 When is it?
[02:58] <valorie> Nov. 3&4 according to the prospectus
[02:58] <valorie> how are you, @tsimonq2?
 Aw man, I'll be in Riga for the Ubuntu Summit or I'd totally join you
 I'm okay valorie :) how are you and yours?
[04:53] <valorie> very good! Just very busy
 If I wasn't busy it wouldn't feel right :)
[04:53] <valorie> I'm pres. of my genealogy society & VP of two others
[04:53] <valorie> for sure
 Nice! I've considered doing a test or something like that but am concerned about data mining.
[04:54] <valorie> DNA test you mean?
 How do you like it? Learn anything particularly interestingly?
 Yeah :)
[04:55] <valorie> well, I learn LOTS from DNA but I get the doubts about data mining
[04:55] <valorie> otoh what I do is data mining
[04:55] <valorie> doing research towards a book I'm starting
 I guess, where do you draw the line? I'd rather not have it end up in a government database :P
 Nice!
[04:56] <valorie> you are IN gov. databases
 It's always fascinated me how many descendents of Ghengis Khan there are...
 oh I'm sure they're watching XD
[04:56] <valorie> after going to India, they now have my iris scans
[04:56] <valorie> creepy
 ohhhhh that's right
 I almost forgot about the near-instant facial recognition :P
[04:57] <valorie> not sure which is worse - the gov. having the DNA, or the big corporations
[04:58] <valorie> but I'm all in anyway
 Is it mostly just categorization? How low-level does it go? Or is it mostly historical records and accounts?
[04:59] <valorie> well, I've been researching the records for many years, and finding cousins with whom I can collaborate
[05:00] <valorie> DNA gives evidence that we're barking up the right tree, so to speak
[05:00] <valorie> but people locate unknown parents etc. as well
 I'd imagine some of those records can be quite difficult to obtain
[05:01] <valorie> it's quite fascinating science
[05:01] <valorie> sure, what's online is a drop in the bucket
[05:01] <valorie> but the more ya research, the more you find
[05:01] <valorie> and there are lots of great archives, etc.
 My mom has a large book full of The Family Tree, I wonder if that's ever been digitized/recorded elsewhere
[05:02] <valorie> possibly yes
[05:02] <valorie> Wisconsin has an amazing collection
 We need to catch up one of these times at LFNW (or similar) :)
[05:03] <valorie> we had the head archivist speak to our society in June
 Oh wow!
[05:03] <valorie> Early American stuff - it's called the Draper Collection
[05:05] <valorie> zoom etc makes everyone accessible to everyone now
[05:05] <valorie> we have a member who attends from Aus. 
 Certainly - interesting stuff. Austin?
[05:05] <valorie> pretty damn cool
 Whoops, probably Australia, heh
[05:05] <valorie> no, Australia
[05:05] <valorie> lol
[05:06] <valorie> I don't think we have an Texans who attend regularly, but all around the country
[05:06] <valorie> including Wis. 
 How many members usually?
 I'd imagine more than a few at that rate
[05:08] <valorie> lower in the summer -- about 20 to 30
[05:09] <valorie> up to 50 for the almost weekly meetings, and more than that for speakers every month
 That's pretty cool - lots of experts?
[05:09] <valorie> I lead a lot of the meets, which is why I'm so busy
[05:09] <valorie> everybody has their own expertise and experience
[05:09] <valorie> just like here...
[05:10] <valorie> I've always wanted to make sense of my family which is what draws me to it
[05:10] <valorie> plus the solve the mystery aspect
[05:13] <valorie> plus it's super cool to see how the family is part of history
[05:14] <valorie> it's lovely to talk with you again 
[05:14]  * valorie heads back to yo-yo ma on the TV machine
 For sure :) take care valorie, keep me posted