[Northkeep] baronial work day

[Miriam Cook]

Greetings everyone!

As a general rule, I tend to stay quiet on this email list when it comes to the infrequent but none-the-less alarming virtual shouting matches that pop up. This time in particular however I would like to speak my mind about this subject. I would like to make sure before continuing that I honestly mean no person reading any malice at all, merely making note of observation I myself have seen. Really, really, I am not speaking personally to anyone or any group of people. I promise. 

I believe that His Excellency Ian meant to voice his frustration not at any person or people specifically, but rather the frustration he feels when he often sees the same faces at work for the Barony. I am NOT referring specifically to yesterday, but rather to many events over the course of the last several years. I will not single out anyone who has been notably present or absent, you know in your heart if you have "shown up." The events that I am talking about aren't even necessarily Kingdom Calendar Events, but rather those times when the members of this populace are asked to "show up." If it is a member of the group in need of help because some tragedy befell them, or the Sunday morning site-clean after Castellan, cleaning the hall on Wednesday night fighter practice-- all of these are events for us to show what we as members of this populace, this community of Northkeep, are made of.  

Castellan 2010 is 9 months away. Clear your calendars on that day. If you can make it to the event and camp that Saturday night, plan to show up for Northkeep and stay till the last serving dish is put away, the last trash bin is emptied and the trailer is locked away. There will be floors to sweep at the VFW in February too! 

I know that life all-too-frequently gets in the way of fun-- trust me, I totally understand-- and the missing of an event or a workday because you can't or frankly don't want to go isn't the end of the world or the SCA. We all have lives that have nothing to do with the SCA, however, we play this game for a reason. (remember this is NOT directed at any individual or group of individuals, just making examples)-- Is your reason to be able to legally his people with a stick? If so, okay-- that's cool and your decision and no one can or should tell you 'no'. But why here? There's got to be a reason you are here and not in Melee or another "just hit people with a stick" group. Why do you want to do it in the SCA?  You just want to weave? Same thing, why are you weaving here? Don't answer me, or Ian-- answer yourself.

I played on the Northkeep fringe for 5 years before one very cold night someone named Sigen told me that you get from the SCA what you put into it. I had heard it said before, and maybe it was that everything else in my body and brain were frozen, but it really stuck with me that time. Maybe here someone has heard me say it (though this far down in the email I doubt it) at it will stick with them-- you will get out of this group what you put into it. 

My son's football coaches are always talking about "showing up." Not merely arriving at a practice or a game and playing, but standing up for your team, being more than you thought you could be so that your team could be more than you thought it could be. If you have made it this far in the email and think that maybe you haven't shown up as much as you wish you would have, don't worry, there will be lots and lots of events to show up for. Just start showing up. If you are comfortable with how much you have been showing up, awesome! That is really a cool feeling, isn't it? If you don't want to show up? Okay. No one is forcing you. Do what YOU feel in your heart.

I will quit sounding like a Rabbi or a Preacher now and get off my soapbox and promise not to take it out again for a long time. Just had to get a bit off my chest.

Zahava