Here are some helpful tips and hints for those that have surcommed to the Genealogy Addiction.
These will be put under separate headings, but some may overlap.
Obviously the needs of male and female will vary, and so does marital status affect the list.
All habitat conditions cannot possibly be catered for, so please adopt and adapt all that you can.
Environment.
1. Situate your working space to the nearest toilet, kitchen and bedroom.
2. Be sure to have power and phone line close by.
3. A paper recycling facility(Bin) close to hand.
4. A comfortable chair. ( A commode is chair of choice. (See item 14 Tools section))
5. No windows to gaze out of.
6. Air conditioning unit.( You may start to smell after a while).
Tools
1. A bell of your choice. (This to be used to summon your slaves).
2. All the usual stationary/pens/eraser/paperclips/paper/nail clippers.
3. Elbow pad protectors.
4. Tissues. (Use to wipe up tears and spit, dependant on mood).
5. Your own pc. printer/scanner/fax. (No sharing).
6. Tinted spectacles/sunglasses. (eye strain)
7. Coffee percolator/Teas-made. (Just in case 'slaves' have left the building).
8. Sandwich boxes. (seal-able).
9. Paper cups.(disposable and recyclable). No washing up.
10. Deep freeze. (see preparation)
11. Wet wipes. (save time washing).
12. Microwave. (essential).
13. Ears plugs. (cuts out the whining partners and children).
14. Air freshener. (see Environment, item 4)
15. A full set of credit cards. (Debit cards are a poor second choice, but useful).
Preparation.
1. Set aside 2 days per month for cooking/shopping.
2. Cook stews with minced meat. (seek alternative if veggie diet is required)
3. Curry/Chilli/Cajun/ and any other spices/powders to flavour the stews.
4. Freeze everything, and I mean everything.
5. Microwaveable rice/pasta. Or anything else that you can throw in a microwave for a minute or so.
6. Alternative for the desperate. Ignore most in this section, and buy ready-meals. (microwaveable).
Training.
1. Train eldest adult and/or child in the art of survival.
2. Train eldest adult and/or child in the art of housekeeping.
3. Do not train younger children. (Let the others do it).
4. Do not train other adults. (Let the others do it).
--4a. Adopt/abduct/steal/con./manipulate/sucker/beg/plead/ any other person who comes within reach to help you with whatever is needed, so long as you can focus on Genealogy.(Trained by the others).
5. Train yourself to lie convincingly to your employers, when caught using pc at work for personal use.
6. Train yourself to lie convincingly to your Bank Manager, when asked why you are overdrawn. (This 'hobby' is not cheap).
--6a. -------------------ditto for partner------------------
--6b. And children, when they see their College fund disappearing.
--6c. And your pets. ("Why haven't you petted me for weeks").
7. Train yourself to use your kids iPods to store information.(money saving tip, if it really matters).
General Section.
1. Holidays to be taken where you relatives were born/married/died/baptised.
2. Laptop for mobile research. (Preferably someone else's. Why expose your own to viruses).
3. Blackberry or similar. (as above).
4. In car DVD player. (So you can view census records etc. on disc whilst travelling)
--4a. Driving training for partner or eldest child.
5. Buy drip dry, non creasing clothes. (Only if you have to do washing/ironing).
--5a. Disposable/recyclable paper underwear/clothes/overalls. (Obvious reasons).
6. Money saving tip. If any of you are pensioners, take advantage of free travel, especially when offered by volunteers. (easier to manipulate).
7. A paper shredder for putting those useless stopped credit cards in.
These are only guidelines and are meant to be used to enhance your experience in Genealogy. No doubt you all have your own methods of dealing with those that interfere with your 'pastime'. Threats of no ***, no food, no pocket money, no anything, sometimes works.
Links to helplines.
Genealogists anonymous.uk
familygone.com
lonegenie.org
fingertip-fatigue.uk
hairreplacement.com
allhopedoggone.com (this one is the best for last resort rellie tracking. Tracking dogs used).
