Maps and Guides

Purchases, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Spending Money

Because this was a "NERGC Year", I decided to wait on some book purchases until I could get to the exhibit hall. I made a list and I saved money because there was a membership discount or a "last day" discount, plus I saved shipping costs. I was disappointed in the exhibit hall because there were not as many vendors as last time. 

I also bought a wonderful map of my home state of Rhode Island for my office wall and this CD shown here of RI maps from Dave Allen's "Old Maps" company. He was very nice and pulled the RI map out for me from the huge stack of printed maps. Hubs was quite taken with the map and we went right out to the parking garage to put it in our new car so it would be safe. I noticed it is in a huge archival envelope which I will save for one of my family photos that is impossibly mammoth. (I can tell you that Hubs will go to Target this week and get a poster frame for me. He has already measured it!)

Genealogists love books and maps. I am still not so "tech-driven" that books in print don't appeal to me. But, they are heavy. Notice that I bought reference books. I have some reference books on my nook ereader and iPad but most of the ones on electronic devices are for my reading for pleasure. 

This year at NERGC, I tried to choose sessions from presenters that I have not heard before. I am amazed to hear Lisa Alzo, Warren Bittner, Steve Morse and David Ouimette. 

I identified with Warren Bittner's tech nightmare of having a corrupt file on his laptop and had to switch to another presentation at the last second. Some people left (with Warren's blessing) but all of us who stayed were enthralled with his "Bittner Bastards of Bavaria" topic. He talked a little about the one he was supposed to do. The ability to not be freaked out about a corrupt file and carry on marks a person comfortable and confidant with his speaking ability. (Reminder to self: put presentations on a flash drive and in the Cloud.)

I never leave a presentation early (except to go to the Ladies room) but at this conference I did leave one because the topic was not presented in an engaging manner and it was one I was knowledgeable about. I spent the rest of that time talking to people in the hallways. People were nice to stop and tell me they like my blog.

Brick walls and stories was a theme of this conference. I was disappointed that Thomas MacEntee did not make it but I was glad to hear he got a refund on his plane ticket and his hotel. I hope he comes to NERGC 2015. 

I think that the NE Geneabloggers SIG session was a hit. I am so glad. I had fun. Heather Rojo did a bang up job. She liked the list made of "things I would do differently if I was starting today" to blog so I will post that tomorrow.