CGSL Blog Resolutions?

As much as I had to admit it, the time is past due to report on how I did with my goal for 2008 and to do some planning for the new year. It is difficult to face my total and complete failure to achieve my one objective for the year – to get one of the local media outlets to publish an article on CGS. I did get a "Nice pitch" e-mail from Judith Gallman, editor of Oakland Magazine but nothing came of it. Colleen Huntley thought she had a commitment from Bob MacKenzie of KTVU to do a piece on the society - we even had a date for him to visit the library. That fell through. Oh well... I'm trying to keep a positive outlook.

There is solace in the knowledge that after one year the blog has garnered some recognition in the genealogy blogosphere. Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings has bestowed his "Best of the Genea-Blogs" honor on the CGSL blog several times and recently Miriam Robbins Midkiff of the Eastern Washingon Genealogical Society Blog lauded CGS and the blog in her post One Society Bites the Dust; Another One Celebrates a Milepost. Both of them are stars in the genea-blogging world and stalwart leaders in their respective societies. Their support means so much.

I've mentioned before the balancing act I perform – using my voice to create a blog that is more than just society announcements and keeping the rest of me out of it. I think I have hit on a pretty good compromise. I've also settled on a fairly doable schedule – blogging three times a week, relying heavily on word-free posts on Wednesdays. (Thanks to Jane, Arlene and many other members who contribute Wordless Wednesday photographs.)

In the coming year I will be reporting on some of the genealogical activities of our more distant members. I'm constantly amazed at the variety of ways they contribute to the genealogy world.

I also plan to share more information from committee reports and board meetings – nuts and bolts kinds of things about the society and how it is run. Transparency is a word that seems to be cropping up a lot lately and members will be proud to learn about how well the society is being managed.

I will continue to share members' contributions – reports from national and local meetings, great genealogical finds, personal accomplishments, involvement in family history projects – keep the accounts coming!