Planning for flexible fun

The first genealogy conference I ever attended was the 2007 conference in Fort Wayne, Ind. At the time, my main plan was navigating my way through the program schedule, finding the sessions that suited my interests and abilities. A secondary plan was putting down on paper all the genealogy to-do’s stored in my head so I had someplace to start at The Genealogy Center of the Allen County Public Library. What I wasn’t counting on at that very first conference was planning for fun!

It’s true. They’re not all work. FGS conferences are fun! Admittedly, fun is not what I thought of when first seeing the program schedule. How do I read this thing? There are so many choices. How do I choose the right ones? (Hint: Browse through the schedule and then set it aside. Return to it a couple days later and it makes more sense!) And there are really no right ones. All the sessions are good!

In 2007, I discovered that some folks just attend genealogy conferences. Little to no research involved. And that’s okay. In fact, that was my intent in 2007 and, for me, it was a mistake. I had a few research options in mind, but hadn’t brought my relevant materials. One cannot attend a conference in Fort Wayne without visiting The Genealogy Center. Believe me, once you get there the urge to research kicks in and you start kicking yourself for not bringing some research materials. So at the very least bring a list of ancestor names and dates of birth, a paper notebook, pencil, eraser, and post-it notes. And if you’re traveling by plane, make sure to leave room in your suitcase for all the stuff you will copy and pick up from lectures and exhibits.

Without a doubt, genealogy conferences and research require planning. Getting time off of work. Making sure the cat sitter is available. Booking airline and hotel reservations. Organizing genealogy paperwork or downloading data onto the iPad. But planning, like genealogy brick walls, requires flexibility. Sometimes it’s the unexpected roads that have clues and answers. Just stay flexible and you’ll have a fun conference!

Click here to learn more about the FGS 2013 Conference or click the FGS 2013 Ambassador badge on the right side of my blog. Looking forward to having fun in Fort Wayne!

Discovering the living and the dead

At its core, genealogy is a solitary activity. We, as genealogists, like nothing better than paging through stacks of research materials. We love the musty smell of old, yellow pages. We embrace the quiet solitude of The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library, finding kindred souls intently hunched behind stacks of city directories. We envy from afar those perfectionists with checklists, labeled and color-coded file folders, and briefcases on wheels. Our idea of a good time is wandering through a cemetery, any cemetery.

But we don’t always get to share our victories. We may add a missing link to that computerized family tree, but what we really want to do is a happy dance while shouting “I found you!” And we know there is a better way to search for an elusive ancestor, but how and where? This is why genealogists should attend conferences: it is a way to learn new research skills, share victories, lament false leads and mistakes, and socialize with real, living folks who share your affinity with the gone but not forgotten.

So take a break from spending time with the dearly departed and join genealogy colleagues at the FGS 2013 Conference in Fort Wayne, Ind. Your computer, piles of paper, post-it notes, file folders, and highlighters will be there when you return home. So will your ancestors. But after the conference you may finally find them and have a renewed spirit, too!

Click here to learn more about the FGS 2013 Conference or click the FGS 2013 Ambassador badge on the right side of my blog. Looking forward to seeing you in Fort Wayne!

Slow but steady

I recently returned from a visit to Hawaii. To be more exact, a visit to Kailua, Kaneohe, and Waialua on the island of Oahu. While there, I thoroughly enjoyed swimming in “the pond” (aka the Pacific Ocean) at Lanikai Beach, one of my favorite places in the world. Even got a tan line! And there I also experienced a first: swimming with turtles. It seems one of my talents is stepping in it — that’s stepping in seaweed – so I probably invaded their space. But it was great! In fact, I now think of the turtle as my animal totem. Like them, I am slow, steady, and methodical. Unlike them, I had to step out of the pond and return home. Until next time, my turtle friends.

Disclaimer: No turtles were harmed in the making of this blog or photo!

Life is good

Spring is here, even in the Pacific Northwest. Trees have leaves. Robins are frolicking in the bird bath. Last week, Mother Nature teased us with some gorgeous weather. This week, there’s a few sun breaks followed by sputters of rain. Sir Herbert Honda, my new car, is making life a lot easier. The laundry is done. The apartment is relatively clean. Passport is ready to go … somewhere. Flowers are kicking off blankets of earth and emerging from their winter sleep. There’s a “Law and Order: Criminal Intent” marathon on tv right now. “Call the Midwife” is airing again on Sunday night. Christopher Robeson, the three-leg wonder cat, is purring in bed, telling me it’s time for our afternoon nap … now.

Merry Christmas to all …

… and to all a good night! And Happy Festivus to the rest of us!

Pumpkins everywhere

Pumpkins are everywhere this year! Is it a bumper crop? Orange ones, yellow ones, white ones, multi-colored ones, carved ones, decorated ones, pumpkin mazes, pumpkin and flower decorations, pumpkin patches, Facebook postings of adorable grandchildren at pumpkin patches. And while food shopping recently I drooled over pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin scones, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie. Even pumpkin beer. Don’t get me started on everything else pumpkin: fuzzy ones, plastic ones, candy ones, snow globe ones, flashlight ones, candle ones, Halloween costume ones. Help. Me. It’s the attack of the pumpkins!

The case of the missing dryer sheets

We all know about the case of the missing sock. You know the scenario. Two pairs of socks, i.e., four individual socks, go in the washing machine. But only three individual socks come out of the dryer. One looks high and low for that missing sock. It’s not stuck in the washing machine. It’s not stuck in the dryer. Sometime in the future the lost sock usually reappears, most likely stuck to another piece of clothing. And so it goes with dryer sheets.

For the longest time the dryer sheets I threw in ended up in the lint filter. My Mom, wise woman that she is, told me to safety-pin a couple of dryer sheets together. Brilliant! Since following Mom’s advice I’ve had no dryer sheets stuck in the lint filter. But last week the dryer sheets went missing altogether. I knew they were there when I started the dryer. But when that annoying buzzer sounded, alerting me that the clothes were dry, I found no dryer sheets, not even in the lint filter.

When removing clothes from the dryer I always shake them out, more to avoid ironing them rather than locating dryer sheets. But a week later, I found the missing dryer sheets, stuck in a pants leg as I was pulling the pants on. I’m just glad the dryer sheets turned up. I wasn’t going crazy. Now if only that last elusive sock turned up.