When I do a presentation, I usually ask everyone before I start whether or not they have any questions about the known or unknown universe. Occasionally, I will get a question or two but usually everyone just sits there and stares. They are likely weighing my sanity. But often I explain that I always have questions and here are some of the ones that I cannot answer (or have not yet answered).
[Disclaimer: Some of these questions are not serious, but some of them are]
1. If genealogy can be learned in five minutes, why are there 25 five-minute-episodes so far in FamilySearch.org's Learning Center?
2. Which of Adam's children are you descended from? Can you document your sources?
3. If 2.7 percent of the members do genealogy in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where are the other 2.6 percent?
5. If all the courthouses in America burned down, would we all have to stop doing genealogy?
6. Where is Waldo? And who were his parents?
7. Will the only free records on the Internet all end up in FamilySearch.org?
8. If the only people doing genealogy are 55 year old or older, white, educated women, what am I doing here?
9. If genealogy is so fun, why does my head ache?
10. Why did so many immigrants change their names when they came to America? Have you read anything about Arizona in the newspapers (or online) recently?
11. How long will it be until I no longer hear, "I don't have any computer skills?"
12. Why do more people do genealogy in the Winter than in the Summer?
That's probably enough questions for one day. I am sure that some of these are really obscure and will need further explanation. But, none will be forthcoming. Then again, I might comment on some of them. I'll have to think about it. As the judges used to say to me all the time, I'll take it under advisement and get back to you.
1. If genealogy can be learned in five minutes, why are there 25 five-minute-episodes so far in FamilySearch.org's Learning Center?
ReplyDeleteBecause it can't be learned in 5 minutes.
2. Which of Adam's children are you descended from? Can you document your sources?
Adam was a myth, so none and I don't need sources to prove I wasn't descended from a myth.
3. If 2.7 percent of the members do genealogy in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where are the other 2.6 percent?
I don't understand the question -- shouldn't it be the other 98.3%?
5. If all the courthouses in America burned down, would we all have to stop doing genealogy?
No, because there are places in the world other than America.
6. Where is Waldo? And who were his parents?
I have no idea who Waldo is, let alone his parents. Even if I cared.
7. Will the only free records on the Internet all end up in FamilySearch.org?
No. There are plenty of volunteer organisations in the UK who provide their records for free (or a very low subscription -- less than £10 p.a.)
8. If the only people doing genealogy are 55 year old or older, white, educated women, what am I doing here?
Can't help you with this -- I'm squarely in the demographic you mention.
9. If genealogy is so fun, why does my head ache?
Probably totally unrelated to genealogy (fun =/= easy) -- have you seen a doctor?
10. Why did so many immigrants change their names when they came to America? Have you read anything about Arizona in the newspapers (or online) recently?
(a) No idea (b) Nothing good.
11. How long will it be until I no longer hear, "I don't have any computer skills?"
Years (unquantified). There are people of my generation (younger than you) who don't use computers. And the much younger generations don't either -- they only use smartphones.
12. Why do more people do genealogy in the Winter than in the Summer?
Because there's less to do outside in the Winter (comfortably). Unless like me you prefer the cold weather.
I love these comments almost as much as I love your questions. Here's one more. If family history is most beneficially traced when you include a network of related clues and facts, why do people always just tell me the information they are seeking on one specific individual, like they need me to find M Smith from England in 1860.
ReplyDelete