I have been wanting to start up the Surname Saturday theme for quite some time, but never seemed to get around to it. After reading the post Cousin Bait Strategy Needed, by Diane at Nuts From the Family Tree, I got motivated.
And out of all the Surname Saturday posts I’ve seen, I’m drawing on inspiration from Barbara Poole over at Life From the Roots, who has beautiful SS posts (see From Delaware to New York, Came the Pollocks — Surname Saturday).
I’m trying to pay more attention to my blog this year. I’ll be implementing the Surname Saturday theme (hopefully later today), I started the Genealogy By the States theme yesterday, and hope to begin the Family History Through the Alphabet challenge within the next week or so. Even though the alphabet challenge ran last year and is now over, I’m still going to do it.
By taking part in some of these themes and challenges, it forces me to write blog posts that I might not otherwise get around to writing. I feel that these three in particular will allow me to write about what I want to write about, but there’s that sense of urgency and purpose that will make me actually write.
Here’s to a new year, new ideas, new priorities, and breathing new life into this blog!
Great idea Julie. I might need to copy it for motivation!
I started to do my Surname Saturday posts about a year ago. I usually work on a few at a time and pre-publish them to my blog. It is a great exercise in re-looking at research I did a long time ago, and re-checking all the sources and data. I find that there is a lot of new data available in new journal articles and books when I double check professional journals and the online card catalogs at NEHGS, FHL, Google books, and Archives.org. I started with a giant family tree chart and I’m working my way down the chart starting with my paternal side (my maiden name) and trying to hit every single surname. I’ve also made a lot of cousin connections, so all the hard work has been worth it!
It’s interesting to see what others do to encourage themselves to blog regularly. I like your ideas, Julie. I remember seeing the alphabet posts last year but never found the origin of them, so didn’t participate. Maybe I’ll follow your lead and participate this year.
I agree with you about Barbara Poole’s Surname Saturday posts. They are absolutely the best I’ve ever seen.
I’m looking forward to reading all of your posts this year.
Julie, although I thanked you on fb for this mention, it is appropriate to do it here as well. And should Nancy read this, I thank her as well. As Heather wrote, I also try to find updated material before posting.