[Sca-cooks] Overdocumentation

[Samrah]

Point well taken.  Generally, the folks I know aren't that bad about it.  They just refuse to talk about obvious mundanities like computers, mundane politics, sports, etc. at Events, and politely try to steer you in the same direction.  I knew one lad for 15 years before I realized that I play piano & he plays keyboards.  Just wouldn't come up--keyboards being electric...  And, it makes Life a good deal more pleasant for the rest of it.  
 
The proper way to handle out of period conversation IMO, is not to panomine, but to say, The seers tell me or I had a dream that in the 21st century they will have this, do this or whatever.  Making a bit of joke of the thing...  Not to be deliberately dense or hard to deal with.  I rarely serve obviously out of period or really Americana foods for SCA stuff, even just to family at war.  When I do there are always comments of:  "I just found this wonderful root from the new worlde.  It is called a potato."  Every one giggles, and gets the joke...

Personally, I find persona an essential part of the art.  It is part of what gives the SCA its charm for me, and makes the thing less of a costume party ;o)  I do talk mundanities, especially about docs, but now will feel a bit less guilty about it.  
 
Sorry to hit a nerve.  I have always loved your posts.  It sounds like you have come across some less than nice people in persona which makes 'em just another form of period nazis...
 
Samrah

Bill Fisher <liamfisher at gmail.com> wrote:
On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 21:04:46 -0800 (PST), Samrah
wrote:
I want to prefact these next few paragraphs by saying, this is my
personal opinion and
that I don't mean it as a personal attack on you, or your friends, but
this is something
that bugs me a lot, and as I am often wont to do when I am experiencing sleep 
deprivation......I type.

Y'see, I don't get that "discussion in persona" part. I do this to
research and recreate,
not rollplay. If someone asks me where I found documentation for
something, I'm
going to tell him, I am not going to pantomime my way or act my way
through telling
them what they want to know. I find that to be altogether frustrating in fact.

Technically the other person should ignore me "in persona" because I would speak
Old Irish.....not even the devil understands Irish. Unless of course
they are Irish.

I am myself, living in the 21st Century, reading and reproducing, studying and 
redacting how they lived. I'm willing to put on some airs for display (not many
for those people who know me). But I can see persona development, and assuming
the name for the purposes of the event. But I see it as a tool for
the fun I have
in research.

I want to be able to relate what I learn and find out, and compare
notes with other
people without having to filter my already cluttered mind through yet
another layer
of changes. Both people involved in the discussion should be be from the same 
century so that the ideas are expressed in a clear, non-confusing way.

Yeah, I guess you could say that "confusion is period" but so is clarity.

I don't view the SCA as a roleplaying organization, I view it as a non-profit
educational group.

I guess if they find it to be fun, that's cool for them. But myself,
I find nothing
more frustrating that entering a conversation about something and then being
met by a purposely blank stare and "I do not know what you mean milord by 
this -----------"

Like I said, this is just a rant on my part, please don't take it personally. 
You just struck a nerve and I squeaked.

Cadoc
-- 

"The 'Net is a waste of time, and that's exactly what's right about it" -
- William Gibson
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