20 December 2010

reverb10 - December 20 - Beyond Avoidance - Certification in 2011?

Have you started thinking about the New Year yet? I found a neat place online today called reverb10. It's an annual virtual event that began in 2009 and includes a series of writing prompts designed to get you reflecting on the year that has passed and thinking about the year to come. In reverb speak; the 'thinking about the year to come' is creating reverberations for the New Year. It sounded intriguing.

Today's prompt by author Jake Nickell is titled Beyond Avoidance; what should you have done this year but didn’t because you were too scared, worried, unsure, busy or otherwise deterred from doing? (Bonus: Will you do it?)

Wow, I think Jake wrote this writing prompt just for me. I am the queen of avoidance. If there is an avoidance syndrome, I have it. Probably the biggest thing I have not done this year is to start the process of becoming approved as a Certified Genealogist through the Board for Certification of Genealogists. I have gone as far as ordering the application packet, but that is where I stopped. Am I scared to start the process? Well, no. Am I worried? Well, yes. It is hard to ignore all of the stories about how difficult it is to be approved. Am I unsure about my abilities? Absolutely! Have I been too busy? Yes and no. As you know I have three kids, one who is in college. This year brought some challenging health issues for two of my kids, but if I am going to be brutally honest with myself, I could have found the time to work on the application. Will I do it in 2011? Probably not. There is more to it, than lack of time.

In the spring of 2009 I completed the Genealogical Research certificate program at Boston University. I loved every minute of the class and thoroughly enjoyed meeting and getting to know the teachers and classmates. Many of my classmates have already started the clock on their application to become a Certified Genealogist and are meeting monthly to support each other in that endeavor. Here is where I start thinking about that age old childhood question; “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” In order to complete the application, an applicant must have a good depth of both knowledge and experience. While I did gain the necessary knowledge during the certificate program, I don’t have the experience I need to do justice to the level of work required for approval. Is that fear or worry talking? I don’t believe so. I think it is practicality talking.

While I won’t be pursuing certification in 2011, I will pursue further education and experience. The Creative Gene blog has issued a call for submissions for its 101st Carnival of Genealogy; My Genealogy Research/Writing Plan for 2011. I am going to take that opportunity to write out my plan for furthering my education and experience.

Thank you to reverb10 and Jake Nickell for providing this writing prompt!

Scrappy Gen

1 comment:

  1. I like this post. Welcome to reveb10. I look forward to seeing more from you in the next two weeks.

    ReplyDelete

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