GRIP 2012 Reveiw and GRIP 2013 Preview

GRIP 2012 offered four classes while GRIP 2013 will offer 6.  I believe that means that there will be room for 50-60 more students. 

GRIP 2013 (July 22-26, 2013) is offering the following classes. This information is taken from the GRIP brochure.

Intermediate Genealogy:  Tools for Digging Deeper with Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA. 

Skills for Proof with Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS.

Bridging the 1780-1940 Gap:  From New England to the Midwest with D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS.

Military Records: From Cradle to Grave with Craig R. Scott, CG.

Your Immigrant Ancestors' Stories: Writing a Quality Narrative with John P. Coletta, Ph.D., FUGA.

Advanced Research Tools:  Land Records with Rick Sayre, CG and Pam Sayre, CG, CGL.

Now, aren't you going to have trouble deciding which class to take?  More details will be on the GRIP web site (http://www.gripitt.org/) in the future.  (It may take Debbie and Elissa a little while to recover from this first one before they get everything up for 2013.)  Registration will be in February 2013. 

Cafeteria food is not my favorite.  But there was a very nice salad bar for both lunches and dinners.  Turkey sausage was offered some mornings.  I loved the steamed vegetables:  beans, carrots, and zucchini.  I also really liked the cooked spinach that was served.  And the sweet potatoes with orange were good.  The turkey for dinner one night was moist and, fortunately, there was some left over, I think, because turkey was added to the salad bar the next day.  Great!  Oh, yes.  And I can't forget to mention the desserts.  What a variety, every day. 

The LaRoche College campus is beautiful.  While there are slopes, none of them are too difficult to walk.  I didn't make it to the labyrinth this year but I hope to get there next year.   I also didn't go into the library.  The chapel is lovely as is the little garden in front of it. 

Suzanne, in the bookstore, was very helpful to me.  And the staff working around campus were all pleasant.  I never felt uneasy because the campus security was around and was visible, particularly in the evenings. 

I believe that photos of GRIPitt 2012 will be posted on the Institute web site: http://www.gripitt.org/ in the near future, so you'll be able to see some of the fun we had. 

Lastly, if any of you are hesitant to come to GRIP alone, without knowing any one, I would encourage you to come any way.  I didn't know anyone; I flew in by myself; I took a taxi to the college on Sunday (by myself).  And I went back to the airport with 2 other students.  I never ate by myself, even if I was the first one to sit down at a table.  So, don't hesitate to plan for GRIPitt 2013, even if you don't have a friend to go with you.