Reflections 2011: Rah Rah!

Years ago I attended my daughters’ cheerleading competitions.  These contests were amazing for the electricity and energy in the room, but also for how supportive the girls were to those that were essentially their competition.  When a team took the stage, EVERYONE in the room exploded with cheers and applause.

As I reflect on this year, I feel that way among you, my peers.  When I read your comments on Facebook for each other, or on my blog for me, I’m impressed by how supporting and encouraging you all are.  Thank you!

Recently I read Randy Seaver’s assessment of his year.  He gave himself a grade in each of several categories.  For me, it’s depressing that I might have only earned a “C” in something, which I probably did, but why beat myself up about it?

I’d rather focus on things I have accomplished.   I’d rather shoot for the stars (my really long term goals) and hit the moon (shorter more manageable goals), than not have lift off at all.  So, today is my day to pat myself on the back about things I did accomplish.

What was good about the year?

I’ve met many of you through social media and my blog.  I didn’t start out the year intending to write a blog.  As the months progressed, however, I saw the need to do it.

I started Susans Genealogy Blog on June 1, 2011.  Since that time, I’ve posted 200+ blogs.  Each month I’ve woven in a theme:

• June – IGHR/Samford and Finding Females
• July – More on Finding Females and Military Records
• August – Land Records
• September – Books, Education, Newspapers
• October – Cemeteries and Obituaries
• November – Immigration
• December – Christmas and Family

Goals for my blog included writing content that you, my readers, will gain something from and will also hopefully catch Randy Seaver’s eye.  Eightteen weeks at least one of my posts made Randy Seaver’s Genea-Musings “Best of the Genea-blogs” list for that week.  (Those posts have been tagged and you may find them marked “Best”  in my “Categories” sidebar.)  I feel good about that.

I submitted a potential article to a genealogical periodical and it is scheduled for publication next year.

I co-authored a family sketch for the book to come out next year by NEHGS, 1790 Families of Western Massachusetts.

I finished writing my dad’s life story.  He could have died at least a dozen times.  It’s an amazing story.  Still need to put the finishing touches on it and get it published.

Bruce and I hosted two family reunions, one for Bruce’s side of the family, one for mine.

My office is more organized than it was, but I still have a way to go before I’m happy with it.  I stopped creating paper copies of documents as I find them, and switched to using my camera to capture and computer to store all my docs.

I finished putting all the descendants of Thomas Francis Farrell with cited sources in my final database (the cleaned up version).  As the year closes, I’m working on the same thing for the Chaplin family.

I completed the Writing Family History class at IGHR/Samford.

I attended RootsTech at SLC, the BYU Family History Conference, and FGS at Springfield, Illinois.  While at FGS, Bruce and I did some research at the Sangamon County Historical Society and photographed family tombstones at Oak Ridge Cemetery.

I got a lot of research done at the Family History Library.

I served as the Publicity Chairman for the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG).  It was great working with Christy Fillerup and the course coordinators.

What had I planned to do that didn’t get done? 

• I was going to publish my dad’s story.  When I got ready to do the layout, indexing, etc., I decided I wanted to include his family history.  So I went on a tangent to finish up his grandfather’s ancestry and story, and got stuck in Ireland.
• I was going to finish researching and write up the Sexton Family History.  Too many other projects had priority.
• I was going to compile and publish the Chaplin Family History.  It is getting compiled and published, but in a different venue than I originally planned.
• I was going to submit papers to lecture at some conferences.
• I was going to publish some “how-to” genealogy books.

Bottom Line:  It was a great year.  I feel I progressed and contributed. 

What about you?  Did you do all you planned to do?  If you didn’t, you’re not alone.  Just think that you went for the stars and hit the moon and pat yourself on the back!

Monday, January 2, 2012, I’ll post my goals for the new year and hope you’ll share yours with me!  Have a happy and safe New Year’s celebration and I hope to see you back here next year!