[Ansteorra-rapier] Cadets Corner

[pubear]

Hmm, I don't know about every such situation.  I know that the people that
have stated their willingness to fight anyone are the ones that I have heard
do that.  But Dore' brings up an interesting point that I have seen in
action.  Isobel here in bjornsborg just about drives herself silly fighting
everybody that asks.  She is a great deal of the reason why I am fighting
now.  We have joked about getting her a secretary just for keeping track of
her dance card.  I have not had the opportunity to sit around, since Don
pieter and the cadets are also willing to stick holes in anybody that sits
still enough.  The fact that everybody, even the non scarved people, spend a
lot of time teaching, probably helps a lot.

A lot of the problem sometimes, is a result of misunderstanding.   White
scarves are often easy targets.  After all everybody seems to expect them to
be able to do everything.   This is obviously not any one groups fault.
That's way to easy an answer.  The correct answer is that events are often
brought about by a dizzying array of factors.  Heck, the community has a few
years under it's belt and that could be part of the problem.  Since I've
heard similar complaints about numbers in the society at large, maybe the
problem is outside of us.

Perhaps the community as a whole is so focused on the prize, that it's
forgetting about the new fighters.  I know that it's hard for really good
people to fight me, since I'm not always good enough to give them a decent
run for their money.  I have never had a problem finding people to fight me,
but I'll be the first to admit that as big as I am, I'm not the whole world.
Though the Sunday morning after a good feast I often feel like I could pass
for a planet:).  Albeit a nimble planet...

So maybe as a group we are letting them slip through, and then again, maybe
everybody is working double time and we're just going through a slow time.
Both things can happen.

These are thoughts and ideas from someone new enough to look at things from
outside of the community, but also new enough, not to understand why things
are the way they are.   After all everyone has an opinion.

Bersi Ormstunga
AKA Pubear of Bjornsborg



----- Original Message -----
From: "James Crouchet" <jtc at io.com>
To: <ansteorra-rapier at ansteorra.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2002 4:35 PM
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra-rapier] Cadets Corner


> > Fighter practice was the most difficult part for him. We would get
> > there, he would set up and then he would end up either standing around
> > waiting for someone to fight or fighting the same person all night.
> > This will now be a thing of the past if all the previous postings will
> > come to pass and I am certain that it will.
>
> I am not picking on the person described in the piece I quoted above; I
> don't know his story. But I frequently see related complaints and I
> have to take them with a grain of salt.
>
> Last Tuesday was our last practice before Queens. I spent about 1/4 of
> my time introducing newcomers, brand new to the SCA, to the people
> who shared their interests.  I spent about another 1/4 on baronial
> business and announcements. I spent about 1/4 of my time working
> with my cadet and an advanced student. The remaining quarter was
> spent working with or sparring with new fencers. Afterward, everyone
> seemed equally dissatisfied with the amount of time I was able to give
> them. I guess everyone concluded I wasted 3/4 of my time. :-)
>
> When I hear lots of people agreeing that all they do at FP is stand
> around, I must conclude that anytime 3 people are standing around at
> the same FP, it is because they choose to do so. If you really are
> abandoned and alone, find a set of 3 fighters (2 fighting and 1
> marshaling, right?) and ask to rotate through with them (best 2 out of 3
> works well). It is time to stop playing the social game of dancing around
> each other waiting for the "right" fight. Buck up, display a little
intestinal
> fortitude and ask. And ask again and again if needed. I don't guarantee
> anyone that if they come to our practice they will get to fight a
particular
> person, but if they are willing to work at it they will get plenty of
fighting.
>
> Dore
>
>
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