AncestorNews: Holiday Musing and Organizational Ideas         The Latest AncestorNews from Nancy Hendrickson         More Computer-Related Genealogy Advice           .         Ethnic Toolkits Web Exclusive Forms Bookstore Soundex Code Generator Resources Writing Workshops Newsletter       Receive biweekly research tips and leads on new resources via email.		Holiday Musing and Organizational Ideas by Nancy Hendrickson When I wrote in my last column about using Internet resources to track down a cemetery, one of our readers, Megan, reminded me about the Find A Grave Web site, which has information on millions of graves from around the world. In fact, Megan noted that someone had already posted a map to the Shore Cemetery at Find A Grave, along with eight burials. Thank you, Megan! As I close out 2005, I want to thank everyone for the e-mails I've received through the years, along with your suggestions, feedback and your own wonderful stories. Keep them coming! Like most people, when holidays roll around, I always think about my own family's traditions—and my dear memories of Christmases past. I don't know why, but one Christmas in particular has stayed with me: the morning when my grandmother put oranges and walnuts in our stockings, and I fell over backward through a window! (Not that one has anything to do with the other). I also remember my grandmother saving all of her holiday shopping until Christmas Eve, and how she's take the bus downtown to shop. Funny what stays with us. Because many of us put genealogy research on hold this time of year, I decided to plant a few seeds for helping you get reorganized in the new year: Pick a list of research problems you REALLY want to solve in 2006. Prioritize your list. Jot suggestions for Internet searches, such as where you might find GEDCOMs related to your family, or distant relatives' family Web sites, or ancestral county histories. (May I suggest going to the USGenWeb Project site for the county where your elusive ancestors lived, and networking with other researchers in the area?) Resolve to track down "Internet cousins" who're tracing the same family line as you. Organize your research papers. I have a GREAT idea for this, but I'm going to keep it secret until January. You'll love it, and it's free. Thank you for being such loyal readers, and I wish you every happiness. Nancy Here are some Web sites with more organizational suggestions (print this list and tuck it away until January!): • FamilySearch Research Guidance (excellent outlines for researching in US states and other countries) www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/RG/frameset_rg.asp • Genealogy in a Pile or a File timeforitnow.knotsindeed.com/genealogy/book/beginbook.html • Organize the Inconclusive with a Discrepancy Chart www.genealogy.com/genealogy/37_neill.html?priority=0000900 • Elements of a Research Log www.ancestry.com/learn/library/article.aspx?article=8277 Nancy Hendrickson is a contributing editor for Family Tree Magazine. She also is a family historian, freelance writer and the author of two astronomy books. Her Web site is at www.ancestornews.com. E-mail her at stjoemo@pobox.com.
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