UKC

Well, sitting here on the armchair that is 'Off Belay' and flicking through old family photos it reminded me of an 'its in the genes' conversation I had with my older brother a few years ago. To wit:
[Same Mum, Same Dad, both drinkers & smokers - neither above low-levels].

Eldest sis out of us four kids; 5'8 and slim as a rake - couldn't ever gain weight. Barely has the odd wine with a meal. Doesn't smoke. Adores her two childen. Afraid of heights.
Elder bro': 5'11. Big, solid, rugby-playing physique with a barrell chest. Went totally bald at 24 though. Doesn't touch alcohol and his pet hate is 'filthy smokers'. 'No way do I want children - wife's the same'. Terrified of heights.
Youngest sis: 5'7 I'd guess and felt tiny last time we hugged in 2004. Doesn't smoke, perhaps a wine with dinner. Adores her three children. Gets 'Vertigo'.
Myself: 5'10, 'wirey' 63.4Kg was my 'fighting weight' when I was climbing, 56Kg nowadays. Drank/drink like a f*kn fish & have virtually chain-smoked for over thirty years. Have a full head of dark, straggly hair like the old magazine pics. Agree with bro' - 'kids?, no way'. Love being high up.
Anyone else have a mixed bunch of siblings?
AP.

In reply to AP Melbourne:

Experience prompts me to warn you to be wary of probing family genetics. You or your siblings might not be prepared for what you uncover.

In reply to AP Melbourne:

Recessive genes, not all our traits are down to purely our parents, but also their parents etc.. etc..

In reply to AP Melbourne:

I have two half-brothers who didn't grow up with me, and we are very different yet recognisably (physically and psychologically) akin to each other. The similar-but-different-ness of siblings fascinates me (having grown up as an only child in an adoptive family), and I love watching it in my two children.

In reply to summo:

Don't forget epigenetics as well. There is evidence suggesting that the genes that we express and hence our 'make up' and behaviour may be influenced by the environment our mother's were exposed to during pregancy via cellular signalling pathways from mother to child.

In reply to Colin Scotchford:

Thats very scientific and deep Colin - interesting, shall Google it.
Hypothetically then, when our mum fell preggers for the third time could she have say, exclaimed 'Oh no, not again' and reached for the sherry and smokes?

In reply to AP Melbourne:

5'10 and 56kg is VERY thin. I would seriously look into gaining some weight, it's dangerously thin (assuming you're male)

In reply to MrWayne:


+1 to this ^^

I'm 5'11" and thin yet I weigh 80kg

In reply to BnB:

... or ancestry:

youtube.com/watch?v=c65QRaR16io&

In reply to AP Melbourne:

How many milkmen did your parents have over the years?

In reply to AP Melbourne:

As with BusyLizzie, I was brought up as an adoptee. I recently found my full blood brother and sister who are physically very similar to me but, until then, had no idea what my genetic family were like. I'm a bit bulkier than my brother but then he smokes and doesn't seem to eat a lot and I do eat and do a lot more exercise. But you can tell we're all from the same stock. In fact, my brother and I have some very similar physical traits which are clearly inherited, but are very disimilar in other ways.

I think I was posting on here much more regularly when I was looking for them and going through a bit of a difficult time when BusyLizzie came to my aid.

In reply to AP Melbourne:
I have twin sisters who are non identical in every possible way, totally different physically, mentally and emotionally too. I have an older brother who thinks it's unfair that I got two inches extra height, kept my hair past twenty one and can grow a full manly beard. We do have similar features, but I'm better looking I was also blonde as a child,none of my siblings were though.and I'm the only one with blue eyes too.

In reply to Ridge:

Ha, yeah that was always the family joke!

In reply to MrWayne:


So my Dr advises - too thin ... (my picture's on the front & rear covers of a book called Punk in the Gym, you decide ...).
Cheers,
Andy.

In reply to AP Melbourne:

I'm mixed race and have twin sons. One of them is blonde with fair skin and is stocky the other has dark brown hair, olive skin and is skinny and much taller than the other one. They have very similar features but you would not think that they are twins at first glance!