Storytelling

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I Will Be the 1st Person You Know Who Actually Took a DNA Test to Find Out Their Ethnicity (MyHeritage Results by September 2nd)

Some people could care less about what shows up in their family tree. They will just sort of laugh it off with, “Yeah, I’m pretty much a mutt, I guess… A little English, a little Irish, maybe some German- I even heard there’s some Native American Indian in there too.”

But I am not one of those people.

Instead, I am Nick Shell. Therefore, I have always been fascinated by the mystery of my ethnicity.

I suppose I have somewhat of an advantage in that I know for a fact that all my great-grandparents on my mom’s side were born in another country:

Her grandparents on her father’s side were born in Italy and her grandparents on her mother’s side were born in Mexico. It’s just always been taken for granted that my mother is half Italian and half Mexican.

But I can no longer assume that every ancestor on my mom’s side was either 100% Italian or 100% Mexican. Besides, “Mexican” isn’t actually a race; as I understand that Mexicans are ultimately an ethnic mix of Native Americans and Europeans.

Over the years, my mom has reminded me of what she heard as a young girl, when she was around the Italian half of the family: “Just because we have the Metallo name and we’re Italian, that doesn’t mean that’s all we are. There’s other stuff in there too: A little bit of Greek, a little bit of French, and a little bit of Jewish…”

 

And before my Mexican grandmother passed away last year, she told me something I never heard her say before; that when she was a little girl, she saw family members “who had black skin and tight, curly hair.” I believe it is possible there is actually a few drops of African blood in me.

As for my dad’s side of the family, no one really knows. A few years ago, my dad received a book containing all the family tree records, but the names all seem to be predictably “WASP”: White Anglo-Saxon Protestant.

But I won’t be wondering much longer. Because as of Saturday, July 22nd, I mailed off the DNA test I bought from MyHeritage. The results should be back within 4 to 6 weeks from that day; which would be August 19th be at the soonest, and September 2nd at the latest.

As you can imagine, I am looking forward to finding out the results! No matter what the results reveal, I am sure I will be surprised…

Even though I paid $79 (normally $99) plus shipping, I see there are running a special that ends tonight, on July 31st; for just $69.

And if you’re interested in taking a DNA test like I did, here’s the link to MyHeritage.

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How My Stupid 2003 Selfie in Bangkok Foreshadowed the Appearance of My Campbell’s Soup Doppelganger in 2012

I spent the summer of 2003 teaching English in Nonthaburi, Thailand at Global English School; basically in the heart of Bangkok. That was before the days of Facebook and digital cameras. So I used disposable cameras to document my experience serving as an ESL teacher that summer.

As I was packing up during my final days there that July, getting ready for my next semester back at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, I felt the need to use up the last few shots on the roll of the last disposable camera.

Even though this happened pretty much exactly 14 years ago, I still remember it clearly. Perhaps I was even inspired by Zach Braff, the star of one of my favorite TV shows at the time, Scrubs.

I took a stupid selfie with that last shot on the disposable camera. Again, Facebook wasn’t a thing back then. So really, who would even be seeing the photo?

Until today, I forgot about that picture. But as I was thinking about my goal of meeting my doppelganger, who currently can be found on the cover of the package of Campbell’s Go Southwest Style Chicken with Quinoa soup, it hit me:

“Hey, my stupid 2003 Bangkok selfie is eerily similar to how my doppelganger has the same hairstyle and is looking to the side, with his mouth open.”

In other words, I did “the Cambell’s Go Southwest Style Chicken with Quinoa look” first, back in 2003. It would be nearly a decade later, in 2012, that the Campbell’s Go campaign would take place, and my unknown twin would do the much more famous version of the look.

However, I’m sure that when I got back from Thailand in the summer of 2003, my sister happened to see that silly photo I made of myself.

Perhaps it made it only that much easier for her to spot the package of soup at the grocery store and send me a picture of it, sincerely asking if that was me on the soup package.

I know this all might sound like I’m obsessing over finding and meeting my doppelganger, but that’s because… I am.

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Dear Holly: Your Attempt to Figure Out the Sprinkler in the Backyard (and Why Your Brother Had a Bucket on His Head)

1 year, 3 months.

Dear Holly,

Here we are in the scorching heat of July in Nashville. There’s not much we can do, as a family, outdoors right now. But when Mommy took your brother with her to buy groceries on Saturday morning while you and I stayed home and played, she bought him a $5 sprinkler for our water hose.

The original plan was just for Jack to run through the sprinkler while Mommy supervised outside on the back porch. But after just a few minutes, you began grunting and nodding your head towards the back door.

Translation: “Daddy, aren’t you going to take me outside?”

You didn’t even notice the intense 91 degree weather. You were just fascinated by watching your brother jump through the water.

So Mommy helped you get a closer look, holding you up high to where you wouldn’t really get too wet. That’s when your brother, who assumed his role of entertainer, placed a bucket on top of his head and started dancing around.

I’m trying to imagine how you were processing what was going on, as the 15 month-old little girl you are…

It’s scorching hot. Let’s go outside!

