New Year's Resolutions for Genealogists

The only resolution I have ever tried to keep in my adult life was one I made about my genealogy. I thought a resolution tied to something I loved to do would be easy.

I made a list of all the records I needed to request and people I needed to contact. My resolution was to check one of these off each week. That was it, one letter a week.

While I never wrote all of those letters, just making the list was a great exercise. Organization is a key to doing genealogy and making that resolution forced me to get my act together.

Here are a few New Year's Resolutions to consider:

1. I resolve to catch up on my filing and get rid of clutter.
2. I resolve to join a genealogical society
3. I resolve to write one article about my family research
4. I resolve to submit an article to a local genealogy or state newsletter/ quarterly.
5. I resolve to pick one record type, for example land records, to concentrate on this year.
6. I resolve to learn how to look up one new type of genealogical record.
7. I resolve to attend one county or state-level genealogical event this year. 
8. I resolve to renew my contact with cousins, aunts or uncles I have not spoken to in years (maybe decades).
9. I resolve to create timelines for significant family members to put their life in perspective.
10. I resolve to produce either a family blog or newsletter to update my family on my research.

I want to thank my genealogy buddy Pam Treme for her assistance in creating these resolutions.

Have a safe and Happy New Year.

Take Care, Pattie

Just Say 'Yes' to Joining a Genealogy Society!

One of the great things about joining a Genealogy Society is that none of the members will groan or ask the question "Why are you so interested in dead people"? Just being able to spend a couple of hours each month with others that love to read obituaries and spend vacations transcribing cemeteries is such a relief.

Why Join a Society?

Joining a society allows you to attend monthly meetings, participate in educational programs, share your research knowledge and volunteer in a variety of projects. While joining is not a requirement the membership dues can help the society defray many costs including: speakers, educational programs, meeting place, books, etc.

Depending on the size and makeup of the society there may be a Special Interest Group (SIG group) for specific areas of interest (eg German Research, the Presbyterian Migration, etc.)that you may be interested in attending. If there is not one - start one!

The great thing about joining a local society is that they are always looking for ideas and volunteers. If the society does not have a newsletter and you have experience with writing or publishing offer to be the publisher! Maybe you have done extensive research on Civil War pension files - offer to do a presentation at the next meeting!

Participating in a local society will expose you to research topics and techniques you had never considered. You will meet people who use different methodologies, filing systems and software applications. And believe it or not there are folks out there that still do not use the Internet!

Genealogy Societies offer the chance to mingle with folks that understand the joy of finding a lost obituary, a civil war pension file or that black sheep that no one in the family talks about.

The Federation of Genealogical Societies offers a list of societies .

Take Care,
Pattie
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