[Namron] Skarrgard and Site Contract

[bobby harlow]

OK,Here we go,
   As of yet we havent been able to corner Mr Timmons,the site owner, to get 
his signature on the contracts.Since Hatur lives relatively close to him,I 
have delegated that responsibility to him.If we dont have the contract in 
hand by Monday,09FEB04,we will have no other choice than to either cancel 
the event entirely,or to have it on my land(which would be far cheaper but a 
LOT more crowded).The major problem i see with having it on my land is the 
dissemination of the change in site,and parking.True they are not 
insurmountable,but difficult.And I dont mind having it on my land.
   Now,as for site clean up days being useless.I agree but not for the 
reasons above.We still have an outside chance of catching Mr Timmons and 
getting his signature on the contracts.As I said before,Hatur has 
volunteered his time and efforts to hunt Mr Timmons down and get his 
signature on the contract. My agreement for site clean up days being useless 
is based on this:  lack of participation.We had less than 10 people from our 
group show up again(we had seven show up on the first site clean-up day). We 
have 19 paid members,and 39 total in our group.We are great at having 
populace meetings and making decisions.However,we are very poor at doing the 
work that goes with a group.We had 3 people drive up from Ada to help,2 from 
Edmond,and 4 from our local area.Those numbers are VERY disappointing.In 
fact,we had one gentleman drive from Edmond to help that wasnt even in the 
SCA,but is only interested.We had another gentleman that isnt in the SCA 
from the Prague area come out to help who has no intention of joining the 
SCA but wanted to play D&D at the last clean up day.
  Now for the really difficult question.I know we ram-rodded our status down 
the Kingdom's throat rather quickly and as such had to start doing the work 
sooner than we wanted,possibly before we were ready.The SCA is a wonderfully 
fulfilling game,but someone,somewhere has to WORK to make the game possible 
for others.In the case of the SCA,that is our officers for the most 
part.However,when a group decides as a whole by vote to put on an event or 
demo,the decision was made by the group.Then we have to work to pull it 
off.It isnt one person,nor two,nor just the officers,but the entire group 
that needs to pull together to pull it off.And as yet,Skarrgard HAS NOT done 
that.Not even close.As I said before,we made the decision to do the 
event,put it to a populace vote,approved it, and went forward.Then just 
kinda hit a BIG brick wall.So i have to pose this question: ARE WE READY TO 
BE A GROUP?Or do we just want to make decisions and depend on a few people 
to do the work.
     To be quite frank and brutally honest,I have to say that if we manage 
to get our event contract in hand,and the event goes forward at this site or 
on my land,If it comes down to the same people doing all the work,and no 
participation in general from the populace of Skarrgard,I may have to 
withdraw my application for seneschal and walk away from the group.It is 
simple concept,but a rather brutal one: WHEN THE GROUP SHINES,I SHINE.IF THE 
GROUP FAILS,I GET THE CRAP.And i dont mind that risk.I WILL take all the 
hits I need to to ensure that this group goes forward and becomes 
successful.That is my job.I LIKE my job.What i DO mind is taking hits for an 
entire group that hasnt even tried with the exceptions of you who are 
helping and you know who you are.
    So,do we go forward as a group,or do we have to half-ass our first and 
possibly only event,because we like the idea of having a group out here,but 
dont want to work to ensure we have one?The last two questions you have to 
answer to no one save yourself.I have answered these questions to myself,but 
will share my answers with you here.I am willing to do the work,or I wouldnt 
have applied for an office.Nor would I have accepted my position with 
excitement.I refuse to half ass anything that is in my power to do 
whole-heartedly.All or nothing.
  Now as for participation: I understand that some people have to work on 
Saturdays, are ill, or indisposed at times.Life happens and our real world 
lives have to come first.And I,for one will never ask you to do anything I 
am not willing to do,or have not done myself.This last clean up day is a 
prime example.I braved the cold on both Friday and Saturday nights to be 
there.I missed an event I had been looking forward to for months to be 
there(Kingdom A&S.On top of that I had dental work done on Friday 
morning.But yet,there I was on site by Friday evening,and I would much 
rather have been home where it was warm and the cold didnt kill me because 
of the dental work.Sometimes we have to sacrifice for the greater good of 
our group.simply put: leadership by example.It is a very simple concept.You 
do the things that need to be done because you can.Others notice you do 
things repeatedly.And it rubs off on them.Do what you can,when you can,even 
if it means missing something you really wanted to do.But dont neglect your 
real life.I do this as much as I can.The reason being is that I suspect some 
people look to me for the example to follow.And i know sometimes i fall flat 
on my face.After all I AM human,as are we all.I do keep trying though.
    I ask that you pose these same difficult questions to yourself and any 
other questions that might arise from the ire that may rise from this 
letter.I also ask that you answer them honestly and completely.This email is 
PURPOSELY irritating and brusque for that very reason.To get you to think 
about these questions I have posed.All I ask is that you answer them 
honestly and completely,and whatever answers you come up with will be very 
real and enlightening,whether the answers are good,bad,or indifferent.Just 
something to think about folks.
               Halldor the Pissed Off Jester

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