ANST - armour .... *not* More changes in policy...

[j'lynn yeates]

bad connotations with the origional subject line ...

pardon all, shield-standing time, strong opinions ahead, take the next exit if 
overly easily annoyed ... otherwise hook up those 'dillo's to the war chariot 
and into the fray!

On 1 Jul 98, at 12:34, Joe Wolf wrote:

>  ...                                                         but nothing takes the wind
>  from my sails faster than facing a fighter with jeans under his sagging,
>  leather leg-armor - tennis shoes for sabatons - a harley t-shirt poking out from under
> his dirty tabbard - a weight-lifters belt girding his middle.

if it "takes the wind out of your sails", perhaps you are being a bit overly 
judgemental?

how about the fact that you're possibly facing a new person (your fictional 
person paints the picture of someone new to the game) or they don't have 
the resources to immediately "conform" to these higher levels of 
expectation?  consider perhaps that the time of year might have someting 
to do with it (stell plate and high ansteorra summer, during the day is a 
*bad* idea ... heat stroke / exhaustion just waiting to happen)

i have known many fighters in the past that started out with less than the 
fictional kit you lay out (which obviously exceeds the minimal requirements 
to take the field ... which should be the final word on the matter, other 
personal expectations aside .. opinion) ... many of those who started out 
like this and are still current players who now have the have nice looking 
gear that everyone so admires (not to mention that more than a few have 
white belts, baldric, crowns ...).  in the photo archives from '75 onward have 
many images of many notables in their first attempts on the field that are 
as bad or worse than is mentioned (freon can's, carpet, hockey gloves, 
"marital aid" helmet crests ....)  

would serve the goal you seek better to offer your services to help the 
person upgrade rather than look down your nose at their current state (also 
know more than a few who have been run off from the SCA by just this 
"you're not good enough to play with us" attitude).  do you have armouring 
skills, do you have old but still servicable components that can be donated 
or sold at a reasonable level, can you host "armouring parties".... but all the 
while it is important to not lose sight of the fact that they are often doing 
the best they can at the the time with the resources available to them, and 
the last thing a person in this situation needs is anyone constantly 
reminding them that their best is not good enough.  

another point to remid yourself of ... if you start pressuring people to 
conform to ever higher "unofficial standards of authenticity", you are 
effectively closing the door to new people entering the game and the 
society as a whole will start stagnating and dieing as attrition starts cutting 
down the numbers.  one of the prime complaints from neophytes that come 
and don't stay is that there is too much pressure to devote resources of 
time and money that they just don't have.  

look at those around you, did they get where they are in the quantity and 
quality of their gear overnight? are they on the field for the same reasons as 
you are?  is it chivalric to belittle a person on their achievements or to judge 
a person based solely their surface appearance (what about the person 
underneath who is making an honest attempt ... which to my mind is truely 
the *only* thing that matters ... not the quality of their gear, how well they 
dress, who they know, what politicical awards they hold ...)

one of the core banners of the society is that it is a educational entity ... 
but who is the prime audience?  those outside spectators looking in (if this 
is rthe case, are we any better than a medieval dinner theatre troup???), or 
those who join it to learn and practice?   find your answer to that riddle and 
once you do consider that education and a helping hand does far more than 
judgement and ridicule. 

being a vain keltoi type, i usually pride self on appearance, especially in 
things martial or my "ride" - i tend like things servicable, but ornamented as 
suits the station of such a vain fiannic (don't look that one up, it just 
appeared) type.  but at the same time, i do not expect anyone to conform 
to the standards that i set for myself (always being my own worst master 
and critic, there's no way that i can ever hope to meet them ... but then it's 
not the goal that's important, it's the journey) . if you want to go basic gear 
or ride a "rat bike", more power to you ... the only important thing to me is 
that you choose to "dance" and/or ride.  

been sidelined again after making a start on getting back on the field (from 
a non training / contest or riding situation).  very much looking forward to 
repairing the physical damage (i think i have manged to rehab the left arm 
damage on one side but still working on the elbow on right side - blew it out 
again by pushing too far, too fast before it was adequately repaired) so i 
can start working on my kit and skills again ... 

and to give equal time to other parallel culture groups, i have similar 
opinions and pretty much the same words for those in the harley camps 
who look down their noses at anyone who isn't riding a new, pristine, top-of-
the line, softail (only thing i can figure is that it somehow devalues their self-
worth of the riding experience to be seen in the company of people who ride 
what they consider "inferior" machines ...).  sounds familiar, eh?

to close, always remember that the new guy you face today in the denims, 
harley shirt, and sagging leg armour might be the famous master / knight / 
duke ... that you may face in a few years.  

'wolf
... the important thing is that you are "in the wind"
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