Genealogy Newbie

Greetings Genealogy Community, For several months, I have flown under the radar- surveying blogs, listening to podcasts, webinars, and participating in chat forums. My interest in genealogy grew earlier this year since my current job is several blocks for the NARA. So putting my words to actions, I am going to start chronicling my journey towards discovering the history behind my namesake. Hence the significance my blog's name. 2 Thoughts for Starting my Journey- Simplicity & Patience: Simplicity is important for me. Starting simple and working carefully on one branch is very important so that you do make mistakes in the beginning. I honesty find that I have to focus on one family member or my head will start to hurt. ACTION PLAN: Attend a local genealogy society in your community. Make connections to members online who are searching in your geographical area. Blogger Spotlight Resource: The Beginner Genealogist Patience is definitely a virtue. I have learned to embrace the fine art of patience because it's a necessary quality to possess while searching records to create a family memory album. A great example of this was shown when I went back to a surname open forum. Several years ago, I left an inquery but did not receive a response. Last week, I stumbled upon the old post and start reading threads. It amazed me that during that time a lot had happened and helped me piece together threads of where to go look next. I went one step further to track down a researcher who has focused on my family surname to ask questions. And luckily I was able to track them down and compare notes. ACTION PLAN: Download a family tree template, start with yourself and work backwards. Become familiar with the U.S. Census. (luckily I used my birth certificate as a guide to find my grandparents. Find out if others in your family are willing to help fill in the family tree). Resources: Family Tree Magazine- free family tree templates