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.

A True Introvert

Those people who saw me leaping around the podium at #Congress_2018 would say "there goes an extrovert".

In Extrovert Mode at Congress

They are wrong. If I have a role to play like welcoming people to an event or addressing a crowd I am in my element but when I am "Just Jill" I am a rather shy old girl, I don't like big parties and  occasions where I am thrown into groups of strangers. I love my own company and can happily spend days by myself.

I recently read this excerpt from a blog post that describes me - I am a true introvert.

  "A true introvert is not a "shy person".  No.  Introverts often have very vibrant personalities, and can appear to be the life of the party.  The difference is that we need plenty of "alone time" to recharge.  Once our energy is spent there needs to be some solitude in which to build our social energy back up.  Also, we like to get to the point.  This means that we love conversation- as long as it isn't "small talk".  If we aren't interested in the weather or some sporting event, we check out."

Source http://myelusivehistory.blogspot.com.au/2015_02_16_archive.html

A Sense of Community

My past two days have been so busy and so rewarding.

I spent my days connecting with genimates at they took advantage of the #Congress_2018 pre-registration offered by The Society of  Australian Genealogists. The registration event took place right next door to to the home of the Society, Richmond Villa in the historic Glover Cottages.  Society President, Martyn Killion, had organised beautiful weather and Executive Officer, Heather Garnsey, organised some catering. While fellow volunteers from the Society dispensed conference badges and bags my role was a social one. I was on hand to offer a cuppa and cake and to chat with those who had tramped along Kent Street to the Cottages.

Several folk who had other things on their agendas popped in, grabbed their registration paraphernalia and took off but most lingered for the chat, cuppa and cake. Some even stayed for a few hours because the atmosphere in the courtyard was so convivial. The sense of community was evident as people who came along as strangers made new friends. I could see my aim of this Congress being a friendly affair being fulfilled. It made this old genie's heart sing.

I loved being on hand to reconnect with genimates some of whom I hadn't seen for a few months or years and to meet in person so many of my online mates from our Congress Facebook Group. A personal highlight was meeting for the first time a 3rd cousin I had connected with via DNA.

Meeting my third cousin for the first time

Of course I had my phone on hand to take some happy snaps to capture the atmosphere.

President Martyn holding court

Executive Officer, Heather, busy listening

Volunteer Coordinator, Tiphanee

Brenda and Charlie B.

Back to sea level

Salt Lake City just takes me breath away. 

I didn't climb this set of stairs

Each year when I attend the Rootstech Conference I find myself short of breath. Salt Lake City has an average elevation of 4,327 feet(1,319 m) above sea level which is high for this old girl who lives by the sea. This year the elevation combined with the minus temperatures really hit me.

Although it is only a couple of hundred metres up the road from my hotel I only visited the Family History Library once, I only visited, Macys, my other US temple once as well. I was just too puffed to visit each of these a second time. 

Thankfully I had my asthma meds with me and was able to start a course of treatment that kept me awake and hopping.Thankfully my hotel was directly across the road from the Rootstech venue at the Salt Palace so I was able to get to the conference within a couple of minutes.  This year I didn't attend many classes as I didn't have the energy to walk the long distances or stand in long lines that these required. I spent most of my conference in the Media Hub with regular forays out into the Expo Hall.

As I was feeling poorly I only attended one keynote session in person. For these sessions the Ambassadors have to be in their reserved seats by 8am and, if one finds oneself behind a tall person (as I invariably do), it can be difficult to see the speaker on the stage. It has only taken me seven Rootstech Conferences to realise that I can set my alarm for 8:20am (thereby gaining an extra hour of valuable shuteye), watch the livestreamed keynotes while I dress and eat breakfast and actually see the whole presentation in comfort. Then when the session is over I wander over the Media Hub in time to interview the VIPs that are on the list for the day. Avoiding the crush of  people leaving the keynote sessions is a bonus.

The people that you meet

The people that I meet and the interview opportunities that I am given are the reasons that I keep coming back to Rootstech . One of  my goals is to be an Ambassador for Australia at Rootstech  and an Ambassador for Rootstech  for the people back home. It takes my breath away that I am given opportunities to share via Youtube my chats with  geneastars at Rootstech that my genimates would not otherwise meet.

Aussies at Rootstech

I can report that I am now back on sea level and breathing normally, I had no trouble walking a couple of kilometres through Sydney yesterday.