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From:
Subject: Re: [S-I] Who Do You Think You Are (American Version)
Date: Sun, 7 Mar 2010 14:18:50 +0000 (UTC)
In-Reply-To: <101152CE-D6D2-42C7-8EB2-0A1ABBB5E845@mac.com>


Hi Penny, I agree about the contrived bit. Most of us also don't go with the 'trail' like they did, abandoning lines that were too hard (or without major appeal). I also suspect that the benefit of using actresses is that maybe they can say "Oh, Wow" with 50 more facial expressions than the rest of us. I have actually set down at Ancestry and made a lot of progress in an hour or two.....never on my own line or that of anyone paying me money <grin>!!! But it can be done if you very lucky.

However it is wonderful to be able to tie yourself to history and if the shows get a few more people involved maybe we'll all benefit, if only because they will help preserve the past, join societies, and keep us from turning into a nation without any interest in its past (instead of only slight, like now).

Linda

----- Original Message -----
From: "Penny Bonnar" <>
To:
Sent: Saturday, March 6, 2010 5:41:11 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: Re: [S-I] Who Do You Think You Are (American Version)

I just watched the Sarah Jessica Parker episode on Hulu and thought it was a bit contrived. No visits to Family History Centers to strain her eyes over microfilm. And how many of us can afford to hire researchers to do the real legwork, let alone hop on a plane and hail a cab to take us where the next trail leads? When I go off on my genealogy journeys, it's usually with a prayer that my car makes it there and back one more time, and my nights are spent in budget motel rooms because I'd rather spend the money to rent another film or pay for copies at the courthouse.

Despite my criticism, however, I thought it was interesting in that it showed that our family history can be full of surprising little and even not so little details that pop up every so often in our research. That point was clearly part of Parker's story. And those surprises are a big part of the fun of it.

I also liked how Parker now feels herself to be part of American history---thanks to her family's story. History really does take on new meaning with every generation we trace back.

I'm sure this series will spark people's interest. But I also hope that people will not be scared off because they think they need the kind of money Parker has to search for their ancestors.

Penny Bonnar

On Mar 6, 2010, at 1:37 PM, wrote:

> Hi folks, the first episode of this show aired Friday night. Nothing Scotch Irish came up but I am curious how people found it who watched?
>
> You can watch it at Hulu if you missed it and have broadband:
> http://www.hulu.com/who-do-you-think-you-are
>
> Anyone know if the British show is on line free anywhere???
>
> I watched it and enjoyed. I had attempted to watch the PBS show but found it rather slow paced.
>
> Linda Merle
>
>
>
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