New Year's Resolutions! Carnival of Genealogy - 63rd Edition

What Some People Say....

that New Year's resolutions again prove more brittle than

the crust of Christmastime mince pie.

Victoria Daily Colonist, Sunday, 8th January, 1905

Once again it's time to write up those New Year's resolutions, and, to have a look at last year's to see how I did. Not everyone likes New Year's resolutions, or even approves of the idea, but most of the time I find that writing down a goal, then writing up a plan to achieve it, works for me. (Not always, of course!) I'm expecting 2009 to be a very busy year, so I will be spending more time actually working out my plans than in 2008, but for the most part, my goals in 2009 will be very similar.

In 2008, I resolved to focus on

1. research that would fit my future travel plans - to Montreal, Detroit, and Sweden. I did work on this all year. In fact, I made it to Detroit. I had done everything I could beforehand and was able to take full advantage of the time I had there to research my James Walter Scott and his wife and her family, mainly using resources at the Detroit Public Library, especially directories and newspapers. Now I'm ready to head to Sweden and also to Montreal. See you soon, Leonor!

2. scanning more family photographs, especially ones taken when I was young, those of my nieces and also Newdale photographs. Still haven't got to the niece's photographs! but I have done a lot of this scanning. Now in 2009, I must do something to share these photos!

I started a scrapbook for my baby brother and one about myself, but what with one thing or another, few pages got finished. A scrapbooking friend has just reminded me to make more time for this, so that is one of my resolutions and will go into my plan. But I need to make it more fun, I think.

One way to do that is by attending scrap nights and I resolve to schedule that at least twice, but today I looked at Photojojo's list of New Year's resolutions. The 'Get Organized' one is always applicable - we must be realistic - but I was especially struck by one 'start a new tradition' idea - going to a photobooth for pictures every Friday. OK - I wouldn't do it that often, but right away I knew there was a photobooth right across the way. I've never ever ever had my photo done in a booth - why not? I resolve to pencil in a few dates to do that this year and I will do my best to get my kids and grandson to come at least once each with me. Then I can challenge myself to scrap with the new photos and some old ones.

I've signed up for the January Scanfest so I will have the box of photographs of my younger nieces ready for scanning that day. My goodness, they are having children themselves now, I've been so long at this.

3. blogging more. This was fun all year, I blogged while at home and away and I also updated my blog a couple of times. I hosted a Cabinet of Curiosity and, if Creative Gene is willing, I resolve to host a Carnival of Genealogy in 2009.

I joined the Association of Graveyard Rabbits with a new British Columbia cemetery blog too. As well, I write on the British Columbia Genealogical Society's new blog.

I have some future ideas for posts, and I want to write more often. I've set up separate Hassles to remind me to write for each blog, staggering the days, so I won't be feeling frantic. Just recently Blogger changed my status - I'm no longer 'suspect' - so I can postdate entries on both blogs. I resolve to have at least 2 posts and 2 'Wordless' posts ready to go at any time starting in mid-February.

4. putting up a Newdale, Manitoba, Canada genealogy research web pages. Oh, dear! This project was derailed some time in the summer. I was doing ok with it till then, but one too many trips away (and there were a lot of trips), I just never got back to it. This is now a high priority for 2009. By the 9th of February (my mother's birthday - she and her mum are my Newdale connections), I will have something on-line.

5. investigating new ways to illustrate my family history. This I did work on last year - I experimented with 'Passage Express' and with 'Map My Family Tree' software. I use Legacy which now includes features with Microsoft's Virtual Earth, but I haven't had much time to look at that. These are programmes I can continue to 'play with' even when I'm away from home in 2009. I do have a laptop, but I hope to be able to get a lighter one and one of the new small external drives for myself in 2009. (Yes, there are some financial New Year's resolutions this year too.) I resolve to produce CDs for my family with the Islay, Scotland connection information and photographs on it. I have already made a binder which was given to the Islay Family History Society, so I can update that information and add more photographs.

Now about organization. This is a continual challenge, I believe, for most of us. I was so encouraged to see that DearMYRTLE posted her updated January organizational chart today. I loved the charts she had 'in the old days' and I do have her booklets. I resolve to follow her outline and put those brightly coloured file folders and the coloured CD cases I got for Christmas to good use. (Thank you, daughter dear.) I love DearMYRTLE's gold clipboard idea - mine might be for 'next... library day' though as occasionally I get there without that one vital bit of info.

I've recently resolved to save paper in my office as an 'Act of Green', so I'll be thinking twice before I print (that should cut down on the filing!) and I'll be remembering to use both sides when I do print. As soon as I can figure out all these wires and hubs, I resolve to start using power bars to save energy too.

So for 2009, my personal genea-resolutions are to

1. Scan more photos and scrap more photos - about my brother and myself. Attend 2 scrap nights; schedule some time for fun photos to mix with the older ones.

2. Blog on a more regular schedule; have 2 posts and 2 'Wordless' posts in reserve for each blog by mid-February.

3. Host a Carnival of Genealogy.

4. Have some Newdale pages on-line by 9 February 2009.

5. Produce Islay CDs as family gifts.

6. Follow DearMYRTLE's organization checklists.

7. Save trees and energy by using less paper! Buy 2 power bars to use in my office area.

Happy New Year everyone and Good Luck with all your genea-resolutions in 2009!

LINKS

The British Colonist, [Victoria, British Columbia Canada] Online Edition 1858-1910: http://britishcolonist.ca/

Photo Resolutions, Photojojo: http://photojojo.com/content/guides/2009-new-years-photo-resolutions

Photobooths Around The World: http://www.photobooth.net/locations

January 2009 Organizational Chart, DearMYRTLE: http://blog.dearmyrtle.com/2009/01/finally-get-organized-jan-2009.html

One Million Acts of Green, CBC.ca: http://green.cbc.ca/

HassleMe: http://www.hassleme.co.uk/