Frugal Genealogy

Way back in March I was interviewed at  Rootstech  by Andy from Family History Fanatics. Andy Lee and his wife Devon had done their homework prior to interviewing me as they had discovered that the week after Rootstech I would be back in Australia presenting at Congress, The  15th Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry. They knew that one of my topics would be "Managing Frugally:Free Tools for Genies and Family History Groups" so when they interviewed me they focussed on frugality.

Andy conducted quite a few interviews at Rootstech which Family History Fanatics are posting on their Youtube Channel progressively throughout the year. This week it was my turn. Thanks Andy and team for giving me a chance to chat with you.

Perhaps my fellow genies may gather a few tips from our chat.

For those who missed the show

Only 620 genies were able to attend the main event on the Australasian geneacalendar last weekend in Sydney. Those of use who attended #Congress_2018 (or the15th Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry) were treated to an educational extravaganza by a bevy of the best local and overseas speakers.

Quite a number of genies have blogged or shared videos about their experiences at Congress. In this post I will share links to those public posts I have found so that you can learn about what happened at Congress.

Genies at the Opening Ceremony HIgh Tea

I made a few little videos and posted them on my Youtube Channel here.

Queensland Family History Society posted a video here: https://spark.adobe.com/video/VoEWV8DezZ9cm?w=_6542

Lisa Louise Cooke shared her Animoto video https://animoto.com/play/lAxCxS7gd3t15ul5PfsGsQ

Cheney Brew has shared her Traversing Trove presentation
 http://help.nla.gov.au/sites/default/files/Traversing_Trove.pdf

These bloggers have already written reports and, as the dust settles, I expect more to write. I will continue to add to this list.

Alona Tester at Lonetester HQ
Congress 2018 – It Begins

Chez at Links in a Chain
15th Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry

Chris W and Martyn Killion - The Killion, Quinn and Hand Families of Port Macquarie and Kempsey
The Killions go to Congress 2018

Emily Peace at Diary of a Young Genealogist
Preparing for Congress
Congress 2018 from a Newbie's Perspective

Fiona Coyte at Story2bfound
Sydney Congress

Gayle at GY Genealogy
https://gvgenealogy.wordpress.com/2018/03/13/reflections-on-congress2018/

Jill Ball at GeniAus
A Sense of Community
A True Introvert
I just ran out of puff
Bloggers a plenty at Congress_2018

John at OZ John's Genealogy (New blog started at Congress)
The 15th Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry

Lilian Magill at Lilian's Tree
My Congress 2018, Days 3 and 4
My Congress 2018. Dinner
My Congress 2018, Days 1 and 2.
My Congress 2018. Pre-Congress.

Lilian Magill at Research by Lily
Congress 2018.

Maggie at IwiKiwi
Congress 2018 is here!
Congress 2018 ~ the good, the not so good, and the even better

Mel - Just do it Blog (New blog started at Congress)

Three W's - who, what and why

Pauleen Cass at Family History across the Seas
Congress 2018 Learning
Having fun at Congress 2018

Sharon Brennan at The Tree of Me
Bridging the Past and Future - Congress 2018

Ruth Standring at Family Fractals
#Congress_2018 – Bridging Past and Future

Shauna Hicks at Diary of an Australian Genealogist

Blogs, Books, Congress 2018 & Other News - Genealogy Notes 1-14 Mar 2018

Shauna Hicks at Shauna Hicks History EnterprisesSydney Genealogy Congress 2018 Day One report
Sydney Genealogy Congress 2018 Day Two Report
Sydney Genealogy Congress 2018 Day Three Report
Sydney Genealogy Congress 2018 Day 4 Report
Sydney Genealogy Congress 2018 Exhibitors & Summary

Shelley Crawford at Twigs of Yore

Congress 2018 wrap-up

Sue Wyatt at O'er the seas we go
Congress Day 1
Congress Day 2

If you know of any other Congress reports please let me know and I will add them to this list.

Rootstech - A Cousin Connector

With permission from Jean, a genimate downunder, I am posting an email she sent me on the weekend.

Hi Jill

Read your second last communication and saw you had interviewed an Amy
Archibald. Well, Archibald is my maiden name and I do have LDS cousins
in USA, whom I met in 2007. Amy's first name didn't ring any bells, but
realised it would be her husband. Found her blog, with email address and
contacted her.

Turns out her husband's great, great, great grandfather is the brother
of my great, great, great grandfather!

Because you listed her name, I now have found another "cousin" and Amy's
husband has an Australian "twig".

Just wanted to let you know and thank you. You never know...

Enjoy Rootstech!!

Regards

Jean 

Hoarse and Happy

Sunday 12 February 2017, Salt Lake City.

Rootstech is a health hazard. By the end of the week of Rootstech activities in Salt Lake City I find my voice becomes huskier as I do so much talking. The dry atmosphere in Salt Lake City causes my nose to bleed, the cold wind makes my eyes water and the elevation (for this person who lives at sea level) causes me to huff and puff up small inclines.....but I can live with those small inconveniences.

