I opened my email this a.m. to a surprise. RootsTech 2013 was confirming me as a speaker. Now this piece of info was really interesting. I had indeed submitted the Paint preso (my thinking was no guts, no glory) but I had heard a while back that it wasn't accepted. They turned down about half of the submissions this year because they didn't have room in the schedule. I assumed I was in good company with others who had been disappointed. So this second email immediately raised my suspicions that something was up.
Since I'm in Florida and up early for work, I sent off emails to David and Devin--the two people to whom questions were to be directed--asking that they confirm that this email was correct. Like I said my sensors were on overload. Out of curiosity, I started clicking links to the speaker's website and they worked! I thought I can be honest or I can have lots of fun. Alas, I was honest. Besides I had to get to work.
Well neither David nor Devin answered me directly and a subsequent attempt to use the links (I had to try!) lead me to a page that said: If you're having trouble logging in, please email blah, blah, blah.
Then, at 2:19 EST, a most apologetic email arrived with the explanation that a piece of third-party software had messed up. The email included a promotional code that I can use to register for RootsTech 2013 at a reduced rate until 30 December.
Since I knew I wasn't presenting, I had checked out the RootsTech 2013 schedule and I didn't see anything that would tempt me to go. Truth be known, I'm still working on stuff I got from attending RootsTech 2012. Piling more on top with 2013 didn't seem like a reasonable plan. Also, I've been looking at other national conferences to see if they had anything that would cause me to part with dollars.
Anyway--the upshot of all of this is that for just a few brief foggy pre-coffee moments this a.m. I had the rush, I had the panic, I had the validation that one must get from the acceptance of a proposal made for a national/international conference. Maybe I'll have better luck next time.
Sorry to hear about the bad news. I'm skipping SLC this yea in favor of going to FGS in Ft. Wayne. Wanted to do NGS in Vegas (I think we'd have a blast!) But can't hardly swing FGS let alone both. So if you're planning to be at FGS let me know so we can get together. You've got my email :)
ReplyDeleteA friend and I have been looking closely at FGS in Ft. Wayne too. I'll keep you posted on my conference status (Go/No Go).
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