[Bryn-gwlad] people labels (was: Ideas about newcomers from...a newcomer)

[Robin Craig]

Actually I was thinking of nametags for the newcomers.  Usually they  
have a bright border and are easy to spot if you are looking.  True  
they are not reusable, but they are cheap and can be put at a table  
with a banner.  Newcomers can keep wearing them as long as they feel  
they should and can remove them when they feel they need to be more  
incognito.  Also, they don't make holes in clothes, they don't  
require a lot of additional supplies other than a pen.  They don't  
have to be returned,  so if the newcomer comes out and meets people  
to be polite, but then leaves and decides that this is not their  
thing and they never come back its no sweat off our noses.

I also like the idea of the "ask me" buttons.   Although I have no  
idea what I would put on mine since I have a lot of areas of  
interest.  I guess I could just put "ask me anything" - but that  
might be a little TOO open for interpretation! ;-)

-Robin

On Jul 7, 2006, at 8:05 PM, Coblaith Mhuimhneach wrote:

> Sean wrote:
>> Perhaps a simple cloth shield with the colors and Halberd of Bryn- 
>> Gwald could be offered to "Newbies" so that others would know they  
>> were...new. Once these individuals had a clue about what was going  
>> on, something I am still working on, they could turn in these  
>> shield for other individuals to use.
>
> I answered
>> Something like this had occurred to me. But I wonder how many  
>> newcomers would be comfortable with it.. . .I have also thought  
>> that it might be helpful if officers and guild principals wore  
>> some sort of insignia at Populace in the Park.. . .Similarly,  
>> members of the populace who were willing to be general  
>> "ambassadors" on any given night could wear the Barony's badge or  
>> green-and-gold bands or something. Then all the folks at the  
>> Hospitaler's table would have to do to is point them out and  
>> explain what they mean (or hail somebody who'd chosen to put one  
>> on, depending on the circumstances).. . .I, as a newcomer, wasn't  
>> unwilling to go up to people and say, "Hi," but I was reluctant to  
>> "horn in on" conversations and harass people who were busy doing  
>> other things, and it often looks as though EVERYBODY at PiP is  
>> busy.  If there had been people wearing, "Harass me, please!"  
>> labels, I would've been more comfortable approaching them.
>
> Robin asked:
>> How about a nice, normal nametag?
>
> You mean for the newcomers, the officers and guild principals, the  
> "ambassadors", or all three?
>
> I have four problems with nametags:
>
> (1)  You have to get pretty close and be looking at the individual  
> face-to-face (well. . .face-to-chest) even to see one.  I think the  
> likelihood of someone scanning the crowd noticing a 4-inch-wide  
> armband with trailing ends (or something similar) is much higher,  
> especially when we're all gathered in little groups chatting (as we  
> often are).
>
> (2)  You have to be even closer to read them.  So, if you said,  
> "Look for Coblaith,", and the newcomer relied on nametags, she'd  
> have to roam around the crowd poking her face in between conversing  
> members of the populace until she saw the right bosom (assuming you  
> either mispronounce my name or spell it for her, so she can  
> recognize it when she does see it).  If, on the other hand, you  
> said, "Look for the Chronicer; she's got black and white feathers  
> on her armband," she could, again, just scan the crowd.  I know  
> which I'd prefer to do.
>
> (3)  They're pretty much single-use.  Even the little plastic  
> pockets on strings aren't exactly sturdy.  Re-usable "labels" make  
> more sense, ecologically and economically.
>
> (4)  They pretty much define "obtrusively modern".  So, if we're  
> treating Populace in the Park as an SCA event (either in general,  
> as ???? and ???? have suggested, or on a specific occassion, as  
> when we have a tiny tourney), they won't fit.
>
>
> Aurelia's said:
>> Instead of asking newcomers to call attention to themselves with  
>> badges, why not give the badges to those who might be willing to  
>> become mentors. Just a button that says "Ask Me Questions!" would  
>> do, and then those who are new would know who to approach.
>>
>> I'd be comfortable wearing a button that says "Ask Me About  
>> Costumes!" Or, "Ask Me About Roman Personas!"
>
> I think that'd be great. . .even those of us who aren't exactly new  
> anymore might benefit.  There's information on the interests of  
> some of the residents of the Barony in the Participants' Registry,  
> but I'm still surprised on a regular basis by the things my fellows  
> can do.
>
> Actually, my initial idea about the "ambassador" armbands was that  
> they might indicate their bearers' areas of expertise or interest,  
> but I couldn't think of an easy way to incorporate that.  "Ask me"  
> buttons sound promising.
>
>
> I think I'll run up a sample Chronicler's "label" or two before the  
> business meeting, so we can start discussing some concrete  
> possibilities.  Anybody else want to work up their ideas?
>
>
>
> Coblaith Mhuimhneach
> Barony of Bryn Gwlad
> <mailto:Coblaith at sbcglobal.net>_______________________________________ 
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