I am a "Genealaddict"?

[Nadine Moore]

Not sure if this is the right board but had to share.

Took my mum to a funeral today. Not a close family member but the husband of my Aunt's sister in law (He was married to my Aunt's husband's sister).

Anyway, we are sitting in the church listening to the reverend talk about him and each were given a small order of service booklet with his dates of birth & death on. My immediate thought on receiving this was "must put it away as it could be an offshoot to one of my tree branches".

If that wasn't bad enough, I suddenly find myself quietly rummaging in my bag for a pen. "Why?" you might ask - because the Rev had just told us all when this couple married and I wanted to make a note of it before I forgot. Again, just to add to my possible tree branch in the future.

Luckily, no-one else saw me and mum was very understanding.

Am I now a true GenealAddict and do I need professional help??

Nadine

[MaryA]

Sounds perfectly normal to me 

Mary

[MrsLizzy]

Yep, nothing wrong with that.  I am the same, Dinie, I just have no shame whatsoever. 

[old rowley]

your not alone on this one Nadine, I was once "caught" writting down the four middle names of an aunt (it was her funeral that I was attending) from the chapel service order (well............... no one had ever thought of telling me she had four middle names.....that was my excuse anyway).........

old rowley

[Nadine Moore]

  Thank you one and all, I knew you would all understand me. 

I just wanted to be sure I was normal in this as this was my first time but, I fear, not the last

Nadine

[MarieC]

LOL!! 

Have just been contacted out of the blue by someone who's a very distant relation by marriage - not a proper relation at all - and here am I filling him in on family details, visiting his website for a look around, etc.  Didn't occur to me that this is all a bit strange and remote!

Perhaps I should invite him to join all of us genealaddicts on Rootschat!! 

MarieC

[kerryb]

Seems perfectly normal behaviour to me! 

Funerals can be very interesting, I learnt more about my grandad, in particular his service record at his funeral than I ever knew while he was alive.  He was a very private man.

Kerry

[CarolBurns]

I used to absolutely hate funerals - so much emotional energy for me to cope with. If you start crying I join in and I don't even know why! It just happens. So at funerals I cry for everyone.

BUT now that I have started the Family research I can cope with them and find out information with pen and paper in one hand and tissue (soggy at that) in the other. You can tell the researchers in our family (there are quite a few as it is a large family (13 on Grandad's side and 11 on Grandmothers and then all their children and grandchildren and GG's as well) as we all keep the roll of service and end up sitting in a corner talking about the info we have all found since our last meeting. All anecdotes are shared and we all have a keen eye for new faces.

I know it is a terrible thing to do at a funeral but it does lighten the mood for everyone. You would be surprised at how many people join in the conversation with their little piece about the person and other family members

So Dinie - you are not alone and definitely not needing help of any kind except from others like yourself right here in Rootschat

Carol

[Simon G.]

I know it is a terrible thing to do at a funeral

Not really a terrible thing.  I think it's nice...gives people a chance to exchange stories, and remember the good times everyone's had with the deceased.

Much better than the inevitable arguement that always breaks out in every funeral between my uncle and his cousin.