new awards...

Lori Jones LJONES at ossm.edu
Wed Jun 25 17:17:51 PDT 1997


> > On Wed, 25 Jun 1997, Lori Jones wrote:
> > Well, there have been reigns when, apparently, absolutely no one in 
> > the entire kingdom was worthy of a Lion. 

> Mari  wrote: 
> I must disagree... Of the 3 instances I can remember where the 
> Crown did not create a Lion, I know that in 2 cases, the Crown's
> choices.... were not at Coronation (where they had planned to
> grant the award). 

I didn't mean to convey that *I* thought there wasn't anyone 
deserving.   Personally, I can think of many people who might befit 
the honor.  I meant, it *appears*, because none was given, that there 
wasn't anyone who exemplified the standards of the order.  

I know there are lots of factors that influence the bestowing of any 
award.  However, our newer players don't, and many are open to the 
opinions (gossip?) of the older players who talk around them.  Since 
most of this talk is pure speculation, they often end up drawing the 
wrong conclusions and wind up ascribing some deeper, darker political 
motive when none really existed.  Point being: sometimes perceptions 
are much more harmful than the reality. 

> Now, as to whether the Crowns had no other choices in mind, or 
> didn't feel like giving the award to their "second-best" choice, I 
> do not know.

It's kind of a Catch-22, because I'm in no way suggesting that 
I felt those Crowns should have given the award anyway.  I've seen 
the deep consideration some crowns put into choosing "their" 
lion, and I could truly understand why they didn't want to give it 
to "the next runner up," so to speak.

>  I think you'd have to ask some past Royalty for their views.

If they wanted to volunteer their opinions, it would be interesting 
to hear them.  However, I'm a little "old school" in my thinking and 
(most of the time) the crown's motives for giving (or not giving) an 
award aren't vital to my enjoyment of the SCA.  Generally speaking, 
I'd prefer to remain ignorant - it saves on discontentment and frees 
more time for fun.

The Lion really wasn't the kind of thing I had in mind when I said 
"something that hadn't been given in 2+ years".  I don't think we 
have too many awards that are so few and far between.  My original 
point (which may have gotten lost in the tangential discussion) was 
that "too many extremely specific awards might not be a good thing."  
If it can't be given out at least once in 2 years, maybe we should 
reconsider cluttering our records with it.  I don't have an opinion 
yet about the new award for fighting teams, except to say that I 
feel it is a good thing.  Anything beyond that will depend largely on 
what is done with it in the upcoming years....  

-  Kat MacLochlainn
  (OK, let's stop being so serious and find something silly to talk 
about....)

****************************
Lori Campbell
Oklahoma School of Science and Math
LJONES at ossm.edu

"A green thumb is what comes from mistakes made while
learning to see things from the plant's point of view."  
                        - H. Fred Ale



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