NGS Day 4 Recap

The last day of NGS was packed.  Last days usually are frantic, energy filled whirling dervishes and this one was no different.

Most of the day was spent in the exhibit hall or corridors talking to friends (old and new) mainly saying our goodbyes or until we meet agains.  That is the bittersweet part.  Sure, many of us converse frequently through email or social media but, honestly, it’s not the same as seeing someone in the flesh.  Goodbyes are hard, I really hate them and many times I wish I could carry my genea-buds around in my pocket.  Oh wait, I do!  It’s called a smart phone!

Of course it took me until day 3 to eat at the food trucks.  Yes, there were food trucks at the conference and I have to say the Mexican one was quite good.  Nomnomnom for the pork mole tacos with mango salsa I ate.  It was so good!

The one lecture I stole myself away to was Michael Ramage’s “Adoption Research for Genealogists and Real Life Case Study.”  I even set an alarm so I wouldn’t get talking and miss it.  Currently I am working on an adoption mystery in my own family plus I have many friends who are adopted and ask me for guidance.  I do what I can to help with the paper genealogy, and now DNA, but at times I still feel like I struggle.  It’s that lost feeling of “is there more I could be doing but don’t know that I can” which the hardest to deal with.  I did pick up some great tips from Ramage and also received validation through the lecture that I am doing it all correct.

Then there was the announcement that everyone who was tweeting could hardly wait for: who would be the winner of the twitter contest and receive a full registration for NGS 2016 in Ft. Lauderdale.  Let me set this scene for you. About 1:30pm I was sitting talking with some friends in the exhibit hall when my cell phone vibrates.  Even though it happens all the time I actually took a moment to look, and that is when I saw the announcement from NGS that I had won.  Well, I jumped up, squealed like I do when excited and showed the message to my friends.  Holey Moley!  My husband was very excited too.  That’s one less thing we have to worry about budgeting for next year.

It was also announced on Saturday that NGS 2017 will be in Raleigh, North Carolina.  That made me very happy too.  Not only do I have to plan to be there a few days before so I can research but it is an easy drive for me from where I live.  Well, easy as long as I-95 doesn’t decide to become the parking lot it likes to be frequently. 

My evening was topped off with about 20 blogging friends for the informal NGS blogger dinner.  We went to a great BBQ place in St. Charles and sat outside on the deck.  At times it looked like it was snowing with the cottonwood floating around.  It was the perfect setting to end my time on the banks of the Missouri.  Good food + great friends = an amazing evening

Later this week after I have a chance to unpack, do laundry and catch up on work I will post more on my overall thoughts about the conference.  There are a few things that are percolating in the brain which I think I need to write down.