[Sca-cooks] OT- Input request from SCA BoD - Please Help!

[Laura C. Minnick]

Sieggy,

All due respect, must esteemed Sieggy-mon, but...

I think you are full of it.

Yes. Some people leave because of politics. But certainly not all, and I
don't even think a great majority. Why do people leave? I think most
people leave *because they grow up and grow past the SCA*. An awful lot of
people finish college and we never see them again. Or they finally get
that Real Job, and Real Car, a Real SO, then the Real Spouse, and Real
Kid, A Real House complete with a Real Mortgage... some of us stay anyway,
but many choose to go on. Many people quite playing because of long-term
financial and employment problems. Some of us manage to stay, some simply
curtail involvement until their lives settle down.

I personally know ONE, count him, ONE person who dropped out specifically
because of politics. And you know what? He still comes back for two
specific events- to see friends and chase women and pretend he's young
again. He is but one. I may know others, but they are all persons for whom
there were many reasons to drop out- not just one.

I have hovered on the edge for awhile- due to the financial-employment
concerns. I make one event a month or so, sometimes more, sometimes
less. Basically the cooks list has seen most of my activity in the past
couple of years.

At the same time, I refuse to let being broke stop me from some of the
basic stuff I do. It does not stop me from teaching- in person, on the
phone, on-line... from doing research, from learning more so that when I
can be more active, I have something to bring with me. And in the
meantime, if someone asks for help or information, you cannot prevent me
from helping them because my membership has lapsed.

One more thing about politics-

I know they can be bad. I saw what drove Paul away- I was his Lady at the
time and boy did it hurt. But most of the time when I hear people talk
about bad politics and how it makes them sooo unhappy and makes them want
to quit, I have to restrain myself, because what I think is: Grown up and
get over it. The world is not about you. Most politics is like an itch-
ignore it, and it goes away on it's own. But scratch it?... And I also
begin to wonder about their own attitude and commitment- those who yell
the most about politics tend to be the sloppiest, cruellest players. Those
who are truly in it 'For the Love of the Game' are the first to look for
solutions best for everyone, and will graciously bow out if they think
they are hurting someone.

I could write more, but the tall gorgeous one is banging around in the
other room, and wer'e going out tonight- I need to iron my blouse.

Have a nice evening, everyone,

'Lainie