NGS 2013: The Sessions

Although most of my NGS 2013 Conference blogging is taking place on The In-Depth Genealogist, I thought I would share a bit, here, too.

First, it was amazing. If you ever get the chance to attend a conference like this: do it.

We had wonderful opportunities to meet with other people, network, attend sessions, participate in un-conferencing discussions, and much, much more. My colleague and friend at IDG, Terri O'Connell, even won a registration for next year's conference in Virginia!

Terri O'Connell at Opening Session right after
winning a 2014 registration!

I was able to attend several sessions, some of which held local interest for me, which was great. Here's the list of what I was able to see:

• People, Policy, and Records: The Importance of Historical Background (Opening Session), Marian Smith
• Rough Riders in the Spanish-American War, Mary Penner
• The Genealogical Proof Standard in Action! Case Building When No Record States An Answer!, Elizabeth Shown Mills
• Birdie Monk Holsclaw Memorial Lecture. Impossible Immigrant! I Know Everything About teh Man Except Where He Came From, F. Warren Bittner
• Maximizing Your Use of Evidence, Thomas W. Jones
• The Civil War in the American West, Rick Sayre
• Borders and Boundaries: Creating Locaility Profiles for Research, D. Joshua Taylor
• ProGen Study Groups Breakfast, Angela Packer McGhie
• To See the Elephant: The Lure of Riches, Jean Wilcox Hibben
• Solving Historical and Family Mysteries with DNA, Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak
• Baker's Dozen to Writing Research Reports, Elizza Scalise Powell
• Striking it "Rich" with a Great Genealogical Career: A Guide For Professional Researchers, J. Mark Lowe.

I've been asked more than once already which was my favorite, and my answer is... well... I just cannot say. They were all good in their own way, all the speaker's brought something completely different to the podium, and the lessons learned varied with each. 

As an Official Blogger for the conference, I am very grateful to F. Warren Bittner, D. Joshua Taylor, Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak and J. Mark Lowe for letting us sit down with them for some one-on-one time. You will be able to read more about those conversations on the IDG site. 

Some truly fantastic ideas came out of the week in Las Vegas, and I'm looking forward to being a part of some new projects and taking advantage of all that networking to move closer to reaching my professional goals. 

I made several new friends in the industry, and we had some very good times, enjoying each other's company and talking about dead people. We raised a glass to Uncle Boone. I have so much more to write about, I really don't expect my "job" as an Official Blogger to be over any time soon. I might be able to get it all done before NGS 2014.... 

Hey! I was on Mondays with Myrt!

I had the opportunity to join in on Mondays with Myrt yesterday, and it was a ton of fun! 

If you haven't experienced the new "Hangout On Air" format, you really should join in. Great conversation, great people, great content!

I come in at about the 30 minute mark, and had the time to talk about Conference Keeper and #genchat.

Packing My Bags

Hello. My name is Jen, and I'm a blogger. 

In exactly one month from today, I'll be heading slightly southwest to Las Vegas, Nevada for the National Genealogical Society 2013 Family History Conference! I am excited for a whole bunch of reasons, and I simply cannot wait to get there! 

During the conference, I will be blogging away as an Official Blogger... but not here. Nope! I'll be over on The In-Depth Genealogist blog, collaborating with fellow pirate women, Stephanie Pitcher Fishman and Terri O'Connell, who are also attending. Together, we will represent the team at IDG, missing only 1/4 of our leadership; Jennifer Alford (but, she'll be at home helping us out!)

Another piece of the week I am super excited about? The three of us will also be hosting #genchat from the conference! The twitter based collaboration for genealogists will occur on Friday, May 10 LIVE from Vegas! We will be releasing the details as we get closer to departure date, but you can bet that a true social media event will be taking place that evening, and we are certainly hoping that many of our fellow conference attendees will join us in the fun! 

(If you haven't yet experienced #genchat, read all about it on Conference Keeper and come learn with us on April 12, as we discuss the FamilySearch Wiki!)

Over the next four weeks, I'll be posting more and more - on all the accounts I have! - about the conference. I love conferences. I love social media. It's all coming together for me in May! Posts will be here, on IDG and on the Conference Keeper blog: CK Updates! 

I am going to issue an invitation, too, to you. If you blog, if you blog about genealogy, if you are going to or will be blogging about the NGS Conference this year, please join our little group over on Facebook. IDG has created a group just for Genealogy Bloggers at NGS 2013; and we're using it as a platform for geneabloggers to communicate, make plans, share ideas and little tidbits we pick up about Vegas itself. All sorts of preparation for the conference. During the actual event, we'll be using it to share posts and arrange meet ups. Come be a part of the community! We'd love to have you. 

The In-Depth Genealogist Announces Changes for 2013

Contact: Jen Baldwin, Director of Operations
The In-Depth Genealogist
jen@theindepthgenealogists.com

For Immediate Release

PRESS RELEASE

The In-Depth Genealogist Announces Changes for 2013

New Leadership Structure and Digital Format Included

January 12, 2013: The team at The In-Depth Genealogist is excited for a year of growth and new ventures in 2013. After an incredible first year of operation, we will begin the New Year in style.

