[Ansteorra] Length of court/Awards/Sound Systems

J. Bretz b3zsgirl at sbcglobal.net
Sun Jul 6 06:23:02 PDT 2003


Many rather missed the point of my original message.  I personally don't
think that anything should be taken away.  People need to honored, thanked
and given their right to arms.  I would rather the people doing the speaking
become mindful that it can digress into dullness.  It doesn't honor the
people receiving the award, nor does it give the pagentry that being before
the king should be.

Also we left something out.  During outdoor courts, many times the court is
the only lit area.  If people wanted to take a conversation away then they
will not want to stand in the dark in an unfamilier wood to do it.

Perhaps more lit "conversation" areas.

One more thing, regardless of level, much of this conversation has been
award obsessed.  I need to ponder that a while.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Gilbert" <niklas at pbgilbert.net>
To: "Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc." <ansteorra at ansteorra.org>
Sent: Sunday, July 06, 2003 7:07 PM
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Length of court/Awards/Sound Systems


> Greetings.......
>
> At 10:36 PM 7/3/03 -0700, you wrote:
> >Beth Turner <nellwynn0 at lycos.com> wrote:
> >
> >After reading through all the talk.........
>
> I have a few things to say about these subject threads that so much time
> has spent on. Currently, my lady (H.E. Kezia) and I have the honor of
> sitting the thrones of the Barony of Raven's Fort as it's Baron and
> Baroness in Fief. We have also had the honor of standing behind the Crown
> Thrones of Ansteorra as entourage for several Crowns. Thus, this has given
> us an interesting perspective on the subject of awards, court lengths,
> sound systems and talking in court.
>
> Let me preface this (rather long) message, that these threads touch my SCA
> activities and/or mundane life in several ways. For those that know me, I
> am not shy about giving an opinion and these subjects are ones that I
> believe I can give an educated one.
>
> So on with the opinion.......
>
> As the Baron of Raven's Fort, I have the privilege of giving many of these
> awards that have been suggested as ones that should be shunted off in a
> "mass announcement" style or "off line" (none court setting) of
> presentation. I am speaking mainly of the Award of Arms (AoA).
>
> Folks.....this award is probably the most important award that we (and I
> speak as the "We" and the local voice of the Crown) can present or that
one
> can receive.
>
> In some kingdoms, your AoA is more prestiges or the scroll is more
involved
> than one for a peerage. For this is the first award one usually gets and
in
> about 80% of the cases, this may well be the ONLY award a person will ever
> get in their activity of the SCA. Go cruise thru the OP and check out how
> many folks have only an AoA or just one or two awards.
>
> Baroness Kezia and I take the action of recommending someone to the Crown
> for an AoA and presenting an AoA very seriously. I am not going to go thru
> my entire list of reasons here, but needless to say, the AoA is/can be a
> beginning of a glorious career or the end of it in the SCA. Thus, the
> ramifications of awarding it need to be very carefully considered.
>
> Someone during the thread left me with the impression that the AoA was not
> "important" enough to call an individual up in court and give them their
> minutes of fame. I whole heartily disagree and as long as Kezia and I sit
> on the chairs of Raven's Fort we will give all their due. If ones looks at
> the actual amount of time taken in most of the award presentations, it is
> counted in single digit minutes.
>
> Take the time, give them their moment of fame.
>
> Yes, the time adds up. BUT, it is not that much and how would you feel if
> you were in their shoes and got handed your AoA off-line/not in court
> because of a policy of not presenting AoA's in court. I have more on the
> length of court in a moment.
>
> Beside (and someone correct me if I am wrong) but for an award to be
valid,
> it has to be "read into law" in court. Thus, it still has to be done in
court!
>
> So, before someone jumps up and says....."Oh, but what we do should not
> only be about getting cookies and awards for one's-self"...just save it
and
> I can assure you that even the most humble person that has ever been given
> an award, honor, fame, reward or whatever...at some point....says to
> themselves or their little voice goes...."Yipppppeeeee".
>
> It is human nature that we are creatures driven by acceptance and
> appreciation. Some have a higher need for it than others....but VERY few
> people can sustain a level of anything with out some kind of positive
> feedback. The giving of "Awards or Rewards" is a basic method of giving
> that feedback that keeps them coming/working and most of all...enthused
> about what and why we do it.
>
> Now, there are "awards" and then there are "rewards". These categories of
> things and actions are not mutually-inclusive. They can be separate and
> distinct, yet the same. I will not address that pit of opinion here, as it
> can get lengthy and very opinionated.
>
> Think about it really long, slow and hard.
>
> Ahhhhhh, the length of court. Most often evening court. Usually after
> feast, but not always.
>
> This subject has more opinions, solutions and problems that stars in the
> sky. I can only say that until one sits in the "chairs", autocrats and
> event, wrangles /organizes a court as entourage or actually gets up there
> and helps try to help shorten the court, one should be very carefully in
> suggestions and ideas as to what to cut, shunt aside or change.
>
> I have seen drive-bys, morning courts, courts before feast, courts after
> feast, two-three-four courts a day to keep the length of time for the Main
> court (usually in the evening) kept to a reasonable length. Sometimes this
> works, sometimes not.
>
> Most folks that attend events regularly, know what events tend to have
long
> courts. I would suggest that if you can not tolerate long courts, don't
go.
> If you do go, then don't whine about the length, for you should know that
