Today is the first day of April–lovingly called April Fool’s Day.
The Good–it has been raining all day. Utah farms (and we are farmers) have been dry–down at least 24-inches-into-the-ground dry. So raining all day is better than sun. And since many crops have been drilled into the soil–in hopes of rain to germinate the seeds, we are smiling.
The Bad–not enough hours in the day to get all the work done–stacks and stacks of work. Organizing and summarizing and collating and describing the genealogy research that is finished. Planning the searches for ancestors at the Family History Library. Getting out the records with accompanying user names and passwords for input on the computer–Family Tree, Our Pedigrees (my new online client site), Celebrating Family History and Me Software…and on and on.
The Ugly–there is only me at the present time working on all of these projects. I’ve run out of dedicated space at my home office (actually my home office is an 8-bedroom house on two floors and bookshelves in every room except the bathroom and the dining room). I’m surrounded by reports in various states of completion. If a breeze invaded my space…UGH! I’ve set up tables where the finished research is awaiting analysis and reporting. They are all full. I’ve set-up plastic bins to hold the files of each client so they do not get intermixed–what an ugly deal that would be. And I have a huge wall calendar with notes all over it so that I don’t get caught unawares and forget something important.
Why don’t I have this all stuff in digital form with alarms and triggers that appear on the screen to remind me? Are you kidding me?
I still take computer lessons for 2 hours every Monday. I have added an hour lesson on Wed/Thurs for Family Tree. And I have a 45 minute class on Sunday to learn apps and programs for all sorts of digital devices.
Are you laughing yet?
And to think we had to shut down comments on my blogs because they were hijacked by messages in 7 different languages (some of which I did not recognize) for spam. I got 34,000 emails in two weeks! Think about it! My very small genealogy business, run by one person–only me–being attacked for economic mischief and gain. Without the capable help of a very skilled web-master, I would be absolutely lost. And I have the commiseration of a jack-of-all-trades daughter who steps in when things really get ready to crash.
The Ugliest–One day I thought I would go back to school–computer school. So I went for a full semester. Took computer classes in web-design and online marketing. How to build a functional web-site. They taught me how to find stock pictures and artwork. Every word I used went to a pornographic site. What I wanted was how to use a computer–they don’t teach Computer 101. Seems “no one needs such a class.” Obviously I don’t count.
The Best–my work crew has just about finished repairing all the walls at the Genealogy Library Center. We sheet-rocked the bathroom. And we are ready to lay the base for the tile. Very soon, we can paint. Our next work session will be Thursday.
The Very Best–Four new collections arrived this past week–and await processing, including 47 boxes of genealogy books with a large focus on New York; a van-load of genealogy periodicals which I drove to Oregon to pick up, 9 boxes of “media mail” that I picked up at the post office on Thursday last and have not had the time to open, and three large plastic bins of professional family files delivered last week. I would call my volunteers–but there is no room yet for them to work! Every surface is covered with building materials and finishing nails and screws of various sizes. All the genealogy is covered with tarps and drop cloths for protection.
The Very Worst–Library and book copyright laws that require destruction and shredding of genealogy books, microfiche, and film–when they are retired from use or withdrawn from the public view. What idiot thought up such protection for the economic rights of man or woman)? I am fed-up with such idiocy! And loss.
Your favorite genealogist, Arlene Eakle http://arleneeakle.com
PS When you tune in next time, perhaps you will get some useful genealogy information. I think my rant is over…Happy April Fool’s Day!