I like learning. Always have.
As a kid, a lot of learning came through books. I was the kid who begged parents to leave the hall light on and my door open, not because of any fear of the dark, but because I couldn't get my hands on a flashlight, and I wanted to keep reading. "my best friend is the person who owns a book I haven't read" me & Abe Lincoln...
If you're here, you know me from genealogy, but I did exist and do interesting in the before. I was a musician... So how did I end up as a musician? Because I could read, and read way above my grade level. It was determined that I could miss "reading" one time a week to take a music lesson in 4th grade. So I did - again, learning. And that field expanded and stuck through university and 2 master's degrees.
To finish the rundown on my mostly music ... I ran /directed a concert series (8 years), wrote
grant applications that got grants, won by audition tenured cello positions in
three regional professional orchestras, played festivals, gigged much, taught private
studio and university, composed, arranged.
I was guest artist for recitals & concertos. During grad school I engaged an accountant to
present “How to keep books as an independent contractor,” for performance
majors. I also caused a minor furor with
a recital encore of “The Swan” when I invited volunteer ‘swans’ clothed in
short white cassocks to dance free form during the piece. Sadly, no video exists. Recitals were only taped,
and camera phones didn’t exist.
An
unexpected injury in 2017 ended professional level playing; I moved quickly into
professional genealogy full time. No TV soaps
for me. Genealogy was already in play, I was doing a monthly workshop at my library, and
I found a new rhythm. I was lucky that
so many skills transferred. From my father I had learned to analyze, think, &
write. He also encouraged mental flexibility.
From my mother I learned to explore and welcome the new. From music I brought self-motivation, the
chops to read old handwriting, the ability to apply theory to real-life (and vice
versa), organizational skills, research skills, and the mental focus to work
long, hard and accurately.
So... now the world is in a new age... hibernating & virtual. This may be a permanent change, or for awhile. Either way, in my world, TV soaps are still not included. The genealogy world was a bit resistant to adopt virtual processes that were already standard, if not common, in business, but it was time to latch onto the technology or return to doing NOTHING for the duration.
You see Facebook and your gen societies, and what the national conferences have done, and will be doing the rest of 2020 - and into 2021 - and ? And the upshot is that the things that were virtual (pro-gen, Legacy Family lectures) just keep on doing, the national conferences (NGS & FGS) are going virtual, institutes are going virtual (GRIP, SLIG), and individual ventures (CDG, etc.)
So... now, from the comfort of your own home (as the phrase goes), one can travel the country, or the world, learning, seeing, and growing as a genealogist.
so far since March 2020 I have attended.. and all virtual ....
Conferences: St. Louis, NGS, FGS (maybe/it's sept)
Institutes: GRIP, 2 weeks
Courses: Pro-Gen, starting in June for 14 months
Discussion: NSGQ Discussion, 1xmonth during 2020, CDG Alumni, 1xweek; knitting/books, 2x/month;
and I am involved with the Sept 2020 staging of a virtual (first time out virtual) conference - GeneaQuest - product of CAGGNI (chg suburb group). I am on the planning committee, and wrangling the vendors, and will be a member of the GeneUS Bar during the conference. (?check us out on facebook? ??come??!!). Learning curve is steep and exciting - and we are doing it.
And I am also venturing out a bit on my own. From 2014 to 2018, the local library sponsored me for "2nd Saturday Genealogy." This included a teaching a topic with handouts, fielding questions that walked in the door, and learning from each other. I loved doing this, and have missed it, and in the years, people moved, so they couldn't come... so, with virtual the new flavor on the block, I thought of seeing how this could work. Plan is to do the 3rd Friday of every month at 2 pm. I've written the people I've touched through 2nd Sat or lecturing, and will venture forth in 3 days - this Friday. If you contacted me w/ your email, you will get an invite to the zoom meeting.
If you haven't gotten the "are you interested" letter from me, leave a note for me here; I think it's possible.
hows my crystal ball?
I see the future of genealogy having to keep the virtual aspect of society meetings --
I see the future of conferences incorporating some virtual aspects -
I see genealogists getting easy with Zoom - both attending and leading.
we all remember, "to infinity, and beyond!"