It's not a skirt!

[shirenomad]

My aunt and uncle took a vacation to Great Britain a couple weeks ago, which I got to hear about yesterday. Most of it was uninteresting to me, but near the end of the trip they visited Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye. That's the ancestral and current home of the MacLeods, one of the few Scottish clans to maintain their roots from formation to the present. They're also my relatives via my paternal grandmother. (My great-grandfather was William Wallace MacLeod, named after, of course, Mel Gibson. :P) So it was kinda cool to hear about my heritage; as a WASP, I wasn't even aware I had much in my ancestry to be proud of.

Comments

[thunderphoenix.livejournal.com]

MacLeod? You mean that you're related to Highlanders?! Cool!

(And I know even less about mine, except that back in the 19th century my ancestors were slaveowners. Not exactly noble there.)

[shirenomad]

Yeah, we've got a few plantations in our more recent past ourselves, sadly. (And my great uncle still calls it the "War of Northern Aggression.) -_-

[capheine.livejournal.com]

Top Ten Signs that your relatives are too old... ;)

I remember when I was younger and first found out that I'm a quarter German. I was all worried that I had connections to the Nazi party or something.

[thunderphoenix.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I have to deal with that kind of thinking on a regular basis. From people my age. Can't we all just get along? >_

[capheine.livejournal.com]

It's really too bad that the non-retarded citizens of the Deep South can't overcome the stereotypical hick bigots who want to keep the Segregation Train rolling. I feel horrible for the people down there who actually possess brains.

I just remembered...

[pretzelcoatl.livejournal.com]

I'm also related to someone who apparently was in Sherman's March to the Sea. My sister met someone in college who apparently had ancestors that had a pretty wealthy plantation. Their conversation basically consisted of this:

Sister's friend: My ancestors had a pretty wealthy plantation.
Sister: Wow. My ancestor burnt your plantation to the ground!
*both laugh*

Good to see that they have a sense of humor about it, at least. :P

[pretzelcoatl.livejournal.com]

Ooo, that's cool.

I know what you mean. I'm glad I can at least brag to people that I'm related to Sir Isaac Newton. Granted, it's only on my grandmother's side, but still. It's pretty cool. I just hope I don't become as neurotic as he did. :P