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/

GENEALOGY RESOLUTIONS - 2008 UPDATE

My 2008 Genealogy objectives and progress:

1. Focus on research that takes advantage of my future travel plans - to Montreal and Detroit and to Sweden. Update both my Tribal Pages websites with current information.
Yes, I've been doing more Swedish research, but haven't yet found the Johansons for certain. More later. Haven't touched either website though.

2. Scan and organize more family photographs, starting early this year with

a) the few photographs of my baby brother and myself and the childhood photographs of my nieces. Yes, I've been working a lot on this. Progress!

b) then the Newdale photographs from my mother and grandmother. Yes, working on this - Progress!

Continue to BACK UP my data each Wednesday. Yes, but now some computer problems - can't win.

3. Blog more! Upgrade the blog with links, etc. I've made the move to the new template & added links, etc., but now I see 'Blogger in draft' is lurking. More changes?

4. Put up the Newdale, Manitoba, Canada genealogy website I’ve been planning for ages. Not much progress here yet. A summer project?

5. Investigate new-to-me ways to illustrate my family history, starting with software - Passage Express and Map My Family Tree. Yes, I've been trying out Map My Family Tree quite happily & will be working with Passage Express next month on a new project.

Overall? I'll give myself 54% or so - with almost the first quarter of the year over.

2008 - New Year's Resolutions - Carnival of Genealogy

Dave & Diane Rogers with Mum and Na, on a sunny day in Vancouver, B.C.,
Canada, Summer 1952



A New Year’s Resolution

When you are making up that list of New Year’s resolutions why not include somewhere a resolution suggested in Edgar A. Guest’s verse which we print below?

“Take Home A Smile

Take home a smile, forget the petty cares,
The dull, grim grind of all the day’s affairs;
The day is done, come be yourself awhile;
Tonight, to those who wait, take home a smile….”

The Lethbridge Herald, Saturday, December 31, 1927, p. 8. ‘Lights and Shadows’ column by C.F.S.


Diane R’s
Personal Genealogical Resolutions for 2008


Looking back to 2006, when my personal genealogical goal was ‘organization’, I see that one 2006 resolution took me two years to fulfil. In November this year, I finally got an extra shelf in my closet for my genealogy binders and I now have all new bookshelves in my library. Hooray! (And, thanks, son and daughter!)

But I realize a whole genealogical pantry full of shelves won’t hold everything though! (What ever happened to pantries anyway? Such a good idea they were.) Organization is just something we genealogists always have to work on. Let’s accept that and keep moving (backwards).

In 2007, my goals were to look for ‘ancestral siblings’ and ‘Swedes’. I didn’t find every one, but I did keep up with this research throughout the year.

2007, though, seemed to fly by far too quickly, even if it was an interesting year, particularly with the sudden prominence of new ‘networking’ technologies and sites. Footnote, I think, is the most important so far, and certainly the most elaborate, but I’d include ‘Your Archives’ too (The National Archives of the U.K. wiki) and, of course, who can discount Facebook. The younger relatives love it – mine downloaded the ‘We’re Related’ application before I did and so far there are over 500 genealogy ‘groups’ on Facebook.

I feel that in 2008 we’ll see more mergers and consolidation among the commercial companies, but much more participation from on-line genealogists in those projects that emphasize and reward the freer exchange of information. That will include both the non-profits, big and small, and those commercial ventures, like Footnote, which are in creative partnerships with archives, libraries and genealogical societies and offer substantial free components to their members and visitors.

For 2008, I’ve set five main personal genealogical objectives. I believe these are manageable for me. Each can be separated out into ‘smaller steps’ so I can plan my time and each will result in a ‘product’ of sorts so that I can see what I’ve achieved

My 2008 objectives are to:

1. Focus on research that takes advantage of my future travel plans –to Montreal and Detroit and to Sweden. I will first draft background research plans, then plans for ‘on site’ research regarding these people I am particularly interested in:

a) Montreal – Samuel Baxter Scott (1891-1959) and Mamie Stella Harper (1892- 1970), married in Toronto, 1920. They lived in Montreal, Quebec, Canada for many years where he worked for the United States Fidelity and Guarantee Co.

b) Detroit – James Scott, born 1861, Nottawa area, Ontario, Canada. Son of John Scott and Catherine McDermid. Lived in Detroit in the 1890’s.

