18 June 2012

General Misbehaving at Jamboree 2012

I surprised even myself with my behavior at Jamboree a couple of weeks ago.  Just some general misbehaving and no pinatas, however I did come home with a tattoo of a black sheep on my arm.


But first some of the fun!


At the Hollywood Gala
from left to right: Kim Cotton, Sheri Fenley, Kathryn Doyle, Lisa Alzo and Elizabeth O'Neal



Elizabeth O'Neal and I
Souvenir we received for attending the Gala



More Gala Fun and Big, Big Hair
Amy Coffin , Elizabeth O'Neal and Me



Me holding up promo literature for the NGS Conference in Las Vegas 2013.  That's next year folks.  In Las Vegas!



Me and Susan Kitchen's leg - showing off our black sheep tattoos!



And this is where we got the tattoos - Ron Aarons


And last but not least, meet some of the new friends I made while at Jamboree:

Debbie Mascot - Mascot Manor Genealogy
Terri Fraser - Retracing The Past
Barry Ewell - Barry's Blog
Valerie Elkins - Family Cherished
Mara Fein, PhD, CG - Ancestry West
Jay Fonkert, CG - Four Generations Genealogy
Jana Sloan Broglin, CG - Her webpage
Warren Bittner, CG - I couldn't find a blog or webapge or website for Warren.  Hey Warren - get blogging buddy!
Laura Prescott - Her webpage


Thanks to Janet Hovorka and Family ChartMasters for the fabulous blogger beads.

Note about the photos used:  The one of me and the NGS promo literature was taken by my Dahling friend Stefani Evans, CG.  Tattoo pic courtesy of Susan Kitchens.  The rest I blatantly lifted from somewhere and I do thank you who ever you are.

14 June 2012

Northern California Family History Expo





Holly Hansen and the Family History Expo is coming back to Northern California!  This time in our state capitol - Sacramento!  It will be Friday and Saturday - July 6th and 7th  at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 5321 Date Avenue, Sacramento  And the best part is registration for both days is only $69 - what a bargain for all the classes being offered.  Here are just a few general descriptions of the offerings:


TECHY TYPE CLASSES


Photo retouching for beginners
Classes on how to use RootsMagic
How to use Evernote
How to use your scanner better
How to get great photos with your cell phone camera
How to get organized
Using GPS with genealogy

PUBLISHING YOUR FAMILY HISTORY


Classes on how to prepare, write and design a book
Storytelling and oral history

ACROSS THE POND


British Land Records
British Isles Migration to America
German genealogy research
The Miller Roll - Cherokee Indians
Irish research

DNA, GENETIC TESTING FOR BEGINNERS


ON THE WEB


How to use the FamilySearch Research Wiki
How to search Ancestry.com
How to search the 1940 census
Great Internet Site for Genealogists
How to search using Google
How to search HeritageQuest
How to use GenealogyWise
How to use FamilySearch.org

The scheduled speakers are a small army of fantastic people:
James Baker, PhD, CG, Biff and Nancy Barnes, Michael Booth, Arlene Eakle, PhD, Billy Edgington, Holley Hansen, Angela Kraft, Paul Larsen, Nancy Loe, MA, MLS, Philipp Mayer, Dean McLeod, Steve Morse, PhD, Gena Philibert-Ortega, Marlo Schuldt, James Tanner, Tom Underhill and Janalyn Underhill



Are you a blogger?  Do you want to start but don't know how?  Just want to learn more about blogging?  Then you are in for a treat!  Joining me, The Educated Genealogist,  as Bloggers of Honor are:

Leah Allen - Leah's Family Tree
Arlene Eakle, PhD - Genealogy Evidence
Holly Hansen - Family History Expos Genealogy Blog
Nancy Loe, MA, MLS - Sassy Jane Genealogy Blog
Debbie Mascot - Mascot Manor Genealogy
Leland Meitzler - Genealogy Blog
James Tanner - Genealogy's Star
Kim von Aspern-Parker - Le Maison Duchamp

Any one of us will be happy to talk your tail off about blogging and genealogy!

So make your plans now to come to Sacramento.  I'll be there so come by and say Hello!

09 June 2012

Jamboree 2012 and Progress on My List

I can't believe that it's almost over - another outstanding conference - The 43rd annual Southern California Genealogical Society's Jamboree.

From the minute I arrived, it has been non-stop activity.  The unofficial welcoming committee of Kathryn Doyle, Amy Coffin, George Morgan & Drew Smith were camped out by the entrance to the hotel ready to pounce, er I mean welcome each unsuspecting arrival with hugs and squeals of delight.  Each new arrival then became part of the welcome committee and soon the lobby was full of genealogists from all over the country.  It was there I was able to meet one of the victims on my list of people I was stalking for the weekend - Laura Prescott.  Have to tell you, she is one of the nicest people ever and actually knew my name.  I think she was secretly relieved to have met me at the start so that she could be removed from the list.

Friday morning I hosted a roundtable discussion on lineage societies.  One of the people who sat down has an ancestor who was a servant in the household of George Washington and wanted to know if that would qualify her for membership into DAR.  While I wanted to tell her yes, I am not entirely certain and will have to check with DAR genealogists in Washington, DC to get a definite answer for her. But wow, what a great family history story she has!  The rest of the day was spent catching up with old friends and making new ones.

Friday evening was the Hollywood Gala.  I took full advantage of the opportunity to don a very sparkly dress and my best gold tiara.  My roommate - Elizabeth O'Neal was tres elegant in her velvet and best fur cape.  Best soiree ever - Thanks Paula Hinkle and the entire So Cal Gen Society for such a fun and creative event!

Saturday I hit the jackpot and was able to cross almost everyone off my list of victims I was stalking.  Thanks to Stefani Evans, I was introduced to Jana Broglin.  Ever since her talk on prostitution in the West, I have idolized her.  Josh Taylor came off the list when I attended his talk on compiled genealogies this afternoon.  It was live streamed so I hope everyone took the opportunity to watch it. I met Warren Bittner - again thanks to Stefani Evans.  I think Warren  was pleased to have met me.  He had never been stalked before - told me I was his first stalker. I think he was equally as pleased to know that he was no longer on my list.  Jay Fonkert was the real surprise.  He joined a group of us for dinner and it turns out that his wife and I are related.  More on that story later.

So here it is - the last night of Jamboree and Curt Witcher still remains on my list.  Sigh.  I still have tomorrow but need to come up with a much better approach or go home with yet another fail in my quest to meet Mr. Witcher.



Disclaimer - My stalking is always done in a totally non-restraining order kind of way and with the best of intentions, and only for my personal delight and entertainment.