.  Eventually I may get caught up, but in the meantime I need some order.  They seem to be here, there and beyond, such as in the living room, dining room and kitchen.  Some were packed in my luggage and never made it back to the genealogy/computer room.

This brings up the question as to how to keep track of my genealogy periodicals.  I cannot part with them because I continually browse through them looking for ideas and references.  Perhaps I should start by determining the spaces available in this room.  There aren't any.  I have filled up almost every corner and cranny.  Isn't that the life of a genealogist?  We are hoarders.  Not only do we collect ancestors (not just names, dates and places), but we collect everything that goes with collecting ancestors.  I can't resist books, I can't eliminate any of the my genealogy subscriptions and periodicals, and I can't find room for any more. Because I know there are organizational aids, such as storage boxes, bins and containers, maybe I should start by visiting my local office supply store.  I definitely need a plan.

The last two days have been spent non-stop writing on my latest book.  That means there are books and documents and papers piled all around the desk, on the floor and elsewhere.  I think I am about two-thirds done and then I change something and I am back to half done.  I need to stay home and finish it before the snow flies.  Of course, I'm still thinking about genealogy-day-trips when the weather cools.  I need to explore cemeteries, go to libraries and courthouses and collect more "stuff" for my genealogy/computer room.  Maybe I shouldn't put the luggage back in the closet.

Today is the day I am going to make organizational plans for my genealogy/computer room.  It's the day I will not think of traveling and packing luggage.  It is the day I'll will put my genealogy life in order ... I hope.  While I'm doing this, YGGG #2 is putting things away, doing mounds of laundry and avoiding genealogy, the computer and Internet.  She knows what awaits her ... hundreds of e-mails.  The genealogy world can change in one week.  Maybe that is why I am so unorganized.  At least I can blame it on a changing genealogy world!

You Go Genealogy Girl #1    Ruby

The Girls Stay Home, The Girls Travel

After being home exactly one week from attending the Family History Expo in Overland Park, Kansas, I am enjoying the comforts of home, but also longing to get Lil' Red back on the highway.  YGGG #2 has been home most of the summer and she is anxious to get under some wheels and travel.  Unfortunately we are going different places at different times.  She and her husband are going on a much needed camping vacation and I am leaving in less than two weeks for my high school class reunion.  Notice I didn't precede it with a year!

Summer is far from over even though school bells will be ringing here in a couple of weeks.  They can just ring because I am not going back to school.   At least I'm not going back to school in a building with regimental classes.  I can select my classes.  Genealogists are not exempt from the learning process.  There is always something new to learn.  That is why this year's theme for the Family History Expos is appropriately titled, "Where Ol' Dogs Learn New Tricks!"

This summer I purchased books at the various Family History Expos.  Many were from Family Roots Publishing's booth in the exhibit halls.  As my genealogy grows and develops, I have to stay informed of techniques, records and resources.  Internet does a great job of supplying information, but some of the best is still found in genealogy books.  Christine Rose's new book, Military Bounty Land 1776-1855 was one of my first summer purchases.  An older publication I purchased is Inheritance in America From Colonial Times to the Present by Carole Shammas, Marylynn Salmon, and Michel Dahlin.  I am not anxious for cold weather and particularly not for snow, but a stay-at-home day with my books would be welcome.

After those school bells ring my plans are to continue traveling.  I have long accumulated research needs in eastern Nebraska.  A trip to the east coast to visit family and relatives, as well as do genealogical research, is also anticipated.  Fall is a great time to travel and see the country in different colors, at a slower pace and with renewed vigor for research tasks.  I will stuff the books in my bag and read as time permits.  There are always evenings to learn new genealogy tricks, or while on airplanes, or even when camping.  Both of the You Go Genealogy Girls hope you never stop learning.

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 -- Ruby

Attending a Family History Expo

Not many of the attendees of a Family History Expo or any genealogy conference know what goes into getting everything ready for the event.  A year or more ahead of time plans are made for where, when and how the next year's Expos are going to be held.  It just doesn't happen.  The staff and vendors arrive ahead of time to set up and coordinate.  Many people get involved, hours tick by and even though tired, they are dedicated to presenting a top notch event for genealogists.

I just returned home from the Family History Expo in Overland Park, Kansas.  As you can see by the photos, there is a good deal of thought that goes into setting up.  Some of the vendors have their props and signs shipped and others bring trailers, some fly from one location to another and others drive.  It's like old home week when finally get together.

