Saturday, March 24, 2012

Memorable Quotes from Thomas Jones


... at the Fairfax Genealogical Society Conference I attended this weekend:
“My genealogical program of choice is Microsoft Word.”
Mine, too.  Though I copy a lot of what I put down into the notes page on my Reunion program.  He explained that there are just so many things you can do in Word - timelines, tables, etc.
“It would be extremely hypocritical for me to talk about organizing your office” (with just the hint of a beginning of a grin).  You could hear the intake of breath in the audience, followed by chuckles.  Take comfort, fellow slobs - even the great ones struggle with those piles of paper!  
In response to the question “So Ellener married 3 times?’  -- “So far....”

Other awesome things from the Conference:
Great presentations - attended all of Thomas Jones’ presentations (and I think I’ve only seen one of them before), two of Dear Myrtle’s (she’s just amazing - so informative and inspiring and makes genealogy so much fun (and funny!)), Chuck Mason’s “Defining the Problem and Mapping the Research Plan” (I so have to pay serious attention to this and get my act together), and Pam Sayre’s “Effectively Using NARA’s Finding Aids and Website” (brilliance and energy in action - when she explains how to “drill down” in the website and shows two or three different ways to attack a search on the website, it’s awe-inspiring (and would be overwhelming if she didn’t have great notes in the presentation summary)).  
I’m finally getting my autosomal DNA testing done with Family Tree DNA!  Bob McLaren did a mini-presentation on DNA testing for genealogy on Friday night and announced conference sale prices for Family Tree DNA.  So on Saturday I sat down at Bob’s booth, did the swabs, filled out the info, and out it will go.  Plus I’m going to see if my male Moore cousins will do the 67-marker test.
Won a door prize - a subscription to Archives.com!
It was soooo wonderful to have a genealogy weekend.
I miss my blog.
I miss my fellow genealogy bloggers and commenters and research cousins.
I miss my ancestors.

I will be back.

17 comments:

  1. ...and I missed your blog, too, Greta! Glad you will be back soon.

    I have to laugh every time I read the name, "Tom Jones," in a genealogy blog. Someone in my family line married into a Jones line--her husband's name was Tom! Somehow, whenever I see the name, it makes me want to grab pen and paper and get ready to take notes...

    I'm interested in your DNA experience. My husband is on the verge of doing that, as it turns out someone is doing a surname study that he would fit in. Please post updates on your discoveries from the DNA process!

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    1. Will do, Jacqi! I am excited that I finally took this step - can't wait to see what turns up. And thank you for your words of encouragement - work is still going to be intense for a while, but I'll try to get in at least a few posts in the meantime.

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  2. We all miss you. It really stinks that that day job is sucking you dry! LOL We anxiously await your return. So glad you had a great day!

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    1. Thank you, Carol! I'm getting a lot done - hope to dig out soon!

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  3. Missing you too. We'll be here whenever you're able to post.

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    1. Thanks, Michelle. Here's hoping I can squeeze in a few posts during my "exile."

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  4. Sounds like a great conference, Greta! And congrats on winning the door prize. It was nice to see your post in my queue today :)

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    1. Thanks, Shelley! My strategy is not to throw all of my tickets into the "Year's Free Membership in Ancestry" and to spread my tickets around in the other door prize bags - it has worked several times.

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  5. It's so nice seeing a Greta bog. It sounds like you had a great time at the conference (Fairfax)...glad they let a FC person in (kidding). Anyway, thanks for your post, and loved hearing from you.

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    1. You're right, Barbara - they must be letting their standards slip! (The little secret is that I live in the Fairfax County part of Falls Church, rather than the city part - we're not rich enough to live there....)

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  6. Greta,

    Sorry, didn't get to meet you (or at least remembering meeting you.

    I was in Dr. Jones' class and all 4 of Dear MYRTLE's. Although I have been on many of her webinar's, presentations in Second Life (SL), first time in RL.

    It WAS a great weekend.

    Russ

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    1. Russ, Sorry I didn't come up and introduce myself; I didn't realize until near the end that that was you. Next time I'll wear my geneablogger beads!

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  7. So love your and Tom Jones' view on genealogy programs! Music to my ears.

    Loved seeing this note from you, too. You are missed.

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    1. Tom Jones is so delightful - and he's right, word processing has a lot to offer! (Though I've been using Pages more than word lately.) Thank you for the encouragement - I'm hoping not to be "missing in action" too much longer.

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  8. I am envious about the DNA workshop. This is an area in which I would like to expend some time and energy. The only local workshop in the last couple of years was the weekend when I was inundated with family and such doings. Love to see a blog on your DNA delvings.
    BTW, nice to see you digging your way out --- I know the feeling --- periodically, I disappear to shovel a pathway to the top of the heap.

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  9. Hi Greta - miss you too! I can understand the day job sucking the life out of one issue...

    Love, love, love the quotes - thanks for sharing them.

    Diana

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  10. See how much you are missed! Glad to hear Tom Jones and the genealogy weekend inspired.
    - Brenda

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