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RootsTech 2016

I got to go to RootsTech this year!  RootsTech is the largest family history conference in the world, sponsored mainly by FamilySearch.  I went so I could learn more about how to do a better job finding some of our family ancestors.

I went on Thursday, February 4.  It was the second day of the conference.  I was supposed to leave my house at 7:15 so I could catch the 7:30 train up to Salt Lake.  Sadly I left just 2 or 3 minutes late and I missed the train.  We drove up as it was pulling away.  What I should have done is had my husband drop me off, and then just stayed there and waited for the next train in 30 minutes.  But the weather was pretty cold, in the teens, and standing in the cold for 30 minutes was not appealing.

What we ended up doing was driving to Draper and dropping me off at the TRAX station which took me into Salt Lake.  I got there about the same time that I would have if I waited for the next train.  But it definitely took a bite out of my husband's day to drive me to Draper so I felt bad about that.




I made it in time to hear most of the first session of the morning.  My favorite speaker in that session was Bruce Feiler.  He spent some time talking about something I blogged about a while ago: http://viewingmountains.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-do-you-know-scale.html.  What's kind of funny about this post was it was based on the post of a different blog which was referencing Bruce Feiler's book, The Secrets of Happy Families.  In that post, I said I wasn't sure if I was going to read that book or not based on the mixed reviews.  However, when I saw Bruce Feiler as a speaker for RootsTech back in December, I decided to read it.  Here's my very brief review:  it's a pretty good book with a chapter or two you could skip.  I wouldn't mind if he were a little more religiously-oriented.  I liked his ideas on coming up with a family mission statement.

During lunch, I went into the Expo Hall.  I had planned to bring a family book that I wanted scanned, but I forgot to bring it so that was too bad.  The Expo Hall was full of companies that were exhibiting their products.  I found it a little overwhelming.  There were just so many.  I did find out about a free family history game that I want to try with my kids called:  Geneopardy.  It's a free app here:  https://geneopardy.fhtl.byu.edu/.


I also checked out this company:  https://familychartmasters.com/.  They have some really nice products and I might use them on future gift-giving occasions.

In the afternoon, I went to some classes that I enjoyed, mostly giving search tips for how to find more ancestors and family members on the internet.  There are a ton of resources out there and the classes seemed pretty helpful.  I also went to a DNA class and decided we definitely need to get my husband's DNA tested.  I'll probably do it through the company who taught the class on it, FamilyTree DNA.  They seem to have the largest database which is pretty important.


I'm glad I went but I have to admit, I'm feeling a little bit intimidated by my family history and I haven't done anything on it since I got home from RootsTech.  Too many other things have been competing for my time.  But I'll get to it eventually!

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