The #NotAtRootstech Blog

Well Rootstech started in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday 28 February 2018 at 9.30am, after registration. BUT for us Aussies, it was 3.30am Sydney time 1 March 2018. Myself and several others, Helen Smith, Pauleen Cass, Jennie Fairs and Alona Tester, to name some, oppted to stay DownUnder and miss the fun and snow. [insert a very sad face, here. :(  ]

Cost is a huge factor for us Aussies, when we travel but this year we have our own #Congress2018  or to give it it's correct title the   15th Australasian Congress On Genealogy and Heraldry.   Not on the same scale as Rootstech, it is still the biggest one held her in Australia, every three years and we have choosen to attend that.  But I digress, more on Congress, in other posts.

The organisers of Rootstech have selected 19 different sessions, from lectures to the general sessions, to be lived streamed. Great if you live in the USA but not so good for us.

Alarms are being set for either 3.00am, to hear the 3,30am session or like me 4.30am to hear the 5.00am session and the ones that follow. This is Day 2 of  4.30am starts, ask me how I'm doing on Sunday after Day 4!

                                           Day 1, 4.50am, Suzie Bear and I are ready.

Yesterday I was up at 4.30am to hear  Davis Nicholson and Hannah Morden, from LivingDNA speak. I have tested with LivingDNA and was impressed with the results but also confused as I'm still a newbie, with DNA. This talk helped me understand a bit more, with what the matches mean and I'm keen to explore this further. I was surprised by the poor attendence, as there were lots of empty chairs.
https://my.livingdna.com/

The next session was the General Session and Steve Rockwood, CEO of FamilySearch International. The theme for Rootstech 2018 Connect. Belong and he spoke on how we are all connected, through our DNA.  https://www.rootstech.org/    This is the link, so you can check out what is happening.

Today was a 4.30am alarm but I was better organised and had had a better nights sleep, so was dressed before the start of the session and had my breakfast was well.

                                                         Breakfast is ready!

Another DNA session, this time with Yaniv Erlich, from MyHeritage. This was very techinical, at times but combined with yesterdays talk, I am begining to understand DNA a little bit better. This one was poorly attented, too.
https://www.myheritage.com/

I caught the end of the one on Google Photos by Michelle Goodrum. This is an app for storing, organising and sharing your photos, but as Google 'drops' things and you can't access them, after that.

Next was Brian Donovan, with Unlocking Roman Catholic Records. At first glance I thought that it wouldn't be of any value for be, being USA based but it was helpful in that I can apply what he said to Australian records, too. This one was in Ballroom A and it wasn't filled, either. Sad to see classes not full.

The last session was at 10.30am, Sydney time but 4.30pm, yesterday in Salt Lake City!

This was by Deborah Abbott on, A Gift of Love: Who's Writing Your Story? It was fantastic! I had heard similar presentations but this one was full of laughter, warmth, humility and grace. She is one wonderful lady. Her way of engaging the room was wonderful and it was a full house. At the end Deborah was given a standing ovation.  I wanted to give her a hug.

                                                    Day 2, 4.50am. I think I's awake!

So ended Day 2 of Rootstech, DownUnder.  Two more days to go.

Bye for now,
Lilian.

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