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Saturday, December 31, 2011

2012 New Year's Resolutions

Another year comes to a close. The past 12 months were sprinkled with equal parts levity and laughter, wonder and worry, pitfalls and proud moments. I'm glad I was on the planet to see all the ups and downs firsthand and I very much appreciated your company along the way.

With family group sheet in hand, I nervously reviewed my 2011 resolutions. Not as bad as I thought - whew! 

2012 offers new opportunities to make check marks on my genealogy to-do list. Look out family tree, I'm getting serious about climbing you this year! With weekly encouragement from my Success Team partner Jenny, I plan to will:

1.) Attend at least one out-of-state genealogical conference or convention.

2.) Focus my research on 12 direct-line surnames; Clarin, Clarke, Gury, Landstrom, Littrell, Mangels, Mueller, Peterson, Schmitt, Thompson, Tolf, and Walton. Start by organizing the surname-related computer files, manila folders, family group sheets, and pages on my web site.

3.) Answer the following burning questions:
  • Did Esther give birth to the Clarin/Mangels child I recently located? Was her divorce from Gustave really as public as family stories suggest?
  • From what country did the Maryland Clarkes originate?
  • Who is the child that accompanied Marie-Anne Gury and her children from France to Cincinnati?
  • When (and at which port) did Augusta Landstrom arrive in America?
  • From what country did the Virginia Littrells originate?
  • What did the inquests into Herman Friedrich Carl Mangels and Frank Mangels' deaths reveal?
  • In which Swiss town was Jacob Mueller born? Were Otto Mueller and his wife Alvina Schmitt really cousins?
  • Where did Maria Fredericka Peterson's sisters settle after leaving Sweden?
  • What were the circumstances around Elizabeth Schmitt's divorce from Anton Bidenharn and marriage three days later to Jacob Mueller?
  • Where did Peter Thompson die and where is he buried? Was his daughter really institutionalized so her husband could obtain a divorce?
  • At which American port did James Walton and his parents end their voyage from the Isle of Man?
4.) Keep other living descendants up to date on our family history research progress through emails, letters, Twitter, this blog and my web site. Search for as-yet-unknown cousins in the same way.

5.) Honor the relationship between genealogy and scrapbooking: Scan and digitize old photos. Preserve hard copies of pictures. Archive online photos off-site. Organize, label and safely store slides and negatives. Share pictures with relatives. Assemble heirloom photo albums.

6.) Share (and create more) family history with my glorious grandchildren.


Every one of my goals interests and excites me. 2012 could be a great year for my family and me. I hope yours is even better. Happy New Year!

8 comments:

Danika - Family History Helpers said...

Great goals, Laura! Wishing you the best of luck with them!

Laura Aanenson said...

Thanks Danika - Happy New Year to you!

Stephanie @ CornAndCotton.com said...

I love your questions and goals! And wow - a daughter who was institutionalized because of a wanted divorce? Definitely post when you find the answer. :)

Glad you're joining us!!

Laura Aanenson said...

Thanks Stephanie! I think your 1st Mondays will motivate me to find answers. Thanks for the invite!

Nancy said...

I like that you wrote very specific things to find out about your family history. I should do that for one of the upcoming months. All the best with all of your goals!

Laura Aanenson said...

Thanks Nancy! The more specific my goals are, the more likely it is I'll meet them (hopefully!). Thanks for the kind words - much appreciated!

Stephanie @ CornAndCotton.com said...

Laura -

I just wanted to make sure that you knew that my website moved! There is a follow up post for Motivation Monday there this week, but don't feel like you have to link up each week. All of the future link ups will be on that blog. The original post did import, so your link is right where it needs to be for this post. :)

Happy Monday!

http://www.cornandcotton.com/?p=566

Laura Aanenson said...

Thanks Stephanie - that was very thoughtful of you! I read a couple posts linked there yesterday; I think your idea is going to keep MANY of us on track!

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