Saying Goodbye... and Hello

Image courtesy of antiqueimages.blogspot.com

  All my life I have been advised to not wish my life away.  I'm sure many of you were, also.  When we are children, we constantly wish we were older... "I can't wait until I'm 14 and can watch TV shows for that age... I can't wait until I'm 16 and can drive... "I can't wait until I'm 18 and can move out... I can't wait until I'm 21 and can drink."  Then one day we wake up, and we're 45 years old and wonder where did the time go? 

Having said that, however, I must say that I am not sad to see 2012 go.  It has a been tough year for me personally.  A lot of changes and loss.  I am ready to say goodbye... and Hello! to 2013.  I feel sure it will be a better year. 

What I was dealing with during 2012 had a direct impact on my genealogy research... or lack thereof.  I only made 80 posts on this blog as compared to 236 the previous year.  There were no blog posts published between April and September.  There was very little active research done.  I didn't attend Scanfest or any conferences.  I didn't read genealogy blogs.  I didn't answer e-mails from "new" cousins, and I didn't keep a check on my DNA matches.  I was definitely wasting huge hunks of my life!

But as they say... Onward and Upward!  Here are a few accomplishments from last year as well as some goals for the coming new year:

1)  Cousin Keith's family tree

2012:  I set up Keith's family tree in Family Tree Maker by pulling a vast portion of my tree over.  That made it easier.  I added in individuals from his mother's side.  Then I published his tree to Ancestry.com.  In this way, his DNA matches can look at the tree and possibly find the connecting lines. 

2013:  Plan to finish entering family members from his mother's side into FTM and then syncing them to his Ancestry.com tree.  Will continue collaborating with another genealogy researcher who is more schooled in DNA to help Keith find matches.  Also plan to work toward getting Keith set up with his own genealogy software program so he can be more self-sufficient in his research and retrieving information already found. 

2)  North Carolina Archive Research

2012:  Made only one trip to the North Carolina Archives even though I live less than 30 minutes from there.  Made copies of several 18th and 19th century deeds pertaining to my Drake line. 

2013:  Make more visits to the Archives and pursue research on my Swain line.

3)  Ancestry.com research

2012:  Did not have a membership for most of this year, so I was unable to do any in depth research on the site.  I did take advantage of viewing the 1940 census.

2013:  With my new Ancestry.com membership, I hope to spend hours researching all my family lines, in addition to digging deeper into Keith's. 

4)  Google Earth

2013:  Want to learn how to use this program to map my ancestors' trek, if not from overseas, then at least across the United States.

5)  Blog reading

2013:  Begin to read my favorite genealogy blogs once again.

6)  DNA

2013:  Get back to my DNA results and touch base with people who have sent me messages or shared their results with me.

I could add a lot more, but I don't want to overwhelm myself!  Of course the #1 goal:  Have fun and enjoy the ride!  

So here's to 2013 being a generally better and more productive year!

Happy New Year!!