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A Facebook post from my former university's Information Services got me thinking: it's coming up to 20 years since I graduated from Aberystwyth University. I'd worked towards my degree in Information and Library Studies, with my undergraduate dissertation looking at the increased use of automated systems in libraries.
Now, then, seems to be a good time to look back at what things were like then, how I got interested and involved in them, and how things have progressed since then.
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I bloody love maps, don't you?
For me, they're not just a navigational tool, they're little snapshots in time that help you visualise the past. They can reveal how modern-day areas got their name, when houses were built - or demolished, or give you a better understanding of just what life was like for your ancestors.
They're also a work of beauty with intricate details and artistic flourishes.
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For whatever reason, over the years of my genealogical research, there are a couple of lines of my family tree that I haven't really looked in to too much.
It could've been because I just didn't have access to the records, or that I was bored of finding yet more agricultural labourers. Most likely it was because I was focussing on my parents' name lines.
This week, for the #52Ancestors topic of branching out, I've been revisiting these lines to dig a little deeper and discover more ancestors.
Read more: Branching out, discovering new ancestors, getting a headache
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If you're playing along at home, you may have noticed that I skipped last week's #52Ancestors post and it was purely because the topic - favourite photo - was just too hard!
I'm currently in the process of scanning thousands of photographs that belonged to my great-uncle and great-aunt, Jack and Mary. Amongst them are so many fantastic photos, they, too, are becoming some of my new favourites. I'll keep working on my favourite photo article and publish it at some point over the year.
On to this week: all things curious.
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This week's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks topic is favourite find, and is one that didn't take too long at all to think about.
It's a find that involves a house of ill fame, a basket of walnuts, a "nearly capsized" fishmonger, a pheasant, a "tiger"... and my 3x great-grandfather.
Yeah, that's got you interested, hasn't it?
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Over on Twitter I recently spotted the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge. It's a series of prompts designed to get people talking about their family history.
Much too often, so much hard work goes in to making discoveries and uncovering stories, only for those stories to then go hidden away, untold.
You only have to look around my so-called blog to realise I don't post much. Hopefully #52Ancestors will be the weekly push I need to do just that.
Week 1's prompt is Foundations, so I'd like to talk about how my interest in my family history all started.
Read more: 52 Ancestors: a year of talking about my family history