Where Did I Put It?

It's always so much fun packing for a trip. However, trying to find things after you have arrived can be a problem. I need a road map to my luggage.

Cheri #2 and I are in Cheyenne, Wyoming at her son's house. We have been here long enough to experience snow on Thursday morning and a couple days of overcast skies and rain. Snow in May happens in this country.

In the morning we will finish loading up Lil' Red and head for Salt Lake City. We were successful in our packing, except I can't find anything. I've juggled things around and that doesn't help. Cheri thinks she may have left her cell phone charger at home ... not good.

Once again Lil' Red has been packed with all our luggage and genealogy items, including computer bags, bags of computer cables and Cheri even decided to bring an extra table again this year. The photographs on this blog were taken before she finished loading the car. I am not exaggerating when I say that most of what you see is hers. Somehow we have to repack in two weeks and bring back more "stuff" from Salt Lake City. I'll worry about that when it happens and hopefully by then I'll know exactly where I put things.

Ruby .... YGGG #1

101 - How to Pack for a Research Trip

Even though we've done this many times, our packing begins early each time we travel. Of course, some items don't make their way into the suitcase until the last minute. In hope that we do not forget something, we both have lists that we compile and then compare. There are many phone calls and e-mails to coordinate. Of course, if need be we might be ready on a minute's notice ... I think!

Because we travel mostly by car, we can travel with more items than those who fly. We take advantage of every space in Lil' Red. Even so, I keep telling YGGG #2 to consolidate. Check your luggage before any trip. What size do you need? I have three different sizes plus my bag(s) on wheels for the computer and equipment. When flying, all that gets on the plane are my very large bag, one carry-on bag, me and my purse. Next month for the Salt Lake City trip I'm taking the middle sized luggage with matching tote. They must match so I color coordinate! Also I'll take a bag of maps and my research notebook. Another small bag holds sundry items such as paper punch, detergent and laundry bag. Yes, we do some laundry while there. I also have a plastic tub of sling pouches and iPod Touch pouches, uniquely designed to coordinate with every piece of clothing that I'm taking.

We prefer to eat breakfast and lunch in our hotel room in Salt Lake City. This gives us time to plan our daily research and at noon we can relax and rest before going back to being detectives. Each of us has a crate on wheels with grocery items. Some of these include energy or granola bars, crackers, cereal, tea bags, fruit cups and the popular fix-in-the-microwave, non-perishable soups and casseroles. Having a microwave and refrigerator in the room is great.

Now back to my suitcase. We are women in case you haven't noticed! We tend to coordinate clothes and change clothes perhaps more than the opposite sex. Even though we can wash, we take our fair share of clothes. Recently Dick Eastman commented in his newsletter, "I also take only one pair of shoes; namely, the shoes that I am wearing. I then pack clothes to match those shoes. Carrying an extra pair of shoes consumes a lot of space in your suitcase! You only need one pair. Make sure they are comfortable and suitable for extended walks." No woman would go anywhere, flying or driving, with only one pair of shoes! And most women have more than brown and black in their wardrobe! So much for that ... if you are a woman, don't feel bad about taking a half dozen shoes as long as you can squeeze them into your suitcase. Incidentally Dick commented that he takes duct tape. Hey, Dick, that's a man thing. I take shoes, shoes, more shoes, purses and pouches. That's a woman thing!

Why are we going to all this work for a research trip? Because it's a fun trip where we will work for days, diligently undergoing long hours of brain teasing turmoil. Did I mention it's fun work? How exciting to NOT receive a paycheck (unless doing professional work for clients) and have the pay off be locating information on some long, lost ancestor. To get to that point we have to be prepared for just about anything. I go through my genealogy files on the computer and my documents, looking for holes and missing people as well as missing evidence. There are always those elusive females who only are known as Abigail, Mary and Martha. They need names. Am I up to the test?

Recently I determined that I need to check the Ulster Co., New York land records. Okay ... bet they are on microfilm in the Family History Library. My oversized research notebook now contains a printout of the microfilm numbers for those land records. All I had to do was go to the Family History Library Catalog and begin my search. After printing it off, I marked the film numbers I need to check, as well as what I need to find on each film. It is filed under Floor #2 in my research notebook. I have tabs for all five floors. YGGG #2 does her slightly different, but she also uses printouts. We never take original documents. They are scanned or copied. By scanning, we save space by plopping the jpg files on to our laptops. I am also taking my small external hard drive that can be plugged into my laptop. It contains thousands of documents, notes and biographical information.

