Friday, March 11, 2011

Genealogists Anonymous

Hi, my name is Janice, and I like to talk about genealogy.  ("Hi, Janice!")

I love genealogy, but I didn't realize just how much I talked about it until recently.  Of course, my friends were the ones who let me know.  But they didn't come right out and say so.  They made it sound like a positive thing.

"Gee, Janice, I've really been learning a lot from listening to you.  It's almost like taking a class."

"A friend of mine was talking about starting to work on her genealogy, and I remembered some of what you had told me, so I told her."

"I decided I'd ask you, because you're always talking about this stuff, so I figured you should know something."

But I could tell.  They were trying to be nice.  They were really just saying, "You talk a lot about genealogy."

I don't really mean to do it.  It just sort of happens.  Something in a conversation gets me thinking about genealogy, and off I go.

Almost anything can do it.  Someone can mention a country for which I've researched records, or a city where I've visited a repository.  It might be a story about a favorite relative.  Or the really loaded question:  What have you been doing lately?

The next thing I know I've spent an hour talking about the research I've been working on lately, or the latest class I took.  I don't always notice the glazed eyes.  But my friends are polite and put up with me, and sometimes even encourage me with questions.

Is there a 12-step program for genealogy addicts?

4 comments:

  1. Oh, dear. I recognize myself in this. It's just that so many things make me think of genealogy.... Bet a lot of people are shocked to see how close this is to their experience!

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  2. And it's even worse when it's two genealogy addicts together, isn't it?

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  3. You know you've found another genealogy addict when you do the genealogy happy dance, and the other person "gets" it.

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  4. It's particularly nice when you get to do the genealogy happy dance together, because the information you just found is relevant to both of you!

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