SC - Judging-OT

[Robyn Probert]

Wolfmother wrote:
...
>I'm not a Laurel, nor am I apprenticed, therefore, at least in this kingdom, I
>am not acceptable as a judge.  I've been turned away just once too often, so I
>don't bother anymore.   I cook the occasional feast, and enjoy myself utterly

I'm really sorry to hear that this has been your experience. In Lochac,
Laurels are encouraged/expected to act as judges (as part of the teach etc
duties), but anyone with real knowledge of their field is a candidate -
assuming they aren't entering :). Perhaps this evolved here because we are
so spread out and had no Laurels for a while and then very few for many
years. It's crazy not to make use of all our resources!

>I keep trying to educate the masses how to research, what a bias is and how to
>recognize it, and how to find out all of the information available about their
>particular interests.  It's been a long, hard road, and I have recently begun
>to feel that it is a useless ambition.  Lately, I get the distinct impression
>that very few folks in these Current Middle Ages are truly interested in
>history at all.

Please don't give up! It is hard to try and encourage people towards the
research/history/authenticity end of the spectrum, but for me that is the
point of the whole thing. I have been trying to do this ever since I started
things here some 18 years ago. I have had to deal with people moving away
from my original "vision" of how it should be. Yet even as I am saddened by
a trend towards obvious mundane speech or lack of headgear, I see armour
authenticity blossoming and my period shoes campaign finally making an
impact. I've had to realise that they are not all going to play it my way,
but there are enough that do that I still want to play.

Some things are just long term projects. For years I struggled to get live
music to dance to, rather than taped. This meant finding other musicians,
finding music, getting musicians to play at dance tempi, getting dancers to
realise musicians would not play identically each time and so on. Now we
have live dance bands in most large groups and dancers prefer them to tapes
- - much more flexible! instant repeats! much more fun! It took over 10 years.
My shoe project has only been going 3 years. This year at festival, someone
else was teaching the shoemaking class and I had several people come up and
say "you know that class you taught - well look - I made some". Now I'm
working on pattern sets and kits to make it easier to get started. 

Yes - it takes effort but you CAN make a difference, as I am sure do you and
have over your many years with the Society. There ARE other people who think
like you and I know we don't all live in other kingdoms.

Wishing I could lend support in more than words
Rowan


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Robyn Probert				
Customer Service Manager		Phone +61 2 9239 4999
Services Development Manager		Fax   +61 2 9221 8671
Lawpoint Pty Limited			Sydney NSW  Australia
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