[Steppes] A Message to the Populace

[Nancy Chevalier]

I say we get this off to the right start here and now.... I volunteer to start 
the All-Con Demo Commitee. Who else is with me? 


Countess Elizabetha?
Crandal?
Don Alric? 
Saqra? 
Quill?

If we can get together now on who will be the main organizers, then we can nip 
this in the bud and make sure that the SCA is well represented for the 2012 
All-Con demo.  I already have plans to visit All-con board for a few of their 
meetings, so I might as well look into  a liason for our group.  This will help 
with figuring out what they would like to see from us and ensure that we have 
what we need from them.
 
Granted I should be doing this like I need another hole in my head, but I love 
this little con and the SCA too, so lets get things started now while we can and 
this way we can set a good example for all demos in the future.  


. Aurelia Yverneau
Canton of Glaslyn

----- Original Message ----
From: Traci <traci at crimsonvision.net>
To: steppes <steppes at lists.ansteorra.org>
Sent: Wed, March 23, 2011 2:50:54 PM
Subject: Re: [Steppes] A Message to the Populace

Well, since you seemed to want to discuss it...

"If you don't like the way that the demo was run, then step up to the plate
to run it. I took the responsibility because no-one else had done so. If you
don't want last minute effort, don't wait until the last minute hoping that
someone else will stand up."

Actually I *DID* offer to do everything and anything that was needed back on
February 21st when I first knew I would not be going to Gulf Wars.  As
someone who has been to god knows how many cons/demos and has been involved
in All-Con since the start of it I am a good resource that you didn't bother
to use.  I had to send multiple notes to you to even get a response which
only was that you were still figuring out things & I could just come by and
hang out at the table.  If at that point you would have said 'Hey, mundane
life is taking too much of my time, I need help' I would have gladly stepped
up.  Heck, if at the point where the demo was canceled a note had been
posted for someone to take over I would have done it then.  I'd be willing
to be I wouldn't have been the only on to offer.

This demo actually CAN be done with little to no planning time & budget.
How do I know?  Because not only has the Barony done it in the past but
another group that I am a part of (DFW Costumers Guild) did it this year.
If you volunteer to do something and real life steps in and you cannot
deliver then you need to be upfront about it and ask for help.  We've ALL
been there & there is nothing wrong with that.

Countess Elizabeta

On Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 2:26 PM, Jeffrey Clark <jmclark85 at gmail.com> wrote:

