Really!!! Isn't it considered rude to answer a question with a question, I thought to myself as I looked the 'Professional Genealogist' in the eye and said....
"I think I am the 17th Great Granddaughter of the Queen of Scotland."
Her pupils dilated, she bit her lip and her eye began twitching as she replied, "Uh huh, and I am descended from a Pope".
OMG!!! She thinks I'm some kind of nut job, I thought as my heart raced and my left eye twitched. I bit my lip, furled my eyebrows, peered over the rims of my specs, and retorted...
"When Pigs Fly".
"Exactly".
Another gale of laughter and uncontrollable flow of tears streamed down both of our faces, as I took the tissue, dabbed my eyes and handed her the photo of my Great Great Grandfather Rene. "I thought his given name Rene was unusual for a man from the deep South and after ruling out his paternal namesakes, I found another Rene on his mother's side of the family. He was named after his mothers grandfather".
After sharing the rest of my confirmed research which ended at Plymouth Rock, I left the 'ProGenealogist' a 'cheek swab' and a down payment toward the search and confirmation of my 'Queen Genes'.
Two weeks later a package arrived with this book and accompanying note....
Genealogicus Vulgaris Disease...A chronic mental disorder usually contracted in mid and late adulthood, though occasionally found in teenagers. Disorder is characterized by a strong desire to conclusively identify every member of a family.
Sufferers enjoy reading obituary columns and frequent trips to cemeteries. Physical symptoms include: an involuntary twitch when the word "ahnentafel"* is mentioned in casual conversation, dilated pupils and increased heart rate when passing local libraries or state archives, sweaty palms in the presence of a microfiche.
Only known cure is death, which must be proven with the appropriate certificate.
EXACTLY!!!
*ahnentafel...genealogical numbering system for listing a person's direct ancestors in a fixed sequence of ascent. Wikipedia link.
LOVE the post, awesome family photo's. I too love genealogy. I've done any in awhile. Having some compatibility issues with my software...don't want to upgrade, partially due to the cost and partially because I like the older versions better. Haven't done the DNA thing, not sure I will, though a cousin did and it seems to say she's Scandinavian...way back, which is weird based on our shared research. What software do you use? Are you a member of Find A Grave?
ReplyDeleteTraveling Suitcase A-Z
could you please leave the url to your actual blog post instead of your google+page, that way I don't have to click multiple times to get to your blog...much like my comment, you click once on the hyperlink and you're at the blog post, not my profile page...thanks
<a href="
Using the weekend to catch-up on A-Z.
ReplyDeleteOh I laughed and laughed at the end. I'm going to have to forward this to a friend I know who needs to read that last bit !!!
Liz at Bead Contagion
lol this is awesome. I know some people in my family with this disease.
ReplyDeleteBrandon Ax: Writer's Storm
Ok, you made me laugh out loud and that's not normally something I do. I have family members also affected by the disease but in our family, even a current death certificate may be incorrect or incomplete. We can't do any records right. I wonder if there is a name for that? Thanks for making my day.
ReplyDeletehttp://yeakleyjones.blogspot.com/
Queen genes, good phrase!
ReplyDeleteMy stepmother was tracing her family and we were rather struck by the timings of several marriages compared to birth certificates- quite a few brief gestations! :-)
Lisa at Wishbone Soup Cures Everything
Hahaha, this is awesome!! I love finding out about family genealogy but I'm not QUITE that obsessed, lol. :) Thanks for sharing! Stopping by from the A to Z -- I'm at http://jaimieramsey.com. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm all for rummaging through old graveyards...only in search of the truth, though. *wink, wink*
ReplyDeleteGVD is highly time consuming and not compatible with OWFDN (over-right-first-novel-of-draft) disease. Pick one, cure the other and good luck!