Now

Now
Photo by Nathan Dumlao / Unsplash

What Denys Allen is working on right now (updated September 19, 2023)

Found my Ancestors' Farm Info

Found the nonpopulation special schedules for the census 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 in Pennsylvania. They are on microfilm at the National Archives in Philadelphia and organized by county, then municipality (not ED). The quality of the images is poor which could be why they aren't on Ancestry for PA. They are there for other states though.

The farm schedule listed the farms in a municipality by farm owner, detailing their crops, livestock, and value of the farm. It's the only place I've been able to find specifically what my farming ancestors were doing. Plus I love just having anything I can on my ancestors.

Members Content on My Notes for Research

Working on adding my gigabytes of notes on Pennsylvania research to the Members Area. I've collected so much on where to find collections for specific topics and most of it isn't in any one place. I may get it in into a book at some point, but if it can help people now, I want to help people now.

Newsletter Flowing Again Again

Found yet another error to my newsletter automation affecting another group of people. Fixed it and things are auto-magic again.

75 Hard

Update: Now on Day 50!!! Lost 1.8% body fat and 18 pounds so far 💪 Three more pounds and I'll be down to my pre-covid weight.

I started doing the program 75 Hard, 30 days ago. Every day I do two 45 minute exercise sessions (one is outside), 10 pages of reading, stick to a diet (no cheating), drink a gallon of water, and don't drink any alcohol. I capture a picture of the progress of the day too.

Knowing that I am exercising every day makes a matter of which exercising I am doing, not if I am exercising. I've been enjoying having a reason to be outside more too. The hardest part has been the 10 pages of reading every day. Some days I just don't feel like it after writing and reading all day. But since there is "no cheating" for this program, I just pick up my Kindle and start reading something. I usually end up reading more like 40-50 pages and have finished three books so far.

Inspired by Derek Sivers Now page on his site https://sive.rs and my own desire to be public about what I am working on.