Hi gang, Perhaps having a rool call of the alphabet and asking how folks found the info. used , would help the beginners find out how to break down the brick walls of genealogy and help each other...in the begining we all "lurked", listened and ask a few shy questions, then as our feet got "wet" we asked more in depth questions. I've done genealogy the "hard" way, by snail mail up to 1998, love that one can ask mind numbing questions of the grur's here and get tried and tested answers and or link's that really do get the hunt going. I only belonged to 2 lists for 10 yrs. or more and have learned a lot and helped by passing on the knowledge to relatives and other new-bies, just this week, got a response from a grandaughter to a cousin of mine, she didn't know of my existance even. So post on lists you belong to, many find you by the archive's of these lists...usually at Christmas, when the list is so very quiet, I get out my "library" and post items on the list for the newbies, and hope that it helps the seniors remember some of the older sites that may have a hidden family member, refreshing one's mind, isn't a crimal act, its a kind one. As we each find another name in our ancestoral log, and older dates, we need to keep pursuit of the names of times long gone, years that are just surfacing in the internet, each year there are many volumes of books that are documented and archived, just for us...so use "google.com" and happy "trails" to you. I started last year with 1 unknown family name, found 26 others, and connect 3 to my ancestrial surname! Found the line of 4 families back across the "Pond", becaused I asked..so ask your questions and then do your "Homework". ~ Linda ~ Willow Creek,CA.