Tallies for 15 and 16 August 2008

The last couple of days have been extremely busy for me, so I didn't get anything accomplished toward the Games. I taught a class twice yesterday morning on Using WorldVitalRecords.com for my genealogy society, then have been very busy with responsibilities around the house.

I took some time to review what I still need to accomplish to attain my original goals:

2. Back Up Your Data!
A. Prepare a comprehensive backup plan for your digital research files and a security plan for your hard copies and photos - I did some thinking on this the other day, now I need to put it in writing.

C. Backup all your data using a flash drive, an external drive, CDs, DVDs, or an online resource - I'm still in progress on this. I can't speed up the process because it's an online backup program and the initial one takes many days to achieve.

E. All your data is backed up digitally and secured physically and you can recover from any disaster while losing only one month or less worth of research - hmmm, I may have to revise my original goal of achieving this, because while I can all my digital data backed up, I don't have the time to secure all the physical data right now. Also, much of my plan for securing my physical data includes scanning or photographing it, loading the copy onto my computer and backing it up online. A big problem right now is that I'm running out of hard drive space.

3. Organize Your Research!
A. Organize at least 20 hard files or ancestral items (books, fabrics, inherited items) into file folders, boxes, envelopes, containers, etc.; archival-quality where appropriate. I started this and need to complete it.

C. Organize at least 20 photos into photo albums, scrapbooks, collages, protective holders, boxes, etc. - Need to do

D. Organize at least 20 digital photos into folders, label, add metadata, add descriptions, add tags, etc. - Need to do

F. Create a master list of your files and notify your family members of where it is stored. - I don't need to do a sixth task (only five are needed for a platinum medal), but I want to do it and it was my original goal to do the minimum of six tasks in this category.

4. Write, Write, Write!
I achieved my original goal of earning a gold, so nothing further will be done in this category.

5. Reach Out & Perform Genealogical Acts of Kindness!
C. Invite other genealogists to join Facebook. - I'd better hurry up on this one; they're all getting taken!

E. Participate in an indexing project. - I had hoped to do some indexing at the library yesterday after teaching my classes, but had to run some errands before shops closed for the weekend. Maybe I'll do a little indexing at FamilySearchIndexing today.

F. Join a genealogical, historical, heritage or lineage society. - I've got three in mind, actually.

I'm going to print up the above list and post it where I can easily see it and be reminded. Here's my current standings for each category:
1. Platinum
2. ---
3. Silver
4. Gold
5. Gold

Meanwhile, many of us have kind of hit a slump. I think we need to stop a minute and get inspired to keep pushing through to the end...keep your eye on the goal...focus on those medals...and turn on your speakers!