RE: One up, One Down Steemit Networking Challenge #1
Hi @glenalbrethsen :)
I have always felt this way. I have always been the square peg in the round hole. It's odd no place I have lived even when I was a child felt like 'home' they have all felt like places I live. I don't know why that is.
Been working on my geneology. My mom's side of the family is fairly well documented to my great-great grandparents. It's kind of neat, I have copies of each of my great-grandparents coming through Ellis Island. This group all came from Trondheim Norway. I know I am at least 50% Scandinavian.
My father's side OMG is where I have hit my brick wall. I cannot even confirm my grandfather's information. Since I 'no longer belong' to that side of the family I don't have any contacts to find out more, so I'm on my own. With their surname it places them in Scotland/Ireland kind of the UK in general.
But yes I am a sucker for old castles (I know of 7 castles in Scotland alone) and anything historical. I loved living in St.Louis for that reason. Learning about the history of certain areas. Seeing sites that were uses as part of the underground railroad. The centennial celebration for the 1902 World's Fair, was amazing.
As for when I might make it there.....
I asked 5 years ago for my 50th birthday, that's what I wanted. I don't ask for things often and I thought 5 years would be a good amount of time for us to work on saving. I turn 50 in November and I can assure you that is not happening. In fact I get to spend the week after my birthday in glorious Las Vegas with my mother-in-law.
I really love this idea. I see your conversations with @lynncoyle1 but for some reason I haven't reached out before. Silly me. She'll just giggle and say that I don't shut up LOL Which will come in handy when become the winos sitting on the curbs staring at the street art :D
Hey, no worries on my end, @tryskele. The blockchain is pretty big and there's always lots of things to do. I'm just glad I found this post. :)
I think I'm one of Lynn's more frequent comment buddies, but she's everywhere so she pops in and out a lot. I've been to the Cancun area twice now, and once to Playa del Carmen where she and Brian are and I really like it down there. If I can get my wife to go, and we can swing it, it would be a place I'd like to retire to. Just some logistics to work out.
Well, I'm sorry to hear about not making the trip for your 50th birthday. I mean, I obviously have no idea, but are you absolutely sure, though? Don't want to spoil anything, but these are the kinds of birthdays and wishes that surprises are made of. :) Well, I guess we can always dream, and one day, you'll get there. If you're never coming back though, you've probably got some time to work on it. :)
Okay. At least seven. That should keep my wife occupied for a while, anyway.
That's kind of a sad statement, "no longer belong."
My mom has done quite a bit of our genealogy. I probably need to get my copies of things updated because I'm sure she's done more since she first gave them to me. What online sites have you been using? And have you tried any of the LDS church resources? It's amazing sometimes what they have.
My wife is in a similar situation. She never met her father, so she doesn't know any of that side at all. No one would ever tell her who he was. On her mom's side of the family, she's able to get back a few generations then also hits the brick wall. Sometimes that's the way it works until a path opens up.
I've had a similar feeling myself of never truly belonging. It's strange, but if I have an affinity for any place, it's Hawaii or Polynesia. I have no blood ties, but for some reason, that culture speaks to me. It's weird, too, because I didn't even know it until we went to Hawaii for the first time a few years ago.
That's not entirely true, though. I met some Tongans and Samoans 30 years ago and really enjoyed being around them. I'd forgotten that before we went to Hawaii. Very humble and respectful people, but highly skilled and motivated, too.
I like history, but I find myself mostly fascinated with Mayan ruins and people like George Washington and Tesla. Pretty eclectic combination. :)
hahaha @tryskele, with this comment, I can see how you and @glenalbrethsen could have loooong conversations for hours here! But considering @paulag's request in this post, it works perfectly! I have to say though that I thoroughly enjoy talking with @glenalbrethsen here; he's always got something interesting and/or thought-provoking to say!
And yes, for your 55th birthday, why not plan a trip to Mexico so we can bring our little fantasy of winos watching street art to fruition?* haha
And Scotland hey? I've been to Italy and saw some castles (always been a huge fan), so a trip to Scotland would be pretty awesome!
I can honestly say I've never dreamed of wanting to be a wino doing anything. :) So, have at it you two. Watching street art go up would be cool even if not inebriated, so I guess you can have the wine and I'll just down some orchata or jamaica or something. :)
It's probably a good thing to get @tryskele to Mexico first before going to Scotland, since it doesn't sound like there's a return trip from there. :)
hahaha Glen, it's all talk buddy :) Although, I do enjoy a few drinks, but nothing in excess. And yes, I know, "excess" is very subjective :)
I wasn't going to say anything. :) I'm way used to being the odd man out when it comes to drinking any kind of alcoholic beverage, so no judging or subjectivity going on over here. Nope. No siree. I don't even know what it takes to become a wino. Maybe getting somewhat buzzed or tipsy as you watch a mural going up in Playa del Carmen will do it. I don't know. :) Maybe you have to sit there for days afterward until you realize it's finished and you probably should figure out where home is. See, it could be all over the place as far as I'm concerned.
Spoken like a non-drinker :) Have you ever indulged?
Nope. Not yet anyway. :)
There was a time 25 years ago where I was having a bad day (someone had just stolen a new mountain bike off the back porch of our part of a triplex), where I told a co-worker and friend who was visiting that if there were ever time to start drinking (there were many other things going on—the bike was the last straw), now was it. I even told him I was going to get a beer. A root beer. :)
haha a root beer! That's cute, but also smart. What a terrible time to start drinking that would have been.
You are a rarity though I think, and that's not good or bad, just "is" .
Well, I'm among a few relatively speaking, I know. It's all religion based for me, so I can't take all of the credit. I mean, I suppose I could go against that particular part, and some do, but as I said, so far, I've managed not to.
I agree, that would be the worst time to take it up, but even if it's taken up before that during a party or something that's more of a happy occasion, it's likely to carry through the unhappy scenario, too, right? Because now it's associated with happiness.
What do I know. I just watch the beer commercials with the healthy and happy coeds drinking beer and playing on the beach and wonder what my life could have been. :) just kidding. :)
Oh if I'm doing Mexico it will be before 55 :D I technically been to Mexico, but I don't really consider Tijuana as Mexico. I've never dreamed of being a wino either, well maybe we'll have to throw in a bottle of tequila, but since we've kind of been 'joking' about it. It does seem that we can make this happen. Thats an easy trip from here, would be easier if we still lived in California. Yay more chatty ppl like me ....I LOVE IT.
I'm not a big wine drinker, and I love tequila, but it doesn't like me so much lol. Vodka for me, tequila for you, murals for us both. Seems pretty perfect if you ask me. All kidding aside, we'd love to meet you guys in person ❤️
Where do you live by the way?
@glenalbrethsen, @tyrskele and @lynncoyle1 how amazing it is to see this discussion going on, you are making a real success of this 1up 1 down challenge.
Can't speak for everyone else, but I figure if we probably should represent Asher's engagement league a little, anyway. :) Also, we wouldn't want to let you or @bashadow down for coming up with the concept and the implementation of it, right? :) Plus, it's just a great question that we all need to answer. And then hang around for the party afterwards, apparently. :)
Thanks @paulag! @glenalbrethsen and @tryskele are two peas in a pod and just "found" each other haha so they'll keep this all going no problem...with or without me 😎