It’s hard to believe we are already half way through 2018.  But we are and that means it’s time for me to review my 2018 genealogy goals.  I set genealogy goals at the beginning of every year.  As I review my goals, I can see that some of them I have completely dropped the ball on.  But we still have six months in the year, right?  Most of my goals were a continuation of last years goals that I’m still working on.

• Organizing my paper documents and scanned documents on my computer – Dropped the ball on this one.  I haven’t organized anything.  My piles are still pilled up.
• Enter information into Roots Magic software – Dropped the ball on this one.  I have Roots Magic downloaded to my computer, but I haven’t entered one name yet.
• Learn more about my DNA results – This has been much of my focus this year.  I took a webinar on Ancestry about DNA matches.  I have been reading any and everything I can about Y DNA testing.  I will be utilizing the Y DNA test to further my research of Grandpa Booker and his family this year.
• Interview relatives – I haven’t interviewed any relatives this year.  But my goal is to interview my brother and at least one relative from each of my main four branches.
• Join a national and local genealogy society – I joined the Afro American Genealogy and Historical Society which is a national society.
• Attend two genealogy conferences – I have registered for a genealogy conference in Little Rock, AR at the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies in July of this year.  And I would like to go to the AAHGS national conference in October if it’s within my budget.
• Post a genealogy blog every two weeks – I have gotten a lot better at posting my blogs.  I give myself a gold star for this one.
• Post a genealogy podcast once a month – I haven’t posted a blog since December.  But I can’t take all of the credit for this, only some of it.  The podcast app that I was using went out of business, and I haven’t found a new one yet.  But I plan on hitting the airwaves again very soon.
• Find voter registration records for Woodruff and Jackson Counties from 1865-1965 – I have contacted the Arkansas State Archives and they do have some of the years I am looking for of the voter registration records on microfilm.  I just haven’t had a chance to go and actually review them yet.
• Research school records – I have researched Philander Smith College some by email.  I contacted the library and they gave me access to their digital collection and I have been able to find my father and uncle in yearbooks.
• Genealogy road trips – I haven’t been on any genealogy road trips this year.  My original goal was three…I think I will amend that goal to just one.
• Continue researching Grandpa Booker’s relatives – I have actively been researching Grandpa Booker, but not necessarily his relatives this year.  But I have some really good leads that I will be working on in the near future.

It seems like I haven’t done much on my list, but I have been getting a lot of research done. I think I will focus these next six months on organization. That is something that I have always struggled with and honestly I have just been procrastinating. I bought the necessary binders, sheet protectors, and bins. I have Roots Magic on my computer waiting on me to use it. My other focus will be DNA testing, specifically Y DNA testing. I also want to get one person that I know how we are related to get tested. That will help me determine how I am related to some of my online DNA matches. Sometimes when I focus on one thing, it seems like that is when the genealogy flood gates open. I completed a 30 day genealogy challenge last month. I focused my research on one family, my 2X great grandparents. But it was during those 30 days that I was able to get additional information on Grandpa Booker, and learn a great deal about Y DNA testing along with all the information I uncovered about my 2X great grandmother and her children.

It looks like I have a lot of research to get done. But I know this is a marathon not a sprint. Although I would like to know all the information I can on all the relatives I can immediately. I know that isn’t realistic. The information will come when the time is right. And this is why my journey continues…