Lisa Louise Cooke in Sacramento

Lisa Louise Cooke was in Sacramento last week (8 Jan 2012) to give a presentation on "Common Surname Search Strategies" using Google.

I have been doing Google searches for a long time but I learned something new. I always do from Lisa.

If you have never attended one of her presentations I highly recommend it. I also recommend her books; The Genealogist's Google Toolbox, Genealogy Gems, and Ultimate Research Strategies. And I'm happy to report that she is coming out with a brand new one called, Everything You Need To Know About Finding Your Family History in Newspapers. You can read more about it here.
It was nice to see Lisa again. I know you have been waiting for the blog with my interview of Lisa, well wait no longer it is the post following this one.Yes, I am unabashedly a Lisa Louise Cooke fan. ( Right after the SOPA blackout that is, don't know about it, read about it here and here.)

Have you listened to her podcast yet? You haven't? Well, what are you waiting for? Go here and have a listen, it's free (unless you love it so much you want to sign up for the Premium Podcast like I did.) And if you don't know what a podcast is that's ok, I didn't know either. Podcasts are like a radio show that you listen to through your computer or you can download them onto your iPod or MP3 player.

I'm not the only one who enjoyed Lisa's presentation. Several of my friends from my local genealogical society, Root Cellar, were there and this is what they have to say about it. Root Cellar Blog

Lisa Louise Cooke will be presenting in San Mateo in April and at the Southern California Genealogical Jamboree in June. For other places Lisa will be speaking see her website here.

Follow Up Friday - How I'm Doing - January Second Week

Here it is the second week of January and I am ripping right through my goals for January. I have to. I loose part of my month to a wonderful conference/institute. I am going to SLIG! (Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy) I will be too busy there to work on much of my goal list.

My "goal buddy" Caroline Pointer over at the YourFamilyStories blog is ripping right through her's too. As are all the folks participating in Corn and Cotton's Meme.

Once again things I got done this week will be in red. Things I have put on the schedule for next week (or coming up later like the conferences) are in blue and those things that I had planned on doing and somehow they just didn't happen, well, those are in green. When everything is in RED I plan a well deserved ice cream coma.

         I attended a presentation on search stratigies presented by Lisa Louise Cooke on Sunday (Jan 8 at the Central Library in Sacramento. My friend Gloryann was supossed to go with me, but she bowed out. I did run into lots of other friends there. Sherri Finley from      blog was there, as was Sandy and Denise from Root Cellar (Sacramento Genealogy Society)
         I wrote a blog (and posted it today) about the field trip I attended (the Northern California Association of Professional Genealogists field trip to the Special Collections Department of the Library at the University of the Pacific.)
         I worked on three clients cases. And had one client meeting.
         I talked with and scheduled some speakers for the Second Life Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists. (See the Facebook page (Genealogists in Second Life) for the line up of speakers for the year.
         I attended the first Second Life APG meeting for the year.  (Great presentation on Polish research by Sherlock)
         I researched & downloaded all the information I need to apply for my new business license. (I'll be finishing that up in February after I get back from the conferences. 
         I took care of personal life things like doctor's appointments, lawyer consultations, church work, aborist, grocery shopping, cooking, house cleaning, and reading.  


