A while ago, DS was listening to NPR about a new company called 23 And Me. He basically put it in the back of his memory, useless information kind of thing.

Then he came across a "deal" where the initiation fee would be waived if he signed up for a year @$9/month. He went for it.

The company sent him a swab for his mouth. Upon testing results, he can find out his predisposition percent to inherited diseases...not just the ones he knows.

Also his family origins, etc.

Sounds like fun. You may or may not be interested but here is the link.

https://www.23andme.com/

So, how come you didn't sign up, Aarcyn?

I don't know if I'd want to know anything.

I did not sign up because...

1. I did not want to spend the money! Initial fee appears to be $99. DS had that waived.
2. It costs $9/month. Not a lot of money but I can think of ways I can spend $9 that would be of better use for me.

Besides, in regards to what diseases I may have inherited or be prone to: I have MS and that is enough. At this point in life, I have enough and an attitute of "okay, I have something else."

The only things that truly would be fun is the ancestor part. I have the good fortune to be part of an extensive family tree on my mother's side. A distant cousin did the work and even traveled around the world meeting people (including me).

My genetic gene pool only traces up four generations. Birth/death documents are difficult to attain in the areas of Russia that might have records and the language barrier is also hard to overcome.

Besides, my family was not from rich stock so I am not even sure if there are any records.

It would be really cool to find out if the 23andme company can really pinpoint the area in Russia where my mother's family is supposed to have come from. Another cousin has done research that branches from my maternal grandfather that comes from Turkey.

I have very little information on my father's side other than immigration from Russia to Mexico and then to the United States. I have plans to visit my parents' graves on Memorial Day and will be going to find my great grandfather's stone. Long ago my paternal grandfather showed me his burial place. My grandfather had changed his last name when he crossed the border, made it more anglicized so I need the correct spelling to enter into the ancestry forums to see what happens.

Besides, with DS doing it, I don't need to! DH's family also comes from the same area of Russia as far as we know.

Maybe you and DH are cousins!

Twink that was funny. I don't hear Aarcyn laughing though. I have a cousin who did the whole run down on my paternal side, but won't give it to me because he did all the leg work, so to speak.

ha ha. It is not out of the question considering so many of us came from the same region in Russia. Gross though!

A Luminsky married a Shrybman and then a Shrybman married a Luminsky. It is only a guess that a brother married a sister and a sister married a brother or it was cousins. It was all in Russia and we are not able to get more information.

One part moved to France. A pregnant cousin was taken away when Germany invaded France.

I do have a cousin who can document his way back to the Mayflower but it is through his mother's side of the family not mine. He was even presented with some sort of document recently.

I come from hearty Russian stock. My grandfather was forced into the army and was a Jewish Cossack. Sadly there was a picture but no one has it. He was very proud of himself and his horse.

I once met a woman who had a release-from-the-army of the civil war. I saw the document signed by President Abraham Lincoln! That was so cool. I remember her showing me pictures of her ancestors who were a very well established family in Santa Barbara, CA. Santa Barbara is one of the prettiest places.

Family history can be so interesting.

@Twink. Do you have any such prestigious connections? I would not be surprised if you are well connected!

Maternal Grandmother, Jamestown, VA 1629 Been here a long time.

Does anybody ever watch the show on TV called Who Are You or Who Am I? Celebrities search for their family tree. I love it...great fun and totally interesting.

I'm with you Cyn, I don't care to know at this point, what illness may be genetically lurking around the corner.

That's fascinating stuff! Have you tried www.Ancestry.com or www.FamilySearch.org ? Also, you might consider hiring a professional genealogist. Someone somewhere must have a picture of your grandfather on his horse!