And now big brother is dancing in the water with a bucket on his head.

I assume that this event ultimately gets translated in your brain as “completely normal event.”

That’s something I tend to think about- how everything you see our family do, even if you forget about it an hour later, is ultimately hard-wiring your thought process as to what are the norms of society.

However, I have found that you actually do remember more than I would expect you to. Just little things, like when we were reading a book together that had a picture of a cartoon lizard on it.

I said, “Holly… lizard!” Then I made a silly noise by sticking my tongue out again and again, which sounded like, “bluh-la-buh-la, bluh-la-buh-la…”

A few days later when you pointed to the book for us to read again, you placed your finger on the lizard and immediately made the sound: “Bluh-la-buh-la, bluh-la-buh-la…”

You looked up to me for immediate approval, as you smiled so big, which translated as, “Daddy, that’s the sound I’m supposed to make when I see the lizard, right? Aren’t you proud of me for remembering?”

What’s funny is, I had forgotten I had even made that sound the last time we had read the book. But now, every time we read it, you make that silly lizard noise that I accidentally taught you.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: You are Now Asking Me Questions about Baptism

6 years, 8 months.

Dear Jack,

As your Daddy, I have to always be ready for serious, sincere questions; especially at times when I would least expect. That definitely was the case as we were driving back from the movies last Sunday.

Completely unrelated to our conversation discussing your favorite part of the movie, basically out of nowhere, you asked me this: “Daddy, will we see your Grandma in Heaven?”

That set up the next question, “Daddy, what will Heaven be like?”

And that led to, “Will we see Jesus in Heaven?”

Then, “If Jesus is God, then are they one person or two?”

And then, “Does a person have to be baptized to go to Heaven?”

That last question is the one you’ve been bringing up daily, since then. Last night, after we read your children’s Bible story about King Hezekiah (which actually was very interesting, and one that I wasn’t really familiar with), you asked me again about Heaven and baptism.

I have been explaining to you that being baptized is how we let everyone know that we believe Jesus is God’s son and that we trust in Him and thank Him for all we have in life. To answer your question, I pointed out that Jesus promised the dying thief on the cross next to Him, “Today, you will be with me in Paradise”. However, any other time in the Bible a person believed in Jesus, they always got baptized afterwards.

For you, believing is the easy part.

It’s funny because for us, one of the ways we bond is when you show me your newest Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh cards you traded that day at school. Some of the characters are called “gods”, yet you always immediately point out that there are false gods, like the idols people made in the Bible.

You always separate the “idols and false gods” from our God. I am truly impressed with your ability, as an almost 1st grader, to process that concept.

So whereas believing is the easy part, right now you are sorting out the details- the main one being this:

“Daddy, how long do I have to go underwater to get baptized?”

Turns out, you asked Mommy these same questions about baptism and Heaven, right after I left your bedroom last night, when she came in to say goodnight.

Now Mommy and I are planning to let you go to “big church” the next time they have a baptismal service; and take you to the front row so you can see exactly how it works.

It is an honor to teach you these things. I don’t want to rush you through your ongoing journey in the Christian faith. Instead, it’s important to me that you understand at your own pace, paced on my consistent guidance.

I simply have been sowing the seeds, by reading your stories from the children’s story Bible that my Grandma gave me 29 years ago. And you truly enjoy going to church, learning aside from we read together.

This is big stuff.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: It’s the Dog Days of Summer, So We Might as Well Go to the Movies!

6 years, 8 months.

Dear Jack,

This is what I call “the dead of summer.” Not winter, but summer.

Most people refer to this as the dog days of summer. It’s this time of year that I unapologetically think to myself, “I wouldn’t mind it being winter right now…”

Here in Tennessee this time of year, it’s so hot and humid that there’s not a whole we can do outside; unless it involves water- but even then, we have to be sure to prevent sunburn.

During the colder weather months, you and I are able to spend quality time together by going on our hikes in the woods. But as for now, a trip to the matinee is our choice.

Last weekend we saw Spiderman: Homecoming. Obviously, we had a great time and loved the movie!

I personally loved seeing the dynamics of the older, more mature Tony Stark (Ironman) mentoring Peter Parker (Spiderman), as he is basically auditioning to be an Avenger.

And you loved getting to see Spiderman in his own movie. After all, you have so many Spiderman t-shirts, as well as a Spiderman bath towel, Spiderman water hose sprayer, Spiderman toothbrush, and Spiderman Band-Aids, it was about time you got to actually see Spiderman on the big screen.

Granted, we had to get there an hour before the movie started just to get a seat, even though it wasn’t even opening weekend. And then there were 30 minutes of commercials and previews before the movie began. So by the time we stopped by Moe’s for dinner afterwards, we were gone for about 4 and a half hours!

In less than a month, you’ll be starting 1st grade. I’d say it’s been a great summer for you. So many field trips, road trips, and even violin lessons.

Not to mention, you’ve got a week-long stay at Nonna and Papa’s coming up. I know you’ll love that! But as for this coming weekend, I believe you and I will be back at the movies…

Love,

Daddy