Now

What Denyse Allen is working on right now (updated January 14, 2025)

RootsTech 2025 is just 50 days away and I'm in hustle of getting my presentation ready. RT gives us slide templates to work with which is a huge relief. Picking the design for the slides is more stressful than picking the outfits I'll wear.

I'm planning a dress rehearsal on Zoom so I can run through some parts of the content to make sure it is clear and engaging. I don't want to bore people nor do I want to be too conceptual. The one difficulty is my topic, AI. I chose to present on using ChatGPT as a writing coach, but using screen shots is going to be hard since it is ever changing. Even what it is capable of doing changes on a weekly basis. So I'll be starting with the concept of what a coach is, setting a goal and standards for oneself and then moving on to the tool. At least that is the plan now, but I may just change it.

2024 finished strong with 11 more genealogists joining the PA Ancestors Membership. The centerpiece of the membership is the Discover Your Pennsylvania Ancestors Workshop which is now all online and updated. I keep thinking I want to do more videos with it, but not sure it is necessary. The funny thing about AI, which supposedly has all the knowledge of human existence, it still doesn't know much about Pennsylvania genealogy or local history. AI can give the broad strokes and general tips, but my brain is still the better source.

Inspired by Derek Sivers Now page on his site https://sive.rs and my own desire to be public about what I am working on.