My Top Ten Genealogy Favorites for 2008

1. Favorite New Blog (New to me that is!)
George Geder: Genealogy – Photography – Restoration. George’s blog features captivating photos, and a keen use of technology. A fave post: Great Grandmother Harriet Geder Chillin’ George’s ancestor is chilling “tin-type style.”

2. Favorite Way to Spend 5 Minutes Having Fun Online
The Facebook News Feed, which serves up quick updates on all those genealogists out there on Facebook. Joining Facebook simply requires an email address and a password and a LOT of genealogists have gotten on board. You can visit me at Facebook and join the Genealogy Gems Podcast Fan Page.

Wanna learn more? Try the Facebook Bootcamp for Genea-bloggers Blog where contributing editors Miriam Robbing Midkiff, Thomas MacEntee, Moultrie Creek, footnoteMaven, Terry Thornton, and Kathryn Doyle answer your questions about how to use Facebook, and blogging in general.

3. Favorite Genealogy Conference
Hands down the Mesa AZ Family History Expo was my favorite genealogy conference that I attended in 2008. I did a marathon of video interviews for the new Family History Expos TV channel on YouTube.

I got to meet some online friends for the first time: Mark Tucker from ThinkGenealogy Blog, Listener Amy Urman who I interviewed several months ago for Genealogy Gems Premium Episode 3 about using private investigation techniques to find your living relatives, Bruce Buzbee from Rootsmagic (who’s about to launch a new version,) and Scott Huskey of Photoloom a new fave of mine that uses your family photos to visually represent your family tree. Holly Hansen and her crew at Family History Expos sure now how to put on a fun and informative shindig!

4. Favorite New Online Tool
I started using an online newsletter service called Constant Contact and I love it! Not only is it now super easy to email my listeners, but I can add color and photos and images. Sign up today to receive the new and improved Genealogy Gems Podcast e-Newsletter.

5. Favorite Online Gadget
Page2RSS which allows you to create an RSS feed for any website that doesn’t have an RSS feed. I featured Page2RSS in Premium Episode 6, teaching listeners how to monitor updates to any genealogy website in their favorite RSS reader or iGoogle homepage.

6. Favorite Controversial Posting
You gotta admit that Dick Eastman knows how to stir things up once and while. On May 22, 2008 he posted a blog article called I Have a Complaint Concerning Many Genealogists which he prefaced with “Warning: This article contains personal opinions”. Eastman not only shares his opinions with his readers, but also generated a ton of opinions from readers - a whopping 222 Comments were posted. Eastman wrote a follow up blog commenting on the hoopla on May 26, 2008 which generated another 52 comments. The topic that riled everyone up: Folks griping about having to pay for access to records online.

7. Favorite Family History Ebay Find
Photograph dated 1895 of the first automobile exhibition in England featuring Sir David Salomon sitting in his first “horseless carriage” along with Gottlieb Daimler, automotive pioneer. And standing next to the horseless carriage? Harry Cooke, my husband’s great grandfather who was Sir David Salomon’s “right hand man” and owner of Cooke’s Carriage and Motor Works in Tunbridge Wells, Kent!

8. Favorite Family History Song
The Family Tree by Venice
From Episode 38 published January 6, 2008

9. Favorite Genealogy Gems Podcast Episode
By the end of 2008 I had published a total of 65 podcast episodes so I’ve given some thought to which one is my favorite. I’d probably have to choose The Genealogy Gems Podcast Episode 39 featuring the segment called Heritage Quilts. This is my favorite personal story and I enjoyed sharing it. It also resulted in the largest number of listener emails, some very detailed about their own personal and heartfelt family experiences.

10. Favorite Unexpected & Somewhat Misunderstood Genealogy Blog Post
The Genealogy Insider’s April 1 blog post featuring a mock magazine cover just in time for April Fools. A few folks didn’t get it, but it made me do a double take and then roar with laughter!

Happy New Year Everyone!