Only In (Genealogy) Oz

You all know about Oz, a fictional place where weird, or at least out of place, things happen.  OK, I was in a personal version of Oz Wednesday.  Six (6!) people who devote substantial time and energy to genealogy were in a car, headed for the Library of Michigan. One of these people actually earns a living in genealogy, one devotes hours and hours to the cause as a volunteer.   I guess the rest of us are researchers of sorts, but all have devoted or are devoting some time and energy to societies and causes related to genealogy.

Now D1 has always called my genealogy society “The Retired Librarians Association”.  It’s not true that all the members are retired librarians, but it is true that many people with a healthy interest in genealogy are retired teachers, librarians and history freaks. I’m from a technology/quality system management background, making me the odd gal out.  I used to be younger than many, but now we’re getting our share of younger, more technologically competent people in the seats at the meetings.

So, the subject comes up, as it always does, about the piles of items in our “offices”.  Apparently one gentlemen is having grandchildren visit, and he’ll have to clear at least the floor to make room for a crib.  Another person  lost some important information he needs now; he believes it is somewhere in a pile.  But he is looking on the internet for replacement information, as if that would save having to file all that crud eventually.  I actually have a box that I added to my pile so I could put everything that I haven’t filed yet on it or in it.

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The most important thing to note about this box is that it contains a very cool, accordion file folder.  Well, the very cool folder is so full it won’t close, but who cares?  These are my finds that aren’t entered into my computer, and  everything in the folder is organized by first letter of last name.  So, there is some chance I might be able to find something, if I know what I was looking for. And if I remembered I had it.  And if I know what family I thought it was related to.  Maybe.

The white notebook on the top is one of three binders with the items from “Belle’s Box“, I’ve been writing about those things every day.  (I just looked in the blue notebook, it’s some information about Papa’s photo business.)  I won’t show the desk, but I will say that the reason I added the box which the accordion folder resides in is because I actually entered some items into my computer, and I put them in the bottom of the box under the folder rather that create another pile.  I know I should have filed them, but it seems easier to make a pile under a pile.  Why is that?

What’s the message?  Well, everyone in genealogy Oz can relate to piles.  Piles of research, or piles of books to read, or piles of items to attend to, or piles of items to attend to later.  And it was nice to have something in common with other people of similar interest, I think.  Even if it is a pile, and even if it feels like Oz.  Now, if I just had that wizard…