Genies Meeting Jan 18 and much more

Friends:  The most important dates coming up are JAN 18 and FEB 15.  Two Fridays replace our 3^rd Monday meetings.  Mark your calendars.  Library will be closed on our regular meeting days.  Stay tuned to this space to hear what we will be doing on those days.

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Roots Tech in Salt Lake, Feb 27-Mar 2.  Coming up soon.  Handy website RootsTech.org.

Remember last year when I came home from RootsTech all jazzed up.  It is the most exciting conference possible.  Featuring general sessions with celebrities and music, a giant Expo Hall with every vendor you can imagine, and over 300 breakout sessions to choose from.  You will love this if you can walk easily from one end to the other in the largest conference center you have ever seen and you don’t mind crowds.  They are responding to complaints from last year but PATIENCE is the name of the game. 

If you are staying home, mark your calendar for live streaming of selected classes and all the general sessions.  Schedule here:  https://www.rootstech.org/salt-lake/live-stream-schedule

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Usually January is a slow month for local genealogists.  No Whatcom Genealogical Society meeting but Skagit has surprised us with a prominent speaker on Germans from Russia. 

Skagit Valley Genealogical Society’s

GENEALOGY MONTHLY MEETING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM

Germans from Russia: PLACING OUR ANCESTORS IN HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Featuring internationally renowned author,

genealogy expert and Canadian journalist

DAVE OBEE

Sat. January 12

1:00pm-3:00pm

Burlington Public Library

820 E. Washington Ave.

FREE | Everyone Welcome

SKAGIT VALLEY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

genealogy0715@gmail.com

skagitvalleygenealogy.org

They say “Feel free to bring a genealogy friend as well!  SVGS' meetings are free and open to everyone to attend.” 

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I don’t usually feature paid classes but there are a few this month that might be just what you are looking for. 

For beginners and refreshers…Getting Started with DNA and Genealogy Boot Camp with Mary Eberle and Thomas MacEntee on Saturday, January 19, 2019.  At 20 bucks you can find the details at https://genealogybargains.com/getting-started-with-dna-and-genealogy-boot-camp-saturday-january-19-2019/

For more advanced…Family History Fanatics will be producing "A Winter of DNA" eConference on Saturday, January 26th. Speakers and topics will include:

Tim Janzen - Maximizing Your Use of GEDmatch

Richard Hill - Finding Family with DNA Testing: A Genetic Detective Story

Andy Lee - DNA Tree Building: What to Do When GEDmatch Matches Don't Respond

Maurice Gleeson - Using Y-DNA in Your Family Tree Research

All are well-known speakers and website is here familyhistoryfanatics.com/winterdna.

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Legacy Family Tree Webinars has announced their 2019 schedule.  You can see the lengthy press release here which is organized by “channel” or category. 

https://news.legacyfamilytree.com/legacy_news/2018/12/2019-legacy-family-tree-live-webinar-series-announced.html 

Press “Click here to register” to see the schedule by date.

Anyone can register for live webinars for free.  You can plan for the whole year and they will send you email reminders. 

From Thomas MacEntee at Genealogy Bargains:  Save 15% on a Family Tree Webinars Annual Membership: Regularly $49.95, pay just $42.46 when you use promo code thomas15 at checkout.  You will have access to over 800 archived webinars and over 100 new webinars in 2019.  Judith’s favorite paid features are access to the handouts (thousands of pages) and the playlist and resume features.  If you actually watch the webinars, this is the best genealogy education value anywhere.

Genies to talk about 2019

I love this time of year.  January is coming and with it a new year, a clean slate.  For Genies it's a time to look forward to what direction we want to take in the new year, individually and as a group. 

Will I have the same goals as last year or take a new approach?  What direction will my genealogy education take?  Am I looking for new blogs, podcasts, and YouTube channels or do my tried-and-true resources still serve me well?  Am I going out-of-town for conferences or to visit other genealogy groups?  Travel for research?  Time to start thinking about this.  Some of those ideas require planning ahead.

Looking for some ideas.  Go to the Ferndale Genies blog to see my goals from last year.  How? Click on the blue title of this post.  Take a look at last December in the Blog Archive on the lower left side.  The top of the list is this December.  Scrolling down you will find last December.  Some fun there is a  genealogy Christmas poem and further down a picture of a harried Einstein.

On Monday we will meet to ask ourselves these questions.  Of course, there will also be time to get help with research.

See you there!  1:00 pm at the Ferndale Library Meeting Room.  Doors open around 12:30 for setup and research help.

What's Up, Genies?

What’s up, Genies?  This is the holiday season but Genies don’t take a break.

Cheryl and I have hosted a few DNA work sessions and will schedule more on request.  Up to four additional people each time.  We answer questions and help you work hands-on with your DNA.  Let me know if you are interested.  Repeaters OK.

I will also do Getting Started sessions.  Good for Newbies and a good refresher.  Just ask. 

I'm interested in other topics you would like to cover in small groups or at our monthly Genies meetings too. 

For all these items, respond to Ferndalegenies at gmail dot com.

Here’s an update on moving your raw DNA to MyHeritage and being grandfathered in for free access to their DNA tools.  That’s been extended through Saturday, Dec 15.  After that they will announce new pricing.  Don’t wait until our Genies meeting.  Contact me for help if you need it. 

Whatcom Genealogical Society (WGS):   2nd Mondays, 2:00-3:30 or so.  Bellingham Elks Lodge at 710 Samish Way. Park around back and enter the lower level. 

Tomorrow  December 10 – Christmas Social – If you are able, please bring your favorite holiday treat to share with everyone. Free 1-year Subscription to “Family Tree Magazine” giveaway

Ferndale Genies Monthly Meeting:   3rd Monday, 1:00-3:30 at Ferndale Library.

Next meeting on Monday, Dec 17.  We will talk about our successes and plan for next year.

There will be ample time for questions and research.  Come prepared with questions and passwords.  Bring a computing device or plan to borrow a library laptop.

Future Genies Dates:  Two Holidays on 3^rd Mondays of Jan and Feb 2019.  Meetings changed to Fridays, Jan 18 and Feb 15.

Holiday Greetings from all the Genies!!