By Tiggy Johnson.

 

If you’re at all familiar with the image of the red button below, you’ll know I’m a little late to the party. I think there are certain advantages to being behind – including having the space to do extra while in an excited frenzy – though my reason isn’t about that. It’s more simply a case of not aiming for much (anything!) in January other than getting my children sorted for a new school year and to keep them busy enough on holidays that they don’t kill each other.

 

I first came across Thomas MacEntee’s Genealogy Do-Over in December, and instantly it sounded like an excellent idea. I’m often telling myself I need to come back to some ancestor and document where I got certain information, or to find a way to make my research neater, tidier, or somehow more organised. Much like I imagine it was for everyone else, I was super excited when I started collecting information, and probably moved on to finding the next thing before properly documenting everything along the way. In those early days, I’m not sure I even realised how important it would be to keep it all organised anyway, and if I did, I doubt I’d have known what kind of structure might work for me. So the Do-Over sounds perfect for structuring my research the way I want.

 

That’s one of the great things about the Do-Over, though there are other reasons it might be a good idea. I even like the idea of all that excitement in rediscovering everything I’ve already found. Have a look at what Thomas MacEntee has to say about it. In fact, follow this link to keep track of all his posts relating to the Do-Over (they’ll appear in reverse chronological order, ie with the most recent one first). Even if you’re not planning to join the Do-Over, you’re sure to find a good tip or two.

 

I particularly like the way he is breaking it down into weekly tasks. This seems very achievable and takes away a large part of the scariness in starting over. For me anyway (I like structure). Because, as exciting – and sensible – as it might seem to start over, it is quite a scary thought. Also, people all around the world are joining him, so there’s no reason to feel like you’re doing it alone.

 

While I’m late to make a start on this, I have pencilled in the first week of February to be my Week 1. Care to join me (if you haven’t already started!)?