> events style, timing and unforeseen items can and will cause a long court.
>
> I can assure you, we try not to hold court any longer than we have to. I
> want to honor my champions, winners and the deserving people, as they all
> deserve their due. Then we can eat or move onto other activities.
>
> BUT in order to do this...it takes time.
>
> I suggest you get up and volunteer to help do what you can to speed things
> up.  Starting with, see that people are there, the prizes are in place,
the
> herald is informed correctly and whomever is holding the court has all
they
> need for the court to start on time, move smoothly and timely to a
> reasonable end.
>
> These actions include, not just what can be done directly relating to the
> court, but such as... seeing that the cook has plenty of help so they can
> serve feast on time. Help with the fighting and marshalling so they may
> finish on time. Help with whatever at the event, so that things and
> activities do not get behind and drive the schedule astray or into "SCA
time".
>
> That is how one can effectively help keep courts to a reasonable length.
>
> Who knows...stand up, help and you might get an award/reward and then it
> will be your turn in court and that moment of fame.
>
> Sound systems in court.......hummmmmm, really touchy here.
>
> Let me whip this out......Webster's Dictionary.....
>
> Anachronism: noun, Something placed or occurring out of its proper place
or
> time.
>
> We are an anachronistic society. We have to deal with current issues,
> limits and situations that the current mundane world deals us, while
trying
> very hard to set an atmosphere of the Middle Ages or times that we wish to
> create at the moment.
>
> Usually, groups do a pretty darn good job. But, the problem with halls,
> events and courts that involve lots of people, make hearing what is said
by
> folks very challenging.
>
> Folks need to do a better job, even if it means an anachronistic
intrusion,
> so all can hear and enjoy what is going on.
>
> I for years sat in many halls unable to hear what could be said. I wanted
> to hear who that was, what the Crown was saying, what the nobles or
> presenters were saying, but because of bad or none existence acoustics or
> the phobia of sound systems could not. My lip reading is a bit rusty and I
> don't have shotgun mikes for ears.
>
> I am being a bit sarcastic here for there are ways, as well a time and
> place that sound systems need to be used. The hall at Canton is a prime
> example. The acoustics suck....
>
> It is possible thru the use of lapel mikes, wireless mikes, disguise
mikes,
> shotgun mikes and a little common sense to mike the event or activity so
> one can hear.
>
> There are few heralds in the kingdom that can overcome a Canton type hall
> and keep it up for a couple of hours (there is that long court thing :)
and
> survive the ordeal.
>
> What to do about this? I have several thoughts, the main one being a team
> of willing volunteers that have knowledge and access to the needed
> equipment that wish to serve their Kingdom or group. The equipment is out
> there, it is not real expensive for the level of quality we need and there
> are folks that already have access to it.
>
> Before I get shot at, not all events/courts need to be "miked".  We all
> pretty well know the events or halls that have the need.
>
> I for one would entertain the exchange of messages and ideals on sound
> systems for the SCA online, at an event or Red Tape.
>
> An example of where technology that was shunned and now accepted is the
use
> of radios. The use of radios has helped make event staffs jobs much
easier.
>
> It is now a common sight for the event staff to have a FRS radio or some
> kind of two-way radio to coordinate needs and activities at the event.
> Helps save many steps and speeds up response times considerable.
>
> I would not suggest wearing one in court, as that would not be a very good
> idea, but the use of such items shows how small intrusions can help make
> some parts of our activities much better for all.
>
> The use of this these types of technology can be done. It can be done
> tastefully, it can be done economically and it is not blasphemy.
>
> Last, but not least, the problem with the making of noise (not always
> talking) by folks in the back of the hall during court. As one that sits
in
> the front, looking out at and having to hear those in the back raising the
> noise floor to a point that only the ones in the front of the hall can
> hear....this is what I suggest.....
>
> STOP talking...go outside, go to another room or do whatever to not be
> causing this increase in the noise floor level during court.
>
> This dove-tails in with the problem of the sound system discussion as the
> increased noise floor caused by the talking, raises the need of a sound
> system to overcome the folks talking in the back, that cause the need of a
> louder sound system, that then the ones in the back talk louder so they
can
> hear themselves and so on and so on and so on.........
>
> It is a Catch 22.
>
> The way to stop this problem. Stop the root of the problem....the talking
> in the back of the room.
>
> Simple solution, simple result.
>
> BTW, I am just as guilty as anyone in doing this. However, I am also going
> to make a concerted effort to be more conscious of this and help take care
> of the problem.
>
> I have presented a long message. For which it is my opinion and mine
alone.
>
>
> Flames, bombs, comments accepted...... Just my 2 rubles......
>
> In Service,
> HE Niklas Vasilevich
> Baron of Raven's Fort
>
>
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Paul Gilbert,   KE5ZW                   H.E. Niklas Vasilevich,
> Huntsville, Texas                       Baron of The Barony Raven's Fort
> niklas at pbgilbert.net                    CSM, Crane, ORH, KGA , AoA
> 936-291-9532 home                               Kingdom of Ansteorra
> 936-581-5632 cellular                           Society for Creative
> Anachronism
>                                AIM Name: KE5ZW
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>
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