Bring Out the Balloons and Champagne! May 12, 2015 is the Third Anniversary of Indiana Ties

How to celebrate a third blogiversary? Hmmmm.  Would you do a recap of the best and worst subjects you’ve covered?  Why and how? Is there a way to examine successes and failures to gain some insight for the future? Maybe that idea would be more worthwhile. But really, what is a failure for a family history blog? After all, I'm thinking that if I kept making posts fairly consistently that's the measure of success. Right?! It’s time for me to look to where I might like to go in the future.

But first, it is kind of fascinating to look back at a few of the blog stats: This is the 162nd post. That makes 4.5 posts per month. I’m okay with that. There were over 40,000 page views in the history of indianaties.com and the audience comes from ten countries. I’m not versed in evaluating those statistics. But even though we all know the Internet is putting the world in touch, isn’t that amazing that there are folks in France and Germany and Ukraine taking their time to view the stories of my Adam Weber and Joseph Niehaus!? Mostly, it’s nice to know someone is looking.

In a completely unscientific analysis of this 36-month experience, I did think of a few of my own “non-numeric stats.” I’ve benefited from this generous community that’s ready to take on challenges, to share and to assist other genealogists. And they’re having fun doing this crazy stuff at all times.

I’ve also realized that these three years of blogging brought me to cousins I might never have known. Some are not the breathing kind you can talk to but they are still family I get to know. Others are very much alive, extended family that found me here and got in touch. And finding that a cousin, uncle, daughter, sister or niece is interested and excited about the family history I am sharing is fantastic. Thanks you guys!

There is definitely success in learning new research techniques and applying them. I’ve had fun taking the time to create these stories, to share with anyone who’s interested and to learn more about the family history by the process of gathering the details together.

I guess I should be looking down the road now. As far as goals, I plan to put more effort into becoming a better storyteller, adding context to the events I am documenting. We all have reasons for what we do. If I can understand what reasons my ancestors had their histories will be more meaningful, and especially, more interesting.

Another of my directions for this blog is giving back. I’ve learned a great deal from those who are sharing their knowledge on blogs and websites. Maybe I could step it up on the sharing of my experience and knowledge.

And, of course, there’s the forever goal — Have Fun!!!

Thanks for celebrating Indiana Ties third blogiversary with me,

Nancy 

 Copyright 2015 (c) Nancy Niehaus Hurley
Thanks to Alan Cleaver at Freestock on Flickr.com for the celebratory balloon photo.