Obsession

It is an obsession.

Genealogy has taken over my life - again. Every day of research answers questions and raises more. Just in the last few days I have learned my grandfather went to Greece, got married, then returned to the US without his wife. That wife went to American alone a few months later. I am guessing visa issues.

I have also learned my mother, who had some indication she was born in 1931, could not possibly have been. Once she thought she was younger than my father, then she thought she was older, now I see she is, in fact, younger. I think this also means she is a year younger than she thinks she is. Relax, Mom, you are still in your 70’s after all.
This summer I found my dad’s birth certificate. That shows he is a day younger than he thought he was. All of this prompted my son to wonder if either one of his grandparents actually know when their birthdays are?

Along this genealogical line, there is Betty White’s big 9-0. In her honour I have decided to reframe my own birthday timeline. I am now defining myself as 31 years younger that Ms. White. That is a lifetime. We can all only hope to be as vibrant as she at that age. Heck, I am hoping to be that vibrant at 80 and given my family genes, my hopes have merit. So, defining myself as Betty minus 31, AKA a life time, makes me feel young. It also makes my parents Betty minus 10 for dad, 11 for mom. We are getting younger every day.

Back to the obsession – it turns out my friend Gail knows someone who may, in fact, be a cousin. How do I find out for sure? What else – Facebook. Early 20th century genealogy meets the 21st century.

All of this research is that it is quite exciting and totally rewarding. Work, currently, is not. They define insanity as repeating the same things over and over, even if you realize they are not working. Schools are like that. We do the same things over and over and what we do does not work. Why do we do them? Hmmmm.