Whining and complaining (Was Litch (was Why do some...))

[I. Marc Carlson]

<"Mordraut Freyulf" <mordraut at moritu.com>>
>...One of my main gripes with this list, and rec.org.sca is that there 
>are plenty of people willing to spout ideas, but when it comes time 
>to try and implement them, they seem to be elsewhere, or too busy.  
>Instead of just mentioning them, live them, lead by example.

Why, Mordraut, you wound me...

Actually, I tend to agree with you.  There is a point in almost everything,
when one must be willing to "put up or shut up", "put your money where your
mouth is" or however you want to phrase it.  If you [used generically, not 
referring to anyone specifically] are going to say "I don't like X about
something (in this case The Society)" and aren't planning on giving that
dislike the effort to correct it that it deserves" then I really have no
interest in dealing with what is essentially whining to get attention.

In my case, just to give an example for people to shoot at, I would *prefer* to
sit on my rear, read other people's research, use things that other people
made, and never put an ounce of effort into what's going on.  But, to my mind,
the general *overall* level of research in the Society is not up to my
standards; few people, if any make the stuff *I* want to have to do my
re-creation, and if they do, they charge an arm and a leg for it; and finally,
of course, never putting an ounce of effort into what's going on around me, is
just rude.  I could, in these cases, (and in fact often do) bitch and moan
about the conditions set by the membership of the SCA, but if I leave it at
that, I'm just making myself part of the problem, and so I *do* research, I
*do* teach classes, and make an effort to wear something that's at lease
*remotely* "period" and homogenous to that stupid populace meeting, when I'd
just as soon pop a ratty old "T" over my blue jeans and tennis shoes.  I know
I can't *make* the Society do what *I* want, but I can, by God, show them
what I want, and, if I'm *really* lucky, I can convince one or two of them 
that it just might be worth doing themselves.

I don't deserve awards or kudos for that, nor am I intending to come across 
as self-congratulatory since to me, that level of social interaction is the 
*minimum* level of behavior I feel I am obligated to do as a member of the 
SCA (paid or not).

Now, to be honest, I'm not the Society's "best" member.  I can be pushy, 
obnoxiously opinionated and abrasive in my discussing those opinions, without
meaning to (I can be when I mean to be as well, but that's a different issue :)
).  I *hate* public speaking, and have a life long detestation of signing up to
volunteer for ANYTHING (I don't mind helping out here and there, but the
military trashed my inclination to formally volunteer for details).  Finally, 
you are not likely to see me at events further away from my nest than I can
possibly get away with, but if *I* can do the basic minimum needed to fulfill
my obligation to that Society, why shouldn't I expect it from others? 

"Authenticity is not a matter     Diarmuit Ui Dhuinn
 of money, but of time"           University of Northkeep/Company of St. Jude
 -- Unknown Recreator              Northkeepshire, Ansteorra
                                  (I. Marc Carlson/IMC at vax2.utulsa.edu)