I was able to listen to 1 and 3/4 lectures of the 2014 APG Professional Management Conference this morning as I drove to Costco, shopped, checked out, drove to Walmart, shopped, drove home, and cooked lunch for my family.
Judy G. Russell AKA “The Legal Genealogist” was an awesome presenter. I thought she did a great job. I heard her entire presentation. It was about the contract; what kinds of things you should put in the contract, why a contract offers you more protection than copyright law, the fact that “moral” law in regards to protecting one’s name and reputation don’t really exist in the United States. Very interesting stuff.
The next presentation that I heard most of was by Angela McGhie and was about networking for genealogists. It was also fantastic and I want to make a list of all the advice and tips she gave, and do them all!
I think of my love of quilting, and how it took me a long time to decide that you know what, a lot of the really nitpicky steps (pressing, trimming threads, cleaning the machine…) are actually shortcuts.
It is difficult for my bullheaded-Bohemian* brain to do, but after listening to these two professionals speak, I decided that I am going to listen to their presentations again (I’m so glad they were recorded and are available for 3 months! My family would not be able to spare me for an entire day of genealogy fun!) and create a list of the advice they give. I am going to try to follow as much of it as possible.
It is one of the deepest wishes of my soul to be an excellent, professional Certified Genealogist. Our move from Texas to Iowa this year really put all of my plans to become certified by the BCG on hold for several months, such that in another week or so I will find myself filing for an extension to my “on the clock” adventure.
Anyway, those are my thoughts after the conference. I gained measure of humility and motivation to strive to take what actually are shortcuts, though they are not necessarily what I WANT to do. I also feel motivated and encouraged to become certified, although neither of the presenters actually spoke about that directly. I think part of it is just loving this group of people, and yearning to really be a part of the club with those two little letters after my name!
Thank you for a great conference!
*This is the phrase. I’m not Bohemian though; I’m Moravian. That I know of. Except for a distant cousin’s line. But I don’t think they are blood kin to me.