Saturday, February 29, 2020

Randy's RootsTech Recap - Day 2 (Thursday)

My first real day at RootsTech 2020 SLC was Thursday, 27 February.

I woke up around 7 a.m., got dressed, picked up the laptop, stopped at the coffee shop for oatmeal with raisins, and walked the 6 blocks (they are big blocks!) uphill to the Salt Palace.  It was cool out - about 35F, but I made it in time for the 8 a.m. session of the RootsTech 2020 Innovation and Technology Forum.  I reported on it in RootsTech 2020 Innovation and Technology Forum Summary.  I even took some photos in that forum.

After the forum, I headed to the Media Hub and found my usual spot in the back and plugged in laptop with all good intentions to write blog posts.  I grabbed a banana and some water, and was ready to blog!  After about five keystrokes I was inundated by geneabloggers and hangers on in the Media Hub for the next hour or so.  I finally managed to update the blog compendium.

At about 11:45 I headed out for lunch at the deli sandwich line in the Expo Hall - they moved it to the west side of the center.  I saw Pat and Gordon and ate lunch with them.

After lunch, I started my reconnaissance of the Expo Hall, and wound up back in the Media Hub by 1 p.m.  I mt with Jay Verkler for almost an hour talking about old times, family, genealogy and the future.  After greeting and chatting with more geneabloggers, I left at 3:15 p.m. for my meeting with Gilad Japhet of MyHeritage.  We talked about new and upcoming features on MyHeritage and also some family stories.

Back in the Media Hub at 4:30 p.m., I was reading blogs and answering email when Mark Olsen came by and asked if I wanted to go to the FamilySearch reception at the Family History Library.  I hd signed up for RootsTech too late to be on the invitation list, but Mark could bring a guest.  So we went, and had a great time.  It was just finger food, but it was dinner, including dessert!  The reception was over by 6:45 p.m. so I left and took the Trax back to the hotel.  With Trax I only have to walk two blocks instead of six blocks.

I spent the rest of the evening on the laptop, answering email, updating the blog compendium and the Best Of posts, and writing up the Innovation post.

Unfortunately, I forgot to take any other photos in the Expo Hall or anywhere else today, so I'll rely on my Facebook Friend and SDGS colleague Diane Gould Hall for this photo (courtesy of Diane) in the Media Hub:

And another photo from Thursday in the Expo Hall, courtesy of Alona Tester, pictured with Thomas MacEntee and myself:

Onward to Day 3 of RootsTech - Friday was very busy!!

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Copyright (c) 2020, Randall J. Seaver

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1 comment:

Linda Stufflebean said...

Congratulations, Randy, on your Geneabloggers Lifetime Achievement Award. :)