Follow Friday: Happy New Year!

(Copyright (c) 2010 Cynthia Shenette) I've noticed a number of bloggers setting genealogy/blogging goals and making their New Year's resolutions over the last few weeks. Now that my son is back in school, this is something I desperately need to do.

I enjoyed our summer and our month in California, however I've been playing catch up ever since. August came, and I spent the entire month entertaining the young son and toting him to lessons and activities and preparing for back to school. My house needs work, my garden is a disaster, and my genealogy research and blogging have gone somewhat off course. While blogging allows for stream-of-consciousness writing, I feel it's time throw out a lifeline before my blogging descends into the dark, murky waters of the Stream of Unconsciousness.*

Fall is a great time to set goals. It's a new school year, a new schedule, and a time of new beginnings. Even though I've been (mostly) a stay-at-home mom for the last few years, for the almost 18 years of my professional life I worked either in higher education or secondary education, and fall always means the start of a new year. After all these years I still can't give up my academic year planner!

My genealogy goals for the next few months are:

~ Go to the library or a records repository at least every other week
~ Focus research on a few individuals for the immediate future and work diligently at organizing what I already have
~ Make a habit of typing up research and inputting data into my system IMMEDIATELY (No excuses on this one.)
~ Scan and organize photos and slides
~ Continue with my letter translation project with my cousin Marek (He'll be happy to read this one!)
~ Organize digital photos over the winter
~ Join a ProGen Study Group after January 1, 2011
~Participate in an education program (in person or online) once a month
~ Read/familiarize myself with the genealogy books I've ordered

My blogging goals for the next few months are:

~ Return to posting regularly on my Aunt Helen Bulak's Trip to Poland, 1937
~ Participate in the Carnival of Genealogy as much as humanly possible
~ Write one or two solid comments to other geneabloggers every week, minimum
~ Participate in GeneaBloggers daily blogging themes at least a couple of times a week
~ Continue to post the results of my Naramore research
~ Post on a New England theme or Worcester theme once a month

One disclaimer--all bets are off for November. I've decided to participate in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) in November. I'm planning to use the month of November to write the bones of a novella I plan to enter into a contest in the spring.

I'm already feeling a little overwhelmed when I look at my list, but I'm going to do my best. My husband makes fun of my inability (Well, that's what he says anyway...) to plan my time. Basically he always tell me to think about the time I need, then double it. Looking at my list, I should be pretty busy until September 2012.

Happy New Year!


For other great lists check out:

Martin Hollick's New Year Resolutions at The Slovak Yankee
Marian Pierre-Louis' A New Year's Wish List and then some at Roots & Rambles (Marian even has a Weekly Goals plan. I am in awe of this.)
Astrid's Genealogy Goals for the Fall at Of Trolls and Lemons
Tina Lyons' Fall Genealogy Goals at Gen Wish List
Greg Lambersons' Genealogy Goals for the Fall at Greg Lamberson's Genealogy Blog


* The Stream of Unconciousness is located after the Cliffs of Insanity and just before you get to the Fire Swamp and the Rodents of Unusual Size. (Just kidding. If you don't "get it" rent the DVD of the Princess Bride. You'll be glad you did. TGIF everyone!)