New Year Resolution

The following is from a fellow geni who does a really super job of
offering assistance to others and she keeps up one of the sites where
I do some of my research. I just couldn't resist passing along her
resolution for 2008. It's something we all need to do.........backup
our finds on more than one source!

As "antique" as my paper may be
It holds everyone in my tree
Tho' the ROM and disk will fail
My paper journey is my trail.

Master Xerox has seen my pages
Documenting family of all ages
There, names and dates organized
Cheering everyone's hearts and eyes.

I picture a distant time (too near!)
When my words remain so clear
Tho' the binding with its rips
My paper will save many trips.

And when a 100 +years afar
Then, old monitors a dying star
Yet my paper will still be read
Whether outside or in bed.

While "ancient" Internet proclaimed
That the future would be its fame
Computers so small to fit in an ear!
Cause anguish throughout the year.

You see, those ROMs and Thumbs
Turned out to be ideas so dumb
They held forests, not just trees
If only that data could be retrieved!

Yes, I forsee Internet will be "ancient" here
(Although to this odd idea, you may jeer!)
Thousands of years past and ahead
Lines of dusty books can still be read!

Oh yes! Leave my tree in ancient pages
Where descendants find names and ages
There Grandma rests, and Grandpap too
Back to the gr-gr-gr-gr-gr, and on through.

Pathetic howling echos ever ensues
What Name and Password to use!
The database which was "guaranteed"
Sucumbed decades ago-- genealogy greed.

"No Access" your grandchildren find
Everytime they try to get "online"
That tree you posted for all to see
Has not outlived the paper of Tree.

Genealogy experts even now do say
"Do "back-up" on paper each day!
"Don't rely only on CSS and HTML
"Paper will keep your stories to tell."

So I say again, just one last time--
(At least it will let me end this rhyme!)--

As "antique" as my paper may be
It holds everyone in my tree
Tho' the ROM and disk will fail
My paper journey is my trail.

By Judy Florian, copyright Jan 1, 2008
Webmaster of Washington Co PA Genealogy Websites
May be reprinted on free websites as long as these three lines are kept
intact.

Happy New Year!