In a message dated 6/22/99 3:49:44 AM Central Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: << Dear Sirs, >> Communication is the biggest tool you will use in genealogy and a lot of it will be in writing. I would suggest that you refrain from gender specific terms. But do what makes you feel the most comfortable. I would start with anyone alive. Get all the info you can from them. Dates, places, and my favorite, family lore. If you have any luck like I have had, you'll find someone in the family who has already done some of the work. SSDI or the Social Security Death Index (RootsWeb.com is one place to find it) has been a great source of those in the last 40 years. They have prewritten letters that you can click on and printout with the persons info right on it. Then mail it off (with a check) and in about 6 weeks you'll get the persons SS-5 form (application) which has been very helpful for me. Join a mailing list like this one. I have learned sooooo much from these lists, I would still be in the dark on a lot of things. Scan the web too. There are many sights that will give you ideas on where and how to look for information. Also look for your family names on those sites. You'll be surprised how many relatives you run into! But nothing will beat going to the local or state historical society and looking through the census, newspapers, microfilm, etc. Something about seeing some old time handwriting that brings it all home. I believe it makes it so much more real than just internet gathering. Hope that helps, Toni Wenzell