You *can* sometimes get what you want

[Timothy A. McDaniel]

Seriously, I think a "field Pelican" in the kitchen is a bad idea.
Not that I've helped much in the kitchen myself! -- I have no cooking
or chopping skills and I have a "thing" about food what's been et on
-- but I can imagine that someone there is tired, hot, sweaty, dirty,
in grungy clothing, and generally Not In A Good Mood.  But those who
do hang out there can express their opinions.


In the general case (digressing here), you can try one option: let
people know your preferences.  For a while, I didn't want an AoA
(award fever), so I wrote two Crowns in a row.  It appeared to have
worked.  If you have a baron/ess, maybe you can write them a letter,
saying you do or don't want to be surprised, do/don't want a "field
promotion", or whatever.  Or you can just talk to higer-ranking,
better-connected friends.  Maybe they'll forget, but if you *don't*
say anything, you're not likely to get what you want.

One concern I had was looking egotistical -- "why is he writing about
how he would want to receive a Flaming Purple Frog?  I know him, and
there's no way he's qualified".  I was careful to write at the start
something like "I don't know if anyone has recommended me for an AoA
or not, much less whether I'm qualified or not!  However, just in case
someone should happen to recommend me: ...".  I would hope that the
Crown or baron/ess would not think less of such a writer.

I think such techniques work better for peerages -- fewer candidates
and, well, I don't want to say "more important", because many people
just get an AoA and it's *their* most important award, but ...
Anyway.  I've heard that knights will sometimes ask oh so casually
when a candidate's name starts getting mentioned "what do you think of
surprise awards?  or field knightings?" or some such.

-- 
Daniel de Lincoln
Tim McDaniel; Reply-To: tmcd at crl.com