Why do people research their family history?

Yuck, that sounds like the beginning of one of Carrie Bradshaw's shitty columns. Allow me to start again:

I have been researching my family history recently. (Better, no?) My research led me to the fact that my great-great-great grandfather was the architect of Old Main, the original building that still stands on the Gustavus Aldolphus campus. He wrote a memoir about his life shortly before he died and, through a long and twisted chain of fate, it was lost, forgotten, rediscovered, and bizarrely ended up back in my family's hands decades later. I've been trying to get into his life, figure out why he emigrated from Sweden to the U.S. in the 1800s.

Old Main doesn't hold any answers for me, but it will be a fun road-trip.

I know a lady who works on campus and she has been gracious enough to set up a few meetings for me tomorrow. After lunch with my friend, I'm meeting the head archivist for the college and sharing the memoir with him. I plan to give him a copy, and it sounds like they may want to make it part of their collection. After that meeting, one of the college deans is taking me on a personal walking tour of the building and I plan to take lots of pictures so I can report back to my family. Then I have the afternoon to myself so I can get some research done.

This is all so out-of-the-ordinary for me that it seems like it should be a blast. However, I'm still reeling from a very busy day today, so I hope I have some energy when I wake up in the morning. After a full day at work I hit the gym, went to an orientation session for Fringe Fest volunteers, and then visited a friend/colleague at her new condo in South Minneapolis. I was there until 11:30 pm, meaning I haven't been home for almost 16 hours.

What is it about "home" that is so magnet-like? Why does it matter if I'm talking on the phone at home all night long, or sitting at a friend's house talking? Why does it seem less exhausting when I'm here?

This is devolving into another Carrie Bradshaw exposition, so I'd better quite while I'm ahead.