Getting ready for the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge

During April 2020 the month of this #AtoZChallenge I will be sharing short posts on some of the 2,000+ descendants I have identified of my 3x Great-Grandmother, Elizabeth Phipps. 

Elizabeth Phipps 1785-1869 was a convict who was transported from England to New South Wales in 1814 per Wanstead. 

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Having participated in the challenge previously I realise that it can be a very difficult challenge that requires quite a deal of preparation.  I am devoting the next ten days to to preparation. So what am I doing?

1. I created a template for my posts so that will all have a consistent loo and feel. From this template I have created in Blogger twenty-six draft posts - one for each day of the challenge.

Some of my draft posts

2. I have created a spreadsheet on Google drive that has a line for each of my 26 posts. So far the columns I have are: Day,Date,Letter,Topic/Title,Descendant,Status,URL,Notes, Themes.

My nearly empty spreadsheet needs to be populated!

As I find an interesting ancestor or happy/sad/funny event in in ancestor's life I am adding it to my spreadsheet as a possible post.  

3.  It is many years since I researched this branch so I have forgotten the names of these cousinsso I have made a list of  Elizabeth's descendants from my software program as a memory jogger.

4. As many new records, especially on Trove and in the State BDM Indexes, have become available since I researched this branch I am updating their records in my database.

5. Concurrently with this I am adding any ancestor related article I find in Trove to my Trove List "Descendants of Elizabeth Phipps". 

6. I am trying to get at least one post written and scheduled each day until April 1 so that I have a buffer for days when challenges might arise!

7. I need to update my online family tree prior to the first post so that it reflects my recent research.

Wish me Luck!

Checking off the Checklist

I'm a fly by the seat of my pants type of girl but in the case of Rootstech I have a checklist that I consult prior to taking off. If I forget something I won't be making the 12,816 km journey home to collect it.

My 2017 post  has provided the basis for this 2018 list.

• Hotel at Sydney airport for night prior to flight - Booked
• Longterm Parking at Sydney Airport - Booked
• International return flight Australia to SLC - Booked 
• Airport transfer in SLC - Staying first night at SLC airport hotel - it has a free shuttle 
• Hotel Accommodation - Booked at the Marriott Downtown City Creek - most convenient hotel to Salt Palace and City Creek shops. Had to book first night elsewhere as Marriott was full 
• Passport - Already in handbag 

• ESTA (Visa) - Still valid
• Travel insurance - Renewed
• Make copies of all docs and save on phone and laptop - Another job for this afternoon.
• Pills and potions - packed an emergency 'just in case' kit of favourites.  
• Get US dollars from bank - especially $1 notes - Done

• Conference Registration - Done 

• Respond to invitations - Done 
• Download the Rootstech App - Done, classes selected and friends made. If more people made their profiles public I would be able to make even more friends 
• Download Rootstech syllabus papers of interest - May have to do this in SLC. 
• Compile list of research tasks for Family History Library - In progress in my Family Historian Database.
• Make list of shopping to be done while in the US.

• Find out names of Aussies who are travelling to Rootstech - only a small group this year - wonder if I have missed anyone? 
• Set a date for a casual pre-conference dinner for members of the British Commonwealth attending Rootstech - Done. Details here.

• Aussie pins/stickers/badges to hand out -  Done
•  GeniAus Business Cards to hand out - New ones have arrived
• GeniAus ribbons - Awaiting pickup on Salt Lake City. Thanks DearMyrtle
• Purchase breakfast bars and healthy snacks for quick meals - already packed.
• Start gathering up my Geneabling to wear at the event - can't find it since moving house. Will have to start up a new collection. 
• A light day bag for conference - no-one else will have a bag like mine.

• Organise my technology for the trip - A mammoth task for this afternoon.
• Pack my Bags - Halfway there - need to take stuff out rather then put stuff in.

With only two more sleeps to go I had better stop blogging and attend to packing.

Getting Conference Ready

In just a week I will be jetting off to Rootstech in Salt Lake City. I will return home for one short night to ditch my cold weather clothes and grab some more suited for Sydney's pleasant March weather where I will attend Congress_2018. In 2018 I am once again an Ambassador for Rootstech, Congress_2018 does not have any formal Ambassadors so I am trying to do my bit by hosting the Genimates at #Congress_2018 Facebook Group.

Genies at Congress 2015 in Adelaide

The last time I was subjected to this geneaoverload (thanks for that new word Hilary Gadsby) was in 2015 when I was both an Ambassador for Rootstech and Congress 2015. At that time I wrote a series of posts under the banner Getting Conference Ready.  Some of the info in these may be outdated but there are still quite a few tips and links for those attending.

FYI I am posting the links below.

