I wanted to write an individual greeting to each of the lists I administer, but my time has run out! It is almost 3am of New Years Eve, and as I listened to the BBC World Service, folks out in the Pacific began celebrating the new millenium. I will leave the 2000/2001 debate to others, and simply wish all of you my very best in the coming year. We are fortunate in so many ways, but I feel especially blessed by each one of you list members I have been lucky enough to correspond with. My hope is that this next year, each one of you will make a breakthrough in your research, and that you will each find a new cousin. Last year, I came across some genealogical New Years resolutions, which I will share with you now. If each of us does all of these, we will be pro-level genealogists/family historians in no time! Happy New Year, Valorie 1) I will get in touch with as many relatives as I can and gather as much information as possible from them. 2) I will enter all of my correspondence, research, and requests in a research log. 3) Using my research log, I will inventory all the records I have requested/available for each family and request the records I still need. 4) I will check my research log and follow up on any inquiries that are overdue for a response. 5) I will make a list of libraries and archives that I have been intending to visit and plan a trip to them. 6) I will plan a trip to my local LDS Family History Center and become more familiar with their many offerings. 7) I will read more on the history of my ancestors' hometown, home city, and homeland so that I can gain further insight into their lives and possibly find some clues as to reasons for migration, and where additional records may be found. 8) I will read more genealogical journals and periodicals, to learn more strategies and to keep current with news items that will affect my research. 9) I will make copies and/or photos, or photocopies of those old, irreplaceable photos and memorabilia. This includes diary pages, Bible pages, heirlooms, and correspondence. I will then share these copies with other family members so that all of these valuable items are not in one location in case of disaster. 10) I will also catalog all of these items and later expand it to include artifacts held by other family members. 11) I will also put names and dates on all of our current family photographs so that future generations will not have to wonder who is in the picture. 12) I will donate some time to my local genealogical/historical society to help with a worthwhile project. I know that by volunteering, many times I have learned something new that has helped my in my own research, besides giving me that warm, fuzzy feeling of accomplishment. 13) I will investigate all of the newly available resources available on the Internet and through various genealogical programs. 14) I will begin and maintain a separate research log for web sites that I have searched, and make a note of the results. 15) I will make sure my email address is up-to-date with any web site I have submitted a GEDCOM file or queries to, so that all those long-lost cousins out there in cyberspace can find me. 16) I will make sure that all my sources have been properly cited in the GEDCOM files that have been submitted to the Rootsweb WorldConnect or other collections. If not, I will update my files and send in replacement files. 17) I will backup my computer and send these backups to a remote location so that in the event of fire, flood or some other disaster, my work will not be lost. 18) I will update all of my virus software so that my valuable family files will not be lost. 19) I will make sure my computer programs and equipment are Y2K (Year 2000) compliant. (Better get to work on this one TODAY!!!) 20) I will find great satisfaction in the fact that I have helped preserve the stories of those individuals who have contributed to my existence.