1. Before I attend those conferences I need to get my business cards made up with my new business name.
         The business cards have been designed and I am looking at the proofs on Monday. I'll make the final changes and they will be printed and in my hot little hands before SLIG. I've also started working on my new website and blog changes. 
2. I need to prepare my "homework" for SLIG (Tom Jones class. We haven't even got there and we have homework)
         I have read through and am in the process of charting out the homework. I will be Skyping my "Tom Jones Class Buddy" Kathryn this coming week to discuss.
3. Gather together what I will need to do research in the Family History Library (I have about 4 days available to do research there between SLIG and RootsTech)
         I am gathered and set to go. I will be working on my certification project and my Parker family. I also promised a friend that I would spend half a day gathering stuff she forgot to get when she was there in Oct. 
4. Make a list of things I want to learn during RootsTech
         This is done. Now if I can just find a willing victim friend to help me learn what goes over my head in the lectures. (I've also plotted out my classes and unless I get distracted by "bright and shiny things" I have decided ....oh wait, Thomas is speaking there, and I might want to hear Lisa Alzo there...)
5. I have a deadline of Jan 8 to submit my class handouts for the two lectures I will be giving in Redding on Feb 25.
         This is done and I am waiting to hear back if they meet her needs. I have also finished tweaking the presentations. Will check them again closer to the event.
6. Write six blogs for January (I have set six blogs per month as my overall goal and I feel that is very doable. Six blogs per month equals 72 blogs and I posted 77 last year)
        I have posted five posts (counting this one but not counting Tombstone Tuesday). I have six more that I have partially written and they will be posted this month as well. So I have met and exceeded my goal. Plus I will probably blog about the SLIG course. 
7. I will be attending a Webinar by Thomas McEntee and two Webinars put on by Legacy in January
         Attended Thomas' wonderful webinar and I will be viewing the other two this coming week. 
8. I will be attending SLIG (both 7 & 8 go towards my educational goals for the year)
         Working on my homework as mentioned above. I am looking forward to this year, I think it will be a challenge to me. 
9. I plan on getting three classes done on the NGS Home Study Course in January
         Didn't work on this. I will try to work on class number two on Saturday or Sunday.
10. I have set a goal of finishing two classes from National Institute for Genealogical Studies (GenealogicalStudies.com)
         Ok, ran into some major technical glitches and had to take my computer to the doctor this week to correct them. (Yes, I was without my computer for a whole day, suffered withdrawals.) But now I am able to access my classes and I am enrolled in three classes. So I better get a shuffle in my duffle  and get a move on.  
11. The organization of my genealogy files (already in progress)
         Ok, once again I have to say: Didn't work on this at all this week. Hope to get to it next week. It's on the schedule. I'm so bad. I keep procrastinating this very much needed step. Someone want to come help? 
12. To check on my various genealogy memberships (societies, NGS, APG, Speakers Guild, etc) and be sure they are all up to date.
         Renewed my membership with Genealogy Speakers Guild, and Root Cellar, (my local society) all my other memberships are good.
13. Transcribe the Succession Papers (It's like a will) for Irma Domingue (wife of Slyvester Romero) for my certification work.
         Completed four more pages this week. Total stands at seven pages (It's 20 pages long.) 
14. Review my Rhoades family genealogy and see if there is something in that research I can use for my certification.
         Didn't work on this. But there is one more week
15. Send for two different succession records for Landry and Romero (for use in Kinship part of my certification work)
        Didn't get to this either. Don't know why. This should be easy to cross off the list. NEXT WEEK.
16. Order three films for review in Feb. from my Family History Center
         I will do this right before my trip, but I have looked through the card catalog and decided which ones I want to order. 


That's the week in review. More and more of it is turning red. Yee Ha. I wasn't going to keep with the color coding thing but several people have told me it works. And I have to admit. I can't wait to see the whole page turn red.
How are you doing with your goals? Chime in, we're in this together, right? To see how other's are doing with their goals check out Corn and Cotton for links.

Association of Professional Genealogists - Second Life Chapter

This year I assumed the role of President for the Second Life Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG). This group meets once a month on the second Thursday. (That's coming up this Thursday, 12 Jan at 5:30 Pacific time).

We meet in Second Life time, which happens to be the same as California time. So if you hear that we're meeting at 5:30 SL time (Second Life time) that is the same as saying we're meeting at 5:30 Pacific time.

You don't have to be a professional. You might just be thinking about making that transition. This would be a great place to ask all the questions you want of people who have made the transition or are in the process of making it. 

You do not need to be a member of APG to join us. But we hope you will consider joining once you see how great our meetings are.


Meeting in Second Life is the perfect way to attend an APG meeting if you don't live anywhere near where your regional meetings are held or if there is not a chapter in your area. It is also a great way to attend a presentation or discussion about genealogy, sort of like attending a webinar. And what a great place to meet other genealogists and talk about problems your having or things you have discovered, as well as get advice from those more experienced then you. We meet at the "Just Genealogy Fire Pit" for the APG meeting. You can also access a calendar there that tells you about other genealogy events in Second Life. 

