Genealogy Research - a favorite thing!
Mood:  a-ok
I love family history research! My father was adopted at age 2, and at 62 his family found him! That was in 1977, and that started me on my research. It is like a big jigsaw puzzle, and a mystery rolled into one. So far I have gone back many generations on both sides of the family, and completed a 400 page book for the family, on my husband's side. I could not believe how great the Internet is for researching! For the first 20 years I sat in libraries, ruining my eyes with microfilm and sending out dozens of inquiries. In a way, it irritates me a little that it is so much easier by the Internet! All that work I did before, and now it is superceded by wonderful, helpful people's giving their research to help others. I put mine on, too.

The best part, I think, is that you also meet so many "cousins," people with your own bloodline, who for some reason usually turn out to be thoroughly nice people! Amazing. When my Dad's family found him, we traveled to Arkansas and met the sisters and their children. We were wined an dined, and even spent the night with his niece. Remember, we were complete strangers at that point, but we were invited into the homes and treated like the prodigal son! What a joy.

My husband's family came up with a old journal written by one of the greatgrandparents. What a find! So we had some personal information and comments to add to our history. This was wonderful. My advice to everyone, is keep a journal. Your descendents may bless you for it. Have a nice day!

Fibromyalgia and Life
Mood:  don't ask
I have fibromyalgia. It really affects my life in so many ways.! People often do not understand, because you look perfectly normal even though you are hurting all over your body, you mind gets cloudy, and there are all kinds of physical symptoms. It is hard to get up, to work, to walk. Everyone lovingly offers advice, from things they have heard, but then they don't work when you give them a try. This sounds like a lot of boo-hoo, but I would love to help people with this disorder to get the word out and have medical science find a cause and cure! When it first started, I had IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) to the point I could not travel. (sorry to be so graphic.) Then came the pain. I am an overweight woman, so people did not understand when I had trouble getting around. "You need exercise!" "You need to lose weight!" They do not realize that pain killers do not work on this disability. My doctor, God Bless him, understands the disorder. He keeps up on it. So many don't even think it exists, but with the publicity it has had in recent years they are coming around. I don't have to hold a job, but my fun things to do are curtailed. I used to love to do things at church, and I taught oil painting, but those things I can't do any more. Well, thanks for letting me vent. I'm not trying to bum anybody out!