Geneology Humor

[Mike Landi]

Pay attention to the words! :p

I'm My Own Grandpa (http://www.bmfgc.org/I%27m%20my%20own%20Grandpa.wmv)

[Dan in Saint Louis]

Pay attention to the words! :p

I'm My Own Grandpa (http://www.bmfgc.org/I%27m%20my%20own%20Grandpa.wmv)
Sly reference to that last night on "Big Love (http://www.hbo.com/biglove/episode/season2/episode15.html)." As I recall, the quote was "I'm my own grandma."

[Judy G. Russell]

Pay attention to the words! :p

I'm My Own Grandpa (http://www.bmfgc.org/I%27m%20my%20own%20Grandpa.wmv)That thing is one of the funniest pieces around (at least to a genealogist). I remember the first time I ran a relationship calculator between myself and David Baker, it said he was my fourth great grandfather. The second time I ran it, after adding more info to my genealogy program, it said he was my fourth great grandfather and my first cousin seven times removed. His wife, Dorothy Wiseman Baker, was my fourth great grandmother and my second cousin five times removed. Strange things that go on in families!

[Mike Landi]

That thing is one of the funniest pieces around (at least to a genealogist). I remember the first time I ran a relationship calculator between myself and David Baker, it said he was my fourth great grandfather. The second time I ran it, after adding more info to my genealogy program, it said he was my fourth great grandfather and my first cousin seven times removed. His wife, Dorothy Wiseman Baker, was my fourth great grandmother and my second cousin five times removed. Strange things that go on in families!
I saw that last night, and immediately thought of you and my FIL. I had to post it!

[Judy G. Russell]

I saw that last night, and immediately thought of you and my FIL. I had to post it!So your FIL is the family historian in your family? Terrific. Every family needs one... as well as a junior one in training! (I'm still looking for the junior one in my family...)

[Mike Landi]

My FIL does it as a hobby, but mainly on his branch of the family. He has not done much with any branch that I am in.

...I wonder why <g>

[Judy G. Russell]

My FIL does it as a hobby, but mainly on his branch of the family. He has not done much with any branch that I am in.

...I wonder why <g>The fact that you're an outlaw... er... in-law... might have something to do with it...

[Lindsey]

He has not done much with any branch that I am in.
Well, hey, be fair -- he didn't grow up with your branch of the family. That's one reason I spend a lot more time on my father's mother's family than any of the rest of my relatives -- they were the family I knew growing up. My mother's family lived on the other side of town, and we only saw them at Christmas and the Fourth of July. My father's father had very little to do with most of the rest of his family (he lost his mother when he was 9, and after his father remarried, he lived with a variety of aunts, uncles and cousins) and the only members of that family that I knew were a couple of my grandfather's cousins (on his mother's side) who lived down the street from us. But we never had family parties with those cousins. Except for the occasions when my mother's family came to visit, family parties were always my paternal grandmother's family. They're the family I feel closest to, and whose stories I know the best.

--Lindsey

[Judy G. Russell]

one reason I spend a lot more time on my father's mother's family than any of the rest of my relatives -- they were the family I knew growing up.In my case, it's a pretty easy choice: my father's family was in Germany; my father was born there. So my mother's side -- the born-in-the-US side -- was the obvious choice.

[Mike Landi]

The fact that you're an outlaw... er... in-law... might have something to do with it...
What's that old joke? No matter how nice you are to the in-laws, you're still the guy that is ****ing their daughter.

[Judy G. Russell]

What's that old joke? No matter how nice you are to the in-laws, you're still the guy that is ****ing their daughter.Too true. But then you're also the father of their grandsons, so...

[Lindsey]

In my case, it's a pretty easy choice: my father's family was in Germany; my father was born there. So my mother's side -- the born-in-the-US side -- was the obvious choice.
It does make it a little easier to do the research if you can stay on this side of the Atlantic -- and the documents are all in English!!

--Lindsey

[Judy G. Russell]

It does make it a little easier to do the research if you can stay on this side of the Atlantic -- and the documents are all in English!!I could even handle most of the German, if it wasn't handwritten. But even when it's not in the archaic script, I can't read most of the European handwriting! (I don't feel so bad. I asked Ralph to help out and he couldn't read most of it either!)

