[Ansteorra] Questions 7/18

[Casey and Cherie]

Lorraine asked some questions:

> 1. What attracted you to the SCA?

The opportunity to play at D&D for real or *be* Connor McCloud from
Highlander. (I was 13).  Also, girls, girls, girls. (I was 13).

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

An outlet to make cool stuff and behave in "better" (Sir Dieterich) or
":worse" (Hanse) ways than I do in my day to day activities... within the
bounds of love and kindness, of course.  A creative outlet for expressing
myself through medieval martial arts, acting, and generally being crafty.
An opportunity to bond with my wife.

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

In the past it has been quite broad... I loved the kingdom level involvment
that came with the office of Warlord.  More recently, I enjoy working with
our sca acting troupe.

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

I was in about 7 years and got into the marshallate to fulfill the
requirements for entry of the crown tourney lists.

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

I took a hiatus in large part because of the encroachment of the tedious
beaurocracy anaconda and partly to get my professional life in order.  I
came back because I love the people and I have to have a creative outlet.
There isn't another place that offers an interest group for all the things I
love to do.  Also, hitting people with sticks and poking them with swords is
cool.

> 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"?

I was pretty toasty at around 13 years... a year or two after my knighting.
Add to that a tour of Kings Champion following Drake around everywhere and
you get a recipe for burnout.  That guy goes to *everything*!

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

A venue to act in for an audience who "gets" it... I love it when they love
it.  Same goes for persona play.  Same goes for fighting.  I love loving
something *with* someone.

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

Six years.

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

The question presupposes that I think they should stay in;  I don't believe
that.  I think sabbaticals and retirements are an important part of keeping
this game fresh and fun.  A lot of "fun drainage" happens when people stay
past the time when they still love doing it.  Who's less fun to be around
that Mistress Nitpicky Politicky?

Now as for joining, I think we underrecruit from colleges and the military.

Also, as the average age in the sca has moved up, there are more peers who
are professionals and can't take time out of a weekday for a demo.  Weekend
demos need to be the norm.  City festivals, colleges, movie openings...
these types of places need to be our recruitment point.

Additionally, we need envoys to the groups that have made off with our youth
fantasy base like Amptgard and HFS.  Sooner or later those kids will want
something more or different and we need to have someone there to invite
them.  If Amptgard got one peep of Corys guys doing Ogreball, we'd have a
wave of em the next day.


Casey/Dieterich/Hanse