WorldWide Drilling Resource

Then very recently, my cousin (on my father’s side) had her DNA tested for ancestry. I had looked into doing it over a decade ago, but decided it cost too much. S he told me the cost had come down, so I acquired a test kit and sent in my sample. I was so excited and looking forward to learning of my Native American ancestry and vindicating - authenticating - my moth- er’s belief. The results arrived shortly thereafter. I’m so disappointed. I’m 100% European; and unless there are errors, or something I don’t understand about DNA testing, then Mom is too. This leaves unsolved the mystery of why Mom was so convinced she was part Cherokee. I believe I have learned the answer to that. Ida’s great-great-grandfather immigrated to America in the mid-1700s and settled in Virginia. His son, Ida’s great-grand- father, moved to eastern Tennessee in 1810. This area of eastern Tennessee was populated with many Cherokee people. He settled in the same valley where Sequoyah, who created the Cherokee alphabet, lived. They probably knew each other. Two of his sons married Cherokee women, which meant the family had a great deal of contact with the Cherokee people. My mother’s mother grew up in the same farmhouse her great-great-grandfather had built. I surmise my mother, when she was a little girl, heard the stories of how her family closely interacted with Native Americans, and from there the fantasy of her grandmother being half Cherokee grew into a sincere belief. It’s weird to believe something for most of my life, then find out it’s untrue. I guess I’ l l have to resign myself to being mostly Scottish, but I’ll always feel an affinity with the Native American people. Robert Robert is an author, humorist, and innovation consultant. He works with companies that want to be more competitive and with people who want to think like innovators. For more information on Robert, visit ww.jumpstartyourmeeting.com or contact him via e-mail to michele@ worldwidedrillingresource.com 24 OCTOBER 2017 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® Wilson cont’d from page 12. The 5th Global Geothermal Energy Summit presented by ACI (Active Communications International) will take place in Amsterdam, Netherlands, November 29-30, 2017. To maximize the expansion of geothermal utilization, the conference will give the latest updates on the global geothermal energy market, along with new developments. This two-day event will showcase new techniques and provide key insights into opportunities, challenges, trends, and policies through expert presentations, inter- active sessions, and discussions with practical examples of planning, financing, and strategies shaping the future of geothermal energy production and usage. Additional information at http://www.wplgroup.com/aci/event/global-geothermal-energy-summit/ Where are you planning to go? How about including these shows: See more events at www.worldwidedrillingresource.com online issue. Join WWDR The 18 th Pennsylvania Drilling and Blasting Conference is set for November 16-17, 2017, at The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel in State College, Pennsylvania. All underground and surface blasters, engineers, suppliers, as well as other drilling, blasting, and explosives professionals are encouraged to attend. The gathering provides continuing education on topics such as cost savings practices, improved fragmentation, vibration control, safety, and regulatory compliance. Exhibits will be open throughout the event, showcasing new products, developments, and services available to the drilling and blasting industries. Go to http://blasting.outreach.psu.edu/ to register. 18th Pennsylvania Drilling and Blasting Conference