Big Plans: 11 Genealogy Goals for 2011

It’s that time of year again! The 101st edition of the Carnival of Genealogy asks us to make our genealogy research and writing plans for 2011.  But before I can look ahead, it’s time to take a peek in the rear-view mirror for a moment because one year ago today in the 87th COG I listed my genea-resolutions for this year.  How did I do?  Well, I said I would:

• Go to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City – DONE! I attended the National Genealogical Society Family History Conference in April, 2010.  While I was there, I was able to complete a lot of research in the library and I had a great time meeting my genealogy and blogging friends.

• Go back one more generation – FAILED, but not for a lack of trying.  My main goal was to find the birth record of my great-grandmother, Elizabeth Miller Pater.  I tried, and my hired researcher tried, but it hasn’t been accomplished – yet.  I chose two other lines to “go back” on but didn’t quite get to those either.  It’s too bad I didn’t name my Zawodny and Ślesiński lines last year, because I did go back one more on each.

• Keep writing – FAILED MISERABLY with too few posts here and almost no magazine articles (only one published this year, and one that’s been “on hold” by the magazine for about eight months).

• Find photographs – FAILED.  I can’t believe I can meet so many second cousins virtually and in  person and not see a single photograph of any of my grandparents or great-grandparents.  Maybe next year…

That was then, this is now.  The best thing about celebrating the New Year is starting over, and you need a plan to get started.  I tried listing just a few things last year and didn’t quite accomplish them.  But I’m pretty optimistic this week after a not-so-great-year, and I’m ready for new challenges.  So why not come up with eleven goals for 2011? (Note To Self when I read this next year: don’t wait until the last minute to write your “goals for next year” post, and do it before drinking some wine.)

Here is what I hope to accomplish with my genealogy in 2011 (in no particular order of importance):

1. Attend the 2011 Southern California Genealogy Jamboree.
2. Obtain a public speaking “gig” on a genealogical topic.
3. FIND the Polish birth record of Elizabeth Miller Pater (Elżbieta Müller).
4. Put my 2-year-old research plan into action to find the death dates of my 2nd great-grandparents in Bavaria.
5. Post more frequently here (my goal from the blog’s beginning was always 3/week or 12/month).
6. View the box of photos that my one cousin has in his possession (or get a restraining order put in against me while trying…LOL).
7. Get back to writing for some genealogy magazines, even if it’s only a few articles.
8. Either get back to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City or at least rent a few films from my local one.
9. Find the marriage record for Stanisław Piątkowski & Apolonia Konopka.
10. Get organized by starting my database over from scratch to include all source information.
11. Re-visit Poland and explore some of my ancestral towns.

Perhaps my list is too much wishful thinking and not enough realism, but one can’t achieve anything without a plan in place.  Can I do it?  Only time will tell…tune in next year and find out!

[Submitted for the 101st Carnival of Genealogy: My Genealogy Research/Writing Plan for 2011]