I met an interesting man a few months ago, for whom English is a second language. When he failed to understand what it is I do, I didn't know if it was a communication problem or what. Despite his big smile and sparkling eyes when he saw me, he also said some things that would lead me to think that maybe he was underestimating me dramatically. I was thinking that maybe I shouldn't have this man a friend, that maybe he is too sexist for me.
Then recently I ran into him and this time he pointed at me and said, "Genealogy Road Show!" I understand now. Two and two together!"
That wasn't all. Apparently he also made a point of learning where the local genealogy resources are. He asked me not only if I watched the TV show but if I used these resources.
Well, I don't watch the show and I do use all the resources that he mentioned - and more. So I briefly told him that one place seemed to specialize in German heritage into the United States, while another had very little on a particular ethnic heritage of mine but that I'd found something valuable to my own personal research the last time I went there.
But this is progress, this understanding.
So I decided to watch a Genealogy Road Show on YouTube.
My feeling is that by showing only the resolutions to a specific question the show is kept fast paced and at a certain height of interest. It's so opposite than the reality of long hours of deep concentration that genealogy research often requires.
I have no doubt that all the experts with the latest databases and relationships within archives can cut through to the questions in record time, but the show does give a VERY FALSE IMPRESSION of how fast and easy genealogical research can be done.
I suspect that there is a lot of pre-interviewing and pre-researching done before selections are made of what guests and what specific questions will actually be filmed and aired on the show. If it's going to take too long - and go out of budget - then that one will not be a go.
You should not feel yourself a failure as a researcher or feel that your professional is going slow based on this show, which is ultimately misleading to those who might not consider that maybe 90% or more of what goes on there happens off the show in the planning and editing!
