ANST - Re: Pelicans

[LadyAnnais at aol.com]

Earlier Cian noted:

>Annais,
> Please bear in mind that these are observations and not calculated facts. 

What?!?!  Observations?!?!  Not the gospel truth?!?!  Can't be, this is not
logical.
Whoa, TMI.  Didn't know that I was not dealing w/ fact here.  Dern it and I
had on my Brunette wig for the occasion.  Well, Great!  All dressed up and
nowhere to go. Typical. :)
 
> The disparity may be in numbers or merely in visibility (how about that
"Three
> Orders of Knoghthood" thing?).

True.

>  Taking of Protege(e)s by Pelicans has not been a  _common_ practice
anywhere I >have been. 

And you've lived more places than I.  But I have also heard "stories" from
people from other Kingdoms that protogees are more common elsewhere than in
Ansteorra. Off the top of my head, I can think of only 2 people in Ansteorra
who have even mentioned the fact that they were *thinking* about becoming a
Protege.  Don't know what ever came of those instances.  Never saw either
wear the yellow belt. 

> The numbers of squires/apprentices of  friends and acquaintances of mine
over the >years far exceeds that of protege(e)s of my Pelican friends.  This
is both on a total >number and student per peer basis.  There have also been
fewer total Pelicans.  I >am not sure of the reason for this but it may be
the nature of the work.  I can take >someone and teach them sword, shield and
pole arm play and shield work (no bias >there).  A Laurel can teach brush,
needle, and spoon strokes.  What would a >Pelican teach?

Just off the top of my head, "How to successfully Autocrat an event", "how to
run a successful gate", "How to be a successful (Insert name of Office
here)", "Delegation in the SCA", just to name a few. I feel that a Pelican
can take just about anyone under their wing and show them a way to be of
service in some form or another to the SCA, while making it fun and
interesting.  Perhaps even setting the example of "Do as I do, not as I sit
and b****h."  Agian, I still think it boils down to the kingdom's Pelicans
reaching a happy medium of How much/ how soon/ how visible/ how mature/ how
many/ how long this person has been serving the SCA and in what mode and how
much was in front of God and everyone and their dog, cat and goldfish; and
how much blood, sweat and tears were shed behind the scenes where only a few
were party to such efforts. 

>  At the risk of becoming overly philosophical, it seems in many ways that
service is >an innate thing waiting for expression and not a skill to be
developed.

So why can't an extremely talented individual (Pelican) take just such an
individual who has that "innate thing waiting for expression"as a Protogee
and develop that person into a Pelican.  Such as a gardener takes the seed,
plants it, feeds it, waters it, nutures it, until one day the seed has grown
into a plant that has flowered and bourn fruit.  Sappy paralell, but
hopefully, I got my point across.

Think of it as a TV w/ bad reception; a bit of fine tuning and it works
great.

>  Perhaps the Chivalry and Laurels are recognized for what they _DO_ and
Pelicans >are recognized for who they _ARE_, something diffiult to see and
often >uncomfortable to recognize.

I'm not sure what you mean by "uncomfortable to recognize" exactly.  But
yeah, I get the idea that a Pelican is born w/ some sort of desire to please,
serve, or just help out in any way, shape or form that they can.  And that
can such a trait in others can be difficult for others to realize.  Perhaps
the majority of us just take it for granted that there will always be those
who wish to do those kinds of things.  If that is the attitude, then yeppers,
it is easy for the majority to overlook the minority in this case.  That is
 one of the reasons why we have a peerage order for them.  
 
> This is not to say that, as Laurels and Members of the Chivalry, our
identity is not a >part of our peerage, just that we are first noticed for an
activity.

That's true; and the fact that what fighters and artisans do is tangible.  I
can go out and touch sword and sheild, touch the armour . I can touch
someone's silverwork, or needle point, or drink someone's mead.  I can see
that  milady Susie Creamcheese did all that work at feast, or the gate, or
the Priv paper checks.  But will I remember all she did?  Probably not.
 Shucks, I've even forgotten half the stuff I've done over the years.  I'll
remember I had a great time at her group's event, that's about it.  Only when
she's called in to court and it is announced that she is to be raised will I
remember a little of what she has done recently to merit such action by the
Crown.
 
>Cian
> whomayhavegottencarriedaway
 
Annais
who'sviewpointsareherownandnotherhusband'sthankgod

Alex grabs the keyboard,"Oh, Now we see the violence that's inherent in the
system! Come see the violence that's inherent in the system!! HelpHelp!! I'm
being repressed!!!"

Annais quickly recovers keyboard, " Bloody peasant."  
We now return you to your regularly scheduled mail.


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