Rootstech provides me with an opportunity to get out of my geneacave and meet old and new friends in the flesh, One of my favourite activities during the conference is one of the Ambassador perks. We Ambassadors are given an opportunity to interview fellow Rootstechies in a professionally staffed fishbowl of a video studio in the Media Hub in the Expo Hall at the event.  Although we are initially only given two slots we can sometimes wangle more. I was thrilled to be able to interview seven people (including a couple of big fish) in the studio.

Some of the staff at work in the Fishbowl

I have already posted five of my interviews to my Youtube Channel and will follow up with my interviews with Bernhard Doppelganger and Dirk Weissleder when the videos are processed.

Here are direct links to those already posted:

Amy Archibald, Rootstech Ambassador

Myko Clelland, FindMyPast

Diane Loosle, Director Family History Library, Salt Lake City

Steve Rockwood, CEO, Familysearch International

Ron Tanner, Product Manager, Familysearch

Interviewing Ron Tanner in the Fishbowl

Answer to a Facebook Message

I recently got this message in my Facebook stream:

"Hi Jill! Happy Easter!Have you done any blog posts or instructions about how to start a one name study? A man in Vic &  I have *Surname* from County Clare &  we're keen to start a study, but not sure where to start. Thanks".

Well, I have started a Surname study, CurryAus, but even though I am a beginner I have some ideas to share. I thought it would be easiest to do this in a video where I can share my screen so here goes.

A Genimate's Width Issue

I made this quick video today to answer a question form another geneablogger.




If this doesn't work it is probably because she has a large image in her sidebar. What she needs to do is to go to the image widget in Layout and tick the Shrink to Fit box. That should solve the issue.

That's Kirsty not Kristy

As a Rootstech Ambassador I have a chance to interview attendees at the event. I got to chat with Kirsty Gray from Wiltshire on Thursday.

Rootstech 2015 - a chat with Martyn and Heather

Among the Australian returnees to Rootstech this year were Martyn Killion, Society of Australian Genealogists President and Heather Garnsey Society of Australian Genealogists Executive Officer.

Thanks Martyn and Heather for giving up your valuable time to talk with me and soldiering on with so much background noise. The marvellous tech team from Familysearch, did a super job to make the audio on our interview audible.

Heather was most gracious and did not correct me when I claimed that she came from a library background when in fact her initial degree was in Business.

I was thrilled to be able to give the Rootstech attendees an opportunity to hear of the work of the Society and meet the people who keep it running.

The Greatest Show on Earth....

...if you are a Genie.

I am just back from Rootstech 2015 and I feel vindicated. Because I have constantly spruiked about what an amazing event Rootstech is I feel largely responsible for a couple of  my genimates taking the decision to attend for the first time this year. You have no idea what a relief it was to hear that they enjoyed the experience.

As an Official Rootstech Ambassador I had the opportunity to use a video crew and studio during the conference to record interviews with people of my choosing.  On the third day of the conference I spoke with three first-timers at Rootstech to gauge their reactions to the event.

Here is what Tas from Australia, Hilary from Wales and Pauleen from Australia had to say.

GeniAus at Rootstech

With the help of Youtube I've been tripping down memory lane.

As an Official Blogger at previous Rootstech Conferences I have been privileged to have access to interview some of the leading lights in the genealogy world. The kind folk at Rootstech gave me copies of the videos to load on my Youtube channel and I am pleased to say that some of the videos have been viewed many times over. With my recent foray into Google Hangouts my Youtube channel was getting a trifle untidy so I have sone some decrapifying by setting up playlists there.

One of the playlists GeniAus at Rootstech  provides a nice, neat list of my Rootstech interviews all on one page. If you'd like to see who I have interviewed you can see the playlist here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9XX5l5V0MzxjylD-Kk3OWWSTvQaRFTsZ.

I've enjoyed rewatching the conversations I had in Salt Lake City. Perhaps you will too.

I'm Back

DearMyrtle mentioned the value of videoblogging in a blog post  earlier this week so I thought that I'd give it a go and record a short video outlining my activities over the past ten weeks.

Here it is:

Post Script: My mate Audrey Collins' official title is Records Specialist - Family History in the Advice and Records Knowledge department at The National Archives in Kew. Audrey's blogs at  The Family Recorder.

AFK

My mate DearMYRTLE posted today that she was going AFK. Curious soul that I am I wondered what AFK was so I asked mt friend Google.

Urban Dictionary gave me an answer "Away From Keyboard." 

I  have been mostly AFK while indulging in Christmas activities: sleeping, shopping and most importantly spending time with the living. Now that the pots, pans and plates have been cleared away and sheets, towels and tablecloths washed I am once again ready to resume genealogical activities.

I had a short break from family last Friday evening when I hosted another GeniAUS Hangout on Air in which I was joined by several of my online friends.

