Curiosity and obsession are two major factors in my pursuit into the details behind the lives led by my ancestors. Who were these people, how did they think and feel, what kind of experiences and hardships did they endure? I feel a deep nostalgia for people, times and places, and the knowledge that they are gone forever. Am I trying to bring them back?

I must also admit that the "thrill of the chase", albeit with cold trails, is tantalizing. Crunching data, seeing patterns and finding answers are tasks that all appeal to my "analytical" nature.

In recent months, my curiosity has expanded to include information about my "deep" origins. This curiosity can be satisfied, at least on a rather crude scale, via DNA studies such as the National Geographic genographic project. Current theories, based on analyses using the Y chromosome, indicate that everyone alive on the planet today can trace their origins to a single male who lived in Africa some 60,000 years ago. Of course there were other males living at the time, but it is only the one individual's tree that has survived over some 2,500 generations to the present day. "Molecular geneticists" also believe that we can trace our maternal line to a single female who also lived in Africa but much earlier, around 125,000 years ago.

I'm also aware that much of the content of this site is of no relevance to the majority of people who stumble across it. I find it useful, however, to be able to access my data from anywhere there is a connection to the Internet. The site also helps me organize my thoughts and, very occasionally, a distant relative connects with me through Google or other search engines.

Me: