Do-over for Grandmother's Genealogy

I've started Thomas MacEntee's Genealogy Do-Over with my genealogy group. A complete do-over. I am researching as if I have no idea who my ancestors are.  I've written a synopsis on Month 1 tasks of the do-over on my genealogy group's blogspot page.

I have done a lot of research on dad's side of the family. Although, I wouldn't say it is up to par with other people's research. I would really like to do a do-over with that side as well. I have a BLOG for dad's father, Robert Stanley Hicks. But, I have significantly less on Grandmother Goins' family, so I've decided to do the do-over on Carrie Inez Wilkes and create a blog as I go along.

Grandmother and Pawpaw. Carrie Inez Goins and Harry Francis Goins. 

On the back of this photograph it says to "Put in a frame for Angela, so she won't forget how we look". 

I have my goal: Begin my maternal line. I'm starting with my grandmother, Carrie Inez Goins! But wait, one must always start with one's self. So, really I must start with me.

I have prepared to research. I have everything (EVERYTHING) put away. Things I know I have are grandmother's birth certificate. I think I have her marriage certificate. I'm not sure. (Good thing I'm doing it over!) . I'm going to research as if I don't have these things. When I need them, instead of going to vital records to get these things again, I'm going to "Angela's Vital Records Closet" in my office to search for that record.

Month 2's goals are to Establish Base Practices and Guidelines and Set Research Goals. I'm following Thomas MacEntee's Do-Over and reading his Do-Over Workbook . I like his base practices which are to

1. Track all work, even dead ends, negative evidence and non-productive searches.
2. Cite all sources! This often scares people. You could use the Evidence Explained book or website to help you if you want your citations to be "perfect" or "standard". But, more importantly they need to work for you and be usable to future genealogists. So as long as you cite the "what, where and when" information you'll be doing fine. Just make sure you cite the same way consistently throughout your work. Don't change formats halfway through. Click HERE for a citation machine. (This is what I used for college papers..shh don't tell.) HERE is an explanation of citations for genealogists.  
3. And "make the first pass the only pass"! Yes, slow down! Don't get distracted by those BSOs! (Bright Shinny Object: ie: fluttering ancestry leaves)

So, this blog will be one of the ways that I choose to track my work. I have Family Tree Maker on my computer. The tree is partially filled out, but I will simply start a "new tree" and resist the urge to look at my previous research. After all, my previous research is often a BSO to me, because I will forget some information I already collected, and when I stumble across it I get excited again!

I will make sure to cite my sources on my software and my family group sheets.

I'm ready to dive in! But I must slow down. The actual research doesn't kick in until month 4!!! We are about to start month 2. We are still preparing! I think I need to go organize the genealogy closet, and pull all the craft supplies off the genealogy boxes.