Runners run, programmers program, writer write - - or blog. What is the value in a blog? To merely capture the ramblings of a simple life, hoping that an audience will come and applaud? Is it a stage, or is it an informational arena? I love finding new blogs that really interest me and capture my attention, but they are few and far between. Considering I have taken myself off of the lecturer's circuit for the next three years while I plow through even more schooling, I am definitely not writing with the intent of reaching a large audience. In truth, I have many blogs aside from this one, but not one exists with the intent of reaching a large audience.
I have seen blogs that sell jewelry, blogs that showcase photography and artwork, blogs that document the life of a Teddy Bear, and blogs that depict rust and decay as a beauty of nature. Each blog is a window into the mind of what is most important or at least reasonably significant, to the blogger. What makes a work blog significant? Well, for one, if you want my job, this might be interesting to you. Second, if you want to know what I know, this might be interesting to you. Third, if you want to know the inner workings of my mind, or what I do in my spare time - well, that is another blog entirely.
What do I do, you may ask? I am a community manager, and a product manager in training, a computer programmer in training, a certified and accredited professional genealogist with 17 years of experience, a genealogical and technical lecturer, and a I am a professional meeting attender.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Kudos to FamilySearch
We just received a "Hurrah for FamilySearch!" note from a young mother of five. When we started this thing, young mothers were (and to an extent, still are) the focus of many of my efforts to make accessible the products we create. This young Family History Consultant was so excited, because she could teach others how to do Family History without bogging them down with the technicality and time previously required to do research. Several months ago, I showed my nephew one of the versions of FamilySearch, and he blasted through our family tree with ease! Read the whole story. . .
Well, work on our current array of products is going well. I have been working hard to learn various dimensions of the development field, however, it seems that the more I learn, the less intelligent I become. I have the opportunity to work with Diane Loosle who is a brilliant manager. If you have never interfaced with her, you are missing out. She has a clear depth of understanding and clarity that is simply astonishing, and I love learning from her. I also have the opportunity of working with Allen Tietjen, an unbelievably magnificent product manager who is capable of maneuvering through a minefield of development obstacles and deadlines like a legendary military general. Truly, his leadership will go down in FamilySearch History.
So those are the great leaders at the helm of this ship, and manning the ship (or managing the ship) are my outstanding and admirable colleagues, who I often look at with awe and think, Really? I really get to work with him, or her? Michael Ritchey, father of the FamilySearch Research Wiki, innovator extraordinaire, and precision strategist. Alan Mann, famous educator, lecturer, and technologist, and one of the far-reaching minds that, with Herculean strength and effort, lifted FamilySearch out of the stack of books and CDs and onto the Internet. Fran Jensen, mastermind of everything we forgot. Nothing would be complete unless she could slice through it with her razor-sharp intellect. She thinks through problems with the precision of a surgeon. Darin Hakes, who humbly forgets just how good he is at thinking beyond the fluff, and into hard-and-fast purpose. Darin has been a prominent and gifted manager in delivering our online courses and webinars. Mollie Forbes, skilled equestrian and library assistant-turned-technical genius, who almost single-handedly gave the genealogical community a place to communicate in the FamilySearch Forums. What would we do without her spark and smile each day? Brent Summerhayes, master of all that is Family History Consultant, driving the roll-out of FamilySearch throughout the Church worldwide, and advocate for consultants around the world. Finally, who can question the value of the value of our well paired Wiki, Forums, and Library PM, Jim Greene, and our highly motivational Project manager, Kip Enger? Without diminishing the excellence they pour into their jobs and into their lives as some of the most remarkable men I know, Jim and Kip often give us the pleasure of sharing with us their brilliant humor. You may have had the pleasure of sharing in one of Jim's enthusiastic FamilySearch presentations, however, it is still my hope to have a Kip join him on the stage, one of these days.
How silly of me, I cannot forget our amazing secretary, Sister Betty Jo Rollins. She is such a savior to us! What would we do without her! I am so glad that her twin sister went on a mission so that we would have the opportunity to have her as our personal miracle worker!
Well, that sums up my immediate dream team, not to mention a whole slough of brilliant minds that we get to beg, steal, and borrow for our online adventures. I couldn't ask for better compadres on the frontier of the wild, wild world of Wikis and Web 2.0. Oh, and welcome to my blog!
AR
Well, work on our current array of products is going well. I have been working hard to learn various dimensions of the development field, however, it seems that the more I learn, the less intelligent I become. I have the opportunity to work with Diane Loosle who is a brilliant manager. If you have never interfaced with her, you are missing out. She has a clear depth of understanding and clarity that is simply astonishing, and I love learning from her. I also have the opportunity of working with Allen Tietjen, an unbelievably magnificent product manager who is capable of maneuvering through a minefield of development obstacles and deadlines like a legendary military general. Truly, his leadership will go down in FamilySearch History.
So those are the great leaders at the helm of this ship, and manning the ship (or managing the ship) are my outstanding and admirable colleagues, who I often look at with awe and think, Really? I really get to work with him, or her? Michael Ritchey, father of the FamilySearch Research Wiki, innovator extraordinaire, and precision strategist. Alan Mann, famous educator, lecturer, and technologist, and one of the far-reaching minds that, with Herculean strength and effort, lifted FamilySearch out of the stack of books and CDs and onto the Internet. Fran Jensen, mastermind of everything we forgot. Nothing would be complete unless she could slice through it with her razor-sharp intellect. She thinks through problems with the precision of a surgeon. Darin Hakes, who humbly forgets just how good he is at thinking beyond the fluff, and into hard-and-fast purpose. Darin has been a prominent and gifted manager in delivering our online courses and webinars. Mollie Forbes, skilled equestrian and library assistant-turned-technical genius, who almost single-handedly gave the genealogical community a place to communicate in the FamilySearch Forums. What would we do without her spark and smile each day? Brent Summerhayes, master of all that is Family History Consultant, driving the roll-out of FamilySearch throughout the Church worldwide, and advocate for consultants around the world. Finally, who can question the value of the value of our well paired Wiki, Forums, and Library PM, Jim Greene, and our highly motivational Project manager, Kip Enger? Without diminishing the excellence they pour into their jobs and into their lives as some of the most remarkable men I know, Jim and Kip often give us the pleasure of sharing with us their brilliant humor. You may have had the pleasure of sharing in one of Jim's enthusiastic FamilySearch presentations, however, it is still my hope to have a Kip join him on the stage, one of these days.
How silly of me, I cannot forget our amazing secretary, Sister Betty Jo Rollins. She is such a savior to us! What would we do without her! I am so glad that her twin sister went on a mission so that we would have the opportunity to have her as our personal miracle worker!
Well, that sums up my immediate dream team, not to mention a whole slough of brilliant minds that we get to beg, steal, and borrow for our online adventures. I couldn't ask for better compadres on the frontier of the wild, wild world of Wikis and Web 2.0. Oh, and welcome to my blog!
AR
Monday, October 26, 2009
Purpose of this Blog
Come visit to hear my ramblings about work, new technology finds, and genealogical tips, tricks, and discoveries.
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