Party of Five

What does one bring to a genealogical conference anyway?   I had this thought almost immediately after registering for this year's FGS Conference in Ft. Wayne.  I was too excited just knowing that I was actually going, but now I had to discern what to bring?  I mean, OTHER than my toothbrush and footie-pajamas?  This is my first conference and I have to admit, I'm feeling a little green with regards to conference protocol.  I'm the noob.  I may have been doing this genealogy gig for years, but to actually network with real, LIVE human beings and not just the dead ones from my family?  I'm feeling very...uncertain. The "problem" being that this trip to Indiana is at the tail-end of our family vacation time.  The last leg in our journey through Gettysburg, Washington D.C., a brief stop in Ohio for a day at Cedar Point to keep the monkey children from rebelling, and THEN I will finally be there. Yep...hubby and monkey children will be accompany...

While I was scrolling through my Twitter feed this morning, I read a tweet from the National Archives that shared a pic of two love-birds on the Archives steps after Mr. Lovebird had proposed to Miss Lovebird. My initial reaction lasted a short moment where I thought I might vomit at the saccharine sweetness of the event. Then I went to click on the picture to see these lovebirds...and I hesitated for a brief moment.  Did I really want to see what two history nerds in love look like??  Because let's face it, if you propose to your girlfriend on the steps of the National Archives in Washington D.C. on July 4th...you're a history nerd. Turns out, Tommy and Abigail are actually a ridiculously cute couple, and to top it off...I'm going to go so far as to say "Abigail - Lovin' the sandals that you were sporting on this festive occasion! I can't even see all of them, but I love the patriotic blue!" http://ow.ly/i/2wI2m - @USNatArchives The more I though...

Two days ago, I registered for FGS 2013.  (Overwhelming excitement!) Yesterday, I began booking hotels...One for the 3 days we'll be in Ft. Wayne for FGS, and then another one for on the way home when we'll be stopping in Sandusky at Cedar Point for the day.  (More overwhelming excitement!) Today as I sat at the orthodontist's office waiting for D-man to get his adjustment, I was slightly giddy thinking over the plans that had been made thus far... A few days at Gettysburg...a few days in DC...home for a few days to do laundry and make it to a Board Meeting...Ft. Wayne for 3 days...Cedar Point on the way home... And that's when the "oops" slapped me in the face. The plan as scheduled was going to force us to drive from our home here in NY state to Ft. Wayne, Indiana in time for my first session at 11:00am on Thursday morning.  That means we would have to get up and head out at maybe 3am!! That is NOT a vacation. Hubs claimed he tried to tell m...