Ensure that your spouse attends the longest sessions, regardless of content or quality. This will leave you with the maximum amount of “alone” time to relax, shop or have a few drinks.
- Arrive early for those sessions!
Arrive too late and you run the risk of discovering that the session is already full. You will then have to wander around the conference center, keeping your spouse company until the next session begins. That means less time for you to relax, shop or have a few drinks.
- Bring business or “business” cards.
Hand out your spouses business cards at every opportunity so that other genealogists know your partner is in town. With a little bit of luck, one or two of them will try to hook up for a few hours. That means more time for you to relax, shop or have a few drinks.
- Collect business or “business” cards.
If you find that your spouse is at a loose end between sessions or in the evening, pick out one of the business cards you have collected and casually mention that “X gave me their business card and mentioned something about a brick wall they need some help with...” Genealogists like nothing more than helping fellow enthusiasts, and if it’s a real doozy they may be gone for hours! That means more time for you to relax, shop or have a few drinks.
- Use your down time to visit the exhibit hall.
If you are not too busy relaxing, shopping or having a few drinks then, make sure to visit the exhibition areas and familiarize yourself with all doors, windows and emergency exits. Should you find yourself in the middle of a genealogy focused conversation then make use one of the exits to make good your escape. You are then free to relax, shop or have a few drinks.
Make sure to meet up with other people who, like you, have been dragged to the exhibition. You may find one or two people you actually get along with and can enjoy their company while relaxing, shopping or having a few drinks.
Social events are a great place to relax and have a few drinks.
You may be lucky enough to spend many hours relaxing, shopping or drinking. The last thing you want to do is to head back to the hotel because your clothes are uncomfortable. At the hotel you may bump into your spouse and that could lead to all sorts of complications!
- Sit by people you don’t know.
If people don’t know you then they will be unfamiliar with all of the techniques you have developed for escaping the conference.
You may have to make a quick getaway via a locked bathroom window, or a sealed emergency exit at the conference hall. A toolkit will come in very handy in such circumstances.
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