Blog Reflections and Direction

This is the time of year when everyone reflects on the events of the past year and plans for a better new year.  Even so in the genealogical research world, where we have great intentions of visiting a certain cemetery, writing a book, or recording an interview with a relative.  Sometimes we do well with our goals, other times not so much.

I've had so many different goals with my research and this blog that it is easy to get frustrated when they don't come to fruition.  Back in 2010, I decided that I would start a research template to identify key facts about my direct relatives.  It took me until 2012 to complete through my 2nd-great grandparents.  Not due to lack of anything but time and motivation.  I do intend to continue with the project but at my own pace.

This year I started the series of "On This Day" posts, which started out as a good idea for cousin bait, but by the end of the year I was ready to be done with it.  It was a lot of work to try to create a post each day for the blog and even when I could pre-load the posts I was spending a lot of time typing monotonous facts.  Not that there weren't some successes, as I did make contact with some cousins.  Unfortunately, I haven't had the time to blog about them yet and several emails remain unaswered.

I've missed out on several genealogically-themed memes this year but have realized that I shouldn't beat myself up for not staying on top of it.

If I had to pick a goal for the new year it would be to reduce the piles of paper that are on the table, my dresser, in boxes and binders in the garage.  Converting from paper to digital will help preserve and share the data with cousins. The answers to several mysteries in my research have surely been found in these papers.  It is sad to say but I have found myself paying for copies this year of documents that I had already purchased.

There is no harm in setting a goal but internally I need to realize that sometimes you aren't going to be able to make it.  The bottom line is that this is my blog and only I can set the pace for what is published, no one else can.

Here's looking forward to much in the way of genealogy breakthroughs in 2013!