Once things are in place, the rush and sometimes confusion begins the next day.  If you are attending an event, keep in mind that we are all human and errors happen.  Even computers are not perfect.  Smile and be patient!  People register and are given their packets or hand out bags.  They ask questions and we try to answer them.  Then the classes begin.  Unfortunately attendees can not take in every class and hear every speaker.  They must choose between several tracts.  However, they can use their syllabus to read what they missed.

As a speaker I enjoy seeing genealogists, meeting them and learning from them.  Yes, I learn also!  If they attend my class and go away learning just one thing, I'm happy.  That's my goal as a speaker!  There has not been one Family History Expo this summer where I have not met a relative or somebody that I have met through e-mail, Facebook, Twitter or blogging.  The world tends to be small and getting smaller.

One of the exhibitors brings his children.  They are polite, cute kids.  If you meet them, you won't forget them.  Rachel is a young artist.  She draws what she sees or what she imagines.  I commissioned her to do a painting of me in one of my classes.  Rachel doesn't go into the presentation rooms.  She stays in the vending area, so she drew what she imagined it would look like, including the escalator which was beside the exhibit hall.  Rachel did a good job and I will treasure her drawing.  She drew a good likeness of me.  Notice the blonde hair.

A friend of mine has attended three Family History Expos this summer,  as well as the Civil War Conference here in Nebraska.  She said she thought she was becoming a Family History Expo Groupie.  Even if you are not a joiner, you can attend one of many enlightening genealogy conferences this summer, fall and next year.  Be sure to put the Family History Expo on your calendar!

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 --- Ruby

KANSAS ... I'm here

After a very enjoyable trip across Nebraska and south into Kansas, the Family History Expo gals and one guy arrived at Overland Park, KS close to midnight last night.  Opening the vehicle door we were greeted by a heat wave and wind.  What did we excpect?  It's July.  As we drove through Seneca, KS I noticed a bank temperature sign reporting a whopping 104 degrees. 

For the most part we will be inside for a while.  No worry about what's going on outside.  Today is set up day to make sure everybody enjoys their Family History Expo experience.  Tomorrow morning we will early greeted by the words and wisdom of Lisa Louise Cooke.  She is that amazing gal who hosts Genealogy Gems podcast and has all those great Google tools for genealogists.  Then everybody scatters to their appropriate classes.  The chatter begins as people exchange ideas as well as surnames.  Never know where you will find a relative or at least somebody who will share their genealogical frustrations as well as success stories. 

Stay tuned with the You Go Genealogy Girls and I'll keep you posted on the latest and best of the Expo.  As a lecturer I do know genealogists like to learn.  If they come away with just one idea from my classes, I have succeeded. 

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 -- Ruby

This and That with the Girls

The You Go Genealogy Girls are busy filling summer hours with genealogy, traveling and family commitments.  One thing for sure, we are having fun.  We e-mail each other and chat on the phone, sharing our experiences and plans.  Sometimes our schedules change, but we still focus on genealogy and history and try to put hours into the day for personal time.

Since returning from the YGGG's trip to Salt Lake City in June, I have been traveling with the Family History Expo.  It has been a fantastic summer of meeting people who have a desire to learn about their ancestry.  I have met relatives along the way, enjoyed visiting and sharing tidbits of family information.  The Civil War Conference in YGGG #2's hometown of Alliance, Nebraska was a great experience.

Here it is July 23rd and I leave on the 27th for Overland Park, Kansas.  The Family History Expo there will be another adventure.  Wonder who I'll meet there?  If you are planning to attend, you will have a great genealogy experience.  We are like one big family and all of us, whether beginning or advanced in our research knowledge, are learning.

The weather in west-central Nebraska has been extremely hot and humid for several weeks.  That has necessitated that I spend more time inside going through genealogy files, preparing future lectures, writing a book and also reading books.  I have also enjoyed spending time with my family.  My granddaughter reminded me yesterday that school starts in less than a month.  What?  How did that happen.  Guess the days and weeks of summer are going fast.

Cooler days of September and October will not slow me down.  I am already calculating where I will be going in search of ancestors.  I can always stay inside later and watch it snow.

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 .... Ruby

"Shades" of Fame and Fortune!

