52 Weeks to Better Genealogy - Challenge 3

GeneaBloggers is doing it yet again! Giving us another season of wonderful challenges to help us improve on our blogging, and genealogy, skills.

Here's the 3rd challenge of the year:

52 Weeks To Better Genealogy - Challenge 3


Assess yourself! You’re great at researching everyone else’s history, but how much of your own have you recorded? Do an assessment of your personal records and timeline events to ensure your own life is as well-documented as that of your ancestors. If you have a genealogy blog, write about the status of your own research and steps you may take to fill gaps and document your own life.

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Oh my! You caught me!!!
 
Assess myself? I nearly fainted when I read that!
 
So, pulling out the old files I began to take a close at what I have recorded of myself for my children and grandchildren, and [gasp] the future generations yet to be born.
 
I'm so ashamed.... [don't look now, but I'm scuffing the toe of my shoe, my head is lowered, and there may even be a tear of regret in my eye].
 
So where do I even start?
 
Uhmmm, at the very beginning I am sure, as all I have for myself is the pertinent dates of vital statistics recorded in my genealogy program. Nothing else!
 
I'll need to make a time line to even determine what records I need to add. How many educational degrees and certificates should I attach to this file, or do I just make mention of them? [I'm one of those habitual students you've read about. I never could decide what I wanted to be when I grew up, until I hit 40 and found genealogy!] Birth certificate. Marriage record[s] [oh yes...more than one]. Divorce date [do I dare place a copy of that in the file? oooh, yucky!!!] What about health records? I am a cancer survivor. Do I add the files for that ordeal, a mention of the cancer, what kind, brief mention of treatment, followup biopsy's, is that enough? I've noticed that those "fill-in-the-blank" family history books include clothing, shoe and ring sizes; do I include that?
 
Oh, this is gonna be a real job!!!!
 
Right now I've got a couple of clients I'm working on, so I can't get to this just yet. Maybe in a few weeks when things slow down a bit. Or maybe this summer when it's too hot to get out. Or at least......by Christmas.
 
Just kidding. I know it's something I really ought to take serious, and get done. I know my family will appreciate it one day. I certainly would have appreciated my ancestors having done something similar! I do keep a detailed journal [I have done that since I was about 8 years old], so they will, of course have that should I fail to get everything in my genealogy files. But I promise, on my honor as a genealogy researcher, I will do my very best to make this my new commitment!
 
[How are the rest of you getting along with this? Please, please, don't let me be the only one who hasn't done anything regarding their personal history!!!]

I will post later with results of this new committment, as it begins to take shape. So be watching for that!