Goals for 2014

Goals for 2014, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Goals for 2014

Happy New Year

Genealogists and Family Historians tend to be goal oriented folks. How they think about and organize the goals while accomplish ing them is the topic on many social media groups. I'd be willing to bet that those who read my blogs and follow my Facebook posts and Twitter feed are under the impression that I am a whiz at this. Well, maybe a little but not really.

This is a staged photo of my desk. My husband surprised me with a "Happy Light" which is supposed to help me with my seasonal affect disorder. Time will tell. The other things pictured here are going to help me with my writing.

I participate in a writing challenge in February. It takes a lot of research and photo prep. I have been working on it for months. It will still take forever for me to write. It is a blog post a day for 28 days. I'd rather spread them out but that's not the challenge. I think I will write the beginning and the reason for the project in the end of January. 

One of my major goals is to start writing down what gravestones I have blogged about since June 6, 2006. Yes, I did NOT keep a list. It will take me a lot of time to start working on that. That's a goal.

This is my first full year of retirement. I'd like my blog posts to improve and be pre-written. I did that for my fall blog posts and it works for me. Project based genealogy is more work overrall but it is my ultimate goal.

Keeping in the light....

Your Own Inner Light

Quaker Meeting House, a photo by Hulda Jowett, 2011, used with permission

Guided By Your Own Inner Light
Theme for 2014

As an undergraduate at Rhode Island College, I took a philosophy course titled, "Comparative Religions". The professor was a popular one and he was very good at teaching tolerance and understanding. This was in the late 1960s where ideas of peace and love clashed with rebellion. My fellow classmates were of varying ages, backgrounds and religions as many were returning servicemen of both the Korean and Vietnam Wars and took advantage of the GI bill and went to college. Many young students were the first ones in their families to go to college.

The professor emphasized the idea of the "creator" and the guiding theme of light throughout time. Even in underdeveloped countries these two ideas are present. I learned a lot in this course about philosophy, geography and history.

As a practicing Protestant in a predominately Catholic state, I was usually in the minority. I did have friends who were non Christians. In Rhode Island, tolerance is a key idea, even to this day and I'd bet founding father Roger Williams would be surprised that his ideals are still in place. Many early governors of Rhode Island were Quakers. The first synagogue is in Newport, RI. 

This plaque indicates that many "Friends" from Smithfield, RI moved to Adams, MA in 1782. (Illustrated History of the Smithfield Meeting of Friends) I am working on finding out more about this family.

As my blog has evolved, it has become more that just gravestone research. Guided by my "inner light", I will continue to blend my gravestone photography into family history. I hope you will continue on this adventure with me in 2014.

Happy New Year!