[Ravensfort] baronial candidates

[Nathan Bohls]

Greetings to the List!
	I apologize for not posting sooner but I have been in Dallas for the last
week visiting my family.
First I would like to address three posts that I have some specific problems
with.
1. Marius even if a "fix" has been attempted it doesn't matter now. If we
all pull together and present a united front to Their Highnesses they will
have no choice but to accept the barony's choice. It's in the corpora that
the crown cannot appoint a B&B that is significantly opposed by the
populace. What we need to do is to talk amongst ourselves and figure out
what we want and who is best qualified to give it to us. That is the main
problem we face as I perceive things: we don't know what we want. The only
way to fix this is to debate ( and in this barony that means we'll shout at
each other, almost everyone has a short temper) and come to some sort of
consensus. And with all due respect to Mistress Clarissa I think that the
list is the best place to do this. It is very hard to get a hold of people
in this barony by phone and it is even more difficult to catch people at
home. The reason for this is that we're split schedule wise into those of us
who work nights, those who work days, those who are constantly on call, and
those who are never at home when someone comes by (ahem.) The list is the
one place where we can all be reached and where we all have access to what's
been said. I'm a really good example of this- been gone a week!
2. Ragan did not "stir the pot" and cause trouble. He is not "twisting
things to his own use". One thing I have never heard Ragan do is lie. I
might wish he would for politeness' sake but...People are  not "pointing
fingers and hurting each other", they are saying what they think and
reacting as they choose to react. Since when did this become a crime? Folks
if there is one thing I have painfully learned over the last year it is that
you own your emotions and  reactions. If your panties get wadded over
something that is said/written on the list then that is YOUR reaction, own
it. Nobody MADE you angry, you decided to get angry. How you deal with that
anger is a personal choice that only you control. Ragan has stated his
opinions in his own inimitable fashion and has posed questions to the barony
at large. How is this causing trouble? Did he say something you didn't like?
Too bad. He made some very good, well thought out arguments and gave me
personally some things to think about. He also called for a call to action
of which there has been very little. I still don't agree with the way Sir
Kief said it (see above) but, again, he had a point. We as a barony and
individually do need to get off our dead asses and do something. We're
really good at talking so why aren't we doing it now? Now is when it needs
to happen. Not after the crown appoints the B&B.
3.Lorraine, I have not nor do I intend to "make a decision about who gets an
award". The only time I can remember saying  that I thought I deserved an
award specifically for something was when someone-can't remember who- gave
me a compliment on my carving ( was showing off something I had just
completed) and said right then that she/he was going to put me in for a
thistle in carving. I asked that person not to and was asked why. So I
pulled out Katrine's favor and showed it to whomever and said that my
embroidery was the only thing I felt was good enough for an award. That's
it. I think that the way you phrased your post made it seem as if I've been
going around the barony asking people to put me in for awards. I have not
been doing this, nor will I ever. I feel that you owe me an apology. As for
Ragan not "getting" it I feel that you are mistaken. Part of  debate is to
look for flaws in the other person's argument. When did disagreeing with
people become wrong? He is making up his own mind. All he wants is for the
others on the list to say what they think and to dialogue about the
potential candidates. Granted he has waxed passionate but he isn't swearing
or being insulting on a personal level to the people he is talking with. You
need basic information just to form an opinion and so far I only know of two
candidate couples for B&B. If people don't start talking about what they
want and who they think would be a good choice we will get nowhere quickly
on the 7th. If stating and discussing issues that we have with people before
the meeting is campaigning then we're screwed. Every candidate couple is
going to have strong and weak points. These need to be brought out into the
open and discussed and we will not have time to do this at Populace.
Therefore necessity dictates that we do so now.
	 Ragan thank you for the compliment. Means a lot coming from someone as
talented as you. Annoying...hmmm, baby you ain't seen nothing yet.*evil
grin* ;D
	What I want for the barony: first and foremost I want us to have fun. This
is supposed to be fun and I think that Day at the Garden was the first time
in a long time that some of us have had fun at an event. Bravo to the
autocrat and the helpers! Brava to the Baroness for her fearless dragon
slaying! Bravo to everyone for the magnificent fun! Why don't we do this
more often? I think that whoever is B&B they need to bring to the table a
sense of the fun and wonderment that the SCA should always have. Our B & B
must be able to encourage persona play in a fun way, hosting events in a fun
way, and just having fun, darn it! Folks if you don't enjoy it then it isn't
worth doing. Lorraine had some really good suggestions on this in her post
to Cedric's questions.
	Second: Focus on the Barony first. Our B&B must be able to get the  barony
as a whole to participate in running itself. Has anyone noticed that nobody
seems to care about anything lately? There are many reasons for this but I
think that the main one is the apathy that just seems to pervade the barony
lately. Our next B&B are going to have to be able to instill motivation and
a sense of participation in the populace and this isn't going to be easy.
For some reason new people aren't coming into the Barony and new people are
not stepping up to take over the offices. Something has got to be done about
this situation but it will take a B&B that embody enthusiasm for play AND
work.
	Third: I want us to try new things, make mistakes, fall on our asses, get
up and try again. I keep hearing "well that's a tradition", "we've always
done things that way", "it won't work", "you won't be able to get enough
help"...well screw it. We're falling on our butts right now because people
are severely burnt out and they can't get relief. Let's try letting people
with new ideas try those ideas out. Let them be responsible for awhile. Who
knows? It might work. disasters have happened before and this barony
persevered. We can do it again but only if we try. So...I want someone as
B&B who isn't afraid to try new things, make mistakes, and recover from
those mistakes.
	 Fourth: I want people who are dedicated to persona playing and "the
Dream". I want enchantment and wonder in my B&B. Corny, yes, but for me two
vital elements of the SCA.
	Fifth: I'd like to have a B&B who have ties to every group within the
Barony and yet aren't specifically tied down to one "official" group. Let me
clarify, I want a B& B who get along with and are liked by everyone. Yes,
this is wishful thinking BUT it is what I want.
	 Sixth: I want a B&B who know how to delegate and don't over commit the
barony or themselves. I'd so much rather that we concentrated on ourselves
and our growth for a change.
	What I want in a B&B: wit, humor, wisdom, strength, courage, dedication,
level heads, warm hearts, charisma, nobility, grace, dignity, patience, an
inability to swallow bullshit, perseverance.
I've thought all last week about this and in my opinion there are at present
only two people who adequately fulfill all of these requirements. I think
that those two people are Cedric and Katrine. Ragan go back and look at what
you said about Sigurd and Walla Walla. Much of it applies to Cedric and
Katrine. Now, who else is being considered for B&B? I know that Jacinth and
Brion are and if they would both examine what I want and send me e-mail
discussing this I would really appreciate it. Paul and Barbara, are you
going to be put forth as candidates? Some people have said that you are but
so far this has been neither confirmed nor denied. If you are going to be
nominated could you please e-mail me and address the above? I'd appreciate
it.
	I would also like to point out that although they do not live in the barony
Mistress Fionna and Lord Ivan would make excellent candidates for B&B. In my
humble opinion of course.
				-In service to the Dream, Isabeau (but I'm changing it) de Merricouer.