Just Curious

[Vicki Marsh]

> Just curious.....what would be the cause of someone not receiving their AoA?
> or why would a person be denied their AoA?

        All the reasons given have been valid.  Having sat in on many award
rec. meetings with various crowns and coronets, I can state that people are
usually overlooked due to their "working in the background" far too much.  I
have also seen a fluctuation of "high-interest" groups, a.k.a. "the In
crowd". Sometimes this will be Heavy fighters, sometimes Light, sometimes
Marshals,Cooks, artisans, etc.  I have known people who worked very hard in
certain circles, but were never known at all outside of their own group,
especially if they didn't travel.  If you have a group who's leaders do not
see the contribution of all their people, and do the recommending for them,
the awards rarely ever happen.  Many have the mistaken idea that only
certain leaders/nobility can recommend people for awards.  WRONG!!Anyone can
recommend anyone for anything!!
        The biggest mistake I have seen is not in giving an overdue award,
but in giving one far too soon.  I would much rather have the populace say
"Finally!! You really deserve that. We thought you already had that!!"
instead of hearing people say "What did she get that for? What does she do?
Who is she?".
        Do what you enjoy doing. If you are doing something you don't enjoy
for the shear sake of getting an award, and go around complaining about not
getting one, then don't be surprised when it doesn't happen.  

I leave you with two quotations I have borrowed from an article titled "What
is a Don", compiled by Robin of Gilwell and published in "Academy of the
Rapier -IX-",(an excellent read for anyone in Ansteorra , compiled and
edited by Lady Kyra Hartsong).  Although the quotations involve Knighthood,
it applies to all levels in the Society.


"Don't try to do what a knight would do -- that's play acting.  Be a knight."
                                                Sir Jan w Orzeldom


"First you have to become a knight.  Then you'll spend six months to a year
convincing everyone that you're a knight.  Once everybody knows that you are
already a knight,  they'll put a white belt around you.  They put white
belts around knights."
                                                Sir William of Weir


                In Service to the Society, Lady Zahra Zena Theanos