> *"...since we have done All-Con for the past several years & know a year in
> advance the exact date there should have been plenty of time to
> organize..."
> *
>
> Perhaps the first thing that we should do, then, is begin to plan this demo
> more than just a couple of months in advance. This demo, unlike many
> others,
> cannot be handled with a "we're having a demo at _______ time and place,
> show up and bring stuff" approach, it may be best to treat it like an event
> (as the Seneschal said) and begin planning for it 4-6 months in advance.
>
> If you don't like the way that the demo was run, then step up to the plate
> to run it. I took the responsibility because no-one else had done so. If
> you
> don't want last minute effort, don't wait until the last minute hoping that
> someone else will stand up.
>
> It has come to my attention that some thought that my "harried college
> student" comment was referring to Quill; and I was actually referring to
> myself. I was out-of-state the week before Gulf Wars auditioning to get
> into
> a conservatory. My time before that was split: trying to get ahead in
> classes and work so that I could be gone for a week, preparing for the
> audition itself, and trying to coordinate the demo.
>
> I would also like to point out that while we have done the All-Con demo for
> several years, the collected knowledge of the past demo coordinators (or
> even who the previous coordinators were) does not get passed on to the new
> coordinator. Perhaps another thing we should start doing for things like
> this is to get and retain detailed after-action reports for each year we do
> a demo/event and then passing them to the next autocrat/coordinator. One of
> the problems that I experienced was not being aware of what specific
> information the people at All-Con needed from us, or not knowing what
> information I needed to ask volunteers.
>
> One of the things that might benefit the Barony is the creation of a
> "volunteer information sheet" which can be sent out for an event or demo
> which volunteers can fill out and send back, which will give the person
> doing the demo/event a clear and concise reference of the resources at his
> disposal. It is hard to put things together quickly when information comes
> at you in a disparate trickle and you have to send multiple emails to get
> all of the information you need from one person.
>
> ... and again, this demo needs more prep time than just a couple of months
> (especially if the person coordinating it has a life outside of planning
> the
> demo). As a point of reference, the coordinator from last year logged 100
> hours of planning and labour into just preparing for the demo, and sunk
> more
> money into the venture than I make in a month. This effort last year netted
> us 60 newcomers, and (as far as we know) not a single one of them is still
> in the SCA. In light of that and the late start we got this year; the
> seneschal and their Excellencies (not me) decided to call off the demo.
>
>
> --Alessandro Zorzi
>
>
>
>
>
> On Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 12:24 PM, Traci <traci at crimsonvision.net> wrote:
>
> > While I was not at all happy with the handling of the demo (since we have
> > done All-Con for the past several years & know a year in advance the
> exact
> > date there should have been plenty of time to organize) I'm sure there
> are
> > outside 'forces' responsible for it not happening so I won't belabor the
> > point.
> >
> > I wanted to clarify the All-Con 2012 theme; specifically it is 'End of
> the
> > World' as in the Apocalypse rather than a 'Zombie' theme.  I have a pdf
> of
> > the flyer & made a quick JPG of the info:
> > http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5180/5553640984_7bb03e512e_b.jpg
> >
> > Hope that helps!
> > Elizabeta, who was at the con Thursday - Sunday
> >
> > On Tue, Mar 22, 2011 at 11:08 PM, <alkudsi at aol.com> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > >  Lady Katerina,
> > >
> > > I would like to address just one point of your missive, if I may. Lord
> > > Quill and I expressly did  NOT put on an SCA demo, nor would we without
> > the
> > > direct permission of Their Excellencies and yourself. We did not
> > represent
> > > ourselves as SCA, nor were we represented that way on the schedule. I
> > have
> > > been a member of the SCA for over 30 years, most of that time in this
> > > Barony, and have served as both Hospitaler and Seneschal of this
> Barony,
> > as
> > > well. I would never presume to represent the SCA OR the Barony without
> > > express permission. What Quill did was fill a time slot that was left
> > empty
> > > with a panel, and asked me to help develop the theme of Living History.
> > We
> > > covered living re-enactments such as happens in Williamsburg, Civil War
> > > re-enactments,  as well as mentioning the SCA and several other types
> of
> > > recreationist groups, in passing. Our audience consisted of an
> > > anthropologist, two members of other types of recreation groups, a
> member
> > of
> > > a Civil War reenactment group, and sever
> > >  al people, including myself who recreate other periods outside of the
> > SCA
> > > time slot. We discussed the difference between recreating and
> reenacting,
> > > and had a fairly interesting discussion on how living history as either
> a
> > > recreationist or re-enactor can give one an appreciation of the culture
> > and
