Monday, January 2, 2012

Goals and Objectives for 2012

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At the risk of sounding like a broken record (by using the same template as I did in 2011), here are my stated goals and objectives for 2012:

1) Genealogy Research

* Go to the local FamilySearch Center and local/regional libraries more often in order to pursue ancestral information.
* Go to at least one major genealogy repository (e.g., FHL, ACPL, NEHGS) and do research over several days.
* Keep up-to-date to-do lists for research challenges and up-to-date research logs for significant research tasks.
* Focus on brickwall ancestors, especially the Elizabeth Horton (Dill) Smith line, the William Knapp line, the Thomas J. Newton line, and the Benjamin Pickrell line.
*  Continue to find family history information for known ancestors of myself and my wife in traditional and online resources.
*  Mine the 1940 U.S. Census for my ancestral families of interest.

2) Data Organization

* Complete the conversion of digital records to couple-based file folders, including photographs and documents, using systematic file naming protocols.
* Continue weeding out extraneous paper from bookcase binders, and enter useful sourced data into genealogy database.
*  Create more surname notebooks for ancestral families containing pedigree charts, family group sheets, narrative reports, vital record certificates, published material, and correspondence.
*  File all of the "to be filed" papers into the bookcase binders and/or surname notebooks.
* Sort the Carringer/Auble/Smith and Seaver/Richmond paper photograph collections into useful and accessible albums, determine if photos have been scanned and blogged, and scan the ones that haven't been scanned before or were poorly scanned previously.

3) Genealogy Database

* Update the Seaver/Leland family database using recently added/updated data collections on Ancestry, FamilySearch, Fold3, Archives, GenealogyBank, etc.
* Continue adding source citations for unsourced information in my database (with author, title, publisher, date, page, comments, etc.).
* Add specific page numbers to existing source citations without citation details.
* Critically evaluate genealogy facts for ancestral families relative to authoritative published material.
*  Modify text notes to summarize rather than parrot copyrighted material.
*  Add Research Log information to the database for selected ancestors to help me, or other researchers, understand the work performed to date.
*  Invite daughters, siblings and cousins to add to the online Ancestry Member Tree and to add the free Ancestry.com app to their mobile devices.

4) Education

* Attend at least three genealogy conferences (or cruises) in 2012. I'm hoping for RootsTech in Salt Lake City in February, SCGS Jamboree in Burbank, California in June and the Legacy Cruise in May.  I'm not sure about the NGS and FGS Conferences.
* Participate in more webinars.
* Obtain or borrow genealogy resource and how-to books of interest.

5) Society Activities

* Attend CVGS, CGSSD and SDGS society programs and seminars.
* Lead CVGS research group effectively.
* Be an outstanding editor of monthly Chula Vista Genealogical Society Newsletter.
* Keep the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe blog full of news and information helpful to CVGS members.
* Contribute articles to SDGS and CGSSD newsletters.
* Respond to research queries received by CVGS and CV library.
* Help society colleagues and friends with their research if requested.

6) Speaking and Teaching

* Speak to at least ten different local and regional genealogical societies in 2012
* Teach three adult education "Beginning Computer Genealogy" classes for OASIS (4 sessions each, 8 hours total each class)
* Teach at least one "Genealogy 101" beginners class (4 sessions, 8 hours total) for CVGS
* Speak at local libraries and service groups about genealogy and family history.

7) Writing

* Blog a bit... on Genea-Musings, The Geneaholic, the South San Diego County Graveyard Rabbit, and the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe blogs. 
*  Move Genea-Musings from "old Blogger" to "new Blogger" or even a Wordpress platform.
* Produce four "Genealogy 2.0" columns for the Federation of Genealogical Societies FORUM magazine.
* Produce four "Digging for Answers" columns for the Online Graveyard Rabbit Journal.
* Publish Volume 25 of the Seaver-Richmond Family Journal (16 pages) in December for the extended family.
*  Try out self-publishing a family history book.

8) Real Life

* Take my wife on at least one long vacation trip - perhaps the Legacy cruise, or another cruise, or to New England in late summer to visit cousins and research at NEHGS.
* Visit our daughters and grandchildren, our brothers and their families, and our cousins and their families, more often in order to make more family history and spread the joy of genealogy research around [yeah, right... they might even read the yearly Family Journal].
* Exercise more! Lose weight! Eat fewer goodies! Dream on...
* Limit genealogy activities to no more than 10 hours a day... [who put that in? Linda, do you know how to edit this? At least it doesn't say 3 hours]

More of the same, eh? It's a full plate. Who knows what life will bring in 2012. Stuff happens. I'll adapt. Or not...

The beauty of goals and objectives is that they can be changed at a moment's notice. I am not chained by these goals - they are only guidelines. You can be sure that if I have a major, unplanned breakthrough through hard work, serendipity or the kindness of others that I'll follow that path.

I look forward to 2012 - to celebrating my sixth year of genea-blogging, to meeting many more Genea-Musings readers and geneablogging colleagues, to talking with representatives of genealogy companies, and sharing my knowledge and expertise with the genealogy community.

2 comments:

cindy said...

I like the line -
"The beauty of goals and objectives is that they can be changed at a moment's notice."
What a good thing to remember! And I'll keep it in mind as I work on my goal list and goals throughout the year!
Good Luck to you!

Family Curator said...

Randy, you have to be the most energetic genea-blogger-bunny ever, and it's not even Easter!!! Will reading your blog every day spread your energy around?