Ok, so you know I’m doing this geneology thing, yes? And, that I’ve been (inadvertantly) reconnected with a cousin who is doing the same thing (except, I have more than she does… pictures, dates, and various other information)?
Did I also mention that I gave her my PHONE NUMBER…and it appears that I am her “new” best friend?
Moreover, have I mentioned that it would probably take all of 5 seconds to realize that I made a GINORMOUS mistake by GIVING her my number?
Imagine an excited puppy… black lab or a Jack Russell terrier (whichever is the MOST high strung)… add a little weird muppet voice… and an awkward (and mostly inappropriately timed) cackle. OH YES, the most important part… a weird fixation with clinging onto me…. and giving me TMI information about her and her husband.
*GAK!*
I know she’s excited to reconnect with me after 20 years (I haven’t seen her since before getting married, I think)… but, I think she’s a little TOO excited. Like latch-on-and-not-let-go-let’s-be-bestest-best-friend-bff-forever kinda excited. I know, I should be nice… but, if I’m TOO nice, she’ll crazy glue herself to my ass and I’ll go crazy.
CrAzY kinda crazy.
It’s THAT kinda (relatively harmless) crazy that’ll make me start to check the caller-id, and screen my calls. The kind of obsessive grab-on that will definitely make me not give her more than my email when I move. Also, this kind of latch-on is… well… overwhelming.
Am I that cool? Or, is it that she’s just really excited to see me (*insert jokes here*)?
Her mother is like this… and I think she’s just really excited to re-connect (or connect) with relatives from her father’s family because, unfortunately, he died many years ago (a really nice guy) and he was an only child. Even my crazy-ass Jewish relatives find her mother a little overbearing. (I know, crazy right?) So, if she could tone it down just a smidge… I won’t run away and hide.
(Who says, “BOO!” when trying to initiate a chat?)
Ok, I’ll post more later… I need to focus on writing lessons… baaaahhh ha ha ha!
Posted by terri t. on July 8, 2009 at 10:16 am
If I didn’t know better, I would think this was MY cousin who also is into geneology and although she means well…she drives me crazy with the e-mails and all the long drawn out wooooooooooords and the !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and the excitement. If she would spend 1/2 that time doing the research and getting everything straightened out, we would have a great source of pictures, letters, documents and all.
As far as I know, we don’t have any Jewish connections or any Eye-Talians…..not that I wouldn’t be thrilled1 The Germans and the Irish and the English seem to cause enough confusion for me.
Hopefully the initial excitement will pass for your cousin and maybe if you ignore her…she will fade back into the background……
Posted by G on July 8, 2009 at 11:21 am
Is she a 42-year old Jewish girl from NJ? Because if so, we’re sharing the same over-enthusiastic cousin… and yes, if mine spent her energy on FINDING stuff, instead of messaging me “BOO!” and “HEHEHE!” we’d have more stuff. I’m doing all the “foot work” while she’s doing this giddy “boo” crap.
My paternal grandfather is Irish. We thought HE was born in Ireland… but then have since discovered that it’s his grandfather (or father) we think who came on the boat… but, when I go to search the boat logs (which you can find for free if you’re saavy… hehe), I get 258 men with the SAME name.
Apparently, ALL four parts of my family tree have names that are like the Smiths and Jones of their respective countries. (STRESS)
I don’t think the excitement will wear off… her mother’s always been like this… “HEH HEH HEH THIS IS SO GREAT HEH HEH HEH…” its like sharing a geneology tree with Beavis and Butthead.
*sighs*
Posted by Crystal Balls on July 8, 2009 at 11:23 pm
I don’t have any cousins like that. I hid better
But it could be to your advantage not to let her get away until you’re positive you’ve got alllll the genealogy dirt from her. Sometimes the juiciest tidbits come from the least likely sources!
Posted by Carolyn on July 9, 2009 at 6:24 am
My parents died when I was six years old. I was raised by my maternal grandmother and had very little contact with my father’s family. When I was 21, I contacted them, hoping to learn about my father and his life. What I learned was that they were all nutty as fruitcakes! It took almost four years to finally break away from them. When my son died, a few of them got in contact with me again. It was creepy because rather than being sympathetic about Jeff’s death, they were so EXCITED to talk to me again. Good luck with your cousin. Hopefully you won’t have to change your phone number before you move! ;o)
Posted by herstory07 on July 31, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Let’s put it this way (and my apologies about your son, if I haven’t said so yet)… this particular cousin wants to chat with me about TMI things that make me uncomfortable. Now, she’s attributing her new found independence (not going to bed when her husband does) with having contact with me. OUCH! Don’t throw ME in the line of fire. She’s harmless, as I’ve said, but man is she clinging and overbearing in a weird and odd kinda way. I hope she doesn’t move next door to me…
Posted by poolagirl on July 9, 2009 at 10:03 am
Oh God! I often say “BOO” when trying to stir up a chat. Oh God!
Posted by terri t. on July 9, 2009 at 1:27 pm
nope….my geneology “cousin” lives in Dallas, Tx. No connection to NJ to our knowledge…most of our ancestors settled in Illinois area.. and a few in Indiana, .some in Okalhoma…and some in California. Her grandmother was the “keeper of all knowledge” and shared her interest with the cousin who has all the boxes of stuff now.
Posted by G on July 10, 2009 at 1:04 pm
NOT YOU POOLIE! There’s a way to say “boo!” and a way to say “boo!”
I mean… she’s just overwhelming… and coming from an entire life with hardly any cousin-contact… she’s more needy than I have patience for… and clingy. Did I mention clingy?