[Steppes] A Message to the Populace

Brandy Merrell brandyrose5 at hotmail.com
Wed Mar 23 13:21:46 PDT 2011 

Can I ask that this please be taken off list and discussed among appropriate parties only.  It seems to have gotten a bit more than really needs to be "public".

Thanks in advance...

Sent from my Windows Phone

-----Original Message-----
From: Traci
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2011 2:50 PM
To: steppes
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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>> >
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