My theme for the Family History through the Alphabet is the Attributes we need as family historians: the skills, experience and talents we need to bring to our research. This week is the letter “V”.
V is for VALIANT: perhaps this is a stretch but we certainly need some level of courage to keep plugging away at our research despite “brick walls”, obstacles, confusion and all the new skills we need to learn. We also need to be courageous enough to approach unknown relatives to learn more stories or appeal for photographs.
V is for VEXED: This is how we feel when one approach after another fails to resolve our research mystery, or when an ancestor gave a glib answer like “County Clare” or “Bavaria” or when technology conspires to challenge us, or……
V is for VACILLATE: Do you do this too when you’re not sure which family to research or which story to take up next? It’s all too easy to be overwhelmed by the opportunities available to us for researching. Not to mention the potential distractions of social media (oh yes, and chores) rather than tackle the research problem on our check-list.
V is for VAGRANT: Let’s hope that this obsession hobby of ours doesn’t send us broke and we don’t end up in the poorhouse like some of our distant ancestors.
V is for VACANT: You know, the look when you can’t work out what they were doing or how to make sense of what you’ve just discovered.
V is for VAGUE: That’s when one of our real-life family thinks we should engage with daily life while our minds are fully absorbed centuries ago with long-departed family.
V is for VOLUNTEERING: There are many ways to volunteer your knowledge and time to help with family history. You might provide advice to a genimate about a particular topic. You might transcribe records from microfilm, for Family Search etc etc. You could edit some articles in Trove. Or you might be involved with your local family history society, or give talks or, or, or…..
V is for VICTORIOUS: This is what we’ll be if we bravely persist with our family history research despite all the stumbling blocks. I don’t promise you won’t gain two questions for every answer you find, but isn’t that part of why we love it all?
And as for the Family History Through The Alphabet followers and bloggers, we’ll soon be victorious when we reach the letter Z…only a few weeks to go now.
Family history across the seas 
Very good, once again Pauleen. I like your unpromise! It is a bit like one step forward, 2 steps sideways.
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If not two back, sometimes Fi! Thanks for dropping by and commenting.
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I love that frog. I know the feeling. 🙂
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yep, there are times when vexation gets the upper hand!
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V is for Variation –I’m vexed when information varies across different sources (different birth date, different middle initial, and so on).
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You’re right Sheryl, it’s all those “mixed messages” that can be so frustrating.
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Ooohhh… I just thought of another Pauleen. Validation; sure is what I feel whenever a “hunch”, or whatever, is Verified 🙂 Vagrant’s a beauty…phew!!! VICTORIOUS!!! is what I’m aiming for. Sometimes it seems almost Utterly Unobtainable … puff puff puff.
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Excellent addition with Validation Catherine. 52 weeks is looking utterly unobtainable right now.
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Love them all 😉
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Thanks Alona.
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VERY VAGUE is me to a tee 🙂
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We all get that way when we’re on the trail Kerry 😉
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An impressive list of Vs many of which would not have occurred to me,
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Thanks Susan.
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I am often vague and sometimes vexed when I try and verify information and the relatives are busy with their lives and I get no response. Another good list. Only 4 more letters to victory!
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Good response Kristin;-) Ah sweet victory! I’ve written a couple of mine so only one more to write…woo hoo. But still 11 of those Beyond the Internet ones
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SO TRUE! I can relate to all except “Vagrant” and hope that never happens! “Vague” made me laugh but my family say I am “in family tree mode again”
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I’m hoping not to be in vagrant mode too Sharon;-) Love your family’s response.
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