My pat-on-the-back post.

I did it! I finished reading Researching Your Colonial New England Ancestors today...WAY ahead of schedule, as I had predicted I would finish around Laura's graduation. And, let me tell you, it is full of useful stuff.

After I had my "I'm Stupid" meltdown a month ago, Steve told me that once he finished his residency in June, that it would be "My Time". My time to do whatever I need to do to stop feeling stupid. Specifically, to finish my degree. Which, after careful research, seemed most likely to be accomplished with four kids and a husband (child) to care for if I finished my degree online through the BYU independent study program, which happens to have a family history emphasis. I've decided to jump in right away and start this summer.

Which decision at first made me nervous.

Because I still was having a difficult time reading more than three pages at a time. (I sorta have a fiction reading preference.)

But I DO really want to get this degree thing. And in my more ambitious moments, I think I may even want to go on someday to get a masters in Library Science (they have a great program at the U or I).

So I decided I needed to build up my "textbook studying" endurance if I'm ever going to have a shot at this. I set the following goal: To come home straight from dropping the kids off at school, and study for 1-2 hours a day. Period.

This usually meant I would have to study while still in my pajamas.

(Here I am in my pajamas and cool knitted slippers:)

But that's okay. I would get ready after I studied. I would clean and cook after I studied. I would go grocery shopping and run errands after I studied. Follow the pattern?

The first week I was still having a difficult time keeping my eyelids open after a few pages. But then something miraculous happened...as the days passed, I discovered that the time flew and I was actually sad to close the book after two hours. I found myself checking things online. I found myself trying to figure out a way to type out a comprehensive outline detailing step-by-step the ways I would utilize the skills in the book.

I'm beginning to think I could actually get used to this "student" thing. I'm beginning to think I'm setting up a pattern for the next few years, and that if I just schedule a few hours to study every (possible) morning, I might actually be able to get some sort of degree.

I'm ridiculously excited...more than my "Times" font can express. Although this may bore everyone else (sorry, Mom, and probably everyone else), here are three things (though I could probably list hundreds) I found interesting in this book:

Random fact: Did you know that prior to the year 1752, March was the first month of the year? I did not know this! (Raise your hand if you did. I can't see you anyway, so I won't feel stupid by comparison.)

England and, consequently, the American colonies were still going by the Julian calendar set up by Julius Caesar, while the rest of the world had gotten on board with the Gregorian calendar (in which January is the first month) in the 1500-1600's. The Gregorian calendar was instituted in the first place because the seasons began to be off a little. The colonies finally decided to change to the Gregorian calendar in 1752, which made 1751 the shortest year in American history because it began in March and ended in December.

Also in 1752, the colonies decided to cut out two weeks in September. Thus one day it was Sept 2, 1752, and the next day it was Sept 14, 1752. Everyone adjusted their birthdays accordingly. George Washington was born on Feb 11, but by the end of his life he was celebrating his birthday on Feb 22. That is why some vital records from this time period might list two birthdays and they would both still be correct. I don't know why, but I found this completely interesting.

Something funny. There are a lot of references made in this book. Here is the title of a book written in 1874:

The Original Lists of Persons of Quality, 1600-1700: Emigrants; Religious Exiles; Political Rebels; Serving Men Sold for a Term of Years; Apprentices; Children Stolen; Maidens Pressed; and Others Who Went from Great Britain to the American Plantations, 1600-1700, with Their Ages, the Localities Where They Formerly Lived.

Is that not the longest title to a book you've ever seen? I dare them to make a movie with a title that long.

Okay, last thing. One of the most important skills one can have if one is going to be researching during the Colonial Period is the ability to read the handwriting, which changed and evolved from one generation to the next. I find this most fascinating. For example, what letter would you say this is?

It is actually a capitalized "F". It is made up of two lowercase "f"s. Anyway, I've become a nerd on the Internet playing matching games with colonial alphabets. It's a little embarrassing.

In fact, I was hoping my next book to study would be this one:

And then I found out that the author, Kip Sperry, actually teaches this subject at BYU and is the online instructor for one of the courses I would have to take. Maybe I will take this class first! I am so excited. (Oh, this post is so boring for all of you, I'm thinking.)

So, I received this online catalog in the mail, which further thrilled me, except...

...It's full of cheesy testimonials like this, which made me laugh out loud.
Because I was like, "How dramatic! All these people making emotional claims that this online course changed their lives for the better." But then I realized I will probably feel the same way when I get my degree. Especially as I already make such passionate claims about much less significant things in my life, like--say--getting my Ipod.