Recently while talking to someone about the SCA I confided that I’m really bad at working with new people. I want to be good at working with new people.. and new people get referred to me because “Sylvie knows about clothes, you should talk to her” and I DO… but for a new person what I want to talk about…
“The rabbit-hole went straight on like a tunnel for some way, and then dipped suddenly down, so suddenly that Alice had not a moment to think about stopping herself before she found herself falling down a very deep well.” Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll I’m not going to lie, I like research. For me one of the main…
Recently while speaking about what it means to be a peer in The West in the SCA someone mentioned that they were especially confused by “To speak and to be silent”. If you’re not in The West (or not in the SCA), “To speak and to be silent” is one of the lines in the western fealty ceremony. That is,…
Michiele l’encriere of Left Coast Dyer asked what I liked/disliked about being a Laurel in the SCA. It turns out in thinking about this, that all of my likes are also dislikes. :/ Tchotchke equal instant recognition What’s to like: I don’t have to prove myself to an unknown person. Wearing the medallion instantly qualifies my words/actions as “worthy of…
Here are the bare bones steps you need to become a Laurel in the SCA. Standard disclaimer: this is my opinion and does not represent the views of all Laurels (or Laurel councils) everywhere. 1. Research something medieval No, really, crack a book open and really dig into something. Do not sit on your laurels(har har) and default to assuming…
At Beltane, on Friday night I phoned it in… hard. We set up camp, headed off site for dinner, returned to site, put the child to bed and then I decided I wanted to spend a little while sitting by the fire. This last year I lost 65 lbs and gave away most of my dresses. I currently own two…
On the 24th day of March Anno Societatis LII, 2018 in the common reckoning, on the Sitientes which is the eve of the Feast of the Annunciation, the feast day of St. Hildelith, abbess of Barking Hereford, at the March Crown of the West Kingdom, Hans and Helga as the undoubted King and Queen of the West, I took to…
The parable of Miles and the Knight: http://chuckandelaine.com/wonder/miles_knight.html. This is as applicable to the Laurel/Apprentice/artisan relationship as it is to the Knight/Squire/fighter. Some people aren’t willing to ask for help and would rather hack at the trees themselves. This isn’t wrong but is the hardest path. Some Laurels rest on their laurels.. this isn’t wrong.. but it’s not the only…
On the 22nd day of July Anno Societatis LII, 2017 in the common reckoning, which is the feast day of Saint Mary Magdalene, patroness of penitent sinners and women, at the Investiture of Gwain and Meisha as the undoubted Prince and Princess of Cynagua, I took to indenture Treásach Þjóðhagi as my apprentice. It is my undoubted pleasure to guide…
At the Tudor Tailor workshop in LA last year (or was that the year before? yesh, time flies) they mentioned that good research is a three-legged stool. It’s based on extant item, paintings/drawings/illuminations of the items from the time period and writing about the item (wills, letters, etc). I learned a lot that weekend (and if you get a chance…