It's seems a little weird at first since this all takes place in virtual reality. At first, a lot of folks thought that because our "avatars" meet in a gaming like atmosphere that we were "playing games." Nothing could be further from the truth. While we don't believe that having fun and doing genealogy or being professional have to be mutually exclusive, we do take our genealogy pretty seriously. Once you get over the fact that your avatar has a name different from your "real" name, and the fact that you can be forever young and thin, or a teddy bear if you want, then it's just Genealogy from there; something we are all comfortable with. 

Our secretary/treasurer GenuinelyLAF wrote about Second Life in her article Thankful Thursday - Book Club in Second Life on her blog 1 Ancestry 2 Little Time. In that post there is a link to Dear Myrtle's free webinar "How to get a Second Life" which I highly recommend. Dear Myrtle will teach you all the ins and outs of Second Life. The learning curve is not high, even I managed it. You can also get help with how to get around in Second Life from Genie Weezles on Monday nights at the Fire Pit at 5:00 SL Time. (That's Second Life time...are you catching on?) She teaches the "newbies" how to walk and talk and sit and stuff like that. You can contact her on Facebook (she's Tami Glatz in Real Life) and let her know you need to be transported to the FirePit. She can answer your questions too. You do not need a web cam or a microphone to participate. We use a "chat board" that you type your questions and answers into. 

You can also ask questions on the Facebook page "Genealogists in Second Life." There is always someone willing to help. 


Here is the Link to Second Life if you are ready to jump right in. Don't let the vampire on the cover page put you off. We ignore such things for the most part. Genealogy is enough of a virtual reality for me.


Hope to see a whole lot of new folk there either Monday night or on Thursday night. 


~Kim  aka Saraphina Windrum (in SL)

Follow Up Friday - How I'm Doing On My January Goals

So here it is the first Friday of the month. This is Follow Up Friday where those of us who are participating in Corn and Cotton's Blogging Meme post what they achieved towards their 2012 goals. In my last "goal" post I broke down my year goals and posted what I planned to work on in January. I think I did fairly well this week. I'm tired and I will be glad to see date night tonight, but for the most part I am satisfied. I still have a couple of things I want to get done this weekend, (lecture to attend, client work to do) but for the most part I am pleased with my week. I spent a fair amount of time scheduling things into my day planner and for the most part stuck to what I had scheduled. I really liked the structure this provided. Furthermore, I feel the accountability the Meme is providing is just what I need to keep me on task. (Thanks Stephanie) So without further ado, here are my accomplishments.

Things I got done this week will be in red. Things I have put on the schedule for next week (or coming up later like the conferences) are in blue and those things that I had planned on doing and somehow they just didn't happen, well, those are in green. So far the New Year resolution momentum is serving me well and I feel I got a lot done. I addition to those things you will find below:
         I will be attending a lecture presented by Lisa Louise Cooke on Sunday at the Central Library in Sacramento (with my friend and cohort in crime, Gloryann). 
         I attended the Northern California Association of Professional Genealogists field trip to the Special Collections Department of the Library at the University of the Pacific. (More about this in the next blog.)
         I worked on two clients cases.
         I talked with and scheduled some speakers for the Second Life Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists.
         I attended a meeting in Second Life. 
         I took care of personal life things like Doctor's appointments, lawyer consultations, church work, plumbers, chimney sweep, aborist, grocery shopping, cooking, house cleaning, and reading.  


