The Twelve Steps for Recovering Genealogists

 1. I admit that I am powerless over my gedcom and that my life has become unmanageable.

 2. I believe that there is a greater power other than genealogy and that it will restore sanity to my life. 

 3. I have made a decision to turn my life over to non genealogists and hope that they will understand me. 

 4. I have admitted to myself and other genealogists that I am addicted to my obituary files. 

 5. I vow to no longer discuss "dead people" with my few remaining friends in hopes that they will remain my friends. 

 6. I promise to take photographs of things other than tombstones. 

 7. My only source of reading material will no longer be census, wills, death certificates and obituaries. 

 8. I will not spend family vacations in out-of-state libraries and courthouses. 

 9. Family picnics will no longer be held in cemeteries. 

 10. My family will no longer be referred to as "the live ones." 

 11. My time spent on the Internet will be limited to sites other than Rootsweb.com, Ancestry.com and MyGenealogy.com. 

 12. I will carry these messages to other genealogists and practice these principles every day.