CONNECTING/NON-CONNECTING FILES

TIP #4

Have you ever recieved a piece of data, that although it doesn't quite fit into your line.. it seems as if it "could" or "should". But since it didn't you tossed it? But, then regular as clockwork about 2 weeks- a month later, you are saying to yourself "now I know I had something on that person, where did I put it?" Only to find out, that is the piece that you threw away. (Fact of Genealogy: You NEVER need it till you throw it away.) I had always just hung onto pieces of info that "never quite fit in" although it seemed as if they should have. I now have a file on Non-Connecting (and this can also be a notebook) and use it as follows: If I receive something that seems as if it fits but there are a few generations missing, or it sounds correct but not enough to place in my family file. I stick these in the Non Connecting and with some frequency I go through it to see if anything fits yet. You would be surprised at something that seemingly didn't fit last week or last month now fits. I began doing this as the result of saying way too many times,"I had something on that, now where did I put it?" So now I save things JUST IN CASE. If it still doesn't fit after a reasonable amount of time I recheck it and it really doesn't fit after all I discard it. I do try to make sure I have past the point on a line that the questionable info would cover. Maybe this isn't the best of systems but it saves loosing items that later become useful. Don't misunderstand I don't do all my research on floppys, or CD's. I do also maintain a notebook of Family sheets,pedigrees,etc. I want just one more back up if I were to loose all on the computer.