MY GENEAPLANS FOR 2014: HOW DID I DO?

Before I post my goals for 2015, let's review my goals for 2014 and how well
I did or didn't do meeting them:


1.Transcribe:  With FamilySearch adding more and more images everyday I've
found will and probate records for quite a few of my colonial New England
ancestors. I have read them all through but I need to transcribe and analyze
them instead of setting them aside "for later".
Results: Good news, bad news on this one. I have done more transcriptions
this past year than I've previously done. The bad news is I've discovered and
downloaded many more probate records that I'll need to transcribe. It's a
nice dilemma. I'd say I was successful on this one.

2. Uitlize FamilySearch more: As I said, they are adding more and more records
there every day. I need to refine my searches more and remember to include
records for my ancestors' siblings since those may yield more information.
Results: Success. Since I dropped my subscription to Ancestry.com, I've used
FamilySearch much much more.



3. Organize: I have a bad habit of downloading images and leaving them in
the Downloads folder until it piles up. Then I have to go through them and try
to get them in the proper surname files. I need to do that as soon as I've finished
downolading a particular document.
Results: I now have 171 surname files and I file downloads into the proper file
immediately. Success.

4. Continue working on my family tree: Time to move on to another line to fill
in the gaps in the collateral branches of my ancestry.  I'll start with my Houghtons
next, I think.
Results: I've moved onto the Barker side of the family for now and have added
collateral relatives from the Barkers and Swans. Success.


5. Trim the tree: I sill have a lot of duplicate entries from when I first started with
online genealogy. I need to merge the duplicates, making sure to include proper
sources and citations.
Results: I've eliminated a number of duplicates but there are still more to go. I'd
call this a work in progress.

6. Join a local society: I know, I know. I say this every year.
Results: Failure. Still need to do it.
7. Continue Find A Grave activities: I have a car once again so once the snow melts
I'll be out taking volunteer photos. I also have more photos I've taken at Mt. Vernon
Cemetery over the past few years that I need to add to the Find A Grave site either
to memorials I create or to memorials of others.
Results: Like trimming the family tree, still a work in progress. I have uploaded over
800 photos now but still have a lot more to go.

8.Blog more: I wrote 179 posts here in 2013, nine more than the 170 in 2012, but far
below my high of 254 in 2009. I don't know if I'll ever post that much on West in New
England again, but I do plan to shoot for 200 posts this year. Over on my other blog,
The Old Colony Graveyard Rabbit, there were 23 blogposts last year, an improvement
over the 1(!!) post in 2012. I still have a backlog of cemetery photos I need to post there.
Results: Good news, bad news again. 199 posts for West in New England is the good 
news, but only 3 blogposts for Old Colony Graveyard Rabbit is the bad news. Clearly I need to
give my other blog some TLC this year. So I'd have to say I have mixed results for this one.   

9. Scan more: I didn't scan at all last year. I need to get this done. Maybe I can get some
done on Sunday afternoons once football season is over.
Results: I did a bit of scanning although not as much as I'd like. My sister and brother and
I divided up all the family photos to be scanned. I've done some from my parents' years
at the VFW but I still have the rest of my share to go. Mixed results for this one.

10. Index more: I did a bit last year but will try to do more as a way to payback the work
of others that has helped my own research.
Results: I took part in the Family Search World wide Indexing event back in July and I've
added more headstone transcriptions to FindAGrave. Still, I could have done better. Mixed
results.


11. Get out away from the computer more: Since I now have a car, I plan to visit the towns
in Essex and Worcester County where my ancestors lived. 
Results: a bit better. I visited cemeteries in Andover and Methuen as well as others
on the South Shore closer to home. and I made it out to the New England Geneablogger
Bash in Stirling. So compared to 2013, for me this was a success.

12. Break down that John Cutter West brick wall: Hope, as ever, still springs eternal.
Result: No luck. Hope is still springing, though
.

And above all, the overall plan is to still to keep having FUN, as I have so far every
year pursuing my ancestors.

Result: Now that was definitely a success!