ARN - from Kazimir, what does it take?

[chauncey_r_roschbach@reliantenergy.com]

Greetings,

I don't mean to give insult at all, but who told you that being a cadet is
a reward?

Last time I checked, a cadet is merely a personal student / associate to a
Don not an award or rank of any kind. A lot of people seem to see this as
some sort of "cookie", but it isn't the case at all.

If you want to be a cadet, first think hard about what it means. To me it's
meant long hours studying period manuals and drilling until I thought my
legs would fall off. Twelve hour road trips to the other kingdoms to help
run tournaments that my Don wanted to attend. Repeatedly having my
reputation (which has never been great to begin with) damaged whenever one
of my less evolved cadet brothers did something stupid (again), because I'm
one of "them". Knowing every second of every day that if I screw up it'll
not only reflect badly on him, but also that he'll be disappointed in _me_.
All of this and more in pursuit of the dream that, someday, someone will
point to me and say: "Ya' know, if you want to learn how to be a Don,
that's the guy to talk to..." . Regardless as to if I'm wearing a white
scarf or not.

Now don't get me wrong, there's a lot of good stuff that goes with it
too... I've enjoyed every seemingly three hundred hour trips squeezed into
the packed cab of his truck. Those endless drills and constant practices
with Mouse (my Dons Don) and Horoun have not only raised my fighting level
considerably, but have given my the _understanding_ of the basis for what
we do, without which the new fighters I teach would be on their own. I've
found that I _enjoy_ teaching, watching someone else get better and
stronger and knowing that _I_ helped them to do that feels great. There's
no Rapier news letter that goes out and tells the universe that I'm doing
these things, there doesn't have to be. It's not being done for points,
it's being done because it _needs_ to be, and I like it. I've been forced
by the knowledge that he'll be held accountable for my actions to do
everything I can better and cleaner than others. And I'd be lying if I said
I didn't love every second of it...

You say that you want to be a cadet... but _to_who_? Remember cadet isn't a
rank you achieve, it's a job description

I've been a bit more strident than I'd intended. If I have indeed caused
insult, by all means call upon me and I shall make reparations.

As always, I remain,

Lord Elyas MacCrae
Cadet to Don Robert Michael McFarlan (called Horoun)
Apprentice to Mistress Charla Noel do Loc
Rapier Marshal to the Barony of the Stargate
Ansteorra


Someone that didn't sign their letter wrote:
>I want to know exactly what it takes to become a cadet??? I've been
fighting for a few >years now, and even done my share of Don hunting, yet I
will not do politics. Is being a >cadet or Don a political position or is
it about rewarding dedication to the art of >fencing. There are not many in
my shire who even light fight. Once I even had the chance >to be Rapier
Marshall for my shire, but unfortunately real life and lack of funds cut me
>short. As I see it if an entire shire is willing to accept me as a
marshall, what's >keeping the dons from noticing dedication and drive???
there is a lot about the sca that >is really getting my goat lately I've
been playing for 7 years and have yet to recieve >even recognition for my
service to the dream. Due to this political Bulls@#$ I had to pull >away
from playing so that I could calm myself, when did sca political wars spill
into >mundane life??? and why was I, a nobody without even an AoA involved,
or more correctly >how did it happen???
>So what does it take to receive recognition in this dream??? My love is
for fencing, not >politics.



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