Twenty Tips for Living with the Obsessed Genealogist
Lauren Rogers
Me, Scooter Bug and Uncle Humphrey Stanwood in Bar Harbor, Maine – 2013. See tip #18 below. (In case you hadn’t noticed. I like the color pink. And Poodles.)
Once infected, always infected. There is no cure for the genealogy bug.
The ancestry.com subscription is non-negotiable. Pick your battles carefully.
Never, EVER throw away paper found on the office floor.
Food. Clothing. Shelter. Computer. The basics of life.
The rising and setting of the sun is meaningless to a genealogist. Plan on your family member climbing into bed long after midnight, and getting up before the sun rises.
Family vacations are not for the living. They are the search for the dead.
Remember, “I just need 15 more minutes” (to peruse the bookstore, get off the computer, or put away the old photo of Grandma Betsey) really means, “I’ll be done in another hour.” (My husband would argue another TWO hours.)
One can never have too many books.
The dining room table is not for eating.
The microwave oven is your friend. So are leftovers.
One answer leads to ten more questions. And delayed bedtime.
OMG is not necessarily a bad expression. Consider the context in which the phrase was uttered. (Hint: in the library is DEFINITELY a good sign.)
Master your facial expressions. Practice looking amazed and surprised in the mirror. You’ll need this when you listen to how the genealogist finally determined that great-great grandpa Ben’s brother Bert was married to Grandpa Ben’s wife’s Aunt Myrtle. No, not Lottie. She was Uncle Bert’s cousin and first wife. (Note: it is your response to the find, not the memory of the relationships, upon which you will be graded later.)
Completing your man cave is far less important than assembling the fourth set of bookshelves in the home office.
The savvy non-genealogist has mapped the roads to points of interest that do not have libraries, bookstores, or cemeteries.
Proper planning prevents poor performance. If you fail at #15, be prepared to kill an hour or two with alternate activities.
Suggestions of travel are never strictly for pleasure. Be prepared to kill a day or two with alternate activities if you find yourself abandoned for yet another genealogical conference.
Posing for a picture with a tombstone is perfectly normal activity.
You can never go wrong purchasing a second computer monitor as a birthday present or gift for Christmas.
Grandparents. Grandchildren. The very best gifts of all.
0 responses to “Twenty Tips for Living with the Obsessed Genealogist”
This reminds me of the day I overheard my teenage daughter and her friend looking at one of our family’s photo albums. “Why are there so many pictures of your family in cemeteries?” asked her friend. It gave me a chuckle to think about how strange that might seem to others who have not yet cultivated a curiosity about their ancestors…
Great list. I tell people I collect dead relatives. They reside in very nice peaceful places, they never show up uninvited, they don’t ask for money and they are very well behaved…..
LOL – love it! When we decided to move to the East Coast, people often asked if we have family nearby. My usual response is yes, lots – but they’re all dead!
No. 3, 4, 5, 13 and 18 had me laughing but 12 is hilariously true ! I got here via Randy Seaver’s blog and happy to discover your great wit and writings.
0 responses to “Twenty Tips for Living with the Obsessed Genealogist”
This reminds me of the day I overheard my teenage daughter and her friend looking at one of our family’s photo albums. “Why are there so many pictures of your family in cemeteries?” asked her friend. It gave me a chuckle to think about how strange that might seem to others who have not yet cultivated a curiosity about their ancestors…
So very true Barbara! I’m not sure many people “get” the cemetery fascination unless they are afflicted with our “bug.”
Great list. I tell people I collect dead relatives. They reside in very nice peaceful places, they never show up uninvited, they don’t ask for money and they are very well behaved…..
LOL – love it! When we decided to move to the East Coast, people often asked if we have family nearby. My usual response is yes, lots – but they’re all dead!
No. 3, 4, 5, 13 and 18 had me laughing but 12 is hilariously true ! I got here via Randy Seaver’s blog and happy to discover your great wit and writings.
Thanks, Magda! Glad you enjoyed it!
VERy funny and SOOO true!
Glad you enjoyed it Jacquie! Happy hunting!
Love it….and it is true! Very witty.
Thanks, Linda.
Excellent! This list is a keeper. Made me smile.