1. Before I attend those conferences I need to get my business cards made up with my new business name.
         I ordered my new business cards on Tuesday. 
2. I need to prepare my "homework" for SLIG (Tom Jones class. We haven't even got there and we have homework)
         Still need to do this
3. Gather together what I will need to do research in the Family History Library (I have about 4 days available to do research there between SLIG and RootsTech)
         This is on the schedule for Monday
4. Make a list of things I want to learn during RootsTech
         This is done
5. I have a deadline of Jan 8 to submit my class handouts for the two lectures I will be giving in Redding on Feb 25.
         This is done
6. Write six blogs for January (I have set six blogs per month as my overall goal and I feel that is very doable. Six blogs per month equals 72 blogs and I posted 77 last year)
         If you don't count the Tombstone Tuesday post (which I don't, it didn't require much writing) I have    posted three times this month already (with this post counting as one). I have 2 others all done and waiting to post. So that is five out of the goal of six. 
7. I will be attending a Webinar by Thomas McEntee and two Webinars put on by Legacy in January
         Because of a doctor's appointment that ran late I missed the Webinar I was to attend on Wednesday. But I will review it from Legacy archives (or if it is not available I will find another.)
8. I will be attending SLIG (both 7 & 8 go towards my educational goals for the year)
         Can't wait
9. I plan on getting three classes done on the NGS Home Study Course in January
         Finished Lesson Number One today. (One down, two to go to reach my goal)
10. I have set a goal of finishing two classes from National Institute for Genealogical Studies (GenealogicalStudies.com)
         Discovered that the class I was half way through has expired so I need to re-up for it. So a little more time involved. I can't just click into the website and off I go. Hoped to have it finished before the next one began. So this will be addressed next week. Meanwhile, my next class begins on Jan 9. 
11. The organization of my genealogy files (already in progress)
         Didn't work on this at all this week. Hope to get to it next week. It's on the schedule.
12. To check on my various genealogy memberships (societies, NGS, APG, Speakers Guild, etc) and be sure they are all up to date.
         I just put this on the schedule for next week.
13. Transcribe the Succession Papers (It's like a will) for Irma Domingue (wife of Slyvester Romero) for my certification work.
         Got three pages done this week. (It's 20 pages long.) 
14. Review my Rhoades family genealogy and see if there is something in that research I can use for my certification.
         Didn't work on this.
15. Send for two different succession records for Landry and Romero (for use in Kinship part of my certification work)
         This is on the schedule for next week. 
16. Order three films for review in Feb. from my Family History Center
         I will do this right before my trip so that they arrive about the same time I get home. I don't look at films at the Family History Library since I can do that at home. I'd rather spend my time looking at the books and other sources that I can't get at home. 


Well, that's it for this week. Wow, what a colorful blog. Although the color coding thing works, I think I need to find a better way to show my progress. Any ideas anyone? However, on the achievement scale Not Bad, if I do say so myself. I have a good feeling that I can achieve all that I have set up to achieve in January. What do you think? How are you doing? (Caroline, my goal buddy, how are you doing?)

Tombstone Tuesday

Grant found me this tombstone online while surfing around. Don't know why he was looking at tombstones. He's not a genealogist. Perhaps he's trying to figure out where to "plant" me after he gets the bills from RootsTech.

Breaking It Down: Genealogy Goals for January

I decided to break down my goals even further.
So each month on Motivation Monday (the first Monday of the Month) I will post what I hope to accomplish that month. Each Friday (on Follow up Friday) I will post how I am coming along.

So here goes: These are my goals for the month of January 2012

A lot of things need to happen in January since I will be attending the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) immediately followed by RootsTech in February.
But attending those two events accomplishes part of my educational goals for the year.

Goals:
1. Before I attend those conferences I need to get my business cards made up with my new business name.
2. I need to prepare my "homework" for SLIG (Tom Jones class. We haven't even got there and we have homework)
3. Gather together what I will need to do research in the Family History Library (I have about 4 days available to do research there between SLIG and RootsTech)
4. Make a list of things I want to learn during RootsTech
5. I have a deadline of Jan 8 to submit my class handouts for the two lectures I will be giving in Redding on Feb 25.
6. Write six blogs for January (I have set six blogs per month as my overall goal and I feel that is very doable. Six blogs per month equals 72 blogs and I posted 77 last year)
7. I will be attending a Webinar by Thomas McEntee and two Webinars put on by Legacy in January
8. I will be attending SLIG (both 7 & 8 go towards my educational goals for the year)
9. I plan on getting three classes done on the NGS Home Study Course in January
10. I have set a goal of finishing two classes from National Institute for Genealogical Studies (GenealogicalStudies.com)
11. The organization of my genealogy files (already in progress)
12. To check on my various genealogy memberships (societies, NGS, APG, Speakers Guild, etc) and be sure they are all up to date
13. Transcribe the Succession papers for my certification work
14. Review my Rhoades family genealogy and see if there is something in that research I can use for my certification
15. Send for two different succession records for Landry and Romero (for use in Kinship part of my certification work)
16. Order three films for review in Feb. from my Family History Center

Well, that's it for now. I think. It seems like a lot, but some of them are just short little things like ordering films so I think I can manage it. Check in with me on Fridays and see how I'm doing. Oh, and check in at the blog Corn and Cotton to see how other's are doing with their goals. See you on Friday.

