Reflections on our Mission and Content

The Rootdig Blog was named one of 2014's "Social Media Mavericks" by Family Tree Magazine. I'm pleased with receiving the recognition.

But this blog post really isn't about that. But the nomination got me to thinking about a few things.

Occasionally I am tempted to change our focus here and concentrate on "news," "popular topics," and "what everyone else is doing."

And then I wake up.

For those who are just coming to this blog, we don't talk about those things--unless it's something that interests me. I don't write about things just because everyone else is. I write about things I'm working on, things about various websites that frustrate me, hopefully in a way that thoughtful readers can take a few ideas and adapt them to their own research. My theory is that if something about a site frustrates me, then it probably frustrates at least one other person as well.

I've given up on getting any of the big websites to change anything, but mentioning challenges on those sites lets others know that it's not "just them."

Vendors have quit sending me press releases, sample copies, etc. That's fine because I don't use press releases and don't review anything I'm not actually going to use in my research. The only opinion you will find here is mine. If you purchase something through an affiliate link, that's ok, but I'm not going to become destitute if you don't. I don't use this blog to support myself (grin!).

Unless you are related to me, I'm probably not going to write about your relatives. My children have ancestors who range from Mayflower passengers to late 19th century immigrants, hailing from 8 countries, and who lived in quite a few US states. I don't need additional topics about which to write.

Some days I write several posts and some days I write none. I'm on no schedule other than my own. I do make the occasional typographical error--just to see if people are paying attention.

I take my research pretty seriously and that's hopefully reflected in these posts. Myself I take less seriously.

Thanks to those who have been loyal readers. I appreciate them--even those who lurk and don't comment. And it's okay that readers don't comment---I do that myself.