An Ode To Summer Loves: WLIA President's Message
Above: Robert Noble (a Washington Island Ferry), Door County
When you are WLIA President, time can act funny.
Last time I wrote in this space, I spoke in football metaphors promoting the 2024 WLIA Annual Conference. Suddenly, seven months have passed and I’m well overdue to share the cool things that WLIA members and the board of directors are doing this year! Going forward, I want to provide a series of short messages, hopefully monthly, to shine a light on the aspirations and accomplishments we have as a Land Information community. Let’s see how many things try to distract me in the meantime!
Lovin’ Those Summer Virtual Workshops!
School’s been out for a while, but it’s no time to stop learning! We have two great workshops for you to quickly (and cheaply) update your skill set before everyone else hits the books in the fall. These workshops are available for both live participation and as recordings for all registrants.
Visualize Your Work, Experience Flow and Find Solutions (Presented live Thursday, August 22, 1-4 p.m. with intros at 12:30 p.m.): Those of you looking to better manage your “to do” lists in work and life will love this 3-hour tour presented by public service GISer and Lean and Agile guru Tim Nolan. Register
NG911: What Happens Next? (Presented live Thursday, August 29, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.): You know you need to consider how to maintain your local Next Generation 911 (NG911) deployment! Cole Sutton, a seasoned NG911 data expert with Pro-West & Associates, Inc. is going to be a great guide as you sail your network toward maintenance mode. Register
There is a separate registration for each workshop, so be sure to register for each of them here! (Visualize Your Work & NG911) Also, kudos to Jennifer Borlick and Kimberly Christman for finding and recruiting these workshops!
Above: Somewhere on Washington Island, Door County
Making Space To Love Life (& Summer)
It’s dreadfully easy for me to get my attention warped, whether by work or other distractions. I think this is true for most of us as we try to navigate project deadlines, home responsibilities, goals, dreams, people, and apparent successes and setbacks. Despite my persistent travel itch, it’s difficult to stop and take full breaks from work and WLIA (when you obsess over Geography, your “work” can be literally everywhere). You can imagine your own effects of feeling unable to step away from your responsibilities; I stumble through mine sometimes.
Last weekend, some exploration-minded friends got me to venture to Door County for the first time since 2018 (remember that great Fall Regional in Sturgeon Bay?!). I didn’t get to fully separate from the grind, but I did get to lean into some of my good friendships and engage with some different mapping stimuli that give me joy. While I have more recharging to do, I think it’s important for all of us to get away when we can and connect with those people and things that add purpose and inspiration to our lives.
It’s August already, folks! Get out there and enjoy some time where you can and get rested-up to tackle your next great goals (did someone say football season is coming?)!
Stay great, get ahold of me anytime, and I hope to see y’all somewhere soon!
Colter
Colter J. Sikora
President, Wisconsin Land Information Association
Two more reasons for me to get away for a bit, named
Rosie and Fang (neither live up to their names)!