[Ansteorra] When did this change????

[D. Vandever]

Don Robert wrote:
> Great idea, just one little trick. Who is willing to give up calander
space
> so that unique event could occur. I do agree with Michael, does everything
> have to be a calander event? Why?

I've been sitting and watching this for some time now.  I guess I'll put in
my 2 cents worth.

In essence, I also think the calendar is too crowded.  But just "thinning it
out" is *not* going to happen.  For any number of reasons, such as groups to
show active status must hold a certain number of events.  Once you get past
a certain # of groups, then your calendar is going to fill up anyway.

Well, someone says....just change the requirements for what is active status
so that you require fewer events or even no events to show active status.
That will help....for a while...until as you grow more groups your calendar
will *again* get overcrowded.

But I think many folks are missing two underlying and compelling reasons why
the calendar fills up and will continue to fill up *even if the requirement
for holding events was reduced to zero*.  Those two reasons are:

1.  Word Fame.

2.  Profit.

I know from being intimately involved in a small group for over a decade and
a half that one reason there is a drive to hold events is to get your people
and your group more recognition and visibility in the kingdom at large.  In
a small group that doesn't hold events or seldom holds events, you get
overlooked.  Bottom line.  Your people don't get awards because even if you
recommend out of the group, they are not seen as "doing" anything on a
larger level.  Where do you get most of your visibility in the Society???
By being seen doing things at events...competing in lists, competing in A&S,
Bardic, by autocracting events, etc. etc.  And it is *easier* to do this by
using your own group.  Not as a slam to Stargate, but *one* reason GatesEdge
got its start is because the people in the area 15 years ago felt shut out
of being chosen/recommended/asked  (chose your definitive here) from officer
positions and from holding responsible positions for events held by the
barony.

I mentioned profit as the second driving force behind groups holding events.
It is a big one also.  Yes, we are a "not for profit" organization.
However, if a small group wants neat and spiffy stuff, ie loaner gear for
the marshals or a pavilion *for the group as a whole* the easiest way to get
the money to do this is to hold events.  You might need to do this for
several years to build up enough money to get what you want for the group
but it will get there sooner or later.

Some might say, "Well....hold a fundraiser for your group at someone else's
event."  Yes, that *does* happen and can happen again.

But there is an unspoken barrier to doing this *often* enough to get the
money you might need for a big purchase like a trailer or pavilion or the
storeroom to store your stuff in.  After all, the hosting group is trying to
raise money from their event to get *their* loaner gear or pay for *their*
storeroom.  Also, your group can appear as *selfish* (whatever that is)
because at events *many* fundraisers are for kingdom things like sending
your Crown to Lohac or doing a silent auction for building a gate at Gulf
Wars for the Ansteorran encampment.  Generally speaking, events are seen as
a way to raise money for the *local* group and fundraisers are seen as a way
to raise money for the *kingdom* at the local event...not to raise money for
another local group.

Until you can get rid of the need for "glory" and the need for "things" you
won't *ever* see a reduction in the calendar event schedule.  And off
calendar does not work because you don't get the attendance at your event
that you do with a calander event....and attendance means "glory" and
"money".....!!!!!

Off my box now,

Annes