There you go, enjoy your family research and good luck.
Steve.
These will be put under separate headings, but some may overlap.
Obviously the needs of male and female will vary, and so does marital status affect the list.
All habitat conditions cannot possibly be catered for, so please adopt and adapt all that you can.
Environment.
1. Situate your working space to the nearest toilet, kitchen and bedroom.
2. Be sure to have power and phone line close by.
3. A paper recycling facility(Bin) close to hand.
4. A comfortable chair. ( A commode is chair of choice. (See item 14 Tools section))
5. No windows to gaze out of.
6. Air conditioning unit.( You may start to smell after a while).
Tools
1. A bell of your choice. (This to be used to summon your slaves).
2. All the usual stationary/pens/eraser/paperclips/paper/nail clippers.
3. Elbow pad protectors.
4. Tissues. (Use to wipe up tears and spit, dependant on mood).
5. Your own pc. printer/scanner/fax. (No sharing).
6. Tinted spectacles/sunglasses. (eye strain)
7. Coffee percolator/Teas-made. (Just in case 'slaves' have left the building).
8. Sandwich boxes. (seal-able).
9. Paper cups.(disposable and recyclable). No washing up.
10. Deep freeze. (see preparation)
11. Wet wipes. (save time washing).
12. Microwave. (essential).
13. Ears plugs. (cuts out the whining partners and children).
14. Air freshener. (see Environment, item 4)
15. A full set of credit cards. (Debit cards are a poor second choice, but useful).
Preparation.
1. Set aside 2 days per month for cooking/shopping.
2. Cook stews with minced meat. (seek alternative if veggie diet is required)
3. Curry/Chilli/Cajun/ and any other spices/powders to flavour the stews.
4. Freeze everything, and I mean everything.
5. Microwaveable rice/pasta. Or anything else that you can throw in a microwave for a minute or so.
6. Alternative for the desperate. Ignore most in this section, and buy ready-meals. (microwaveable).
Training.
1. Train eldest adult and/or child in the art of survival.
2. Train eldest adult and/or child in the art of housekeeping.
3. Do not train younger children. (Let the others do it).
4. Do not train other adults. (Let the others do it).
--4a. Adopt/abduct/steal/con./manipulate/sucker/beg/plead/ any other person who comes within reach to help you with whatever is needed, so long as you can focus on Genealogy.(Trained by the others).
5. Train yourself to lie convincingly to your employers, when caught using pc at work for personal use.
6. Train yourself to lie convincingly to your Bank Manager, when asked why you are overdrawn. (This 'hobby' is not cheap).
--6a. -------------------ditto for partner------------------
--6b. And children, when they see their College fund disappearing.
--6c. And your pets. ("Why haven't you petted me for weeks").
7. Train yourself to use your kids iPods to store information.(money saving tip, if it really matters).
General Section.
1. Holidays to be taken where you relatives were born/married/died/baptised.
2. Laptop for mobile research. (Preferably someone else's. Why expose your own to viruses).
3. Blackberry or similar. (as above).
4. In car DVD player. (So you can view census records etc. on disc whilst travelling)
--4a. Driving training for partner or eldest child.
5. Buy drip dry, non creasing clothes. (Only if you have to do washing/ironing).
--5a. Disposable/recyclable paper underwear/clothes/overalls. (Obvious reasons).
6. Money saving tip. If any of you are pensioners, take advantage of free travel, especially when offered by volunteers. (easier to manipulate).
7. A paper shredder for putting those useless stopped credit cards in.
These are only guidelines and are meant to be used to enhance your experience in Genealogy. No doubt you all have your own methods of dealing with those that interfere with your 'pastime'. Threats of no ***, no food, no pocket money, no anything, sometimes works.
Links to helplines.
Genealogists anonymous.uk
familygone.com
lonegenie.org
fingertip-fatigue.uk
hairreplacement.com
allhopedoggone.com (this one is the best for last resort rellie tracking. Tracking dogs used).
There you go, enjoy your family research and good luck.
Steve.
