Lu Goes to RootsTech 2018

As promised, Lu Ann M. Pillar, aside from all the excitement of being at RootsTech, contacted us to let us what a great time she was having. We are so appreciative of her and her effort. It was great getting to know her through the experience. I am especially happy to have made a friend.
                                                                                                                                --- Robin R. Foster

Lu Ann M Pillar

Oh my gosh, I'm having so much fun and learning so much.  Thank you so much for admission!  Some of the top favorite moments so far have been:

Scott Hamilton! He is very inspiring and a really good guy!  He's always been an elegant skater, full of fun and joy, let alone amazing moves. Oh, the backflips he's done on ice began right here in SLC! His life's story is so heart warming, even though it's filled with sadness and tragedy.  I felt a personal connection, being a positive person myself, but felt re-inspired to remind myself of my many good fortunes having listened to him. He makes one walk away feeling better about the world.

Thomas MacEntee is always extremely helpful, and yesterday's class "Did I get everything?" did not disappoint. He is another generous and witty human being. I've never had the courage to do a do-over with him, but I might, given his intensive record keeping process.  Will I do it right? Maybe, but I'll surely do it better.

Today, Angela McGhie's class "Alternative Sources for Vital Records" was particularly helpful.  I have a great grandmother who's birth record burned in a fire in Cuyahoga County, OH and she gave me several ideas that might help.

Currently, I'm sitting on floor charging my phone in order to get a "selfie" with Scott Hamilton in the Expo later!  I'm also looking forward to tomorrow's keynote, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. 

When planning for this trip, I thought I'd sneak out of the Conference to get to the FHL for a little research, I mean, it's BLOCKS away.  Maybe during lunch tomorrow, but I'm not really sure I'll be able to leave until the exact time to catch my flight.  So many classes, so many people, so little time!

PS: I was too late to selfie w Scott Hamilton as the line had been cut off for some time. Lesson 1: If something is a priority, go early and be willing to stand in a line. (The crowds make that an obvious lesson, but I am slow to accept the reality, lol.) Instead, I'm in Curt Witcher's class "An Ancestor's Death: A Time for Reaping" and hope to gain insights for some of the more reclusive actors' final scene.

I got to shake Professor Gates' hand today, after listening to his story of a lifelong interest in tracing his roots. He is an estimable man, for sure. He is doing good things in the world, uniting us all through DNA. The attached pic is all I could manage.