I went on one of those family tree sites years ago and plugged in most of the family I could remember. I have many living relatives, and remembering everyone was hard. I felt it was worth all the work because I was always interested as a kid in seeing the family tree, but we didn't have any way to produce one, and I now could by simply entering the data. It would also be cool for the Frustrated Son at some point.
I went back a few days ago to the site, Ancestry.com, and now they hook you up with people you have in common with other users. It's easier. And searching is more robust now--I guess more people have input more data so the database is just bigger than the last time I checked in. There are pictures and stories and scans of newspaper clippings.
So, I have spent a few days immersed in the tree. I have gone back 1200 years. I am related to kings. I think I am related to slave owners, too. That's pretty fucked up. I am also related to lots of dead Jews.
But it has been fascinating. I found some names that surprised my mom, and she is now next to the phone when I need a question answered, or choices narrowed down. I am even going to try to talk to mom's sister, my aunt, who is really old and crazy. It will be fun, and probably informative.
That's why I haven't been posting.