GRIP recap, a month late

Hello everyone.  Time flies when you are having fun huh?  Or in my case, time flies when deadlines sneak up on you and you start a new job!

GRIP was such a great experience, and I wanted to make sure I gave you more information on my
experiences.  Even though it is a month late, I hope that you all enjoy my.... journal entries.

We had 49 students in the class from all backgrounds and all over the country.  Meeting so many people with such a variety of backgrounds and experiences made the week very interesting.  I thoroughly enjoyed the way we talked about everything.  While I am not sure how the other courses were taught we were able to share, discuss and theorize through all sessions.  It really made the class gel more and we became a great community for the week in our learning and sharing.

I stayed on campus in the dorms as well as ate in the cafeteria.  It seemed the most logical way to be a part of the large community and the price was hard to beat.  I had a single room and it was very nice.  It even had its own bathroom, meaning it was nicer than the dorm I had in college!

The food was also amazing.  A good variety and everything was even labeled so that I could eat according to my dietary restrictions.  For those of you have allergies or can't eat certain foods you will understand how happy that made me.  It meant that I didn't starve while I was there, which would have been bad since I get grumpy when my sugar dips.

Those that drove, or had friends in the area, were able to get off campus more.  La Roche is in a nice community with many places to eat, grocery shopping as well as other things to go out to do. I was OK only staying on campus, it actually helped me to focus on the course and spend time Pokemon hunting.

Yes, there was a group of us hunting Pokemon... it was rather amusing.

Next summer's courses are already up.  I encourage you to go look at the list.  There are a number of excellent instructors and courses up on the website.  If I am lucky I will get to go again.  Even better, is if I get to see you there too!

I've got a GRIP

This week I am very excited to be attending my first GRIP (Genealogical Institute of Pittsburgh). In the past there was always some sort of conflict.  Usually a kid’s summer camp.  But, this year, it looks like I get to be the one who attends summer camp!

Yes, I called this summer camp.  It really, really is summer camp for genealogists and I am not the only one who is referring to it that way here.  I never went to sleep away camp as a kid so I personally don’t have a comparison, but I am assured this is nearly as good if not much better!

During my week here I am taking the Advanced GenealogyCourse taught by Cece Moore and Blaine Bettinger (along with several other one time instructors).  Yesterday was the first full day of courses, but I had internet issues so no posting since I got here Sunday.  Besides the instruction I am meeting new people who share the same interests I have.  Which is always a plus!  There are 49 people in my course (very large for GRIP) and while I am may not make a close connection with all of them, I think coming away with a few new connections is a good thing.

Yesterday I got up God Awful early (new internal clock thanks to my new job) and I took a walk LaRoche College Gardens, or chatting on Benches.  This is really a beautiful place.  Thankfully we only had a mild rain storm which took off the humidity so the weather has been very pleasant.

La Roche College at sunrise (yes, I was up early)

around campus.  It seems I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t sleep and I saw many of my fellow GRIP attendees out walking, reading in the

Then in class yesterday we had a bit of review and the beginnings of delving deeper into analysis tools for genetic genealogy.  Today is so far building on those lessons and taking it one more step.  I am excited to get to the case study sections and learn more about practical applications of these skills. 

Oh, and Maia’s Books is here.  You know that always means trouble. Good thing I flew and have limited space for books!

Fingers crossed I will write more tonight, tomorrow, and the rest of the week.  GRIP ends Friday, so if you don’t hear from me… well my internet went down again or I am up to my eyeballs in spreadsheets.  Either way, I will catch up with all again soon!