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September 12, 2007
Siggabertha
Tucson's favorite bear and family history expert Homer is helping me figure out my true identity. It's an emergency! I'm like Jason Bourne, only not as pretty -- and furrier. And Homer is Julia Stiles, without the 'gina and blank stare.
My extended family is so large that my parents haven't been able to keep track of everyone, especially the older relatives. And they don't ask questions. It's a Southern thing, I guess. For example -- my mom just found out last week that her grandfather was murdered decades ago. Nice. It's obvious where my apathy gene came from.
I'm learning my great aunts and uncles have very common last names, but unusual first names -- like Fanny, Ott and Nellie (I totally giggled, too).
Aunt Fanny smoked a pipe. I vaguely remember her big and burly frame, always appearing uncomfortable in that beige wool skirt. I bet she was a friend of Susan B Anthony, wink wink.
And if I knew someone named Ott, I would call him Tater Ott, cuz it would be funny.
Somewhere -- way back in my family history -- lived a woman named Siggabertha. What the hell is a Siggabertha? Sounds like a potato bug species, or maybe an Eddie Murphy movie. I wonder if anyone ever said, "Sigga, please" to her from time to time. I probably would have.
I'm just starting this exploration. Hopefully I'll learn I'm part Jewish or related to Paul Lynde or John Peter Zenger -- who, by the way, was the topic of an oral presentation I did in 5th grade. I wore knickers and knee-socks to get into character, even though we weren't told we had to dress up. Later I found out he didn't dress like that. I still got an A. I also got beat up.
Anyway, I'm hoping the research will yield more than just hillbilly in my blood -- not that there's anything wrong with it, of course. But too much leads to naming your child Siggabertha.
Cue Moby's Extreme Ways here --->
Posted by durban bud at September 12, 2007 01:10 AM
Comments
hmmm... my redneck family was pretty big too, but the strangest thing was finding out my grandmother on my dads side was a lesbian and there was some big uproar at the hospital with her lover (big burly woman named Odell), something parents failed to tell us kids (until fighting with mother after coming out)...hmmm
Posted by: Kelly at September 12, 2007 07:04 AM
I think I scissored once with John Peter Zenger.
Posted by: Herb at September 12, 2007 09:06 AM
I have some French and German blood in me. My ancestors came from an area what is now the border of those two countries. That may explain
my war mongering tendencies. ;) I did a blog post about my ancestors in 2005.
Siggabertha? Oh my Gawd. What a name!
Posted by: brettcajun at September 12, 2007 09:30 AM
You'll have fun. From the looks of you, you're part Irish like many of us Southern boys. My great grandmother's name was Brentice Sonora, and I've got ancestors named Estella Caribler and Ira Idominium. Oh, and a Zaibo. I've got some Irish in me (I've had a lot in me a couple of times before), and some Cherokee. You'll find out some cool stuff, no doubt.
Posted by: raybob at September 12, 2007 10:33 AM
Speaking of Paul Lynde and family history, my grandmother (Irene) was his babysitter back in Mt. Vernon, Ohio. I was even named for him because my grandmother and mother were big fans, although my dad thinks I was named for biblical reasons... Man was he wrong.
Posted by: rubber_city at September 12, 2007 10:47 AM
Dude! you SO need to put "Sigga, PLEASE!" on your t-shirt picture!!!
Posted by: cb at September 12, 2007 12:01 PM
What? You mean those aren't all different t-shirts?
Posted by: raybob at September 12, 2007 12:25 PM
You boys are all so exotic with your ethnic mixes and fascinating ancestral names. All four of my grandparents were right off the boat from Ireland, and all from the same county (Galway). Makes me feel dishwater dull.
Posted by: Lucky Pierre at September 12, 2007 02:33 PM
Oh, and it could have been worse. She could have been southern and called Siggaretta.
Posted by: cb at September 12, 2007 05:32 PM
Your uncle Ott? I'd call him Dread.
Posted by: Chad at September 12, 2007 06:32 PM
Watch it - My grandmother's name was Nellie. And my family's claim to fame is that we're related to Darla from the Little Rascals.
Posted by: dumbek at September 13, 2007 06:13 AM
OK... you always make me at least smile but today I actually did Laugh Out Loud for an extended period of time. So damn funny! You're awesome.
Posted by: condoblogger at September 13, 2007 11:32 AM