This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_003E_01C0050A.62FC7D20 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello Listers, Having painted myself into a corner with stacks and stacks of filing I can only tell you how I freed myself: 1) take an assessment of who is doing "filing for you" and don't duplicate it. Make use of the archives on line. For instance, in my "Favorites" I made a folder called "Query Pages" in which I keep titled subfolders representing all links to selected threads and their archives. I schedule a once-a-week scan of these. I also have a folder for "Related Home Pages", etc. Also check "Yes" on those pages that offer email notification of changes to threads you are following. 2) replicate the same concept in your folder storage section in your email files. When a lead comes in that looks promising, I flag it then store that lead in an appropriate email folder for later action. That way I can be sure I never lose a source gained on line. If these folders get too large, I copy to floppy selectively by category and then store the floppy in a pocket in the appropriate paper folder. 3) On the paper side of things, scrounge all those sites that offer free genie forms and be sure to select various Summary Sheets and use them. I place these on the left side of my paper folders so that I have an "at-a-glance" review of the research status of any given file. Some of these are "Census Summary," "Cemetery Summary," etc. From these it is easy to make a checklist when headed out to the LDS FHC or NARA or wherever to do grunt research. From various samples of "Correspondence Log," I designed my own which combines paper correspondence plus a list of those online links references and where they can be found, e.g. the online sources mentioned above. 4) Finally, as horrendous as it sounds, make a separate paper file for every individual and put the summaries in them. Once a week or so, review all summaries both in paper and online that are pertinent to the areas you are currently working. One of the ways to keep up with this is to make up a tickler file on your computer, so that you do not neglect to update. Ordinary "To Do List" software works fine. 5) Finally, speaking of software, do invest in a global search engine program such as Copernic 2000. You will be surprised at what's out there. Manage the files found as suggested above and then eliminate the search engine file to avoid sucking up hard drive space. Lowry Day Atlanta, GA USA lzday@mindspring.com ------=_NextPart_000_003E_01C0050A.62FC7D20 Content-Type: text/x-vcard; name="lzday@mindspring.com.vcf" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="lzday@mindspring.com.vcf" BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:2.1 N:;lzday@mindspring.com FN:lzday@mindspring.com EMAIL;PREF;INTERNET:lzday@mindspring.com REV:20000813T133933Z END:VCARD ------=_NextPart_000_003E_01C0050A.62FC7D20--