Awards Policy (Househol

[Jeanne C. Stapleton]

>         Having been in a wide variety of households, I have to say
>         that I
> really like them.  I have also been in groups where I haven't been
> in a household and sometimes it is a struggle.  When I was younger I
> wasn't in any household and a bunch of us single women would go on
> trips together or sit together at feasts.

This a good example of a positive use for a household.  I'd like to 
emphasize again that households are a double-edged sword, and that 
simply making blanket statements like "households shouldn't exist" or
"we must have households" doesn't work.  People want company.
Among other things, it's a valuable pooling of resources.  I much 
prefer going to big events with a solid group of people that I know I
can count on to take their turn at the dishes, etc.

 I also felt no problem
> asking friends if I could sit or camp with them. Perhaps that's the
> trick.... asking.  If a person is my friend I don't mind asking.  If
> I went to an event that I didn't know a lot of people and I felt
> uncomfortable, I went and worked in the Kitchen or helped serve or
> did scribal stuff.  (I guess I just avoided the problem that way.)

I do this too.  It's great way to meet people.  However, I do 
sometimes just sit at a table and start talking to the people around 
me.

> But I met new people so next time I went to an event I felt better. 
> There is no easy solution, just maybe find a creative one.
>         I like households because I feel that I always have someone
>         that I
> could hang around with or sit with.  Also we would mutually help
> each other.  It's kinda like a family bond.  My household has gotten
> smaller over the years for various reasons, but if anyone ever
> invited a non member to sit with us, we went out of our way to try
> to make them feel welcome. They were our guests.
> 
> Clare

Right!  I agree!

Countess Berengaria de Montfort de Carcassonne, OP
Barony of Caerthe
Kingdom of the Outlands