Are you the kind who can laugh at his or her own foibles? If not,
you might want to stop reading here. If so, you're in for a treat.
One of my favorite genealogical writers, Beth Maltbie Uyehara, has released
a book called The Zen of Genealogy: The Lighter Side of Genealogy. Many
of you probably recognize her name from the (www.petuniapress.com) Worm's Eye View column she
writes for Missing Links. This new book is a collection of some of her best work and is further enhanced
by the entertaining artwork of Lois Jenek.
If you're familiar with Beth, you know that the hallmark of her writing style
is her ability to make you laugh out loud. A self-confessed "geneaholic,"
she dwells in a world all too familiar to those of us addicted to heritage-hunting.
And if you don't take yourself too seriously, you will probably recognize yourself
on every page. But don't take my word for it. Let me share a sampling of her
insights.
The World According To Beth
In How to Win Friends and Fascinate Your Relatives, she advises readers
how to captivate others with their genealogical exploits, but not before remarking
on the obvious attractions of our hobby:
Genealogy offers many attractions that continue to lure new converts to the
field, such as the thrill of wandering, lost, in an abandoned graveyard as night
falls and wolves howl in the gloaming . . . Or the delight of discovering -
in faded ink and really bad handwriting - that your great-grandfather was either
a "Prince Somebody," or a "Principle Suspect" or a "Pineapple
Soufflé" . . .Or the opportunity to spend every hard-earned vacation
minute in a musty library, squinting at medieval parish records written in a
long-forgotten Ukrainian dialect that has yet to be decoded.
EZ Duz It is Beth's recital of her slide into roots-seeking obsession,
complete with a quiz toward the end to see if you, too, might be in danger.
Among other telltale signs, she asks:
Home: Has genealogical paperwork taken over any room in your house?
Friends: Is genealogy interfering with your social life? Do people edge away
from you at parties when you burst into tears over the 1890 U.S. Census?
Family: Do you relatives stare into space and hum nervously when you explain
your latest research? Do you find dead people more fun than live ones?
Her essay about genealogical field trips, "Take the Last Train to Pottsville,"
allowed me to see myself through others' eyes when she related a conversation
about vacation plans:
"Where are you going this year?" someone asked me.
"Rhosllannerchrugog," I said. (Or, at least, that's what I hope I
said. My attempts to pronounce the Welsh double-el usually sound like what follows
when the dentist says: "rinse and spit." . . .
Silence ensued while my co-workers mopped up. When everyone was dry again, one
nervously asked, "And where might that be?"
"Near Mold."
A profound silence ensued. The people at the table chewed uneasily. Finally,
someone said, "Why are you going to . . . Mold?"
"To look at graves."
This resulted in a general stampede from the area.
When disappointed to learn that genealogy was not going to be recognized as
an Olympic sport even though Salt Lake City was chosen as the venue, Beth developed
her own list of outstanding genealogical performances in "Go For the Gold!"
My favorites include longest research marathon without a potty break and the
one-man lunge (diving for the last available copier). I must admit, though,
that I might be biased due to the fact that my own past performances in the
marathon event would undoubtedly guarantee me at least a bronze.
Additional commentaries include her experiences coping with her non-genealogically-inclined
spouse (appropriately called "That Poor Man") and, of course, her
"Ten Commandments of Genealogy," with profound guidance, such as "Thou
shalt start with thyself and worketh thy way backwards" and "Thou
shalt never leap back a couple of generations just because it sound-eth like
fun."
Take A Break
Yes, I know. You have countless forebears clamoring for your attention, piles
of data yet to be entered, websites to be surfed, and distant cousins to be
contacted. But I'm sure your ancestors won't object if you take a little time
to indulge yourself in a few chuckles about your quest for roots. You can snag
a copy of The Zen of Genealogy from The Shops@Ancestry.com
(Ed. Note: see today's product special and get it for $11.95), curl up with your
favorite beverage, and give yourself the night off. And if you find yourself
guffawing, why not grab another copy for that genealogical playmate you know
will see herself in Beth's words?
Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak, author of Honoring Our Ancestors (HOA)
and In Search of Our Ancestors, can be reached here.
Many of her past articles can be found here,
and information about her HOA grants can be found here.
Upcoming Events
In upcoming weeks, Megan will be at:
--- National Genealogical Society 2003 Conference
(28-31 May 2003, Pittsburgh, PA)
--- Lake Erie Chapter of the Carpatho-Rusyn Society
(1 June 2003, Erie, PA)
--- New Jersey Chapter of the Carpatho-Rusyn Society
(7 June 2003, Passaic, NJ)
--- BookEnds, book signing
(9 June 2003, Ridgewood, NJ)
--- Central Jersey Genealogical Club
(10 June 2003, Hamilton, NJ)
--- Westchester County Genealogical Society
(14 June 2003, White Plains, NY)
--- Genealogical Society of Rockland County
(14 June 2003, New City, NY)
Details and links to upcoming events
Ancestry Daily News
