It's the start of another year and we all will be making our New Year's Resolutions at midnight tonight. But before I make new resolutions, I want to look back on those that I made at the beginning of 2018 and see how I did. In 2018, I resolved to do a better job blogging. Well, I managed to write 13 posts last year - equal to what I wrote in 2017. Another resolution I made was to increase my genealogy speaking opportunities. 2018 was a great year for speaking, I managed to present at almost 30 events during the year, covering most of the east coast of Florida from West Palm Beach to Amelia Island. Other resolutions that I made related to my health. I resolved to make a better effort of exercising and eating right. During 2018 I lost a total of 40 pounds and now weigh the same I did back in college when I was an athlete on the University's crew team. My running has improved as well as my endurance. Not bad for a 50-year old (wow, when did that happen?).
So, what do I resolve to do in 2019? Mainly keep doing more of what I did in 2018. I already have nearly 20 events scheduled in 2019, including a talk at RootsTech 2019 in Salt Lake City. I have been joking that my talk is the last hour of the last day in the last room at the end of the hallway, but at least I am speaking. I also want to write more in my blog(s) but there are so many other things going on. I will continue to plan and promote our local Indian River Genealogy Conference, speak at a variety of events, and maintain an active social media presence where I have provided information to many people helping them to do their research. So, maybe I will convert more of my talks to blog posts or use the information from the social media posts to provide more details on specific resources. - We'll just have to see what happens.
Have you thought about your resolutions? Or maybe you have decided you don't want to make specific plans for the new year. Even if you aren't into resolutions, the list below may give you some ideas on how to fit in more genealogy time or help others with their research.
1) FamilySearch - Take 15 minutes each day to connect a new source to your tree or if you have more time, search through unindexed digital images for your ancestors and connect the records to the individuals.
2) FamilyTree app - Have you downloaded the FamilyTree app on your phone or tablet? The app lets you work on your research anytime you have a free couple minutes. Maybe you have to wait in a doctor's office or pick the kids up from school. Use those minutes to add records to your tree or add more relatives.
3) Memories app - Do you have a box of old photos (or maybe recent photos) of deceased ancestors? Why not use the Memories app to copy the pictures and attach them to individuals in your FamilySearch family tree? It doesn't take very much time to copy a handful of pictures and you can tag them later when you have more time.
4) Billion Graves app - Do you live near a cemetery? Are you looking for an excuse to get outside and enjoy a nice walk? The Billion Graves app allows you to take photos of headstones and geo-references them so they can be mapped on the Billion Graves website. Once you take the photos they are uploaded to the site and others can transcribe them. If you aren't able to get out, you can help transcribe the images that others have collected.
5) Findagrave app - Findagrave.com also has an app that will upload the photos you take in a cemetery.
6) Index records - FamilySearch has hundreds of thousands of images that need to be indexed so others can find them through the search process. Once the records are indexed and reviewed, they become available to search and also provide hints for records on FamilySearch. It usually takes less than 30 minutes to complete a batch of images. Some images take much less time. There are many other indexing projects going on beside those at FamilySearch, so find one and participate. The more records that are made available, the more research we can successfully do.
7) Help plan a conference - Oh boy, that is a big task. I have initiated two different conferences over the last 10 years. These take months of planning but they also allow you to get to know others with your interest better. Both of the conferences I started required cooperation between the Family History Center and our local genealogical societies. One conference is now in its 9th year while the other is preparing for its 3rd conference. We have about 250 people attend each of these events. You don't have to start that big. You can start small with a church group or other organization and see how it goes. I have planning materials available that I can send out to anyone who is interested. This is a great way to get more people interested in our addiction.
So what are you planning on doing in 2019?
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