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From: Lauren Boyd <>
Subject: [STEWART] Article of Interest: "HONORING OUR ANCESTORS: THE ZEN OF GENEALOGY," by Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak
Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2003 22:22:20 -0700
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"HONORING OUR ANCESTORS: THE ZEN OF GENEALOGY,"
by Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak
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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 "Worm's
Eye View" column she writes for Missing Links
(http://www.petuniapress.com ). 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 Souffle" . . .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
(http://www.ancestry.com/rd/prodredir.asp?sourceid=831&key=P3300), 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?
____________________________________________________________________
Copyright 1998-2003, MyFamily.com Inc. and its subsidiaries.
Reprinted with permission from "Ancestry Daily News"
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