New Year's Resolutions (2012)

The countdown to the new year has nearly ended! With that in mind, I've got some thoughts about how we can all make the virtual genealogy experience more pleasant for ourselves and others:

10. I will attend a genealogy society meeting! This may be just a hobby to me, but I can still learn a lot about professional genealogy standards and meet other folks in my area.
9. I will try to publish my family history! It may take me a few years, but I want to be able to share what I've learned with the rest of the family (and those who follow). The product may be a website, a book or even just a short summary of our family's story - and I'll share it with the family and my local library.
8. I will take a Genealogy Vacation! It could be just to the town in the next county where Grandma grew up - or it could be across the Atlantic Ocean - but I want to truly experience the life of my family and understand where they came from.
7. I will not give up when I hit a brick wall! There are other ways around the mountain that blocks my way and I will endeavor to locate a new direction for my search.
6. I will interview at least one relative! I won't put this off any longer - this is the year I will ask Great Aunt Olga about our family. I won't be discouraged by the slow start to the conversation but will instead try to learn all I can before the day comes when she can't tell me.
5. I will work together with fellow genealogy researchers! Sometimes I may be able to help someone who is stuck on their great-grandfather by suggesting a new approach. I will always build goodwill between researchers so the day may come when someone would be willing to help me, too.
4. I will transcribe at least one source record this year! They may not not be records important to my family, but I will attempt to find information from local resources (cemetery, library, church, etc.) to post for others to use.
3. I will not post unsubstantiated data online! For all genealogy "facts," I will always give a source and will consider explaining level of certainty in my notes.
2. I will not re-post GEDCOMs or other third-party family trees! If someone takes the time to send me genealogy data, I will review it and carefully consider the privacy concerns of others before sharing with someone else.
1. I will teach my children about their roots! Even just one family story by the fire during the Holidays could have a lasting impact on the next generation. If they realize how hard our ancestors' lives were, they could learn that all of us can rise above the challenges of life to make a better future!

Happy 2012 and happy hunting!