The newest issue of Shades of the Departed Magazine has hit the internet and You Go Genealogy Girl #2 has a couple pages of featured scrapbooking designs in the new issue. I am thrilled to have my work included by the footnoteMaven in this issue which is all about "OCCUPATIONS". Most of my scrapbook pages are three dimensional and many end up framed as wall art. They are one of the ways that I like to honor my ancestors and loved ones. fM has included one of my designs that features the Railroaders in my family and another that honors my Great Grandmother. Grandma Effie Gardner had the full time occupation of being Mom to 15 children, raising 12 to adulthood!

I am a regular reader of all of the Shades issues and anxiously await each new issue. I especially enjoyed the article on Barbers in this latest issue and the photos of firemen as I have several ancestors including my Dad who were volunteer firemen.  I love old photos, collect them  and cherish them all...even the ones  in which I will never know the people; my orphan photos! Every issue of Shades of the Departed Magazine offers great insights into the world of antique photographs. If you have not seen the magazines, you can click here and read to your hearts content. Every issue also contains great live links for additional learning and entertainment.

I offer a lecture/presentation about identifying, dating, caring for old photos and learning about vintage fashions in your own collections and the Shades magazines often offer inspiration! My lecture covers the years of 1850 through 1940 and I just gave that program at the recent Civil War Conference in Alliance, Nebraska. I will continue to add to that presentation for future use and will always suggest the Shades Magazines as very helpful for those wanting to learn more about old photos, especially in a very entertaining format.

John and Mary Copsey come to America

I have included a photo in this post of another framed page that both You Go Genealogy Girl #1 and myself worked on to celebrate the lives of our Copsey ancestors who immigrated to America in 1834. It hangs in a place of honor in her home.You can also see my two entries in the Shades of the Departed Magazine on pages 54 and 55.

Thanks again to the fM for giving me fame and fortune!

You Go Genealogy Girl #2, Cheri

Behind the Conference Scene

Getting ready for any conference is no easy task.  There is a lot of work for many months to a year before the conference begins.  The planning takes time and a good deal of volunteer help to pull it off.

On July 6th I arrived in Alliance, Nebraska to get things ready for the Civil War Conference to be held on July 8th and 9th.  Instead of going to YGGG #2's house, I went directly to the Knight Museum and Sandhills Center where I found #2 hard at work with staff members and volunteers.  I pitched in stuffing hand-out bags and figuring out door prizes.

The next day we returned to the museum to assist in decorating, setting up displays and vendor tables.  YGGG #2 decided she needed some photographs to display.  We went to the acquisition room in the basement of the museum.  Actually that is more fun than touring the museum.  Don't you often wonder what lies beneath a museum?  While she looked at many shelves of old photographs, I discovered old hats.  Feeling somewhat silly, I decided to start trying on old hats.  I encouraged #2 to lighten up and do the same.  Eventually we each had an appropriate hat.

One of the staff members wanted the horse "Newberry" in the museum entrance lobby to be decorated for the Civil War.  We found an American flag plus an old tattered quilt.  The flag was draped around the saddle horn and the quilt was rolled up behind the saddle.  I must say "Newberry" looked like a typical Civil War horse.

The You Go Genealogy Girls did not look like Civil War matrons, but we had fun pretending.  Putting on our hats, we posed for pictures, pretending that our husbands or lovers had just gone off to war.  As you can see by the photo, I was very sad, but #2 looks like she may have had mixed emotions.  Maybe she's thinking good riddance.  I have not had that much fun since I was a little girl playing dress-up.

Eventually we returned to the serious job of decorating the museum in Union and Confederate flags and displaying old photographs. By late that afternoon everything was in order for the conference to begin the following morning.  "Newberry" looked grand and the hats were back in the acquisition room.  The show was on the road!

Civil War Conference - Alliance, Nebraska - July 8-9, 2011

If you love genealogy and history, this is one conference you won't want to miss! The Heritage Seekers Society and the Knight Museum and Sandhills Center in Alliance, Nebraska are hosting a two day Civil War Conference on July 8th and 9th. Coming up soon!

Both of the You Go Genealogy Girls will be attending this one and we both will be presenting programs and classes! This should be an awesome conference and we hope to see all our friends there. We are excited to be part of this great Civil War Conference as we support our home town and it's great new museum. Come join us!!!

Titled "Remembering the Civil War...150 Years Later", this will be a premium offer for anyone interested in this part of history. We have been planning this conference for many months and it will be a first for our brand new museum facility. We have one of the finest new museums in the midwest and again, we invite all to join in our conference as we honor the Civil War Sesquicentennial and the memories of those who fought.