Thanks to Chris Wright, Brenda Wheeler, Les Tobin, Fiona Tellesson, Linda Ottery, Lilian Magill, Karen Hughes and Pauleen Cass for coming online and sharing stories of your geneatriumphs from 2013. Thanaks also to those loyal supporters who watched the Hangout live online.Congratulations to first timers Linda and Karen on their Hangout debuts. I hope that I didn't frighten you away and that you will join me again.

The topic for this hangout was Happy Dances in which genealogists were asked to share stories of brickwalls knocked down, cousins found, events attended, places visited, resources discovered and your CGD (Continuing Genealogical Development) during the year.

With my happy hat on I also reissued the Accentuate the Positive Geneameme in which I asked genealogists to reflect on the good things that happened during the year. To date three of my geneablogging mates have responded and I hope that more (including me) will participate in the coming days. I will collate a list of responses to the geneameme shortly for your reading pleasure.

Society Spotlight

Thanks to contributions from the team of panelists who joined me online last night we had a super GeniAUS Hangout on Air.

I will be posting a list of links to the Societies they nominated. In the interim you may wish to view the Youtube video of the event.

The panelists were: Chris Wright, Brenda Wheeler, Michelle Watson, Les Tobin,  Lilian Magill, Marg Doherty, Pauleen Cass. This group of switched on Australian genealogists are worthy of following on Google+.

Experimenting

Forgive me I have been playing. This is the result of a first attempt to use my latest toy

New Format for a Geneameme Response

Young Australian Genealogist, Caitie G, was among the many bloggers who responded to The Bloggers' Geneameme.

A few days late she asked me on Twitter "Hey @geniaus, has anyone done a video response to one of your geneameme's?"

Tweet from Caitie

I responded in the negative but issued a veiled challenge to Caitie "No but I can feel one coming on @caitieamanda: Hey @geniaus, has anyone done a video response to one of your geneameme's?

On the weekend  I noted that Caitie had posted a video response to The Ancestors' Geneameme on Youtube. What a unique way to respond!



I'll add Caitie's link to the list of responses for The Ancestors' Geneameme. If you would like to take part in that Geneameme here are the 40 questions. Just let me know if you do so I can add you to the list of links.

Video Stars

One of the perks of being an Official Blogger at Rootstech is being able to conduct Video Interviews in a studio with real technicians and professional equipment.

I was just too shy to try this at Rootstech 2011 but, in 2012, I dipped my toes in the water and conducted two interviews. I only managed two because bookings for the facility are very popular and fill quickly. Now that I am in my third year as an Official Blogger I know the ropes so, this morning, as soon I got notification that the bookings were open I grabbed  Six (that's right 6) 30 minute slots.

My issue is that I have to decide on whom from the 4,000 or so attendees at the conference I will approach for an interview.

Should it be Aussies? Brits? Commercial Dudes? Should I do a couple of mini panels? Geneabloggers? Familysearch Reps?

Do you have any suggestions for me?

Good things come to those who wait...

From time to time since February I have tried to accomplish a task but have failed dismally.  I finally managed it today.

Back in February I conducted two video interviews at Rootstech. One I uploaded from the conference hotel to Youtube with no issues . The other slightly larger file just would not upload for me. When I got home I tried again - Failure. I tried a few video converters I found on the web - Failure. Every few weeks I would have another try - Failure.

Yesterday Thomas MacEntee on Facebook mentioned a video conversion program,  Prism Video Converter http://www.nchsoftware.com/prism/index.html. I downloaded the software and thought I would have a go. My first effort produced a file that was going to take over 300 minutes to upload to Youtube - Failure. So I played around a bit and found a setting to compress the file; I didn't quite know what I was doing but I did it anyway. Hey Presto - I ended up with a .avi file that was 1/10th the size of my original. Thank you, Thomas.

The video quality is not as crisp as on the original but it's way better than many files on Youtube. As with the video with Darrin Lythgoe I am embarrassed by my facial expressions and hand waving. Perhaps I need some Botox to stabilise my face!

Anyway, for your viewing pleasure, I announce the delayed release of my video with Diane and Walt from Flip-Pal.

FamilySearch.org -- What's Your Story?

Miles Meyer shared this great new video on Google+ today. It gives a clear explanation about Familysearch's history and workings.  Take a loook for yourself.

21st Century Christmas Greetings

One of my old workmates posted this video on Facebook. Those of my readers who use Social Media should enjoy it.

10-20-30 with Guy

Going through the items I had starred in Google Reader I just found a link to this Guy Kawasaki video that had been shared by Mr Byrne on Free Technology for Teachers.

Having recently sat through a presentation in which the presenter read a paper and did not look at the audience I was reminded of those presentations done by my former students who just read out their research assignments instead of  talking about their topic with  pertinent slides as an aide-memoire.

Although this video is not pitched at genealogy speakers it poses some valid points.

Of course for a genealogy audience the rule might be 10-20-40 (watch the video to see why).