This is going to be a short post. Basically it is all about my Pledge of Today:
No More Begging the Cousins!
Recently, I wrote a post about my relatives who don't share - whether that be information, photos, documents, etc. Dear Relative - Why Won't You Share? is the article, and it basically bemoans the fact that some of my cousins, despite frequent pleading, just won't share. Either they are just not interested or just don't want to make the time.
Now I could wax philosophic and claim that "it is their loss" or that their children and grandchildren won't get the benefit of their knowledge about their ancestors or whatever. But the fact is that they just don't want to make this endeavor a priority.
Now I am NOT talking about "Cousin Hunting" or Cousin Bait" - those are worthwhile endeavors to find "new" cousins. I am talking about "EXISTING COUSINS"
This morning I commented on a Facebook post about someone who has a couple of Facebook Pages that are geared towards making it easier for her reluctant "cousins" to participate. Well with the new EdgeRank "rules" re what posts from a Page shows up in News Feeds, it's a mute point if they are not interested, because they won't see the posts anyway.
For myself, I have tried regular emails and I even set up a private "Ning" network for the family, full of photos, a forum for discussing stories, etc. (at my expense I might add). I have tried reaching out individually and have a subscription option on my Family History site so that whenever a new post is published they will get an email and therefore do not even have to visit the site.
But very few takers (and I applaud the "cousins" who are participating by the way).
So from here on out - if you are a cousin and are not interested, I am not going to waste any more energy trying to get you to participate. Those boxes full of good stuff in your attic and garage will have to surface another day.
They say that "nature abhors a vacuum" so maybe by creating this vacuum the important papers will appear some day, but in he meantime, no more pleading, no more whining, and no more energy wasted.
In short:
No More Begging the Cousins!
No More Begging the Cousins!
Recently, I wrote a post about my relatives who don't share - whether that be information, photos, documents, etc. Dear Relative - Why Won't You Share? is the article, and it basically bemoans the fact that some of my cousins, despite frequent pleading, just won't share. Either they are just not interested or just don't want to make the time.
Now I could wax philosophic and claim that "it is their loss" or that their children and grandchildren won't get the benefit of their knowledge about their ancestors or whatever. But the fact is that they just don't want to make this endeavor a priority.
Now I am NOT talking about "Cousin Hunting" or Cousin Bait" - those are worthwhile endeavors to find "new" cousins. I am talking about "EXISTING COUSINS"
This morning I commented on a Facebook post about someone who has a couple of Facebook Pages that are geared towards making it easier for her reluctant "cousins" to participate. Well with the new EdgeRank "rules" re what posts from a Page shows up in News Feeds, it's a mute point if they are not interested, because they won't see the posts anyway.
For myself, I have tried regular emails and I even set up a private "Ning" network for the family, full of photos, a forum for discussing stories, etc. (at my expense I might add). I have tried reaching out individually and have a subscription option on my Family History site so that whenever a new post is published they will get an email and therefore do not even have to visit the site.
But very few takers (and I applaud the "cousins" who are participating by the way).
So from here on out - if you are a cousin and are not interested, I am not going to waste any more energy trying to get you to participate. Those boxes full of good stuff in your attic and garage will have to surface another day.
They say that "nature abhors a vacuum" so maybe by creating this vacuum the important papers will appear some day, but in he meantime, no more pleading, no more whining, and no more energy wasted.
In short:
No More Begging the Cousins!
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