Recently, several genealogy bloggers I follow have been evaluating how they did with their 2012 genealogy research and organization goals. So, I am going to set up some goals for myself for 2013. Sort of like my "to do" list.
1.) Small bookshelf for my binders: I have big binders for various branches of my and my husband's trees in which I keep hard copies of most of the information I find online. The binders themselves are organized quite well. However, they are literally strewn all around our upstairs computer desk. It's a big mess and I need to clean it up.
2.) Organize and subdivide the family files on my computer's hard drive. Oy, this one is going to be tedious. I already have folders for each of the family surnames in our trees. But with some of these longer lineages, there are just so many photos and documents that it has become difficult for me to find what I am looking for without combing through the entire folder several times. So, I would like to create subfolders in which I break up each lineage into separate generations and then further into each nuclear family. It won't be hard to do, just boring.
3.) Finish posting my husband's family tree documents on my website for his side of the family (http://schroeder-tumbush.weebly.com/). Seriously, these French and German Catholic farming families are KILLING me; there are just SO many people to keep track of and collect information on. Again, this isn't a difficult task, but I just need to set aside some time in which to do it. (Easier said than done with two little ones running around.)
4.) Utilize my membership to the Ohio Genealogical Society. My mommy bought me a one-year membership to the OGS for Christmas. I haven't had a chance to sit down and look through the special online member databases yet, so that's one of my goals. I would also love to physically visit the OGS headquarters to do some research there, but it is probably a 4-4.5 hour drive from my home, so that will take some planning. And I am debating whether or not to attend this year's OGS Conference in Cincinnati. I have never been to any sort of genealogy conference, so I think it would be interesting, but it would also mean 2-3 days away from my kids and spending at least a couple hundred dollars between the conference registration fee and room/board.
5.) Find out where several of my great-grandparents are buried. I KNOW they are in Cleveland, Ohio's Calvary Cemetery. The thing is, there are literally something like 400,000 graves in this massive cemetery, so it's not as if I can go walking through it some day and hope to find them. I called the office and they told me that, if I send them the names and dates of death of the people I am looking for, they could tell me which section and plot number they are buried in. My goal is to send them a letter something this winter or spring so that I can hopefully visit sometime this summer.
1.) Small bookshelf for my binders: I have big binders for various branches of my and my husband's trees in which I keep hard copies of most of the information I find online. The binders themselves are organized quite well. However, they are literally strewn all around our upstairs computer desk. It's a big mess and I need to clean it up.
2.) Organize and subdivide the family files on my computer's hard drive. Oy, this one is going to be tedious. I already have folders for each of the family surnames in our trees. But with some of these longer lineages, there are just so many photos and documents that it has become difficult for me to find what I am looking for without combing through the entire folder several times. So, I would like to create subfolders in which I break up each lineage into separate generations and then further into each nuclear family. It won't be hard to do, just boring.
3.) Finish posting my husband's family tree documents on my website for his side of the family (http://schroeder-tumbush.weebly.com/). Seriously, these French and German Catholic farming families are KILLING me; there are just SO many people to keep track of and collect information on. Again, this isn't a difficult task, but I just need to set aside some time in which to do it. (Easier said than done with two little ones running around.)
4.) Utilize my membership to the Ohio Genealogical Society. My mommy bought me a one-year membership to the OGS for Christmas. I haven't had a chance to sit down and look through the special online member databases yet, so that's one of my goals. I would also love to physically visit the OGS headquarters to do some research there, but it is probably a 4-4.5 hour drive from my home, so that will take some planning. And I am debating whether or not to attend this year's OGS Conference in Cincinnati. I have never been to any sort of genealogy conference, so I think it would be interesting, but it would also mean 2-3 days away from my kids and spending at least a couple hundred dollars between the conference registration fee and room/board.
5.) Find out where several of my great-grandparents are buried. I KNOW they are in Cleveland, Ohio's Calvary Cemetery. The thing is, there are literally something like 400,000 graves in this massive cemetery, so it's not as if I can go walking through it some day and hope to find them. I called the office and they told me that, if I send them the names and dates of death of the people I am looking for, they could tell me which section and plot number they are buried in. My goal is to send them a letter something this winter or spring so that I can hopefully visit sometime this summer.
6.) Use Family Tree Maker more. I downloaded the 2012 version of this program from Ancestry.com a few months ago, and have yet to figure out all of its capabilities yet. I just need to explore it a little better.
If I were to accomplish all of these goals in 2013, I would be happy. Again, if I had more time to devote to this "hobby," I'm sure that I could be more ambitious and list something like "Go back through all records and improve source documentation," but I know that's not going to happen with the time I have this year. That's ok; I'd rather spend the time with my kids while they are still little. And it's not like there's a hurry to get any of the research "done." It's not like the dead people are going anywhere :-)
If I were to accomplish all of these goals in 2013, I would be happy. Again, if I had more time to devote to this "hobby," I'm sure that I could be more ambitious and list something like "Go back through all records and improve source documentation," but I know that's not going to happen with the time I have this year. That's ok; I'd rather spend the time with my kids while they are still little. And it's not like there's a hurry to get any of the research "done." It's not like the dead people are going anywhere :-)