We are offering seventeen (17) educational, genealogical and historical presentations over the two days (lunch included both days) and you can attend all classes and presentations, no need to choose only a few. We will have many great prize drawings for attendees throughout the conference as well as huge bags of "goodies" for those attending. (Our first bag has filled all the way up with great giveaways and we are now filling bag two for each attendee--so it's an added free bonus! )  Everyone attending will get great handouts of the classes from several of our speakers so they can study again at home...as the learning never ends with a genealogist or historian! Our 11 speakers are all professionals and well qualified  in their field of study and will offer classes on genealogy researching as well as historical presentations for your enjoyment. This is a top quality conference and we invite everyone to contact us for more information.

To our local residents, your new museum is hosting this awesome event and we encourage you to support the facility and come see what is new!

Here is a sample of what we are offering along with even more...

Civil War research classes

History of the Kansas/Missouri Border Wars

Historical programs on Civil War quilts, along with a quilt show and a local quilt shop will display their wares.

Civil War character portrayals

Classes on the GAR and Lincoln's war time rule

Program featuring firearms of the Civil War........

plus much more! 

We hope to see you all there on July 8th and 9th for a great learning experience.
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For a 4 page copy of our brochure in PDF format, click on the word Brochure below. You can save and print it if you like. It takes a minute to load so be patient!

If the link fails, email me!
Brochure

Email me:   clchopkins@gmail.com  I will email you a copy of the brochure in PDF

Contact for more info:
Knight Museum and Sandhills Center
Alliance, Nebraska
308-762-2384
museum@cityofalliance.net

Are We There Yet?

Imagine trying to get to Greeley, CO on a frontage road. With YGGG #1 it happens. Yes, my granddaughter and I were traveling down I-76 at 75 mph when I saw a Highway 34 exit sign and did just that. After about a mile my granddaughter said, "Granny, you are heading back east again." No, not me!! Finding another point to turn around and go back where I had made my exit, I ended up on a country road at a farm house. It happens!

Finally, I found the road that should have taken me back to I-76 in order to locate Hwy. 34 WEST. Instead I ended up on a frontage road. We traveled the frontage road along side I-76 for miles. The only thing I knew was that I was heading WEST in the same direction as everybody going to Denver.

After a while I began to panic. Pulling into a horse trailer place, I asked directions. Go a bit further. Whew ... at last we were on our way to Greeley. After a quick lunch we headed toward the Embassy Suites where we are attending the Family History Expo. Missing the road we needed to the hotel, we found another road. Yes, we were there!!

Last night we decided to go to the Cracker Barrel to eat. After winding through rotary circles and one way roads, we managed to locate FOOD. Leaving there posed a problem as I took a road that took me back to the Cracker Barrel. If there is a way in, there has to be a way out. Right? Eventually.

Are we really here? I think so! Reminder list ... purchase a GPS!

YGGG #1 Ruby

On the Road Again

On the Road Again is my theme song. While YGGG #2 is home working on the Civil War Conference details, I am off in Lil' Red lecturing at Family History Expos.

A great time was had by all at the Family History Expo in Rapid City, SD on Saturday the 16th. I drove home Sunday in non-stop rain from the Black Hills to south of Alliance where YGGG #2 lives. Once home, tired and wanting to go to bed early, the sirens announced a possible tornado near North Platte. My shelter is my walk in closet. I sat down and read while the sirens roared. Everything was south of town, but eventually the rain began to pour buckets here. It's been raining off and on since. If any of you have kept up with news reports, North Platte's bulging North Platte River does not need rain added to it.

I unpack, do laundry and pack again. Day after tomorrow my granddaughter and I will set out for Loveland, CO to attend the Family History Expo. I will present two classes on Saturday. It is exciting to be with genealogists. I listen to their frustrations and stories and try to offer suggestions. My hope is that they do not procrastinate, but go home and put their new ideas to work.

Once home I can unpack for a longer amount of time until I leave on July 6th for the Civil War Conference in Alliance, NE. I will be presenting three lectures at the two day event on July 8th and 9th. It will be a great learning experience ... conferences allow genealogists to learn and share.

There is still time to register for a Family History Expo. Check out their schedule. You can still register for the Civil War Conference in Alliance, NE. Don't miss out on the fun.

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 ... Ruby