[Sca-cooks] from Purgatory again-RE 'How to Assess Advice'

[Laura C. Minnick]

I saw that one and heard myself, something like 12 0r 13 years ago
asking the same questions...

First, are the comments and advice solicited, or un? I think it matters.
Yes, I offered some advice to a new girl a few weeks back in a Tudor-oid
gown that she'd obviously worked very hard on- but only after she made
several comments and said directly to me that she didn't know what she'd
done wrong cutting the bodice. _Then_ I came around the table and
started poking and drawing seams with my finger- because she clearly
wanted an opinion. If she hadn't said anything, I would have kept my
mouth shut.

At any rate, as to say the tunic, or your recipe, where you have already
done some research, if someone gives conflicting info, sit yourself back
and think about it. Does it fit what you know so far from the research
you've done, or is it way out in the other field? Is it something you
saw already and you can say "Yes! I read Master Gleeping Frog's book on
marsh dyes too! Wasn't it fascinating!" OR conversely if it appears they
are unfamiliar with it, you can say "That is very interesting
information you have. Perhaps you haven't heard of some of the latest
works in the field. Have you seen Master Gleeping Frog's book on marsh
dyes? He even gets into the chemical composition of the dyes and mordant
and the fibers and how the dyes behave when they have been in the marsh
water for a time, such as the bog bodies. It really is illuminating
work! I could give you the citation if you like!"

Now I am a bit of a... less than well mannered person at times. If
someone walked up to me and said "They didn't put gores in T-tunics!
T-tunics were cut in T's and nothing more! Yours is wrong." I would be
sorely tempted to say (after someone handed him back his face) something
like "How odd then, that so many people in period were buried in wool
twill tunics with gores, just like this one, and that we can verify this
through several forms of dating. I suppose they left the poly-cotton
t-tunics with flopping facings and cheap metallic braid trim such as
yours at home for their children to fight over and hand down through the
generations." And someone would send for Edouard, who would retrieve me
and carry me off muttering "Last time I let _you_ out of camp before you
finish your tea!"

Truly though, the better answer is more like "Interesting. I understand
that tunics take a great diversity in form and cut and that some places
and times may indeed have something similar to yours [Berkeley, 1968
comes to mind, but I am a Bad Lady]. But I found some truly wonderful
documentation giving very specific cut for this particular time and
place, and the more I find, the more I am convinced that this is an
authentic method for the garments I am trying to make. Wouldn't you like
to see the the documents/citations/photocopies/downloads, etc?..."

This all translates to food too. I'm just waiting for someone to serve
M&C from a box because Someone told them macaroni and cheese is period.
Not if it comes in the Blue and Yellow box, it ain't. But there's no
convincing some people. (And I must note- Regina insists that the Blue
and Yellow box could quite well be period! Cardboard, pasta, what's the
diff? They both break down eventually in a landfill. So if the Tudors
had banana peels, maybe they had Kraft M&C...)

The trick is- Be pleasant. Be polite. Be receptive, even if you think
you are hearing utter baloney. And the nod politely and say "How
interesting! I hadn't heard that. I have been doing quite a bit of
research though, and have found X, Y, and Z! Would you care to see the
work I've done?"

90% of the blowhards don't care about your work. They just want to tell
someone that They Know Better. The other 10% might actually be impressed
by what you're doing. If not- oh well. Do it anyway.

And my best advice- Go to an event- find someone doing what you want at
a level that you want to learn. If it is clothes, and you see someone
wearing something you like and they have a nice smile, walk up and say
"Hi! I'm Ann Newbie! I really love your clothes! I've been doing some
research, and I was wondering if you would mind spending a few minutes
answering some questions? I would really like to know more about your
work!" You'll probably get a shocked YES! form someone whose day was
just MADE. If it's cooking- after a really great feast, find out the
contact info for the cook. Then, not right after (use the brain cell!)
but maybe two weeks after, contact the cook and say much the same thing-
you are impressed by their work, would like to learn more, would they be
willing to answer s few questions....  Ask from those you can learn
from.

And don't bother 'Lainie till she's had her tea!

'Lainie