Saturday Challenge- "Rootin' Tootin' True Confessions of Genealogists Quiz"

This week's challenge from Mary Harrell-Sesniak through Randy Seaver's GeneaMusings:

Just some flowers from my garden to brighten the post

Your mission, should you decide to accept it (cue the Mission Impossible! music) is to:

1)  Mary Harrell-Sesniak posted a "Rootin' Tootin' True Confessions of Genealogists Quiz" on the GenealogyBank Blog this week, and invited readers to answer the 50 questions.  She also provided a score sheet.

2)  For this week's SNGF, let's answer her questions and see how we score.  Copy and paste my answers below and edit the list for yourself (be sure to delete or edit my comments).


Here's mine:

1. _x_Gone to sleep reciting details about ancestors?    Who hasn’t?
2. _x_Photographed more than 20 tombstones?    At least twenty in one cemetery at a time sometimes!
3. __Had an ancestral chart, family photo, coat of arms, ship of immigration (or similar) professionally printed or framed?    
4.  _x_Figured out your kinship to someone famous?   Why not? It’s fun even if distant.
5. __Solved a stranger’s dead-end mystery for free?    No, but I once gave someone a book title with an entire line back on his wife’s family that he was looking for.
6. __Considered consulting a psychic about genealogy?  
7. _x_Taken a selfie in a graveyard or hugged a tombstone?   Yep.
8. _X_Probed the ground or used a divining rod to locate a missing tombstone?   Unsuccessfully…
9. __Written your own obituary?  
10. __Created a birth, marriage or death notice (obit) for an ancestor who didn’t have one?  
11. _x_Eschewed the sunshine for valuable library/research time (or met the dawn while tracing your family tree)?  Sunshine is over-rated. Especially when you burn easily!
12. _x_Celebrated a birthday, marriage or commemorative event of a deceased forebear?  Honored is more accurate than celebrate, but yeah.
13. _x_Rescued (i.e., purchased) photos, medals or similar objects of someone not related to you?   Have bough a few photos over the years.
14. __Reunited lost artifacts with living relatives?  Haven’t been successful yet on above photos.
15. _x_Centered a vacation around genealogy?  Conferences, institutes, research trips- I thought that’s what vacations were for!
16. __Traveled to meet a newly discovered cousin whom you met through genealogy research?  
17. __Tested your DNA?  On my list- need to set aside $$$ for it.
18. __Paid for others to get their DNA tested?  
19. _x_Worn clothing (t-shirts, jackets, hats) emblazoned with genealogy surnames, slogans, society names, etc.?  Totebags on shoulder count- right?
20. __Upon their leaving the nest, converted your child’s bedroom (or personal space) into a genealogy room?   No children- but have used guest room many a time.
21. _x_Spent more on genealogy in a month than groceries?  Food is over-rated! LOL! Besides- if you count hotels, gas etc. when traveling it is easy to do.
22. _x_Collected odd records in the name of genealogy (for example, taxes)?  Anything I can find!
23. _x_Added margin notations in books (error corrections, enhanced details)?  On my own copy only!
24. _x_Mapped a forebear’s traipsings?  Have had many a marked up map with this.
25. _x_Traveled more than 100 miles for research (library, court house)?  Many a day.
26. __Purchased something that belonged to an ancestor or that has his/her name on it (photo albums, homesteads, lineage society pins)?  
27. __Participated in a reenactment related to your ancestry?  
28. _x_Made something to commemorate genealogy (historical costumes, paraphernalia, needlepoint or model of an immigrant ship, painting, genealogy quilt)?  Cross-stitch of historical places. Some would say my home sewn skirts- below knee length are historical!
29. _x_Joined more than five lineage or genealogy societies?   NGS, NEHGS, CNYGS, APG, Jefferson County (NY), Capital District in past and countless historical from time to time.
30. __Overlaid an ancestor’s photo on that of a living person to identify a doppelganger (look-alike)?  Hmm. Idea…
31. _x_Downloaded, emailed or shared genealogy jokes?  
32. __Purchased a book with only a small reference to your ancestry (100 words)?  
33. __Mentioned genealogy in your will?  
34. _x_Studied old handwriting or consulted with a handwriting expert so that you can read old documents?  Not great at it, but have studied the basics to read 19^th and 18^th century.
35. _x_Made a gen-tote of gadgets for on-the-go projects (portable scanning, grave cleaning, flash drives, notepads, acid free gloves)?  Research bag is ready to go at a moment’s notice!
36. __Taken a handful of dirt or a stone from a place significant to your ancestry?  
37. _x_Diverted a mealtime conversation to genealogy?  My husband is also a genealogist- many meals involve genealogy!
38. _x_Initiated conversations about ancestry with complete strangers (outside of a genealogy setting)?  I’m also counting the ones where my husband starts a conversation with wait-staff by trying to guess their ancestry!
39. _x_Researched the genealogy of complete strangers?  If the name/something about them is fascinating to me, then of course I do!
40. _x_Transcribed an old document, or more than 500 genealogy records?  Wills, deeds…
41. _x_Joined a dozen or more social media genealogy groups?  Too many, they clutter my Facebook feed…
42. _x_Created a genealogy blog or a public tree (online)?  What are you reading?
43. _x_Published a family history book or distributed genealogy folders amongst the relatives?  Distributed CDs of trees before. Sharing photos electronically or in print with relatives.
44. __Programmed gen-destinations (court houses, cemeteries) into your GPS?  When is somebody going to buy me one?
45. _x_Taken genealogy courses with the intention of receiving a certificate or other form of recognition?   While not the main reason, I do intend to complete and receive the certificate.
46. _x_Paid to attend genealogy conferences?  As often as I can…
47. _x_Searched surnames on eBay?  Fascinating what you can find.
48. _x_Scoured thrift or resale shops for genealogical finds?  Always on the lookout- no great finds yet…
49. _x_Trespassed in the name of genealogy?  I’m afraid a few cemeteries I’ve been in might be private property. Have stepped onto private property to take pictures of old buildings or scenery that my ancestors would have lived in or looked at as well.
50. _x_Dined anywhere but your dining table to avoid disturbing a genealogy project?  Sometimes you just have to stop and eat- why disturb what you’re doing?

My score:  33.  I get the "Up and Coming Genealogist Award."  Hmm, seems rather low, don’t you think? Guess I’d better get to work!