As of 11 Jan 2013, the In-Depth Genealogist website will have a new, updated look. We are also happy to announce a series of new contributors and columns:

·        Andrea Johnson Becker, Twisted Roots
Dr. James Ryan, Irish Research
Shannon Combs Bennett, all things tech! and “The Society Pages”
Gena Philibert Ortega, “Remembering the Ladies: Researching Your Female Ancestors”
Julie Goucher, “Across the Pond” Research in the United Kingdom

Additionally, Jen Baldwin, a regular contributor and blogger, will be stepping into the role of Director of Operations. Terri O’Connell will hold the role of Executive Director and Stephanie Pitcher Fishman will continue as the Creative Director.

Beginning in February, the digital magazine will be launched, providing easier reading formats for all of our user’s, whether on a standard computer, eReader or tablet or smart phone.

For more information or for interviews, please contact Jen Baldwin.

The Grand Unexpected

Today, I received a great surprise from fellow geneablogger, Jana Last, author of Jana’s Genealogy and Family History Blog. I have learned to appreciate Jana’s blog a great deal, and enjoy reading it on a regular basis.

On 9 January 2013, she posted an article entitled, “Three Blog Awards, Kindly Given,” in which she stated that she had been nominated for three different awards at the close of 2012, and my only thought was that this was so well deserved.

As I continued to read, I was humbled and honored to see that she had chosen my blog, Ancestral Breezes, as one of her nominations for the “Blog of the Year 2012” Award.





It may seem like a simple gesture, but truly, I consider it great praise when another blogger and genealogist compliments my work. As a “transitioning” genealogist professional, I have spent countless hours in the past twelve months trying to find ways in which to turn my passion into a career path; I am truly astounded at the pride such an action invokes.

Part of this process is selecting my own nominations for ‘Blog of the Year 2012’. Thankfully, I am not limited in any way, so here are a couple of my favorites. These are people from whom I have learned, who have had an influence or impact on my professional world, or simply those that have conveyed true emotion and the spirit of collaboration in their blogs.

• Dan Curtis, “Professional Personal Historian”
• Lynn Palermo, “The Armchair Genealogist”
• The In-Depth Genealogist Blog (full disclosure, I am a contributor to this blog. The other authors, and the editors, have taught me a great deal, so this nomination goes to the collaboration effort as a whole.)
• Stephanie Pitcher Fishman “Corn & Cotton Genealogy Blog”
• Mariann Regan "Into the Briar Patch"

My thanks go out to all geneabloggers. What an incredible year it has been! I have learned much, laughed a great deal, and even cried some at the stories you tell, the personalities you bring forth in your writing. 

Raise a glass, friends, 2013 is going to be amazing. We will make it that way together.

Here’s the skinny on this Award:
1 Select the blog(s) you think deserve the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award
2 Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen – there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required – and ‘present’ them with their award.
3 Please include a link back to this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award – http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/our-awards/blog-of-the-year-2012-award/ and include these ‘rules’ in your post (please don’t alter the rules or the badges!)
4 Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the ‘rules’ with them
5 You can now also join our Facebook group – click ‘like’ on this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award Facebook group and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience
6 As a winner of the award – please add a link back to the blog that presented you with the award – and then proudly display the award on your blog and sidebar … and start collecting stars…

The Debate in My Head

I'm currently arguing with myself over a topic that I think (hope) many of you will have an opinion on. Should I have one blog or two?

Here's what it would look like:

One Blog: this one. It combines my personal research goals, finds, artifacts and general journey with that of my professional life; mostly methodology, western U.S. research and a focus on Summit County, Colorado.

Two Blogs: this one, changing to just a personal research blog and a new one, launched from my website for Ancestral Journeys, focusing on the methodology, western U.S. research and Summit County, Colorado.

Here's the thing. I have several writing commitments already in place: this blog, Examiner.com, In-Depth Genealogist and two counties with the Trails to the Past free genealogy organization, Summit and Colfax County, Nebraska. I also have my ongoing research, client work and the tasks related to running a small business: marketing, speaking engagements, social media, networking... etc. I get approximately three hours each day to do all of this, with a "bonus day" once a week that provides an extra three hours.

This is me. Stretched.

I also work with the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance and volunteer at one of the local churches at least twice a month.

Oh, and I'm a stay at home Mom of a three year old.

All of this seems to be reasonable for me at this time, albeit I'm stretched.


Really stretched. 



So my concern is this: will I have the time, energy, and motivation to provide quality content on two blogs, versus just one?

In the past month, I have developed some new organizational methods for myself, and that seems to be working well. I've been reading - a lot - about blog content, tips and tricks to write better, faster, more often.

