OT September Chit Chat

[Howie]

Cat, this is just me, but I would let sleeping dogs lie. I know my family line, and never met my grandfather from either side, because they had died early. I knew both my grandmothers, and saw each fairly often.

I had cousins on my mother's side, I saw maybe twice in my life. They really mean nothing to me. I wish them well, but don't care to see them. What would I say...."So, how was your life?"

But again, that's just me.

[Jeanie Z]

:) Cat I would tend to not contact them. I have 1st cousins who I have met several times over the years. They live in SC.

When my grandparents died (they were well off) the cousins and their parents took everything of value from their home and none of us got anything of value. One of my brothers did get their 10 year old car because none of them wanted it.

David and I visited my aunt and uncle once and we did not feel close and decided to never go visit again. I do get email from one cousin but rarely. I answer but don't go overboard.

Facebook I have two friends I wish I had not accepted and since then I have not accepted any friend requests. I also found that on Facebook in the upper corner of any post there is a sign and if I click it I can eliminate reading that persons posts. Some of the animal sites that I clicked "like" started showing up a lot so I clicked that sign on their post and now I don't get those. Jeanie :)

[Frog42]

Jeanie, you can unfriend a person without notifying them. Let me know if you want to do that and I'll help.

[Sunshine]

Cat this is a very personal decision only you can make. If it was happening to me, I wouldn't want that in my life. The only thing I share is DNA. But that's me. Likely, many of them are dysfunctional people. You risk that being in your life. But, like I said, only you know what's right for you.

Nothing ventured nothing gained may be incorrect. Nothing ventured everything gained may be correct: you would keep your sanity and security. They may be filled with unstable con men.

Could always hire a private detective to find out about them first.

[Cat Dancer]

Thanks, y'all. Yeah, my inclination was..and is...to let sleeping dogs lie. I'm 70....I last saw these folks 68 years ago (talked to one of them 37 years ago...briefly)...and haven't missed them....nor have they apparently missed me. I'm showing TC this thread, telling him "my gang says to let it be".. :)

A side note: have you ever put your name into Google and pressed "enter"?? Scary. Within seconds my name/address and even GPS coordinates come up, and a map showing EXACTLY where I live! I know some of them know my name ....and apparently they haven't shown up at my door....so I'm not gonna show up at theirs! :)

[agate]

You already have some idea of what these people are like. The mother they got stuck with doesn't sound like an especially promising parent to have guided them through childhood.

I can see why you're not going ahead with finding them.

I have searched my name on Google a couple of times--and it's surprising how much is on there. Some of it inaccurate.

The chances are that I put a lot of that information out there in one form or another, at one time or another, and so I figure I shouldn't complain if it comes back at me when I go looking for it.

[stillstANNding]

Cat, I would search for pictures of my birth mother and sibs. I'd be curious about that. The thing that my brother and I have in common now is a shared history. "Do you remember when" kinda thing. You don't have that except for the one sib: Do you remember when you were blackmailing my adoptive parents?

ANN

[agate]

You might want to know their medical history too. Often medical questionnaires that you need to fill out for doctors want to know what blood relatives had what diseases. People who were adopted are often out of luck when it comes to these questions.

[Howie]

I don't see the medical history in your bloodlines is all that important. I have MS, no one in my family lines had it. My brother has Leukemia, no one else in both bloodlines had it. And my sister has a seizure disorder, and again, never seen before in both family lines.

So in all three cases, there was no past record of these diseases in either family line. We are three trendsetters!

[Catdancer]

I think if I were young, of child bearing age, or had children, I might want to find out about health issues. But I don't have children or grandchildren, don't plan to have any, so that doesn't matter anymore.

[agate]

Okay, you're cheating! I would be so proud if I had taught you something about recognition of the years of Karmann Ghia like I have with Sam. She's really into them now, and doesn't have to resort to cheating.

Sam, I would be more than happy to paint your food bowl hot pink!

I have one of those literal minds if I can be said to have a mind, and I'm picturing Sam taking her naps in Karmann Ghias most of the time--with several of them parked near your address so she can pick which one she wants to be "into."

Glad she's so advanced she doesn't need to cheat. We should all be so lucky! Meanwhile, I'll look up images on Google to find out where they came from sometimes.

[Howie]

While you're at it, google what normal sleeping hours are. I just got up at 1pm! And I had to force myself up then. It was the thought I had coffee already made that did the trick. I made it last night, but didn't drink any of it, but left it on to keep it hot.

I may go to the store in a little while, afternoon shopping would be different. And timed just right, it probably wouldn't be too crowded. Today's meal will finish off my pasta, so I'll get everything again, but make it a little different.

Then again, I could just wait until tomorrow to do any running around. It depends on if this coffee motivates me.

Sam, bring me a fresh mug, and don't hold back on the creamer!!!

[stillstANNding]

Howie, you and Jeanie have similar sleeping patterns.

ANN

[Cat Dancer]

I usually go to sleep around 9 p.m....but then wake up around 4 a.m....and am awake the rest of the day. Very occasionally I'll take a nap in the afternoon..but that isn't more than a couple times a month. I am attuned to the earth cycles, though -- if it's light outside, my body tells me I'm supposed to be awake. When it gets dark, I start to get sleepy. This time of year as the day shortens, I have to keep looking at the clock to see what time it is, otherwise I'd be heading to bed at 6 p.m.! :)

[Howie]

Mr. Pasta is at it again! Nothing fancy, but the Ragu is new to me. It just has added mushrooms. Penee pasta. I'll let it soak a few hours, then coleslaw I made yesterday, and bread.

Gloomy, rainy day, but I have nowhere to go. Do I ever? The store, the doctor twice a year. No wonder I watch so much TV!

Everyone have a great day!

Sam, go give the pasta a stir, and use a spoon this time!