Jill Ball has set a January challenge on GeniAus for a yearly blog to Accentuate the Positive, 2024 is my fifth yearly effort looking back over 2023 this time.  The challenge has 20 set points to cover, and some I’ve varied just a smidge.

Challenge 1. Revisiting old research: timeline created to sort out who is whom

1. On revisiting some old research I found that doing an involved timeline of all instances of events within the surname within the subject’s locality helped ‘zone in’ on possible folk to consider and research deeper.
2. In 2023 I hooked up with another new (to me) GSQ member wanting to learn more about genealogy in my twice a month Wednesday morning Zoom session.
3. As part of a pc upgrade, to continue using my existing USB-A equipment, I’m pleased I purchased a Satechi USB-C Combo Hub for Desktop which caters for multi format types.
4. My sledgehammer did great work on a brick wall researching a person who was a previously unknown member of my family by tracing the recipients in his Will. It is still an ongoing mission to work out the cc1700 grandparent of the folk involved, but it’s a step in the right direction.
5. I was pleased that I finally read the last of the Jayne Sinclair series of genealogical stories by M. J. Lee which satisfied the interim period until I get the latest of the Nathan Dylan Goodwin stories for Christmas.
   
   

   Challenge 6. Enjoying my geneajourney by helping to set up a cousin’s FTM.

6. I enjoyed my geneajourney to the Sunshine Coast where I installed and set up my cousin’s own Family Tree Maker software. Included was importing our two shared lines in the FTM file format giving her a head start to a very complete line on her grandmothers and her father’s paternal line.
7. In 2023 when on holidays, I finally met in person one of my favourite bloggers.
8. I was the recipient of genearosityfrom a distant cousin who shared the many mid 1800s letters and jottings made by his ancestors with me which led me to Point 4 above.
9. As always, I am pleased that I am a member of Genealogical Society of Queensland. I thoroughly enjoy the volunteer roles I do for the society and learn many new skills along the way.
10. I made a new DNA discovery on behalf of my son-in-law’s Mum who kindly did a test for me. This proved my work into researching her difficult Cardigan Welsh line was correct, a win-win for both my work and the match to find a new DNA cousin.
11. An informative journal, newspaper article or presentation I found was a recent PRONI presentation on The East Donegal Border Petition and the Derry-Donegal Milk War, 1934-8’ which is now available on their You-tube site. I was previously unaware of this stressful time for those dairy farmers.
    
    

    Challenge 12. A newspaper archive article I found.

12. A newspaper archive helped me understand more about my son-in-law’s earliest Australian ancestor born in Ireland, who sadly was lost in his region for more than two weeks in 1913, suffering from dementia.
13. I enjoyed my wander around Cornubia crematorium and cemetery. This is the final resting spot of my husband and will be mine when the time comes. It’s interesting to me to read the many stories told on the little plaques etc.
14. AI was a mystery to me, but I learnt from an interesting Zoom on the AFFHO Opening day, what a boon it is proving to genealogists worldwide with indexing thousands of new records so quickly.
15. The best value I got for my genealogy dollars was my subscriptions to TheGenealogist, FindMyPast and Ancestry. All shine in different ways so it’s difficult to pick one over the other, it all depends on what type of research and exactly where that research is based as to which site I will primarily use.
    
    

    Challenge 18. I wouldn’t be without this technology.

16. It felt good to contribute to my GSQ Zoom group and set up a great get-together in comfortable surroundings with much chatter and new friends made during the event.
17. It was wonderful to catch up with genimates at our society Open Day in August and the Christmas break up afternoon tea in December, many whom I hadn’t physically seen for quite a while.
18. I wouldn’t be without this technology. This year I gave myself a gift of a new laptop and I’m loving the advancements since my last model in 2012.
19. I got a thrill from assisting two of my Zoom group members to the joyful sense of achievement with learning and mastering how to do a PowerPoint presentation on their chosen topics.
20. Another positive I would like to share is the gift of sharing your knowledge within your genealogy circle, one of life’s joys.