Sometime around the 10th of February, at the kick-off of the Winter Olympic Games, a challenge was issued by Thomas MacEntee to become a better genealogist. I think it appealed to be because my husband and had attended the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary. The premise was to set genealogical goals for ourselves and at the end of the games determine how well those goals were achieved. Then we could aware our selves medals of achievement!
Here are the challenges of those winter games and what I did. (or didn't do)
Winter Genealogy Games are over!
The Winter Genealogy Games have now ended and I have been reflecting on how much I have achieved.
To even enter the games I needed to create this blog. Next I created a flag to represent my heritage.
1 Go Back and cite your sources - I have been citing sources and earned a Bronze Medal.
2 Back-up Your Data -I have completed task C making a new DVD back-up of all my digital
media. I also have MOZY back-up my data daily and store it on their servers. That
qualifies for a gold.
3 Organize Your Research - I have individual files for each family line I am researching and I
also have digital folders for each family. A silver!
4 Expand your Knowledge - I learned how to create a blog and I played around with googlemaps.
I also created a WORDL using the names of the families I am researching. Another gold!
5 Write, Write, Write! - I wrote a summary of my blog and listed the names I am researching. I
also am participating in the 52 Weeks to Better Genealogy Challenge. One more gold!
6 Reach Out - I index regularly for both ancestry.com and familysearch.org. I check message
boards to see it I can help with a request, and I have begun following several different
genealogy blogs. Gold again.
Summary: 1 Bronze, 1 Silver, and 4 Gold not bad for a newbie!
I began slow but was proud of what I accomplished and determined to continue to grow as a genealogist. To that end, in the past 7 years:
- I have posted 399 blog posts.
- I have joined a local genealogy group and created and maintain a website for them, began giving presentations on various topics, organiized 4 consecutive community programs to raise awareness of our group, and I am currently program chair for the group.
- I have joined several state genealogy societies as well as the Federation of Genealogy Societies.Attended several national conferences such as RootsTech 2015, FGS 2014 & 2015, and the Southern California Genealogy Jamboree several times.
- I volunteer one day a week at both my local public library and local Family History Center to help others with finding their stories.
- I have taken several Genealogy Cruises where classes were taught on "sea days"
- I am currently participating in Thomas MacEntee's "Do-Over" with emphasis on source citations and file structure and organization.
- I currently manage 6 DNA kits and am trying to get a handle on DNA and how it all works.
- Preparing the membership application for my daughter to join the DAR since we found her connection to John Ferguson, a Revolutionary War Patriot.
- Preparing for my second trip to Salt Lake City for research purposes.
- Continuing to write of my Genealogy Adventures!
I am proudest of the fact that I have continued this blog for the past 7 years and the chance it has given me to measure my growth. Pre-blog I was a solitary recearcher alone at my desk, This challenge has helped me make hundreds of like minded friend who are always ready to help.
Learn - Do Be! I love my life!!
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