• Getting Conference Ready - Time to get covered
• Getting Conference Ready - Attend to your blogs
• Getting Conference Ready - Pockets and Purses
• Getting Conference Ready - Pills and Potions
• Getting Conference Ready - Badges, Beads and Bling
• Getting Conference Ready - Tips from Amy Smith
• Getting Conference Ready - Business Cards
• Getting Conference Ready - Directionless

Eeks - It's only four weeks away

A message in my email box last night gave me quite a jolt.

It's a timely reminder that I had better get my act together for my Rootstech adventure as I will arrive in Salt Lake City just four weeks from today.

Am I prepared? Yes and No. As a Rootstech veteran  I know what to pack and the ins and outs of getting around once I arrive in Utah.

Last Year I published my Rootstech checklist five months out from the conference : http://geniaus.blogspot.com.au/2014/09/rootstech-checklist.html.  I haven't really thought about it for 2016 (I see another blog post coming soon).

As a Rootstech Ambassador I have fulfilled most of my obligations so far and have lined up a couple of victims for video interviews.

As a Rootstech Presenter I need to do a more work - ie communicate and collaborate with my co-presenters to create some scenarios for discussion in our session. As we hail from four different countries we use a Google Doc to discuss our ideas. Once we are set on scenarios I will put our slideshow together.

Are you ready for Rootstech?

I'll never be ready...

GeniAus' Pre-Congress prep is in full swing here, but I seem to have so much to do. All my mates on social media seem to be so organised while I am still trying to get my act together.

I spent today at the National Library, I didn't dig up any dirt on the ancestors but I managed to get through 18 publications that told me a lot about the history of the towns in New South Wales from whence they came. I was also able to add a little to my knowledge about my 3x great uncle Rev Michael Harrington Ryan. It was fun to have a lunch break with my friends Pauleen and Sharn and to meet a fellow UTP cruiser and a genie from Tasmania in the Library.

I have been in contact with the panelists for Monday's panel session and have submitted the powerpoint so that is under control (my nerves won't be). I have also been playing telephone tag with Ben from Ancestry all day as I may be doing a spot or two in the Speakers' Corner in the Exhibition Hall.

I finally managed to tame the Congress app and have set up my program on the app. I also downloaded the list of delegates onto my smartphone so that I can tick off those I meet. I need to modify some of Carmel's Evernote templates that I downloaded so they are ready for my notetaking during the Congress sessions.

I've added more entries to The Interests Database so that I have most of my ancestors' families covered. I also added an interest for the software package (Family HIstorian) that I use and an entry for my Curry in Australia Surname study. I don't hold out much hope for some of the things I've listed but I expect to be able to find some Curry connections.

How I will ever keep up with social media, visit all the stands and take in all the talks I have listed, chat with delegates plus host a hangout I don't know but I'll give it my best shot.

I predict that sleep deprivation is on the horizon but four days of fun and fulfilment will be my reward.

Getting Conference Ready - Badges, Beads and Bling

GeniAus felt almost naked when she attended Rootstech 2011, her first geneaconference in the United States.

You see I didn't realise that Badges, Beads and Bling are an important part of conference geneawear, So one of my  important pre Rootstech tasks this week is to delve into the drawers in my geneacave and gather up my collection of geneabadges and ribbons. I won't need to find any geneabeads as DearMYRTLE and Cousin Russ are providing the geneabloggers wiht a smart set of red and white beads (I am coordinating my Rootstech wardrobe to match these.)

Mr Geneabloggers, Thomas MacEntee, models geneabling at Rootstech 2012

If you are a Rootstech novice you had better get organised with some stickers, badges and ribbons to wear and swap.

Rootstech Checklist

It's five months until I return home from Rootstech 2015 so in thinking about my preparations for the big event I am compiling a checklist. I have travelled to Salt Lake City several times so I have a fair idea of what I need to do.

GeniAus Checklist

International return flight Australia - LAX - Booked

Domestic return flight LAX - SLC Need to get on to this. There are no reward/points flights available do I need to purchase this one. Thinking I will fly South-West asthey will let me have two suitcases.

Airport transfers in SLC - Shuttles/taxia can be organised at airport in SLC

Hotel Accommodation - Booked (early to ensure I get a convenient hotel).

Conference Registration - Done

Passport - Valid

ESTA (Visa) - Need a new one

Create a Google+ circle with names of others attending - Set up

Find out names of Aussies who are travelling to Rootstech - Only know 6 so far HELP Needed

Set a date for a casual pre-conference dinner with Aussies and friends - Tuesday 10 February

Aussie pins/stickers/badges to hand out -  a task for 2015

GeniAus Business Cards to hand out - watch out for specials on Vistaprint

GeniAus HOA Cards to hand out - watch out for specials on Vistaprint

Start gathering up my Geneabling to wear at the event and put it all in one place

Geneabling

Compile list of Familysearch films to check in Family History Library - In progress in my Family Historian Database

Check Familysearch site for pre-conference talks in the Family History Library - Too early for this yet

Compile a packing list - a task for 2015

Get started on writing the syllabus for my presentation - Do it now!

What preparations are you making?