Blog Resolutions For 2010

Jasia at The Creative Gene is hosting the 87th Carnival of Genealogy: New Year's Resolutions! I've been a list-maker since I learned to write so setting goals became an annual ritual fairly early in my life. I went through a phase where I kept the yearly goal list posted on the refrigerator to keep it front and center. I've kept the old lists in a file and it's fun to look back and see what I've accomplished and how aspirations change over time.

My goals for the California Genealogical Society and Library blog grow out of my marketing responsibilities for the society. My one goal in 2008 (which carried over to 2009) was to get a local media outlet to take notice of CGS. Suddenly last week this item finally got crossed off the list when three of our members were featured on a popular live radio call-in program, Forum with Michael Krasny on KQED 88.5 FM on Christmas Eve. You can listen to the podcast of Prez Jane Knowles Lindsey, Craig Manson and Jeanie Low talking Genealogy 101 with substitute host Scott Shafer. Jane's brother was surprised to hear her on the local NPR affiliate in St. Croix!

Here are my blog goals for 2010:

1.) Final implementation of the CGS "brand" built around our new domain: CaliforniaAncestors.org/. Members of the Website and Publications/Marketing Committees have been working behind the scenes on a new, cohesive look for the website, blog, eNews, eNewsARCHIVE and other California Genealogical Society web locales. Since we are a 100% volunteer organization it is taking a little longer to accomplish than I anticipated but I am optimistic that the final results will be well worth the effort. I'll look forward to your feedback on our new look.


2.) Launch of a new carnival devoted to genealogical (and historical) societies. The first Call for Submissions is coming early in January and I hope all my fellow geneabloggers will help spread the word.

3.) January 2010 events have been posted to the San Francisco Bay Area Genealogy Calendar. This is a new venture which I inherited from Steve Danko. So far three fellow CGS members and bloggers Sheri Fenley, Bill George and Gene Pennington have stepped forward to help. I'm asking all Bay Area genealogical societies to contribute so we can develop a complete list of all gen-related events and post them on the 25th of each month. I know the it's not complete yet but it is still an impressive array!

4.) Last but not least: continue to share the society's news and our members' contributions. This year we will be publishing the annual committee reports on the blog and I have a plan to do follow-up stories on some of the connections that have been made through the blog.

Thanks to all who have contributed stories and photographs. Happy New Year!


 The COG poster provided courtesy of the footnoteMaven.