2018. Nearly eight years since I started this blog - and eighteen months since I wrote in it. It was originally meant as an extension to my desktop family history program - detailing the *history* part: Anecdotes, snippets of information, quotes, pictures - and even some chapters of book(s) I am writing on the surnames that appear in my family tree.
No, I'm not closing down the blog. This isn't one of those "goodbye, it's been fun" posts. (And, hopefully, there's nobody out there who wishes it was.) This is more of an "I wonder what's out there?" post. Because I am starting a new stage in my life. I have stopped working (for health reasons; I'm not pensionable age yet!) which means I can devote more time to my ancestors, more time to my writing, more time to my One Place and One Name Studies, more time to developing my websites, just more...time.
I won't deny it...it's scary and depressing all at once. I didn't realise just how much my focus was on work - not just 'going to work', but scheduling all the other days into preparing to go to work. Which days needed to be set aside for clothes washing, for grocery shopping; which groceries to get in order to be able to make packed lunches - and so on. I don't know if I could have faced this enforced retirement without my ancestors. How do people cope without them? (Packed lunches are no substitute. Trust me on this one.)
But it's also exciting and full of wonder. Now that I have the time, what will I discover about my family, my friends, myself? What genealogical steps forward (or backward) will I take? Will I take courses? attend webinars? I already love working on WikiTree. I could never have made the transition to retirement without it. If you don't know what it is, click the link and explore.
No, I'm not closing down the blog. This isn't one of those "goodbye, it's been fun" posts. (And, hopefully, there's nobody out there who wishes it was.) This is more of an "I wonder what's out there?" post. Because I am starting a new stage in my life. I have stopped working (for health reasons; I'm not pensionable age yet!) which means I can devote more time to my ancestors, more time to my writing, more time to my One Place and One Name Studies, more time to developing my websites, just more...time.I won't deny it...it's scary and depressing all at once. I didn't realise just how much my focus was on work - not just 'going to work', but scheduling all the other days into preparing to go to work. Which days needed to be set aside for clothes washing, for grocery shopping; which groceries to get in order to be able to make packed lunches - and so on. I don't know if I could have faced this enforced retirement without my ancestors. How do people cope without them? (Packed lunches are no substitute. Trust me on this one.)
But it's also exciting and full of wonder. Now that I have the time, what will I discover about my family, my friends, myself? What genealogical steps forward (or backward) will I take? Will I take courses? attend webinars? I already love working on WikiTree. I could never have made the transition to retirement without it. If you don't know what it is, click the link and explore.
© 2018 Ros Haywood. All Rights Reserved
I'm sorry you have can no longer work due to health reasons because health is always most important but I will look forward to your ancestry and other tidbits. I gave my hubby an ancestry kit so he can see his DNA which will be fun to find out
ReplyDelete