A word of caution. Be sure you bags have identification tags on them. This goes for any bag except the laundry bag. I'd love to have somebody think it was theirs and do my laundry! One of the most important items on your list should be a computer lock. Nothing is safe, not even in the library. If you plan on using subscription databases, take your passwords. I use an encrypted program that stores my passwords. One passwords gets me everything.

YGGG#2 and I have opted not to go to the National Genealogical Society conference in Salt Lake City which is happening in a few days. We are greedy and want to do nothing but spend every hour we can in the library. Actually there were other reasons, such as timing and family commitments. We do know that when we go to the library it will be fun. If you pack right, you'll have fun too ... especially if you are color coordinated and take plenty of shoes.

Ruby --- YGGG #1

More Good Stuff

Don't you just hate that word "stuff?"  What is stuff?  It is what I put in my computer bag to go to Salt Lake City and the Family History Library.  You Go Genealogy Girl #2 supposedly had an identical bag, only blue and mine is red.  Once there, she realized that hers was much smaller. She definitely has NOT learned how to consolidate, so ended up putting her "stuff" into one of her suitcases on wheels.  

Actually you see everything imaginable in line at the front door of the library as well as inside. If you are lugging around a laptop, plus supplies and notes or notebooks, it is a good idea to wheel it in.  Girl #2 wasn't the only one there with a suitcase!  

Let's take a peak at what was inside my rolling computer bag.  Of course, my laptop was in it. Along with that I had the power cord and the computer lock, both necessary.  You won't need an extender to your power cord in the library, but you may in your hotel room depending upon how far you are from a plug in.  Girl #2 decided to use the desk and I used the round table in our room.  She had a power outlet close by, but I had to use my extender cord.  

In the pocket area of my bag I packed 3x5 cards on which I jotted down call numbers of books or micofilm numbers.  You are allowed five of each at a time (even though people sometimes take more books to their tables).  Having five numbers on the card helps in keeping pace with the retrieval process.  

I also had a staple puller, small stapler, pens (red, blue, black) labeled with my name and a mechanical pencil also labeled with my name, plus a highlighter.  Nobody took any from my work site, but Girl #2 has been known to snatch pens from me in a "quick-use" and then they don't get back ... yes you do!!  Thus the names on them.  I took post-it notes and never used them.  If you take them, do not mark books with them as they leave a residue that can be damaging to the pages.  If you take a small stapler, be sure to take some staples!  

Girl #2 uses a mouse and mouse pad at all times with her laptop.  I used mine only in the hotel room.  If you are a cordless mouse user, be sure you have replacement batteries in your bag.  I did and had to use one.  

Other sundry items included hand sanitizer and hand lotion, both of which I used extensively. In fact, first thing each morning I took both out of my bag and had them by my computer.  It is dry in Salt Lake City, especially if you are from points east.  Be sure you pack some lip balm.  I also took a small magnifying glass, but never used it.  The eyes are still pretty good.  Oh yes, I took business cards and did hand them to people we met.  Girl #2 borrowed from me as she forgot hers.  I have a small, round plastic pill box in which I put allergy and pain meds, just in case.  Girl #2 had spare eye glasses in her bag ... I know because her bag accidentally fell over on one pair and she had to put the lenses back in them.  

In another area of my computer bag I had a few file folders.  These came in very handy for sorting out copies and keeping track of them.  I also had a spiral notebook in which I made notes.  In addition I made notes to myself on my laptop.  

Speaking of the laptop, be sure that your laptop is updated with your family files and other items you may need.  You need know the passwords to subscription sites if you are checking them while in the library.  There is free Internet access in the rooms at the Plaza. Girl #2 was bumped off frequently, but I was never bumped off.  You can access Internet from any location in the library, allowing you to check e-mails, the local newspapers, your bank account, get into your subscription accounts and also check blogs (ours in particular!).  

Each evening before going to bed, we cleaned out our computer bags, making sure we had everything needed for the next day, including the file folders and all my pens and pencil.  I used a sweater mainly to mark my chair so I could spot it.  Each morning all I had to do was put a fresh jug of water into the computer bag, insert the laptop, zip up and grab my sweater and little pouch I slung over my shoulder for my cash, library photocopy card and room key card. Usually I had to wait for Girl #2 to stuff more into her suitcase.  

Then we were ready to begin our brief wait for the library to open, watching genealogists in their array of bags and attire line up at the door.  We met great genealogists while we waited. Hope they thought we were great also!