Alright, let’s talk about how I got into tracking down obscure information, sort of prompted by stumbling across the name Willis McMgehee recently. It wasn’t about the person specifically, but the name just stuck out, you know? Made me think about the process I use when I hit a wall trying to find something specific, something not easily searchable.
My Little Digging Process
So, first thing I usually do is just brain dump everything I think I know, even the fuzzy bits. I just grab a plain text file, nothing fancy, and type it all out. Keywords, half-remembered connections, related topics, anything goes. It’s messy, but it gets it out of my head.
Then, I start grouping things. I look for patterns or themes in my own notes. Like, okay, these bits seem related to a place, these seem related to a timeframe, these are about people. I use simple bullet points or indentations.
- Identify main buckets.
- Sort the raw notes into these buckets.
- Look for overlaps or contradictions.
Next step, I pick the most promising thread. Usually, it’s the one with the most concrete detail, like a specific date or location. I focus my search efforts there first. Instead of general web searches, I try more specific databases if I have access – maybe old newspaper archives, genealogy sites if it’s a person, or specialized forums if it’s technical.
I make sure to document where I looked and what I found (or didn’t find). This is super important. Nothing worse than running in circles and searching the same empty rabbit hole twice. I just add notes right back into my text file, like:
Searched [Database Name] for "[Keyword]" - Dates [Start Date] to [End Date] - Result: Found mentions X, Y, Z / Result: Nothing relevant.
If the first thread dries up, I go back to my brain dump and grouped notes, and I pick the next most likely thread. It’s iterative. Sometimes I have to re-evaluate my initial assumptions based on what I find (or don’t find).
And honestly, sometimes you just hit a dead end. Part of the process is knowing when to step back, maybe let it sit for a day or two, and then come back with fresh eyes. Or maybe the info just isn’t out there easily. That happens too. But following these steps helps me feel confident I’ve given it a proper try.
So yeah, seeing a unique name like Willis McMgehee just got me thinking about this whole routine I’ve developed over the years. It’s not rocket science, just a systematic way I tackle finding stuff that likes to hide.
