[Loch-soilleir] a missive to the populace

[D Barr]

Hi y'all,

I want to pop in here just to add my 2 cents.  I do live in Stargate, so I
haven't made it to Loch's populace meetings, so I can't comment on how they
have been run in the past.  However, I do get to see some of you at
different events.  It amazes me just how much knowledge can come from one
small group of people.  Y'all are awesome! :)

Anyway, my 2 cents is this:

I started playing in a barony in Oklahoma.  This barony holds populace
meetings weekly, and almost everyone comes in garb.  (They don't make a fuss
if people come without garb, but they might tease you for being 'naked.' ;)
)  Every week, after the business portion is complete, someone teaches a
class.  They like to schedule the classes a couple of months in advance, so
the person teaching them has time to prepare.

We've had classes ranging from basic glove making to illumination to the
history of Islam, to weaving and period button making and period stitching
(it wasn't all crafts classes, it's just that's what I remember because I
look in my tote-box and see the pieces).

Days that were particularly fun were when we played {fake deep movie voice}
The Persona Game {end fake deep movie voice}.  This involved people picking
random questions from a hat/box, then asking someone else (or everyone else)
that question.  You have to answer how your persona would answer.  (I'll
never forget one person answering the "What do you like to read?" question
with, "Reed?  What is this reed?")

(Afterwards, we'd all go out to dinner at a particularly good Korean
restaurant, and just sit around and chat for another hour.  Good times.
Great for asking the questions that you're too shy to ask any other time.)

I learned SO MUCH from the people in that barony, before I ever went to an
event.  Until I returned to Ansteorra last November, I had been to three
events.  I learned so much more during the classes and discussions at
populace, that I had time to enjoy the events, because I didn't feel so out
of place.


What I'm saying here is that this HAS been done, it CAN be done, it IS being
done, and YOU CAN do it.  :)  I'll even drive down from the Memorial Park
area of Houston to come, if I can wear garb and learn random fun stuff like
this. :)  (Maybe it will motivate me to make more garb, too.)

Okay, that was more like a quarter, maybe 50 cents.  Thank you for taking
the time to listen to me. :)

--Debbie
--who dances, lives in Stargate, went to Gulf Wars, and is getting closer
every day to having a name for her persona --