"The Genealogist's Curse!"

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In all of the years that I have enjoyed my hobby of genealogy, I have begun to notice a trend or cycle with my research and advances in discovering new information about my family. If I am busy with any kind of non-research, Murphy's Law immediately becomes activated! That is the moment that I get a new, hot lead about my family. What do you do, continue with the non-research project? Are you kidding? I have a new, hot lead... I must pursue the lead, at least a little. I will get the project done, but first I need to just take a little time to investigate more at the library or on the Internet concerning this new information - it may even require an all-day field trip somewher. So, this is what I call "the genealogist's curse!" I guess most would say, "Why call it a curse?" For my family history it is a blessing, but a curse to come when I am busy with something else.

For the last 4-5 weeks, I have been preparing a genealogical presention for my friends in the Posey County Scottish Rite Club. It is genealogy, but non-research for my family history. I have come across all kinds of leads on several of my family lines during this entire time. The "curse" is putting pressure on me to be well prepared for my presentation! Of course, I inherited the "gift of gab" from my father & other family members which helps in times like this! And, it does help that I have given this program about 12 times for all kinds of groups. The problem of preparation exists with the ever changing Internet for what I am speaking about - "Genealogy: Cruisin' the Internet." Keeping up with all of the new web sites and new URL links is a constant task. Cyndi's List has over 310,000 links... it has to be updated daily and you will still find broken links, but she does a great job of keeping the bad links to a minimum!

Back to my "curse:" During the last 4-5 weeks I have done more on those new leads than checking the Internet on new web sites or finding the new links. I am proud to say, however, that I have mostly completed my preparation for my little talk by working dilligently (mostly exclusively) on it last night! I should have all of the final touches complete by the meeting tonight!!! Another name for my curse might be "procrastination." If I must put something off, I do not mind too much if it is another genealogical clue taking up my time!!! I guess I should really see the situation as a blessing. And, I do... it is just odd that as soon as I begin to work on a project, suddenly "out of the blue" comes something new and really great about my family. Maybe, I should do more projects!

-Written by JGWest