Genealogy Goals for 2012

Ok, I'm joining in on the fun.

Stephanie, over at the "Corn and Cotton" blog has a group of us "gathering together" to cheer each other on and keep the motivation ramped up while we conquer our genealogy goals during the new year.

So the first step is to post our goals. Oh MY!!!!!

It's a scary thought to put it out there in the open for all to see but, gulp, if my friend Shelley Bishop can do it over at "A Sense of Family" blog then so can I. The worst thing that can happen is that I don't meet all my goals, right?

So here goes.

My first goals involve ORGANIZATION:
1. Clean out my e-mail files/folders
I was real good about setting up the folders but I've gotten into the very bad habit of just dumping mail into the folders without looking at it. Not personal notes, mind you, but the stuff I'm on mailing lists for. I started on this today, so already I have accomplished something.
2. Finish organizing and color coding my personal (vs Client) genealogy files.
I am about a quarter of the way through with this, and I hope to have it done by the end of the week.
3. I have some data on a database program that did not gedcom transfer well to my other database programs, so I need to clean that up.
4. Scan (documents, photos, everything) I'm not saying I'm going paperless, but I think I need to heavily reduce.

My next set of goals involve WRITING:
1. I would like to say I will post to my blog 3 times a week, but most weeks just don't work out for that kind of goal so my goal will be to post 6 or more posts per month.
2. I would like to put my journalism degree to work. So with that thought in mind my goal is to write for and be published in my local genealogical society's magazine.

Goal set number three is all about EDUCATION:
1. I plan to attend SLIG, RootsTech, NGS, FGS, Jamboree (S. CA) and hopefully Elizabeth Shown Mills class at Samford (IGHR). This one is easy for me, just time consuming, and costly. I'm an information junkie, and a conference addict.
2. I will finish up my NGS Home Study Course.
3. I will complete at least 5 classes through National Institute of Genealogical Studies (GenealogicalStudies.com)
4. I will attend at least 4 (or more) Webinars in 2012

Then there are my RESEARCH goals:
1. I want to jump into researching my husband's family. His father is 85 (this month) and still sharp. But you know what happens if you don't ask the questions in a timely fashion; so this is the year for the Parker research. For 2012 I will be doing the interviews and artifact gathering.
2. Theaux: this is the family focus for my attempt at my certification (haven't started the clock yet.) I want to devote more time to this, so I am setting the goal of 15 hours (or more) a week toward this family and my certification. (I may adjust to devoting more time here part way through the year as other goals are completed)
3. Technically this isn't research, really it is more in line with analyzing, but I need to develop some "Time Lines." So I will create time lines for the paternal grandparents and maternal grandparents of the Parker line, the Theaux line, and the von Aspern line.
4. I don't know if this goal falls under "writing" or "research" but I've decided to put it here. I plan on getting better at my research reports. I got better during 2011 at keeping my research logs but fell down consistently on writing up my research reports. Maybe if I talk into my digital recorder, talking myself through the analysis and plans for further research and then just transcribe the recording. I've just got to find what works for me. I find writing reports tedious. I'm just not disciplined enough I guess: who would have thunk it.

And lastly my BUSINESS/PROFESSIONAL goals:
This is the BIG category. Last year (2011) I started lecturing and I really enjoy it. I still take on clients too, and I've got a couple of side projects going on. So this year I have quite a bit of work to accomplish towards establishing my business.
1. Name change
2. Website
3. Business License (under new name)
4. Advertising
5. Business Cards
In addition, I have some goals professionally:
6. To develop 15 more lectures
7. To increase the amount of times in the year I am hired (paying gig) to speak/teach. (In 2011 I lectured 10 times; I got paid 3 times)
8. Continue working with my clients (currently have 4 clients) don't really want to increase that number for now, there are just too many other things in the works.

Well, I think that is about it for my genealogy goals. I'm sure I've forgotten something, and I have many more goals for 2012 but those are my personal goals and are not for publication.