==================================================================== "HONORING OUR ANCESTORS: THE ZEN OF GENEALOGY," by Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak ==================================================================== 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"