Swifter, Higher, Stronger Genealogy

I love the Olympics, especially the Winter Games. I spent six years of my life planning the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, so I have a special fondness and appreciation for the meticulous detail required to create an amazing field of play where the athletes can do what they were born to do.

So you can imagine that I am delighted by Thomas MacEntee's idea for the Winter 2010 GeneaBloggers Games. There are six events, designed to stretch our genealogy muscles and push us to be just a little better.

So, here's what I'm going to do:

1. Go Back and Cite Your Sources!
I'm going for platinum here by citing 50 sources. My data-base right now is looking more like a myth-base.

2. Organize Your Research!
Again, I'm going for platinum by completing five organization tasks. I'll organize at least 20 each of hard copy files, digital documents, and digital photos including metadata, etc. I'll create at least 20 source entries in my database. Most importantly, I'll create a master list of my files and share said list with my family.

3. Expand Your Knowledge
Platinum tasks in this category include google maps, TimeToast, Footnote pages, Ancestry.com articles, and Wordle. Looks fun.

4. Write, Write, Write
For this platinum I will write a summary of my blog, participate in a family history blog carnival, pre-publish draft blogs, write a biographical sketch of an ancestor, and participate in one of the 52 Weeks to Better Genealogy challenges.

5. Perform Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness
In order to platinum in this event I will visit, follow, and comment on a new genealogy friend's blog, post headstone photos at Find A Grave, join (another) society, and participate in Family Search Indexing.

6. Back Up Your Data
Once I finish the above tasks, it will definitely be time to back everything up again, and earn the final platinum! Digitally, I am already in the backup habit. The thought provoking items here involve my paper files. I have 3 filing cabinet drawers full of family research. I need to create an emergency plan for these files. My old photos are already secure in my gun safe (ironic that my pistol is on the book shelf and the photos are in the gun safe. Something is backwards here.) but I have photos of headstones and photos of my life adventures that deserve emergency planning.

It's a lot of work, and I'll be writing a lot of blog posts, but in the spirit of the Games, I will push myself just a little swifter, higher, and stronger to be the best personal, not just professional, genealogist I can be.

I think I hear cheering from beyond the grave.