> > > arts, some of which have come close to being lost to the modern world.
> We
> > > also discussed how recreating or re-enacting can help a writer or
> actor,
> > as
> > > well as several other topics of that general mien. We expressly did not
> > try
> > > to recruit, did not present ourselves as representing the SCA, nor did
> we
> > > pass out any SCA materials. Instead, we helped All-Con fill an empty
> time
> > > slot, had a fascinating discussion with a group of very nice people,
> and
> > had
> > > some fun.
> > >
> > > Any individual or groups of individuals may put together a panel for
> > > All-Con, and we did so. We did so under our mundane names, and without
> > use
> > > of the SCA in the title of the discussion (nor did we represent
> ourselves
> > as
> > > representing the SCA with the All-Con management), which relieves you
> as
> > > Seneschal or the Barony of any liability or responsibility. Living
> > History
> > > was a topic we knew, and which was pertinent to the theme of Steampunk.
> > I'm
> > > very sorry if you think that we usurped the perogatives of either Their
> > > Excellencies or yourself, but I think had you listened in, you would
> not
> > > have felt that way. My background in theater and history, Quill's study
> > in
> > > anthropology, and our mutual knowledge of both re-enacting and
> recreating
> > > was an interesting juxtaposition and led to what I think was an
> > interesting
> > > panel.
> > >
> > > Respectfully Yours and Ever in Service to the Barony of the Steppes
> > >
> > > Honorable el-Sayyidda Saqra al-Kudsi
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >  P.S. As for next year's All-Con, I would like to challenge our
> > membership
> > > to find a connection between our period and the theme -- which is
> > zombies!
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Seneschal of the Steppes <seneschal at steppes.ansteorra.org>
> > > To: Steppes <steppes at lists.ansteorra.org>
> > > Sent: Tue, Mar 22, 2011 7:46 pm
> > > Subject: [Steppes] A Message to the Populace
> > >
> > >
> > > Beloved Populace of the Steppes,
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > I've been reading and responding to many messages regarding the
> cancelled
> > >
> > > All-Con Demo over the past couple of days and I have a few points that
> I
> > >
> > > would like to clarify.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > First, the way in which the Barony approaches demonstrations will be
> > >
> > > revamped in the coming months.  I will sit down with the Baron,
> Baroness
> > > and
> > >
> > > new Hospitaler to come up with a more productive approach to displaying
> > our
> > >
> > > talents and recruiting new members.  We all need to view demos as
> 'mini'
> > >
> > > events... they require multiple levels of coordination, teamwork and
> > >
> > > understanding of what liabilities we face when holding one.  Most
> > >
> > > importantly, I need to impress upon everyone that impromptu
> > demonstrations
> > >
> > > and panel discussions that have not been approved by myself or Their
> > >
> > > Excellencies are absolutely prohibited.  This is not negotiable.  The
> > >
> > > efforts made at All-Con this past weekend are appreciated.  I am
> grateful
> > >
> > > for members who see a need and take steps to benefit the Barony.
> >  However,
> > >
> > > as your Seneschal, I personally am legally responsible for the events
> > that
> > >
> > > we hold.  Following the guidelines that have been established for demos
> > not
> > >
> > > only protects my interests, but will help ensure that we don't risk
> > losing
> > >
> > > our Baronial status.  Requesting to know in advance when a group of our
> > >
> > > members wishes to represent our Barony is not just professional
> courtesy,
> > > it
> > >
> > > is an imperative.  That being said, I will do everything in my power to
> > >
> > > accomodate requests for demos as they come up.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > I would also like to propose a challenge; to those who have been
> > > unsatisfied
> > >
> > > with the manner in which this demo was handled, you now have the
> > > opportunity
> > >
> > > to shape the Barony of the Steppes.  I am creating a Demo Committee of
> at
> > >
> > > least three members, who will do some research into what strategies are
> > >
> > > working for other groups, what kinds of displays bring in new members,
> > what
> > >
> > > venues work best... the list goes on.  Even a small amount of volunteer
> > > work
> > >
> > > on this endeavor will benefit our group and you will have the
> > satisfaction
> > >
> > > of knowing that you contributed something positive to the Steppes.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Thank you for your cooperation as I strive to make our Barony a more
> > >
> > > enjoyable place to live the dream.
> > >
> > > YIS,
> > >
> > > Lady Katerina O'Cyry
> > >
> > > Seneschal of the Steppes
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > >
> > > Steppes mailing list
> > >
> > > Steppes at lists.ansteorra.org
> > >
> > > http://lists.ansteorra.org/listinfo.cgi/steppes-ansteorra.org
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Steppes mailing list
> > > Steppes at lists.ansteorra.org
> > > http://lists.ansteorra.org/listinfo.cgi/steppes-ansteorra.org
> > >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > http://lists.ansteorra.org/listinfo.cgi/steppes-ansteorra.org
> >
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