I need an argument settled over the proper title for each of these relatives: (1) Your great-aunt's children, (2) Your cousin's children. Are they both called second cousin or cousin once removed, or something completely different?
posted by (bb|[^b]{2}) on Sep 19, 2009 - 20 answers

The Family Business: Have you left it? Please tell me about your experiences doing so. Especially if you were expected to be the one to carry it on after your parents' retirement/death. [more inside]
posted by sio42 on Jul 23, 2009 - 8 answers

How do I stop resenting my brother's wife, stop mentally competing with her for the love and approval of my parents, and stop worrying about falling to the margins of my family? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Feb 23, 2009 - 15 answers

Should I, or should I not meet with my estranged relatives? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Feb 16, 2009 - 23 answers

My wife discovered our names and "locations" (defined here as city and state) on a shady website called Reunion.com (Wikipedia). I know we've probably been scraped from a variety of online resources, but her so-called "profile" includes the names of her parents and siblings, as well as my parents and my brother. How did Reunion.com make this association? [more inside]
posted by CancerMan on Nov 11, 2008 - 8 answers

My father and his mother were separated from his father by events in WWII in Poland. I'd like to find him. I've tried a few things but would much appreciate more help. Are there any Polish Mefites out there or anyone who has searched for people who are probably dead. [more inside]
posted by sien on Nov 10, 2008 - 10 answers

How do you keep in touch with friends and relatives over long distances? [more inside]
posted by abdulf on Oct 19, 2008 - 12 answers

Must I invite my husband's evil relatives to our son's bar mitzvah? [more inside]
posted by bluekrauss on Apr 2, 2008 - 43 answers

Help me cope with post-political-argument-with-relatives stress disorder. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Nov 25, 2006 - 21 answers

My uncle's wife has an uncle through marriage whose first cousin's grand-niece lives in my apartment building. Are my neighbor and I related? [more inside]
posted by werty on Sep 8, 2005 - 29 answers

Tonight the father of a close friend of mine passed away. In the last month this is the third relative he has lost and his mother is in cancer treatement : more inside [more inside]
posted by elpapacito on Jan 11, 2005 - 11 answers

How much are you like or different from your immediate family and relatives? [MI] [more inside]
posted by Ethereal Bligh on Jan 8, 2005 - 32 answers

Right before our big Thanksgiving dinner, my doorbell rang, and the man I found on my front porch introduced himself as my brother. Since I didn't know him, I disbelieved him, even though he looked just like my father and knew everything about him, and our family.

I turned him away rather abruptly, rudely, in fact. I'm sure I hurt his feelings, probably badly. But then I asked my mother if she knew anything about this, and well, turns out that he is, in fact, my brother, the product of an affair my father had when I was 3 years old. My mother found out just about a month ago, but members of my father's family have known for decades, and never told us, even when my father died. (More than 20 years ago.)

I don't know the guy's (last) name or how to contact him. I'm not sure if I want to try to find out. Apparently members of my father's family could put me in touch with him, as one of my aunts is the one who gave him my address. But I'm not sure if I want to contact him. What on earth would I say?

What would you do?
posted by anonymous on Nov 25, 2004 - 27 answers