Genealogy Chat

Or is it just me? I'll explain...

I spend a good 3-4 solid hours at night, searching the census' for my missing ancestors. I find when I get to bed, I just have names and dates whizzing around in my head and I just can't switch off! Please tell me I'm not alone? Helen

You're not alone, I've dreamt about finding them and am gutted when I wake up and its not happened!

Well I'm still up, but gettin sleepy, wanna finish stuff off tho' but then I find something else and think ooh I'll just finish this off too and end up goin bed at 5am

Join the club hubby Says 'what time is it 'and I answered '1851' and he said 'what 'and I turned over and said' he was 62 'and he said 'what are you on 'and and I finally woke up and said 'just cause I turn over in the middle of the night don't presume I'm awake and ask me the time' he said' I didn't you have been yakking about ages and dates for ten minutes' its the same when someone mentions date dduring any conservation I instanly think of some one with that date death birth or marriage and go off into my filing cabinet in my head and start searching in my thoughts heaven help me regards to the other nutters Lara

I have this problem,i also find it hard switching off from it once i've gone to bed. i've even thought about getting up again to come back to it but i'm sure my hubby would think i'm bonkers.i'm already trying to hide the fact that i'm straight back on the next morning Angie x

I too find myself dreaming about the ancestors but I have found a useful side to the family tree when I can't get off to sleep: I picture a pedigree chart in my head and try to recite all the names of my gt gt gt grandparents, in order from left to right ( if you see what I mean) Much better than counting sheep!

Have the same problem too. I have started keeping a note pad by the side of my bed as I am always waking up with new ideas of where to look etc., Janine

You're not alone. I go to bed thinking 'oh, they fit there' or 'I wonder if they're in this place rather than that' lol I think it's an addiction :)

My boyfriend doesn't quite understand my obsession. I've told him that once I've finished my Gran and Grandad's trees for the 60th Wedding Anniversary I'm stopping but there's still other lines I want to do! He comes home from work and I'll tell him about all the exciting things I've found out in the day. He's had no peace since ancestry put on 1861. I just think he ignores me, using the old 'nod and smile' way of making me think he's interested! Jo

lol Joanne Is it his glazed expression that gives it away? My Dad is about the only one who is interested in what I'm doing but that could be because I've spent 3 years solidly researching his mother's line so he can relate to some of the thing I'm mentioning. Everyone else runs for cover when I get the files out!

I have the same problem too and I have also realised that going to work is getting in the way of finding more relatives. Pippa

i dont want to go to bed these days!! and like you all, im bloomin well dreamin about dead folk!! my husband is now at the stage of just nodding his head at me and agreeing with me, And ive now got a waste paper bin that now has empty wine bottles crisp bags , sweet papers And tow empty yoghurt pots.. wonder if that is where the missing teaspoons are.

At first he made the mistake of asking questions when he got confused such as, 'so he's related to you how?' and then realised that I go off on one explaining names dates etc. I'm just surprised at how much of it I actually know off by heart. I could probably write my direst line without thinking about it!

All the dead people going round in my head don't stop me from sleeping, but they certainly stop me from thinking about anything else during the day. Could do with at least 48 hours in each day to be able to devote more time to them.

Just adding to the comments. Its 1.15 am here in nz.I was working last night (night shift).Have had 1 hour doze today and should be in bed but noooooooooIm here getting my fix. Sometimes I really wish I hadnt started its encroaching on so many other important things. Since I joined Ancestry its got worse because now Im chasing other folks rellies Help me please.

I've only just had chance to read all your replies. They're great! Some had me in stitches. It's really good to know I'm not alone and not just weird (my hubby thinks I am!) Here's to many more sleepless nights! Derek - I've sent you a msg

'It's encroaching onto other parts of my life' SO TRUE!! I find that I'm feeling very resentful if I have to do something else, like nip out for milk. The poor shop keeper gets daggers from me to hurry and I have been known to get road rage when cars won't move quickley so I can get back home. And to think when hubby bought me a laptop, he said' You won't even use this thing' There must be a name for this, or there will be soon. How about searchio corpus syndrome??