One of the things I did was to join ancestry.com (no afiliation). I have enjoyed hundred of hours researching my family tree. I found a civil war soldier relative who kept a journal for 1 year during his tour of duty - the original is housed at the University of Vermont, and I have a transcript of it. I "met" a lady in New Hampshire - our great grandmothers were sisters. I was contacted by a man in France who had a dog tag with my uncle's name on it. Both these people found me though my public family tree. I just wish I had asked more questions of my grandparents when they were alive.