Another “Genealogy Happy Dance” experience occurred one day when I was in the Register of Deeds office in Vance County, NC looking birth certificates where Grandma Ven was named as midwife. During this visit, I found numerous birth certificates where she was named as midwife. As I looked through the 1936 book of birth certificates, I came across the document below which was in front of one of the stillbirth certificates. After reading it, I realized that this was a statement from my ancestor Luvenia. I wanted to scream and holler with joy, but held back since I was in a public place.
At this deeds office, copies had to be made by the staff. “This is a statement from my ancestor,” I exclaimed to the staff person as she made a photocopy of this document. My face was lit up with a smile from ear to ear and I felt that I had to tell somebody the good news. The staff person didn’t share my excitement and I don’t think she even responded to my statement. Nevertheless, I didn’t let this spoil my “Genealogy Happy Dance” feeling and spent the remainder of my time at the deeds office full of joy.
Dancing is an act for showing pleasure and joy. Happy dance styles vary depending on personal style, taste, and culture. It doesn’t matter if your “Genealogy Happy Dance” is a twist, a river dance or holy dance. What matters is that all genealogists experience this pleasure from time to time.
Chubby Checker and the Twist
River Dance
Holy Dancing
4 comments:
Hi Dru!
Some clerks at government offices
seem to dread genealogical researchers! I read an article a
few months back about one who was
retiring and she said the worst part of the job was dealing with folks
like us.
That's alright. We'll keep smiling and doing the Happy Dance anyway!
Hi Dru,
I enjoyed your article and thought your examples of the Happy Dance were very clever. I am going to save the Riverdance one on my computer. Thanks.
Brilliant idea to post some Happy Dances!
And I can't resist: here's a link to a really "wild and crazy" happy dance:
http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=39136193063&h=nq9TF&u=jwKjZ
Hi - I just noticed your little homage to Chubby Checker - what a coincidence because I wrote about him on my blog recently too. I was displaying one of my Bathurst, New Brunswick vintage postcards and when I enlarged a detail showing a movie theatre marquee it started me down memory lane.
A fellow Chubby checker fan,
Evelyn in Montreal
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