My Plans for the 1st Day at #NGS2013

Here we go! I've got lots of plans for the first day of NGS2013. And I'm hoping I get to "do it all." Of course, no matter how you plan it all out, it always changes. Mainly because a conference-goer isn't in a vacuum when they're at a conference. There are all sorts of shiny new things to see, new people to meet, and dear friends to get caught up with. 

And really? The sessions are really only part of the reason for going to a national conference like NGS 2013. If it was only about the sessions, then folks would just be happy with attending webinars online and no one would ever go to a conference.

Also? People at home during a conference wouldn't be practically sitting on Twitter all day long hoping for just another conference tweet and complaining when there doesn't seem to be enough tweeting from conference-goers if going to a conference wasn't such a big deal.

People also would not be so upset about the lack of blogging during a conference from those attending if the conference wasn't that big a deal either.

But? People at home do want tweets from a conference. People at home want pics from a conference. People at home want blog posts from during the conference.

Why? Because people at home wish they had been able to go to the conference. Yes, for the sessions, but for all the other stuff as well, like talking to vendors, meeting friends, meeting new people, talking "shop" or genealogy with other enthusiasts who share their all-consuming passion, and to see all the shiny new things.

So. Here's my plan for my first day. I changed my schedule around to try to see some speakers who were speaking on topics who I thought could help you and who I thought could help me. Sure, I'm going to see some of the rock stars of genealogy, but I thought I'd mix it up just to be different.

8am - Opening Session with Marian Smith - "People, Policy, and Records: The Importance of Historical Background"

9:30am - Rush {politely} over to the NGS booth and purchase 2 copies of Tom Jones' Mastering Genealogical Proof and 1 copy of NGS' New York City, Long Island, and Westchester County Research Guide by Laura Murphy DeGrazia, CG, FGBS. And I'll see if they have any more spots to sign up to work their booth so I can pitch in.

10am - I'll be volunteering for an hour in the Genealogical Speakers Guild, booths 419 & 518. I just joined this group, and I'm excited to meet some of the members as well as anyone who comes by. So come on by and say, "Hi!"

11am - I'm going to try and rush over {politely} to see Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL, who will be presenting, "To the Honorable, the General Assembly—The Treasure Trove in Legislative Petitions." If I can't make it there in time from my volunteering stint, then I'll make a note to buy the CD of it because it sounds so interesting, and then I'll wonder around the vendor hall, meet some folks, and also check into the 48 Hour Ephemera Challenge for the 1st Vegas/Nevada-related challenge at the Internet Cafe.

2:30pm - I'm going to try and see THE Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA, who will be presenting "The Genealogical Proof Standard in Action: Case Building When No Record States an Answer" after lunch. I've never seen ESM present, but I've heard AWESOME things about her and her presentations, and to say that I'm tickled to death to finally see and hear her is quite an understatement.

4pm - I've heard great things about the author and historian Michael Green, PhD, and I can't wait to hear him present, "Which Family Do You Mean? Las Vegas Families and Original Crime Families." Hello? Mob families and genealogy. I'm SO there.

5:30pm - I'm going to stop off at the Internet Cafe to setup the second 48 Hour Ephemera Challenge. And I'll grab some geneablogger friends or whoever is nearby to vlog with me. {You've been warned.} Then I'll upload it to my YouTube channel and then I'll be off to dinner and Las Vegas night life. It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it. ;)

Keep up with the NGS 2013 conference happenings, tweets, pics, and such by visiting the NGS 2013 RebelMouse Page I created.

~Caroline