[Ansteorra] Questions 7/18...2nd

Elisabeth B. Zakes ezakes at earthlink.net
Sun Aug 1 13:48:48 PDT 2004


L T wrote:
> 
> 1. What attracted you to the SCA?

The concept of studying history by doing it, and the concept of "living" 
in a culture that can be much more gentle and courteous than the modern 
world.

> 2. What is your perspective of what the SCA is to you?

It's a group in which I can share knowledge of history, including the 
really trivial parts, like what sorts of duties the second kitchen maid 
would have. It's a place where I can meet a truly courtly Knight, a 
Princess that is everything a Princess should be to my rose-coloured 
eyes, and a Renaissance gentleman who has the courage to defend me from 
a raging horde of barbarians. It's an organisation that likes to teach 
to its membership, and to its non-membership by being examples in 
everyday life, by going to schools and other groups to show the reality 
(instead of the fantasy) of history -- for instance, that a "knight in 
shining armour" has to spend a lot of time keeping his armour shining, 
and that the armour *doesn't* weigh 250 lbs.

> 3. Where do you invest the most time and energy in the SCA (household, local group, kingdom, specific activity)

Balance between household (two of them), Barony, and Kingdom.

> 4. How long before you started to take initiative in the SCA (applying for an office, organizing an activity, etc.?)

My first meeting. We were organising a group on campus (UT) and 
selecting officers. I ended up as Mistress of Arts.

> 5. Were there instances that could have "run you out of the SCA"..why did they not...or why did you come back?

Right off hand, I can't think of any. Most of the "instances" were 
people deliberately trying to make trouble (not necessarily for me, but 
it might have affected me and mine), and if the problem couldn't be 
solved, I just shifted my focus until the person went away or found 
something better to do.

> 6. How long before you burned out? Why did you burn out? Is there anything anyone could have done to help keep you from "burning out"?

No, I've never burnt out. I've had ups and downs in level of activity, 
mostly due to finances or other such unavoidable things.

> 7. What do you get out of the SCA?

A really great group of people associated with one of my favourite 
topics (mediaeval/Renaissance history) that I can a) learn from, b) 
share with, c) give help to, and d) know I can get help from if I really 
need it, even if I'm completely out of my home country. The knowledge 
that, on the whole, the SCA is interested in not just paying lip service 
to courtesy, but makes it an active virtue.

> 8. If you have your AoA...how long did you get it after starting to participate in the SCA?

Three years and one month. :)

> and last but not least...why do you think that people should join the SCA and stay in it?

I think people should join if they like a venue where history and 
pre-1600 European culture is the focus. We don't spend all our time 
studying, but sometimes just being around the really knowledgeable 
people teaches us things anyway. People should join if they want to 
learn how really polite the human race *can* be. People should join to 
find out how good the feeling is that you can trust almost all of the 
people around you.

People should stay if these things appeal to them, and if they enjoy 
receiving and eventually giving back the knowledge, courtesy, and trust. 
People shouldn't stay if they're not willing to accept the ideals and 
culture of the SCA. We shouldn't recruit just to increase our numbers. 
We should recruit people who will make the SCA a better place and group 
for everyone involved--the ones already here, the new ones joining, and 
the ones we interact with outside the SCA.

Aethelyan Moondragon
House Bryn Dir
Member, Bryn Gwlad Baronial Guard



More information about the Ansteorra mailing list