Long days, short nights, but worth it

As I'm sitting here late at night in a room far from home, I'm reminded of other nights long ago when something kept me up late. Back then it was one of two soft little bundles needing to be rocked to sleep and put to bed. Though the days of staying up late with my young daughters is long gone, I am up late with another of my babies. Even after a long day at the Lincoln Forum Symposium, I can't go to sleep until I've tucked my baby in bed. This time, though, the baby is a blog.

Lincoln Forum XIV
I'm at the 14th Annual Lincoln Forum Symposium in Gettysburg, my first. If you follow me on Twitter, you may already have a pretty good idea of today's activities. If you don't, I'll let you in a little on the fun.

I never get tired of learning new things about Lincoln, and today was no exception. I couldn't have asked for a more engaging lineup:

• Eileen Mackevich filled us in on the accomplishments of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission and, believe me, they're impressive.
• John Marszaleck reported on the U.S. Grant Papers. After hearing him speak, I know they're in good hands.
• Ron White used Lincoln's eloquence himself in his presentation, "Abraham Lincoln 2009: Wisdom for Today."
• Vernon Burton was as enthusiastic as always as he shared his "Age of Lincoln" talk.
• Catherine Clinton's "Mary Lincoln Reconsidered" entertained as only Clinton can. She's one spunky historian - and one of too few women writing about history.
• Lewis Lehrman hit the mark with his talk about the Peoria speech. "Lincoln at the Turning Point: From Peoria to the Presidency" even attracted a question from one of my Twitter followers.
• Daniel Weinberg led a great panel on Lincoln collecting, with Lewis Lehrman, Frank J. Williams, Norman Boaz and Don McCue
• English Lincoln scholar Richard Carwardine rounded out the evening with "Just Laughter: The Moral Springs of Lincoln's Humor."

I'll try to come back to some of these in more depth later, but I think I'll turn the baby in tonight and get some shuteye myself. Follow me on Twitter tomorrow. Tomorrow night's speaker is sure to be a crowd pleaser - one of my favorties and one who has brought joy to many others through the years. Tomorrow is another Amazing Abe Adventure. Hope you'll join me.