(no subject)

[fredericks]

Fistpump...? thefridayfive
1. How far back can you trace your family tree?
I can go back to my great-grands on both side of my parents without outside assistance, mainly because a couple of them are still alive. That would put me at about...? 1915 or so? A relative on my mom's side traced the family through India back to the mid 1800's? And my grandfather on my father's side can trace his family back to the African West Coast through about the same time. It's my intention to pick the brain of my grandparents and great-grandparents before it's too late. It's good to know where one's come from.

2. What is the most interesting (or strange) thing you've heard about one of your relatives?
Nothing comes to mind. The fam's pretty tame and low-key.

3. How do you feel about legacy names like John Henry Smith IV or naming children after other relatives?Uhm, whateverthefuck? It's a rather harmless tradition and occasionally a way of honoring people that have passed or significant events.

4. Would you consider yourself and/or your family to be traditional?
For where we came from, yes, I guess. There certainly is less machismo in the family that's here in the States as opposed to some of the ones I've met back in Trinidad, and there's still the "men in the field/women in the home catering to the men" feel to dealings that has me occasionally gritting my teeth, but it could be worse. The good traditions are there as well - holiday breakfasts, family gatherings, constant contact.

5. What is one tradition you have passed on to your children and/or plan to pass on to them?
The New Years Eve meal. It's not just an island thing, as my black friends with roots in the south have told me they have some variation on the same thing as well: greens seasoned with some salted pork and black-eyed
peas with rice. It's supposed to signify prosperity and health into the New Year. Mom always makes bread as well, and we usually have ham and bread as breakfast.
*

There's something about this space that makes it hard for me to sit and add stuff to it. I'm going through one of those stages where I just don't want to make contact with anyone. s'Funny, because I'm otherwise functional; I just don't feel up to sharing. I realized this was a problem when I was doing the interviews (of which I still have two the write-up, btw; I figure pressing myself about it just made me feel worse) - I couldn't answer the most basic questions about my experiences (introspection = mental dissonance). Therapy would be helpful, I think (four more days until my insurance kicks in), but part of the problem is I don't feel like I can truly open up to anyone around me. I'm not throwing a pity party (gah! perish the goddamned thought), but commenting on the fact that I'm twenty-six and have yet to learn how to play nice with others.

On a slightly less soul-baring note (but still on the same wavelength), maybe increasing my physical activity will help. LA Fitness seems to trump Bally Total Fitness, so I'm fixin' to make an appointment over there and see what's what. Invest in a personal trainer, mayhaps.

I'm nearing the end of my three-day off stint and, mein GOTT, so very good! I spent most of yesterday asleep and have spent most of today in a drowsy daze. I *did* manage to make a protein supplement to dinner, though. I'm thinking the bro and I will head out to the mall tomorrow. Mayhaps, if I'm up to it, I'll ask Jo if she wants to head out to Caroline's Comedy Club with me. The urge to just lie down is strong, but I think it might be best if I try fighting it. If the snow messiness the meteorologists were predicting doesn't make an appearance by tomorrow afternoon I'll try to make Caroline's a go.

A&E is teh crack. My new addiction? The First 48. It's like a PG-13 version of The Wire, except most of the cases are homicides. Real cases, no re-enactments. Intriguing as all get-out.

Comments

[alicetheowl.livejournal.com]

A great-aunt of mine traced the family history back into the Middle Ages, so I know that, on my father's side, I have three lines of descendance from Charlemagne. Most people with any English blood do; I'm far more impressed with the Wampanoag princess in my line.

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

Lack of concrete historical records is a hamper to the tracing of my familial past. It's cool that you can go back so far. :)

[alicetheowl.livejournal.com]

Yeah, having people who kept obsessive records of this stuff to preserve their "legacies" is pretty helpful with tracing backwards. I'm way more interested in the stories behind how these people got together and bumped uglies often enough to pop out a kid. What made the daughter of a Wampanoag chief attracted to the pale-faced town hermit? For someone with so many priests in my background, why do I have such an extensive family tree? Stuff like that.