Going off on a tangent - do you?

Post by **emanday** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 5:44 pm

Started out with a mistake! Found my Gran's sister's BC while looking for someone else. Sat here trying to remember her married name - could I? Nah! That hateful blank spot again!

Suddenly popped into my head and off I went....

Her husband is only related to me by marriage, but had to find out a bit more about him. Born in Fife? I don't remember him having a Fife accent

...

Wonder how old he was when his family came to Glasgow...

Where were his parents born....

Coo! One side are English....

Am I just extra undisciplined or am I not alone in doing this?

karenc · Post by **karenc** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 5:55 pm

Hi Mary,

no youre not alone, sometimes you find something competely by accident amd it is just too interesting not to find out more

Karen

apanderson · Post by **apanderson** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 5:55 pm

No Mary - you're not alone!

It must be a common thread running through the biggest majority of us - budding genealogists that is!

I frequently go off in all sorts of mad tangents, then wonder why my bank statement runs over multiple pages - with SP as every second transaction.

Still - good fun eh?

Anne.

I also have a habit of contacting complete strangers on various genealogy sites when I find an interesting or unusual name on a gravestone . . . . then . . . . off on more tangents!

Post by **emanday** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 6:03 pm

Maddeningly, this particular mad tangent has turned out to be easier than ma ain folk.

I even found the 1871 English census record on the first attempt

pinkshoes · Post by **pinkshoes** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 8:44 pm

I find the tangents can be not only interesting in themselves, but often actually get me to the bit I wanted to be at in the first place (if that makes sense). Sometimes I go off sideways deliberately to try it from a different angle, sometimes it happens by chance. But I've also learned to store all the info I find along the way, even if it doesn't look relevant at the time. Ages later I can find myself saying "now that's familiar I'm sure I've seen something to do with that". Or worse, spending ages looking for something, only to find it's been sitting in my "doesn't mean diddly at the moment" file.

I often wonder if other people's family tree rooms/spaces look like mine

At themoment I can't move for "tangents"!

Best wishes
Pinkshoes

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 9:00 pm

Know the feeling Pinkshoes

My tangents currently cover a double bed - and that's just the folders/lever arch files/polypockets/ - Oh! and I'm down to only two piles of A4 printouts.
My wife's family are currently squeezed into 4 large lever arch files and if we take anymore detours we will have met up with all families who lived in Sorn, Old Cumnock, Muirkirk from 1800 to 1900.

Detours and tangents are good, especially when they just fall into place. That just whets the appetite (The word 'whet' was one of my tangents and there are 2 differing explanations !) When you get back to brick wall butting somehow the pain is less

Anne, you have only admitted half. If it is made of stone and doesn't move you photograph it too- beautifully may I add.

Russell

Post by **emanday** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 9:01 pm

pinkshoes wrote:...snipped....

I often wonder if other people's family tree rooms/spaces look like mine At themoment I can't move for "tangents"!

....snipped...

Lost count of the times I've politely told my son "DON'T touch them! That's my research files and they're in a particular order!"

Oh Yeah

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 9:05 pm

Yeah Mary

Snap

Russell

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 9:09 pm

Ah, there is something quite therapeutic about this thread!

All recognisable symptoms..

Best wishes
Lesley

Post by **emanday** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 10:02 pm

Glad to be of service Lesley...

whisper: now WHERE'S that printout of the family who lived next to 3rd cousin twice removed Jessie?