Mixed feelings

[norsegirl]

I'm thinking of dragging my butt out of the house and going to an event this weekend. Not sure whether it will be awesome or terrible. It really could go either way. It's run by mr stick-up-his-ass from a previous post, the guy with the set you on fire for using the word "garb" threat that I didn't even pick up on.

It's an equestrian event, and those are always neat to watch, so it has potential, and I hear the site is amazing, but I think the locals (autocrat) might make it suck.

I posted to the baronial list asking if I should bring some modern sunshades if I was willing to share them, and I got the expected response... mr stick responded absolutely not, they're not period and there will be plenty of space for me to sit under other people's shade. Others responded that once the royalty sets up their presences, and depending which of them bring what shades, that there might not actually be any space for us normal people.

I figure I'll get there, won't find any shaded space to sit, or be told my dogs aren't welcome. I'll then spend an hour or two out in the sun, alone (with Jason, but no one else will speak to me) with my beagles, and then give up and go home.

I know going in expecting the worst might be one of those self-fulfilling prophecies, but at this point I'm just not feeling very hopeful and it's hard to expect anything else. At least it's a short drive if it does suck.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_medb_/]

I can't stand people like that. It's the SCA for cripes sake- he apparently has forgotten what the C means. Not everyone has the means/time/safety issues/etc. to do completely period stuff, even if one wanted to. I'm all for trying to be completely period, but some people just take it too far, which ruins it for the rest of us. (if you can't tell already, it's a HUGE hot button with me, sigh)

I hope that if you do go, that you have a good time. It would be really neat to watch the equestrian stuff.

[eve-the-just.livejournal.com]

On one hand I understand the desire to have good atmosphere. But on the other hand, if you don't have enough shade, you should be willing to accept it when people offer it. Also, I've seen video of the event and it's not like the other sunshades are remotely period either. Just making the same shape out of canvas and putting it on wooden posts doesn't make it more period. I'm not sure why people don't get that.

I also have an issue with allowing private period pavilions (with walls) in the viewing area while saying no to sharable sunshades that don't block sight-lines for observers. I'm not sure it's as much about the creative part, as the medieval times as they should have been courtesy part.

That said, it's his event so I guess he has the right to make the rules.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_medb_/]

I agree exactly, for both of those issues. It just amazes me that people don't understand that doing such things actually makes people NOT want to spend time at events (especially the private pavilions thing- they are extremely exclusionary, no matter how much people say 'but, everyone is welcome! I don't understand why no one comes into our [walled and forbidding-looking] pavilion!' Yeesh). I have a harder time joining into a fancy presence as well, as they often scream 'private property, do not talk to us' to me for some reason that I've never quite put my finger on as to exactly why.
It also comes down to safety in my opinion- I'd much rather see a smattering of modern shades in hot weather than only one or two 'period' ones that exclude most of the populace. It reminds me of the Trilliums War where I was reminding one A&S organizer and two pregnant women (one of which hadn't told many people yet) to get water and get out of the sun because it was so brutal that year. Sigh. A modern garage tent was much better than nothing.

[eve-the-just.livejournal.com]

With the walled pavilion, I think a lot of it depends on what you can see as you walk past. If it is filled only with "living room" furniture, people are more likely to drop in than if they see a bed. I might drag the norse pavilion out there just so the dogs and I have somewhere we can crash if needed. It's not space-efficient and there's only so many chairs you can get in there and still see what's going on, but if that's all I'm allowed to have, and I am allowed to have it, I might just bring it.

On the other hand, it's heavy and a bitch to set up and I'm pregnant and the whole thing is only 30 min from my doorstep, so I'm more inclined to just drop in, stay as long as I enjoy it and then bail out.

I was looking forward to setting out a few sunshades and a table and some food and hoping to meet people by showing a bit of hospitality. Ah well.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_medb_/]

I was looking forward to setting out a few sunshades and a table and some food and hoping to meet people by showing a bit of hospitality. Ah well.

Now that sounds very welcoming to me. THAT is what the SCA is supposed to be about, sigh.

As for the walled pavilion, I think I'm also affected by the fact that when I was first new, certain people in the local group set up such areas and really were trying to keep most people out. Thankfully, most of those people are no longer in the SCA (or I can't remember who they were, since they've changed over the years or I just ignore them), but it's affected me ever since.

[eve-the-just.livejournal.com]

I don't think anyone ever tried to keep me out of their space, but of course I was a giggly little belly-bunny. That might explain my reluctance to go anywhere isolated or where there was a bed. My early view of the SCA was of a lot of creepy, lecherous old men, and I'd heard tales of at least one who didn't take no for an answer. Luckily I never featured as the damsel in distress in any of those stories.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_medb_/]

It wasn't really an overt thing, but some of the older members in the area didn't like us pesky students and gave us a definite cold shoulder. Luckily, there were also others who didn't care about past incidents (that I personally wasn't even in town during, nor were most others in the group at the time) and welcomed us quite nicely.

[snowy-owl30.livejournal.com]

It's also a safety issue for the event attendees! Geez, with all that potential for sun damage, you'd think they would take that into account and make sure that there was plenty of shade for everyone.

I'm sorry to hear folks aren't terribly welcoming down there either. And we wonder why the SCA is going through a slump in numbers...

[eve-the-just.livejournal.com]

It looks like there are lots of trees on the site at least. If I get hot or the doggies get bored I'll just make it a short day. No biggie.

Bah, it's the medieval police

[firefred.livejournal.com]

They sound very anal to me. I still hope you had a good time. Perhaps your dogs are also not appropriate to the time period? I keep thinking about a film which adressed this problem, sadly, I forgot the title. I will find this out (hopefully) and tell you. It was about this guy who was interested in role-playing, but stifled by his peers.

Re: Bah, it's the medieval police

[eve-the-just.livejournal.com]

I still hope you had a good time.

We'll see, it's still in the future :) I'll report in if I actually meet mr stick-up-his-ass in person. Ironically, my dogs probably are appropriate to the period (though I'll give that their leashes and use as a companion animal rather than a hunting pack are not), and my costumes and gear are better than most. It's ironic that this guy is choosing to put me down when I'm the least of his problems.

[ngakmafaery.livejournal.com]

...wandering in from the friends' list of sca, and wanted to say that I used to be in our semilocal sca years ago, but the yucky rigid "they had no fun in the middle ages and so you can have none now!!!!!" folks made me lose interest in them, although I still have some interest in the concepts...too bad, really...good luck to us all!

[eve-the-just.livejournal.com]

You're not the first person I've heard say that. Those people really are doing a great disservice to the group they supposedly love. I keep telling people, you just need to surround yourself with the people who ARE having fun and let the rest stew in their own misery. Us fun people do outnumber them and we do welcome new people to our party.