[Mike Landi]

Too true. But then you're also the father of their grandsons, so...

Irrelevant. The grandsons are theirs! I just provide transportation to and from their house. <ggg>

[Judy G. Russell]

Irrelevant. The grandsons are theirs! I just provide transportation to and from their house. <ggg>Hmmm... not much you can do to change that mindset!

[Mike Landi]

Hmmm... not much you can do to change that mindset!
<g>

I actually do get along with them, I just like to tease my wife about it.

[Judy G. Russell]

I actually do get along with them, I just like to tease my wife about it.What else are in-laws for if not to be the subject of teasing???

[Mike Landi]

What else are in-laws for if not to be the subject of teasing???
<g>

[Lindsey]

I could even handle most of the German, if it wasn't handwritten. But even when it's not in the archaic script, I can't read most of the European handwriting! (I don't feel so bad. I asked Ralph to help out and he couldn't read most of it either!)
The next time you are in Richmond, bring those postcards with you and stop in the Family History Center (Monument Ave near Libby) on a Wednesday night. There's a woman who volunteers there on Wednesday nights that is very good at reading German script, even in very odd hands. I don't know her name, but they can point you to her.

--Lindsey

[Judy G. Russell]

The next time you are in Richmond, bring those postcards with you and stop in the Family History Center (Monument Ave near Libby) on a Wednesday night. There's a woman who volunteers there on Wednesday nights that is very good at reading German script, even in very odd hands.I will try to remember that! But again some of this isn't a problem with German script as much as it is a problem with lousy handwriting!

[Lindsey]

I will try to remember that! But again some of this isn't a problem with German script as much as it is a problem with lousy handwriting!
I have seen her working on films that look to me to be all but unreadable, so it might be worthwhile to let her look at them, at least.

--Lindsey

[Judy G. Russell]

I have seen her working on films that look to me to be all but unreadable, so it might be worthwhile to let her look at them, at least.It certainly can't hurt, and since my niece and her partner are moving to Richmond so that the partner can go to VCU, I'll have a free place to stay the next time I go down there! (Except that they have dogs. Big not-well-trained dogs. Hmmm...)

[Lindsey]

(Except that they have dogs. Big not-well-trained dogs. Hmmm...)
Well -- at least dogs don't decide to play tag with each other in the middle of the night! :p

--Lindsey

[Judy G. Russell]

Well -- at least dogs don't decide to play tag with each other in the middle of the night! :p You can't blame the cats if you were sleeping in their playground! (Next time I'll give you the bedroom and I'll sleep in the playground/living room!)

[Lindsey]

You can't blame the cats if you were sleeping in their playground! (Next time I'll give you the bedroom and I'll sleep in the playground/living room!)
You know I'm just teasing. But gee, is there any part of a house that a cat doesn't consider to be its rightful territory?

At any rate, it is true that dogs sleep at night, like people. They don't go prowling around in the dark.

--Lindsey

[Judy G. Russell]

You know I'm just teasing. But gee, is there any part of a house that a cat doesn't consider to be its rightful territory?Errrr... no.

At any rate, it is true that dogs sleep at night, like people. They don't go prowling around in the dark.But a cat doesn't want you to walk him when it's 25 degrees and snowing either!

[Lindsey]

But a cat doesn't want you to walk him when it's 25 degrees and snowing either!
Good point!

--Lindsey

[Jeff]

Good point!

--Lindsey

4th of July party on main street in Durango CO. Cue the intrepid reporter...

"Soon David Tarr of Hermosa strolled by with his iguana Henry on a leash.

"The signs say no dogs but there's no rule about iguanas," he said.

Tarr explained that at 2 feet Henry was still a baby. He would grow to 6 feet. Henry is friendly and likes to be stroked. Accordingly, a queue of people stepped up to pet Henry, who isn't slimy at all."

[Judy G. Russell]

"The signs say no dogs but there's no rule about iguanas," he said.<shudder>