QUOTE
ALONG THOSE LINES . . . "THE ADDICTED GENEALOGIST," by George G. Morgan
I spoke last week at the South Bay Genealogical Society in Sun City
Center, Florida, and at the Green Valley Genealogical Society in
Green Valley, Arizona. Each event was an all-day affair and drew over
150 attendees. While some genealogical societies are struggling to
recruit and retain members, both of these societies are obviously
doing something right! What they are doing is reaching out into the
community and letting people know they exist. They also sponsor high
quality, exciting events.
In one of my presentations I told the group that "I am a rabid
genealogist." I also told the attendees that genealogy is an
addiction, except there are no needle marks or other physical
problems. In "Along Those Lines . . ." this week, I want to test you
to see how many of the traits of an addicted genealogist you can
identify as your own. Be honest with yourself!
TEST YOURSELF
Answer these twenty-five questions with a "yes" or a "no" and then
rate yourself with the results at the end of the column.
1. Do you feel that you know many of your ancestors better than
members of your immediate, living family members?
2. Do most or all of your vacation trips involve genealogical
research, even at the risk of traveling hundreds of miles out of
the way?
3. Have you ever dragged your spouse and/or children through a
cemetery?
4. On such vacation trips, have you "dumped" your spouse and/or
children at a mall, given them money, and told them to amuse
themselves for four or five hours while you conduct research?
5. Are you on a first name basis with more than five genealogical
reference librarians?
6. Are you more proficient with searching library and archive
catalogs and the Internet for genealogical information than most
of your local librarians?
7. Have you ever bribed (or thanked) a genealogy librarian or
archivist with chocolate chip cookies, cheesecake, bon-bons, or
Godiva chocolates?
8. Have you ever sat at a microfilm reader so long that your eyes
were spinning in their sockets like the fruits on a Las Vegas
slot machine?
9. Have you ever bypassed eating lunch or dinner just because you
were making such headway, either in a library/archive or on the
Internet?
10. Does the trunk of your car contain hiking boots, galoshes,
coveralls, smocks, old shirts and trousers, insect repellent, a
trowel, and other tools just in case you have to make an
emergency stop at a cemetery?
11. Do you subscribe to more than five genealogical mailing lists or
regularly post to and check more than five online genealogy
message boards?
12. Have you spent $100 or more in the last year on genealogy books,
software, and/or archival supplies?
13. Have you spent $100 or more in the last year on photocopies
and/or for copies of vital records?
14. Have you called in sick to work or school because you were up
until the wee hours researching your genealogy in the
Ancestry.com databases and on other websites?
15. When you make a great discovery, do you turn around and celebrate
it by telling your dog(s) or cat(s) napping in your home office
all about it?
16. Are you the person in the family that everyone comes to in order
to find out more about the family history?
17. Are you the "accidental archivist" to whom everyone gives or
bequeaths the family papers, Bibles, and other heirlooms?
18. Are you a member of more than three genealogical societies?
19. Have you attended more than three seminars or conferences in the
last year?
20. Are you able to immediately recall the names, the locations, and
the vital dates of two or more generations of a family line and
to brag to another researcher exactly how far back, to the year,
you have traced your most distant line?
21. Is at least one room in your home unusable because your
genealogical research paperwork covers every surface?
22. Do you attend family reunions to pick your relatives' brains and
to find a younger relative who might become addicted and to whom
you could bequeath your research?
23. Does your car, truck, van, or SUV have a bumper sticker, license
plate holder, or window decal relating to genealogy?
24. Do you call relatives primarily for the reason of learning more
about the family history rather than to find out how they are
doing?
25. Have you personally researched in the basement or attic of a
courthouse or church for family records?
RATING YOUR ADDICTION
Pretty tough questions, eh? Well, go back and count your "yes"
answers and match the number of them with the list below.
1-5 - You're still a beginner and have a lot to learn, but there's
hope. Join a genealogical society ASAP.
6-10 - You qualify to list genealogy as a hobby. You can work up to
the next level by spending more time at the library or at an LDS
Family History Center.
11-15 - You're a dedicated researcher but you haven't thrown your
heart into it. You have to give up those frivolous social events and
PTA meetings and concentrate more fully on genealogy.
16-20 - You are definitely hooked, but you may still have some
modicum of personal and social life.
21-25 - You are definitely addicted and there is little hope for you.
You could attend GA (Genealogists Anonymous) meetings, and it
probably still wouldn't help. Give in to it, relax, and have a
wonderful time!
WE HAVE NO SHAME!
Now that you've answered-honestly--all the questions, be aware that
there is no shame in being an addicted genealogist. It's an honorable
and, yes, even respectable kind of addiction.
If you registered a mere 1-5, 6-10, or 11-15, we are confident that
you will soon join our addicted masses. Keep up the good work, and...
Happy Hunting!
George
ENDQUOTE
OK folks, be honest, what's your score ?
Davie
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on tow hands-on research is out of the question 
