Explaining the Minimal Posting
Life has been ever so busy lately. I have many things going on and blogging always seems to fall by the way side. With today starting NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month), I am determined to get back into blogging more consistently.
Today, my first post is to explain my lack of consistent posting. Last year, I decided it was time to take the plunge and join ProGen. A few months later, I received my email stating I would be part of ProGen 15. I was super excited to start the program.
The first few months were easy, which is probably a great way to start the program. If it started hard, I probably would have not jumped into it. After roughly 4 months, things picked up and some of the assignments took many hours to complete.
I was not sure what the classes were really going to cover, I never really discussed what the class did and what they studied with anyone in particular. So for those that are wondering, our main focus has been on the business side genealogy. You get a reading assignment, sometimes a few supplemental reading as well, and then you finish off with your written assignment which you upload to the class website. Then, your ProGen group of about 8-10 people have to comment on your assignment; the good or the bad.
To be honest, the feedback is the hardest part. You need to be open to everyone’s idea’s and views. Plus, keep in mind that not everyone sees things the same as you. For me, I am very visual and when I read the assignments, I seem to like the ones that are formatted and visually appealing. Plus, giving the feedback is not always the easiest thing to do.
My favorite assignment so far has been the research plans, though it was one that I procrastinated on. It took me three hours to put it together, fully sourced. It turned out to be not as bad as I thought and really made me take another look at the family I used for the report. What I found was that I had conflicting evidence on some things and needed to look for primary evidence to prove some of the information on this family; which will be a blog post of its own, later this month.
Besides ProGen 15 keeping me busy with homework and chats, I have been working hard on The In-Depth Genealogist, running my travel business and taking a few genealogy clients. Oh yeah, and I started a website devoted to travel and photography, Wanderlust and a Camera, I hope you are following me there as well. Plus, my son is home from college this semester and I have been a chauffeur for him on a daily basis. Life is good, but busy.
I apologize for the minimal posting the past few months and I hope you will stick with my this month as I have made the commitment to post daily with NaBloPoMo.
Terri, best wishes on your NaBloPoMo challenge! Not to mention all your ProGen work! You have a full plate going into the holidays!
Thanks, Jacqi! I appreciate it. It is going to be busy, but the preplanning seems to be helping and as I am writing posts, I am finding more to write about.
Terri, not to worry about the minimal posting! The ProGen work alone sounds plenty challenging, even if you were doing nothing else — and you do all those other tasks as well, my heavens! Sometimes I think that women, especially, feel an obligation to do everything . . . and finish it all by yesterday. Men are better at knowing how to put their feet up once in a while.
Personally, I have all I can handle with tutoring, doing my quest for cousins while networking with family members, listening to webinars, blogging, reading the books I’ve signed up for, raking our fall leaves (100 bags), canvassing, and finding time to write an article for the IDG….I realize I’m past-due, alas. I thought I would have started my next novel by now, but ha ha, no way. Well, it’s all good stuff. The main thing is to enjoy.
Something’s gotta give! Believe me, you have nothing to apologize for! I enjoy reading your blogs, and thanks for them.
Thanks, Mariann.
I know that I have a ton going on and I should not feel bad, but of course I do. As for the men, I think that you are correct in that they can put their feet up and not feel bad about it.
I hope that you get that next novel started soon, good luck on it!
Terri