[Artemisia] Event Thoughts

[Ravenmacleod at comcast.net]

Hmmmm, A thought just struck me.

I believe it was *fun*
or
 I *believe* it was fun 
or 
It was fun to *believe* 

It has become mose evident to me over the last few years that my reality in the SCA depends strongly on my perception of things. For example, I did not attend "MudRising" I attending Uprising one year that it raind for the first couple days of the event, I'm not talking a slight drizzle I'm talking about an outright downpour. I got closer to friends, I got soaked to the bone and warmed in the light and love of those that are around me.

To me it's like smelting you heat the ore and the imputiys melt away leaving behind a pure beauritful useful substance. Maybe it's like sculpture, the art is already there inside the stone it's up to the sculptor to set it free.

I am glad that I get to spend my time with dreamers such as I find in you all.

yours,
HL Raven MacLeod (some stuff)
Sergeant to the Barony Ashton
Vassal to Baron James Ulrich MacKeller
Student of Duke Sean Kirkpatric Tarragon

Por Roi et Amore, Artemisia!

-------------- Original message -------------- 

> Love this topic Master Niccolo, thank you. 
> 
> Magic always occurs for me during those moments when I am appreciating 
> the romantic silhouette of my dashing swordsman and love of my life, 
> Maitre Guillaume. More magical moments occur when including my horses in 
> this game. Riding in tournament with my fellow equestrians transports me 
> to another time. I really enjoyed that parade at Uprising a few years ago 
> too, complete with mounted royalty surrounded by flying banners presented 
> through an arch of rapiers and led by bagpipers. Oh, I can't forget that 
> magic bottle of mead consumed under a starlit summer's night after 
> dancing on the manicured lawn of a winery chateau. Now that I reflect 
> back on magical moments, I can recall many and they all have a common 
> denominator. I believe it is *fun*. Everyone present during those moments 
> was totally committed in having *fun* while sporting their best 
> reenactment behavior. 
> 
> Perhaps it's just as simple as being *dedicated* to having *fun* that 
> will produce a return of more magical moments for all. In other words, 
> if it ain't fun, then change your attitude. For fun, let's dissect *fun* 
> at events with the chivalric virtues: 
> 
> Prowess: laughing, enjoying, appreciating the opportunity to play with 
> like minded mates. 
> Loyalty: attendance and imagination 
> Largess: volunteering 
> Courtesy: kind words and appropriate titles spoken 
> Franchise: behaving like a noble 
> Faith: being a dependable player 
> 
> My wish is for more camping events that allow pets and horses... of 
> course. smile 
> 
> Yasmeena 
> 
> Mu'allemah Yasmeena, OL, OP, Cd'O, etc. 
> "The Equestrian Mistress" 
> Minister of the Royal Stables of Artemisia 
> Mounted Companion of the Lance of St. Anne 
> http://lanceofstanne.homestead.com/yasmeena.html 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Wed, 8 Dec 2004 10:11:59 -0800 (PST) Bruce Padget 
> writes: 
> > For a little over a year, I've been talking to folks - 
> > dozens of them - about the so-called "magic" moments 
> > at events. You know, the moments that keep you coming 
> > back despite the crap. By no means a scientific 
> > survey, but the answers showed me sufficiently 
> > consistent patterns to draw some conclusions. 
> > 
> > The vast majority said that their magic times happened 
> > well after dark. A minority said they had had such 
> > times very early in the morning. A smaller minority 
> > said they had such times in the afternoon, when they 
> > hit the tired-but-not-yet-exhausted phase of fighting. 
> > 
> > The vast majority (at least 95%) said that magic times 
> > *only* occured in unplanned, unscheduled happenings at 
> > events. No one said that magic happens only or chiefly 
> > during planned happenings. 
> > 
> > All agreed that there is no predicting when magic will 
> > happen. 
> > 
> > My conclusions: 
> > 
> > First, magic is random. My dad taught me a lot about 
> > probability. (He is fairly knowledgable in advanced 
> > physics, but most of his probability lessons seemed to 
> > involve cards and chips :D) He said the main thing to 
> > know about probability is that, no matter how small 
> > the probability of occurence x, given enough trials, 
> > occurence x becomes a virtual certainty. (Hence the 
> > maxim in astrophysics that anything not forbidden is 
> > mandatory. :D) 
> > 
> > In event terms, this means the more events there are, 
> > and the more you go to, the more likely there is to be 
> > magic. 
> > 
> > Second, magic tends to happen at the start and end of 
> > the day. I've noted a trend -- not entirely imposed 
> > by site owners -- of Artemisian events starting later 
> > in the day and ending earlier. By limiting the 
> > chances for magic in this way, events seem more like 
> > chores, and the cycle becomes self-reinforcing. 
> > 
> > Third, embrace chaos. At my favorite events, the 
> > event steward doesn't see his job as planning an 
> > event. Instead, his job is arrange time and space for 
> > an event to happen. As one clear example, if you get 
> > a dozen fighters in the same general area, do you 
> > *really* think they won't think of anything to do if 
> > you don't plan melees and tourneys for them? 
> > 
> > I've heard a little talk of a malaise in Artemisia. 
> > Three solutions that strike me as pretty clear -- more 
> > events, longer events, less structured events. 
> > 
> > Regards, 
> > Niccolo 
> > Abbastanza Buon Non E Abbastanza Buono 
> > bapadget at yahoo.com 
> > _______________________________________________ 
> > Artemisia mailing list 
> > Artemisia at lists.gallowglass.org 
> > http://lists.gallowglass.org/mailman/listinfo/artemisia 
> > 
> 
> Mu'allemah Yasmeena, OL, OP, Cd'O, etc. 
> "The Equestrian Mistress" 
> Minister of the Royal Stables of Artemisia 
> Mounted Companion of the Lance of St. Anne 
> http://lanceofstanne.homestead.com/yasmeena.html 
> 
> _______________________________________________ 
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> Artemisia at lists.gallowglass.org 
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