GeneaSpy

Thursday, May 12, 2016

NGS 2016 Fort Lauderdale: Day 1

The day began with everyone attending the keynote address by Dr. Connie L. Lester’s “Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives”, which was very insightful into the early Florida pioneers. Next, I helped at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy’s booth and answered questions about our institute. Following a whirlwind tour of the vendor hall, I headed up to the third floor to begin the first of four days of intuitive genealogical learning by the best in the lecturing circuit. When I plan my class schedule, I not only choose the heavy hitters, but also choose speakers that I have never heard before, and subjects that are new to me.

I don’t do reviews of the classes I took in my blog posts; I focus on the visual aspect of the conference as a whole. Any class photo’s I took of the teachers, I was granted permission by them. I did take a couple of ‘before class begins’ photo’s which I hope was OK. Out of the 409 photos I took, I’m only publishing the best and most pertinent to the point I’m trying to get through.

Schedule Day 1: Wednesday, 4 May 2016

· Keynote: “Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives” Connie L. Lester, Ph.D.

· Booth Help: Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy

· “Problem Solving in the Problem-Riddled Carolina Backcountry” – Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA

· Booth Help: Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy

· “A New Document! Now What?” – J. Mark Lowe, CG, FUGA

· “Developing a Successful and Efficient Research Plan” – Gail Jackson Miller, CG

I was invited by my good friend, Mark Olsen of MyHeritage, to join him and a bunch of VIP’s on a dinner cruise aboard the yacht “Sun Dream”. That was one of the best things that happened to me while in Fort Lauderdale. To mingle with all these icons in the genealogy world was thrilling! Listening to Dick Eastman and David Lambert talk about the beginnings of computer genealogy was priceless, not to mention the funny conversations with them and Shannon Bennett.

NGS President Jordan Jones

President Jordan Jones addressing

My friend Marcy gets an award!

Finally, it begins!

(L-R) Mary Jane Saylor & Peg Ivanyo

Stephanie Saylor answering questions about SLIG

Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy information

Good friend Mark Olsen of MyHeritage

Dr. Deborah Abbott - My teacher from SLIG 2016!

OK, fun and games over now, well, maybe just the games.

Before Ms. Mills' class begins

Beautiful conference center

Dr. Thomas W. Jones visiting our booth!

Shannon Combs-Bennett and I showing off our press badges

(L-R) Paula Frick & DearMYRTLE

J. Mark Lowe before class begins

A thunder storm passing over us

J. Mark Lowe and Gail Jackson Miller

MyHeritage dinner cruise

Boarding the yacht

Picture perfect!

Dick Eastman - Two hats!

Hors d'oeuvres

Upper deck party

David Rencher & Gordon Erickson aka Mr. Mrt.

Good friend, Shannon Combs-Bennett

NGS President, Jordan Jones

Happy times with Jessica Taylor of LegacyTree Genealogists

Grandiose!

Here we come!

Let's go fishing instead!

Everyone having a good ol' time!

On the way to dinner when it started raining

Classic David Lambert of NEHGS

MyHeritage was awesome hosts!

Thank you, MyHeritage!

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

NGS 2016 Fort Lauderdale: Pre-Conference

The National Genealogical Society held its annual Family History Conference in beautiful Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Titled, "Exploring the Centuries: Footprints in time", their media team came up with a great logo that just made coming to Florida so tempting.

Awesome logo!

Besides the beautiful location, the real reason for attending the conference is its array of genealogical classes with an emphasis on researching old Florida and some of the adjacent States – My personal focus – Not to mention the extraordinary talented mass of presenters. I don't like the term "presenter" as much as I like the term "teacher" because they truly "teach" you and help you.

Monday, 2 May 2016: Traveling by air from San Diego to Fort Lauderdale, with a stop in Houston to change planes and have an early lunch. While at the gate in Houston, my friend Jane Van Tour spotted me and we talked a bit. Then while boarding the plane I was spotted also by Eric & Karen Stoschein!

California friend, Jane Van Tour, in Houston

Arrived in Fort Lauderdale! Jane Van Tour with Eric & Karen Stroschein

I was picked up at the airport by long-time conference compadre, Marcy Elliott, aka Ghyxion. After a quick check in at the conference hotel, we headed out to dinner at one of South Florida's finest waterfront eateries, 15th. Street Fisheries.

View from my 10th. floor towards the inland Intracoastal Waterway

Dinner with Marcy at 15th. Street Fisheries

View from our table at the restaurant

My room had a direct shot at the conference center

Early evening at the Hilton

Night view from room 1010

Tuesday, 3 May 2016: Today I spent the day wondering around the hotel area, spotting my first mega yacht, the "Avanti", parked alongside the hotel! Then a quick taxi tour of the inland waterways gasping at the 40 million dollar mansions, before wandering over to the conference center to take a few pictures and pick up my conference materials.

Spotted Drew Smith, Curt Witcher, and George Morgan, in the Hilton lobby before Librarians Day kicked off.

200' Mega-yacht "Avanti" parked at the Hilton

The 151' "Sycara IV" at the Hilton dockside

At the conference center with Sailfish

Sailfish and Crow

Nice house... I mean mansion!

Another one

One of the first houses with original rock

Excuse me while I park my car, I mean boat, at my house... LOL

Awesome sportfisher

We let everyone off so they could board a smaller boat. I decided to come back with the captain

Later, I went back over to the conference center to help SLIG Director, Peg Ivanyo and Stephanie Saylor, set up the SLIG booth. This was the first time that I was allowed behind the scenes at an event, it was fun!