For families of both the above SCOTTs, see my website, SCOTT family: Muiravonside, Dalmeny, Tushielaw, Galashiels, Grangemouth, in Scotland: http://www.tribalpages.com/tribes/mdianerogers

c) Sweden – the AXNER, BROSTRÖM, ERIKSSEN, JOHANNESSON (various), KARLSDOTTER, LÖFHOLM, RYDBERG and ZETTERBERG families. I’ll be working hardest on those JOHANNESSONs.

See my website, AXNER, BROSTRÖM, ERIKSSEN, JOHANSON, LOFHOLM, RYDBERG & ZETTERBERG: SWEDEN TO CANADA: http://www.tribalpages.com/tribes/swedesinbc

Updating both websites with current information will be the first part of my background research.


2. Scan and organize more family photographs, starting early this year with

a) the few photographs of my baby brother and myself (see above) and the childhood photographs of my nieces,

b) then the Newdale photographs from my mother and grandmother.

As I scan more photographs, I will continue to work on keeping myself reasonably organized and I will continue to BACK UP my data each Wednesday. (That’s my ‘anti-procrastination day.) I will also start using Mozy as one of my backup solutions.


3. Blog more! I’ve just started with the Carnival of Genealogy and I’ve had fun, so I do want to continue. And, as a bonus, my family is reading my blog, if only to see if their own photographs might appear.

It is time to upgrade this blog template. I’ll look after that and add some useful links and other information as quickly as I can.


4. Haul out one of the dusty ‘Round Tuit’ projects from my virtual closet. (Quick! Who remembers Fibber McGee’s hall closet?)

For this year, I’ve placed on my computer desk the Newdale, Manitoba, Canada genealogy website I’ve been planning for ages — time to get uploading. Watch for an announcement here soon.


5. Investigate new-to-me ways to illustrate my family history, especially any which may interest the many ‘non-gens’ in my family.

a) Recently, I was at a seminar with Legacy Family Tree’s Geoff Rasmussen and learned more about two useful sounding programmes: ‘Passage Express’ for multimedia family history CDs and ‘Map my Family Tree’. I’ve acquired this software and am eager to check these out.

Since I have already a file of photographs and information ready for my CARMICHAEL and GILCHRIST families from Islay, Scotland, I will test ‘Passage Express’ with these.

‘Map my Family Tree’ is supposed to search for 3.3 million place names from around the world – my people are mostly from North America, the U.K., Ireland and Sweden, but also from Macau. Apparently it’s easy to add places not included, and I suspect this programme will quickly point out some errors in my data. I hope it will help me correct those easily. ‘Map my Family Tree’ should also help me with a map or two for my Newdale website.

I’d like to try out some timeline software as well, but I’ll leave that till I see how my initial objectives are working out.

b) I’ll continue with scrapbooking. Currently, I plan to do more about myself and my brother – I’ll be using my ‘Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories’ posts soon in a few pages. (I may well illustrate the ‘teapot incident’, brother dear.)

c) I’ve thought of a family cookbook before. Writing out some recipes at Christmas brought this idea back to mind. I will likely mull this project over for a while yet though. I see there are lots of ideas on-line about producing family cookbooks. But, would my family really want grandma’s recipes for Christmas Pudding or Dandelion Wine? Perhaps an all-cookie recipe book instead? Mmmm…

Have a happy New Year everyone – especially my baby brother and his wife as they celebrate their wedding anniversary tonight on New Year's Eve!

Links:

The Lethbridge Herald quote was located on NewspaperARCHIVE, through the Godfrey Memorial Library. Paid subscriptions available individually or through Godfrey. See http://www.godfrey.org/ or http://www.newspaperarchive.com/

Footnote: http://www.footnote.com/

Your Archives, TNA UK:
http://yourarchives.nationalarchives.gov.uk/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/

Passage Express: http://www.passageexpress.com/

Map My Family Tree:
http://www.progenygenealogy.com/map-my-family-tree.html

Legacy Family Tree: http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/

Mozy: http://mozy.com/

Just need a nudge to keep your resolutions? Try HassleMe’s free prompts: http://www.hassleme.co.uk/

Edgar August Guest (1881-1959), the 'People's Poet', Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Guest

The Unofficial Fibber McGee and Molly website: http://www.compusmart.ab.ca/agirard/fibber/review.htm