Grading my Progress on 2009 Goals and Objectives

It's the end of the year 2009, and time for an accounting. I defined my 2009 goals and objectives for my genealogy efforts in Genealogy Goals for 2009 on 1 January 2009. They are listed below, with my grade for each goal and objective (the goal in green, the objective in blue, grade in RED):

1) My Genealogy Research -- spend more time working on my own research so that I get more done!

a) Pursue more original source material for my brick wall ancestors - especially Thomas J. NEWTON (ME), William KNAPP (Dutchess County NY), Russell SMITH (NY, RI?), Sarah MARTIN (NJ, NY), Stephen FEATHER (NJ, PA), etc.

GRADE: C minus: Did nothing for Newton, Knapp or Feather. Changed course on Smith (when I found out that Devier Smith was adopted as a Lamphear), and lucked out on Martin when Mark Putman found her ancestry.

b) Obtain more land records and town meeting records for my ancestors of Alma Bessie RICHMOND in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.

GRADE: F: dropped the ball completely here! Got sidetracked on Lamphear/Smith research.

c) Complete creation of source notes for direct line persons in my ancestral database and in my Seaver database. This is ambitious since there are over 30,000 people in these two databases, but it needs to be done before I write any books.

GRADE: C: Made good progress on this, with perhaps 50% done, but still have lots to do. Bigger job than I thought.

d) Get my filing system in order - scan more photographs and documents, obtain more digital document images, reduce the paper piles, fully implement the new computer data filing system.

GRADE: D: did scan more photos and documents, did obtain some document images, but paper piles grew and did not implement new computer filing system.

e) Decide on a long-term genealogy software program, convert all databases to use it, and become an expert user of it.

GRADE: C: still doing all database work in FTM 16, but have learned to use FTM 2010, RootsMagic 4 and Legacy 7. I like them all, and don't want to make a choice yet. Combined all databases into one to eliminate duplication of effort. Need to complete the source citation task, and database cleanup in FTM 16, then transfer everything to new programs.

2) Genealogy Education -- learn more about specific research tasks and becoming a professional.

a) Attend at least one major genealogy conference or genealogy cruise.

GRADE: A+: attended SCGS Jamboree in Burbank in June and FGS Conference in Little Rock in September. Woo-hoo!

b) Go to at least one major genealogy library this year for research purposes.

GRADE: A: Went to Family History Library in January for two days of research. Should have added more days! Also went to Kansas State Archives in Topeka for one day, and Carlsbad CA Library for two days.

c) Participate monthly in the Transitional Genealogists and ProGen Study Groups homework and chats.

GRADE: A-: participated in TGF and ProGen monthly chats, but missed several due to family reasons. Turned in all ProGen homework and completed the 18-month course.

3) Genealogy Society -- work for and with my local societies and colleagues.

a) Support Chula Vista Genealogical Society as Research and Queries Chair, leading the monthly Research Group meetings.

GRADE: A-: Completed all queries, led all meetings but one - missed while on family trip.

b) Make at least five presentations to local genealogy societies.

GRADE: A+: Made presentations to Escondido Genealogical Society in January, North SD County Genealogical Society in March and October, Computer Genealogy Society of San Diego in May, local POINTERS group in June, and Chula Vista Genealogical Society in April and October.

c) Help society colleagues (and friends) with genealogy research if requested.

GRADE: C: Finished one project, started another that is not yet complete and has sat for six months, answered questions and gave research advice to several colleagues.

4) Genealogy Writing -- the writing will continue until I'm paid not to write any more.

a) Stay abreast of developments in the genealogy world and pass helpful information to my colleagues and readers.

GRADE: A-: Tried very hard to succeed here - with posts about new websites, new databases, new software, and newspaper stories. Often was first in genea-blog world with screen shots and testing.

b) Post quality research articles and notes on Genea-Musings, the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe and the South San Diego County Graveyard Rabbit that help other researchers, including my society members, pursue their genealogy and family history.

GRADE: C+: Not as many research articles on Genea-Musings as past years, did OK on CVGC, but failed miserably in last six months on SSDC Graveyard Rabbit.

c) Write a quarterly column on genealogy for XYZ Magazine (to be named later)

GRADE: A: Wrote four Genealogy 2.0 columns on deadline for the FGS FORUM Magazine.

Of course, one cannot always predict what's going to happen ahead of time. The big thing I didn't know about at the beginning of 2009 was teaching the 4-session (8 hours total) adult education "Beginning Computer Genealogy" courses at OASIS, and the two library talks that go along with them.

I also fell down big time in going to local libraries and repositories. I went to the Family History Center maybe six times all year, and didn't order enough microfilm. I'm going to add that to my 2010 goals because it is important to me.

An Overall Grade? I would have to say B-. There were major accomplishments and some major failures in achieving my 2009 goals and objectives.