Motivation Monday - FGS Conference Armchair Planning

Editor's note: Today's post was written by Sandra Gardner-Benward

...........and FGS Conference is right around the corner. Time to start armchair planning. I love this part of the planned process because anything is possible. Reality sets in later down the line where you have to make those final decisions.

I need to sit down with the schedule of classes and see what is being offered. I am also attending the 'twin' conference, RootsTech, so I need to read about what is being offered there also. AND then somehow come out with a great schedule with back ups just in case classes I choice are full. This is going to be frustrating, because there are enough good classes to take from either conference and now I have two conference classes to choose from to whittle down into one schedule. To me it seems it is unfair to the conference goer and to the instructors too. It should not be a competitive affair. OK OK I am off my soap box now.

When I go through classes I look for anything NEW, anything to do with Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut and now Massachusetts, and anything that catches my interest (that I cannot explain - it is a personal choice) .  I have my magic markers (probably several markers in different colors) handy and start marking the ones that I first think I may be interested in attending.  AND, yes I do look to see who is instructing each class also......  it does make a difference to me. I look for presenters I have not heard of, presenters I have not taken a class from yet. I like to hear about the same subject from many different people...... sometimes you connect and sometimes you don't. I look for instructors that are dedicated to certain subjects or locations. I feel I am beyond the basic classes but I am not above taking one if an instructor interests me, or the write up of the class is of interest, basic or not.

I don't think I have ever picked a class by the instructor.........  ooops, yes I have. TWICE!! In the beginning I had heard so much about Elizabeth Shown Mills and her FAN concept along with sourcing. I was not disappointed but had to 'fight' for a seat. I also attended a class several years back because Judy Russell, The Legal Genealogist was speaking. I had been told that her blog was the one to follow and so I did. Now I had an opportunity to hear her and meet her. AND I did. Again, not disappointed. But normally I do not look at the instructors till after I have chosen classes and are starting to cut ones or are looking for the those back ups, then I start looking at who is speaking. You know as well as I do, that we don't connect with everyone and/or you need to hear the same information from a different view point.

Next  I will need to read about all the other activities going on, luncheons available, exhibit hall, and the LIBRARY........  along with some down time (when will that happen 2-3am?)


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