[Ansteorra] Re: Ansteorra digest, Vol 1 #296 - 9 msgs

[Aurore Gaudin]

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Lady Viviana, that was beautifully said.  But I may have something of a simpler idea.  I've seen the SCA community as a whole take care of the childern that are born into the Society or their parents got to us as soon as possible.  Newbies are just like the childern.  We have to make sure they are taught their manners, habits, and how to make things the old-fashion ways.  My oldest is now old enough to be going to his first event this month and I'm going to be answering alot of questions.  Now does a first-time child not going to be like a newbie.  I've been in for 7 years now.  My introduction to the SCA was a member trying to get me to calm down from wanting to take a sledgehammer to the computer lab at the college (couldn't get a program to work) I went to, by telling me stories from this very wierd group that did medival recreation.  For about 4 months, that is how I learned about the SCA before I went to my first event.  First event, being a pretty newbie, I was never short of gentlemen answering my questions and the kitchen took me up on my offer of being kitchen help.  The kitchen in my opinion is the best place to learn some of stuff about the SCA.  Alot depends on how much the newbie comes in with information about the SCA or if they were on the spur of the moment curiousty and are just like the childern that are in the SCA.  At one time or another we were all newbies, and we had to learn to crawl first, before learning to lift a rattan sword and swing it.  I may not hold an office or be of nobility, but I still watch out for the children and newbies, and take care of everyone too.  Rereading this, it may seem a little confusing, I type as I think, but this is how I think about taking care of newbies.
VIVAT ANSTEORRA!  Aurore
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Gormlaith4444 at aol.com
  To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org
  Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2002 2:36 PM
  Subject: [Ansteorra] Re: Ansteorra digest, Vol 1 #296 - 9 msgs


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  Thank you for your responses.

  I appreciate your thoughts and replies.  I think due to life and Society
  experiences some of what I meant to say may have been interpreted differently
  when compared to what I meant in my own mind, thoughts and experiences.  This
  is a good thing.  It means people have thought about what I and others are
  writing and applied it to their own lives and experiences.  Even though we
  all dwell in the same Dream, our experiences and how we interpret them are
  all unique, as it should be.

  Please understand that I would not presume that monitorship should be the
  soul or major responsibility of nobility, nor would I feel it was appropriate
  for nobility or hospitallers to tackle that responsibility alone. Only that
  they might consider participating.  They are busy folks and accomplish more
  than most of us would hope to able to accomplish in five life times.

  Now to continue my thoughts. How many new folks should a mentor take on
  anyway?  Surely not more than one person at a time, and surely not one right
  after the other.  That can be a burn out waiting to happen.  I feel as
  Lightfoot put it, that the job belongs to all members.  However, I plead that
  nobles might consider playing a part for many reasons.  One important reason
  being; it would send out the message to everyone that they are approachable.
  What would it mean to a new person for a noble to mentor him or her?  What
  would it mean to a noble to mentor a new member?  What might a noble person
  learn from a new comer?  The experience might end up to be rewarding and
  educational for all parties involved, allowing for the occasional disaster of
  course.  O course, consider the occasional disaster will happen rather the
  mentor be a Nobel or Society member.

  How much time would be involved?  What kind of commitment would it mean?  I
  suppose that would be up to the individual mentor and what they feel is
  appropriate of the personal demands on their time.  For most it would
  probably involve a few months of answering questions and active participation
  in another person's Society life.  And then you either have made a new
  friend, or the new person has become assimilated enough to have made new
  bonds with other Society members.

  Monitorship is just a thought to be considered.  It might be right for some
  groups and inappropriate for others.  Even if a group is not interested in
  the monitorship approach, individuals can always extend a helping hand, and
  take a personal involvement approach in a new person's Societal life.

  "Damage control," I agree there are those who probably would not do very well
  in this area.  However, as many officers can tell you, mistakes often have
  natural consequences, which can be excellent learning tools.  Personally, I
  would rather see someone trying, and not doing a very good job, than the
  Society be loosing members because there was no attempt made at all.
  Mistakes are made everyday. Is the area of damage control any different?
  There are those who just need the opportunity to learn, and sometimes that
  comes in the form of mistakes.  Sometimes it comes in the form of talent.
  However, some of us are not as talented in feather smoothing as others, but
  that doesn't mean we can't learn.  Nor should we not be afforded the
  opportunity to learn due to the fear of making mistakes. If this were true,
  non of us would be raising a sword, or taking an office, managing events, or
  accepting the responsibilities that comes with accepting awards and peerage.
  Try looking at it this way; either way, "trying" or "avoiding" we take the
  chance of loosing members, which way would be more to the benefit of the
  individuals, groups, or the Society?

  Thank you once again for reading what I have written; for agreeing or
  disagreeing.  Either way, we all become stronger members, for thinking about
  and considering what each other has to say.

  A last note. In editing what I have written, perhaps it is time to put my own
  fears aside, take my own words to heart, and begin to become involved again.
  A new place, a new life, new people to meet.  The side lines have become
  comfortable, time to leave the comfort zone.  Even though I may put it aside
  from time to time, the Dream never dies once it becomes so much a part of
  you.

  Good life, and Good Dream be with you,
  Play well my friends.
  Lady Viviana
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