The Shredded Fabric ...

of our past.

Genealogy is too often confused with Geology, and nearly always misspelled in haste. The most serious side effects suffered by dead relly hunters are false euphoria and/or confused despair, followed by restless nights, blinding headaches or total apathy, which comes on most frequently from listening to some friend or neighbor drone on about their thoroughly boring relatives. Listening to another's account of their family history is as good as an Ambien/brandy if your own ancestors are keeping you awake nights.

The search for one's roots can be as inexpensive as carrying a pencil and a notebook everywhere one goes or as costly as one cares to afford, from trips to foreign lands to tromp derelict cemeteries and musty old record books, to hiring a professional researcher.

The common trait "genie" enthusiasts share is dogged determination that borders on OCD. Shaking the family tree will nearly always bring out the nuts, past or present. When we can't find what we want with patient reseach, we'll attack other researchers for their shoddy methodology, throw up our hands in disgust at sloppy Census enumerators or record keepers. Damn the family who didn't KEEP a bible and pass it reverently down through the ages. What WERE they trying to HIDE anyway?

Every genie buff knows how to spell blank wall too. Check any one of the thousands of message boards if you don't believe me.

When you consider searching for your family history as a hobby, consider this: Knitting slippers for chickens is easier, and sometimes just as satisfying.