My New Year's Resolutions

It’s that time of the year when, full of optimism, we make our New Year’s resolutions. Most of us promise to eat less or exercise more and those are great resolutions, but I have chosen to make my resolutions pertain only to genealogy.

1. I resolve to re-read all of my research notes and files on my families in the hope that a new clue will emerge.

2. I resolve to cite all sources and will use the correct format so that if my genealogy cousins want to check my sources, they will be able to easily do so.

3. I resolve to file all of my paper document copies in the proper place so they will not be lost when I want to re-read that document.

4. I resolve to be kind to novice researchers when they ask for help or offer an opinion on a genealogical puzzle. Novice researchers sometimes mature and maybe they will, in turn, be helpful to another beginning genealogist.

5. I resolve not to laugh when someone tells me they have researched their line back to Adam and Eve. Someday, somehow, someone may just be successful in achieving that goal.

6. I resolve to respond to a query if I know the answer even though the last 10 times I did so the person inquiring never acknowledged the response or the time it took to look up the answer.

7. I resolve to thank those who have helped me in my search for family information.

8. I resolve to decide what I want to be done with my research papers, books and files and put it in writing so that when I can no longer make that decision, my family will know my wishes.

9. I resolve not to portray my ancestors as anything more than who they really were - hard working, honest people, who cared for their families, reared a house full of children, and were good citizens. Not a one of them was president or in charge of anything except their own family and that is quite good enough.

10. I resolve not to take myself and my research so seriously that I can not enjoy the everyday pleasures of living.