SLCC Genealogy Course: Post #2 - Offline

I have learned one terrible thing about taking an online course. It's really hard to do your assignment when your internet goes down for days. To say I was upset about the whole internet situation was an understatement. Not only did I have my class assignment locked into cyber space. I also couldn't work all my hours for RootsMagic or meet a deadline on a project I was doing for a client.

The internet was restored late Friday afternoon and I have been rushing to get caught up ever since. I do have a public library and the local family history center a few blocks from my home. If only doing this week's class assignment was my only concern, than it would have been a piece of cake to get that done by now. I had to ration my internet time and school work got bumped.

Now that I can look back at this week objectively, I realized that if I had been driving a car to school and my car had broken down, I would have experienced the same frustrations. At least with an online class I still have time to get my assignment done by this coming Wednesday's due date. I didn't get docked any points for not attending a class. Plus cars that break down mean major money out of your pocket to fix the problem.  It took money to fix my internet problems, but it was a couple thousand dollars out of their pocket and not mine. So, given all that, I'd much rather be taking the class online.

The assignment for class this week involved watching some videos and some reading assignments. We learned how to enter data into RootsMagic, gather information from family members, and cite our sources. I had to start a new blank database and add myself, parents and grandparents. I couldn't GEDCOM that information into the database I had to type it myself. While I was entering information I realized I hadn't entered two aunts death dates and obituary info. So I went back and fixed that in my main database.

I also realized I don't have documentation on my parents or grandparents birth, deaths or marriages. A lot of that was obtained directly from them or my parents. I have pictures of their tombstones, obituaries (not all), censuses (some), a couple death certificates but my goodness these people were living since vital records were kept. I need to order these now if I have any chance of getting them before this semester is done.

Yup, I really needed to take a basic genealogy class because I obviously over-looked some things.

See ya tomorrow, for tomorrow is always another genealogy day!