Bottom line, here, folks, is that I'm simply not confident enough in myself to think that I can pull this off right now. I do think, ultimately, its a good idea. I believe the smart decision would be to separate my business writing from that of my personal. But, I want to do it right.


Indecision 2012. That's where I'm at. 


I cannot tell you when this decision will be made, but rest assured, you'll hear it here first. I'm leaning towards going for it, simply because I believe you have to work at your dreams. No one hands them to you. It does help to write it all down, though.

Month In Review: My last 30 days

Way back in February I posted a monthly goals agenda. Ironically, one of those goals was to write a monthly goal list for every month. Don’t bother to look for March – it’s not there. As you can see, I didn’t get very far in that endeavor.

I have decided to change the objective. Certainly a list of goals to work towards during the course of a month is a nice thing to have, but I already have a lot of lists. My husband calls me, “the lister”. It’s a kind of illness, actually. So, I’m not sure that I really need another list. What I need is obtainable goals that are fluid, because you have to be able to adapt in this world. Change happens fast.

This then, is my first “month in review.” I do think that one of these roughly every thirty days would be beneficial, but I’m not going to choke on it. If it doesn’t get done, then it doesn’t get done. It’s my blog; I can do what I want, right?

Here’s what happened in late April and early May. It was actually a very exciting month for me, certainly the best I’ve had as an aspiring genealogist and personal historian. Really, it was a very busy last ten days or so. Either way, it was a great month for me, and for Ancestral Journeys.

On the 23^rd, it was officially announced by the editors at The In-Depth Genealogist, a new and exciting digi-mag, that I would be a regular contributor. I will be authoring a monthly column, entitled Family Atlas, along with two guest blog posts each month. My first column will appear in the June 2012 issue. Family Atlas will be focusing on research opportunities on a state-by-state basis, highlighting resources and the “unknown” genea-bloggers. Alongside this endeavor, I will also maintain the Featured Genealogist column, which will coincide geographically. 


(If you have a resource or genealogist you would like me to feature, please feel free to comment or email me.)

http://www.indepthgenealogist.com/

I started writing as the Breckenridge Genealogy Examiner, and my first article went up on the 26^th. Writing about anything history or genealogy related in, around, near, or related to Summit County, Colorado. This might be challenging as time goes on, but I’m game.

For the first time, I was invited to be a guest blogger on someone else’s site, and my first post on Michelle Nahom’s The Power of Photos, entitled “Telling Your Family Story” went up on 1 May.  Michelle is a training specialist for the Association of Personal Photo Organizers, or APPO. We met on Twitter, and she has been incredibly interesting to get to know. Please make sure to visit her blog. She also posted a guest blog for me, Making A Case For Printing Your Photos was published on 10 May.

My second chance at a guest blog happened the next day, when The In-Depth Genealogist published my Quick Source: JSTOR. A review of the amazing research opportunities available through the JSTOR site, much of which you can access for free. Apparently, it was one of the top blog posts of the week for them. *Insert pat on the back here.*

I got a job. Yep, a real life, out of the house, paying me a check job. I’m really very excited about it, though. Over the summer, I will be working for the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance, and for the first time I feel like the work I will be doing will actually be contributing something to society. I will be helping to expose others to the vast history of the Town of Breckenridge. There is also excitement for me in that this may lead to other opportunities with the organization, which would be wonderful. Be sure to check out their website, and if you decide to visit Summit County, Colorado any time of year, make sure you save yourself time for a walking tour, historic snowshoe hike, or the one I'm hoping to lead: the cemetery tour.

To top it all off, this was the last month of “The Puzzle of Your Past”, a family history research project I have been leading with the Leadville Brownie and Junior Girl Scouts of troop 840. (You can read about this project throughout my blog, as I have posted updates along the way, but also here.) It has been a wonderful year of discovery, and the girls are just putting the finishing touches on their projects for their May 20 “Court of Awards” annual ceremony. In the next few days, I will be working on finishing my end of the project, conducting as much research as possible in the time allowed and presenting a pedigree chart and CD-ROM to each participant for them to take home to their families. I hope they have enjoyed it as much as I have.(By the way, its the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouting this year. You should check it out. No cookies without Girl Scouts!)

Along the way, I have been mentioned, retweeted, and linked by numerous “Big Names” in the genealogy field. That is always such a great moment for me; to have someone I respect so much recognize my work as useful and valuable enough to promote. It’s really mind blowing. I have never thought of myself as a writer, and yet, here I sit, eagerly committing to a steady stream of writing projects. It’s quite a surprise. Oh, and my blog? Yes. I am now up to 42 followers, so thank you so very much for supporting me. I greatly appreciate you as an audience, and value your feedback and commentary.

I’m so looking forward to seeing what the coming 30 days has to offer me, though I cannot imagine it will bring the changes and deadlines that the last 30 did. I guess we’ll find out soon. 


Hopefully it will be less snowy and filled with more lovely wild mountain flowers. 

Photo copyright Jen Baldwin,
Ancestral Journeys, 2011.