Way back in February
I posted a monthly goals agenda. Ironically, one of those goals was to write a
monthly goal list for every month. Don’t bother to look for March – it’s not
there. As you can see, I didn’t get very far in that endeavor.
I have decided to change the objective. Certainly a list of
goals to work towards during the course of a month is a nice thing to have, but
I already have a lot of lists. My husband calls me, “the lister”. It’s a kind
of illness, actually. So, I’m not sure that I really need another list. What I
need is obtainable goals that are fluid, because you have to be able to adapt
in this world. Change happens fast.
This then, is my first “month in review.” I do think that
one of these roughly every thirty days would be beneficial, but I’m not going
to choke on it. If it doesn’t get done, then it doesn’t get done. It’s my blog;
I can do what I want, right?
Here’s what happened in late April and early May. It was actually a very
exciting month for me, certainly the best I’ve had as an aspiring genealogist
and personal historian. Really, it was a very busy last ten days or so. Either
way, it was a great month for me, and for Ancestral Journeys.
On the 23rd, it was officially announced by the editors
at The In-Depth Genealogist, a
new and exciting digi-mag, that I would be a regular contributor. I will be
authoring a monthly column, entitled Family
Atlas, along with two guest blog posts each month. My first column will
appear in the June 2012 issue. Family Atlas will be focusing on research opportunities
on a state-by-state basis, highlighting resources and the “unknown” genea-bloggers.
Alongside this endeavor, I will also maintain the Featured Genealogist column, which will coincide geographically.
(If you have a resource or genealogist you would like me to feature, please feel free to comment or email me.)
(If you have a resource or genealogist you would like me to feature, please feel free to comment or email me.)
I started writing as the Breckenridge Genealogy
Examiner, and my first article went up on the 26th. Writing
about anything history or genealogy related in, around, near, or related to
Summit County, Colorado. This might be challenging as time goes on, but I’m
game.
For the first time, I was invited to be a guest blogger on
someone else’s site, and my first post on Michelle Nahom’s The Power of Photos, entitled “Telling
Your Family Story” went up on 1 May. Michelle is a training specialist for the Association of Personal Photo
Organizers, or APPO. We met on Twitter, and she has been incredibly interesting
to get to know. Please make sure to visit her blog. She also posted a guest blog for me, Making A Case For Printing Your Photos was published on 10 May.
My second chance at a guest blog happened the next day, when
The In-Depth Genealogist published my Quick Source: JSTOR.
A review of the amazing research opportunities available through the JSTOR
site, much of which you can access for free. Apparently, it was one of the top
blog posts of the week for them. *Insert pat on the back here.*
I got a job. Yep, a real life, out of the house, paying me a
check job. I’m really very excited about it, though. Over the summer, I will be
working for the Breckenridge Heritage
Alliance, and for the first time I feel like the work I will be doing will
actually be contributing something to society. I will be helping to expose
others to the vast history of the Town of Breckenridge. There is also
excitement for me in that this may lead to other opportunities with the
organization, which would be wonderful. Be sure to check out their website, and
if you decide to visit Summit County, Colorado any time of year, make sure you
save yourself time for a walking tour, historic snowshoe hike, or the one I'm hoping to lead: the cemetery tour.
To top it all off, this was the last month of “The Puzzle of
Your Past”, a family history research project I have been leading with the
Leadville Brownie and Junior Girl Scouts of troop 840. (You can read about this project throughout my blog, as I have posted updates along the way, but also here.) It has been a wonderful
year of discovery, and the girls are just putting the finishing touches on
their projects for their May 20 “Court of Awards” annual ceremony. In the next
few days, I will be working on finishing my end of the project, conducting as
much research as possible in the time allowed and presenting a pedigree chart
and CD-ROM to each participant for them to take home to their families. I hope
they have enjoyed it as much as I have.(By the way, its the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouting this year. You should check it out. No cookies without Girl Scouts!)
Along the way, I have been mentioned, retweeted, and linked by numerous “Big Names” in the genealogy field. That is always such a great
moment for me; to have someone I respect so much recognize my work as useful
and valuable enough to promote. It’s really mind blowing. I have never thought
of myself as a writer, and yet, here I sit, eagerly committing to a steady
stream of writing projects. It’s quite a surprise. Oh, and my blog? Yes. I am
now up to 42 followers, so thank you so very much for supporting me. I greatly
appreciate you as an audience, and value your feedback and commentary.
I’m so looking forward to seeing what the coming 30 days has to offer me,
though I cannot imagine it will bring the changes and deadlines that the last 30 did.
I guess we’ll find out soon.
Hopefully it will be less snowy and filled with more lovely wild mountain flowers.
Hopefully it will be less snowy and filled with more lovely wild mountain flowers.
Photo copyright Jen Baldwin, Ancestral Journeys, 2011. |
Hi, Jen -- You have had a month of accomplishments, and you should be proud! I totally agree that goals are better than lists. I'm trying to sideline lists because I never finish them. Congratulations on your job at the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance, where you will get both respect and money! Happy genealogical traveling!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Mariann! You have certainly been full of positive reinforcement for me these last couple of weeks, and I very much appreciate that. Have a wonderful Mother's Day!
ReplyDelete~ Jen
Happy Mother's Day, JC! I'm so excited to see where your next 30 days takes you. You are doing such a great job, and I am in awe of your excitement and energy. Keep that going because you are a great part of the genealogy community and machine. You rock, lady!
ReplyDeleteSteph
PS - You forgot to mention that your review of JSTOR was also our first review to go international! Don't forget that feather in your cap because it's way too cool not to mention. :)
Thanks, Steph, to you too! I very much appreciate your support and continued positive feedback; it means so much to me. More importantly, though, is the friendships I have gained just in the last couple of months, and I thank you for that, also.
DeleteHave a wonderful day!
~ J.C.