I'm going, but why?

[gurdymonkey]

The more I flip through the entries about Twelfth Night on SCA West, the more I have to shake my head about this ridiculous game we play. 'Cause sitting in a hotel restaurant or lobby sucking on a Starbucks is so medieval. It's not going to change in this kingdom because too many people do like it, but I don't have to support it by buying a hotel room.

Then there's the person who is attending her first Twelfth Night. It's really easy to be welcoming and enthusiastic on an e-list, but the reality is that people go to events to socialize with people they already know and it is the nature of things that Twelfth Night is catch-up-with-friends-you-only-see-once-a-year time. Unless the newcomer is herself outgoing enough to walk up and introduce herself to strangers who are likely already embroiled in some event activity, she will be completely at sea and quite likely be overwhelmed. As for the people enthusing about court, have they ever had to sit through one in not knowing any of the players?  (I have, it's tedious.) Or played "translator" for a newcomer or out-kingdom visitor during the proceedings? (I have, it's tedious.)

On that note, I shall PM the lady and introduce myself. I should be easy enough to identify at a distance: Japanese personae are pretty thin on the ground around here.

EDIT: Twelfth Night Con now features a Friday night video screening of Dr. Horrible and "Repo: The Genetic Opera." I shit thee not, O Reader.

Comments

[shalmestere.livejournal.com]

...this ridiculous game we play....sitting in a hotel restaurant or lobby sucking on a Starbucks is so medieval. It's not going to change in this kingdom because too many_ people do like it, but I don't have to support it by buying a hotel room.

_

That pretty much echoes how I feel about Birka. I have friends who like the social aspect, or the "Resort Weekend with Pool, Sauna and Room Service" aspect, and that might be fun--but then I start thinking about the logistics, and conclude "We could pay to board the dogs, and drive 4-6 hours each way in January, and maybe find some other musicians and end up sightreading in someone's hotel room--or we could drive to a Deonna's house instead, and spend the weekend playing music for a lot less money. And we could bring the dogs, too! (Or invite her and her dog to our place--then we wouldn't even have to drive :->))

Sometimes I think I should just stop going to events that aren't camping events....

[gottasing.livejournal.com]

I have always explained court to friends who don't play in the SCA as a PTA installation of officers in costumes. That pretty much gives them the gist.

[allison-is.livejournal.com]

. . .wtf at your edit.

[helblonde.livejournal.com]

I'm with you. WTF? They couldn't make even the barest hint of an effort? Like, maybe Beowulf? (I said barest effort, right?)

Ah, well. It's not like we're going to the con, so it really doesn't make any difference in my life.

[allison-is.livejournal.com]

But Beowulf is like way too nerdporny, even if read in modern English. And doesn't have to do with Nerdlove.

GOSH.

;)

[danabren.livejournal.com]

While I adore both movies, I don't think either have an official (ie listed/announced) place at an SCA, Inc event.

Ah well.

[mermaidlady]

Re: EDIT

I have no words...

[xrian.livejournal.com]

Part of the problem is that the West, by and large, doesn't have post-revels, so anything non-period that is fun tends to seep into the event itself. What type of things are scheduled at a Crown event also depends on who's currently Royalty.

I'm not fond of the hotel thing personally, but I'm usually close enough to day-trip (as I'm doing this time). I simply can't afford to pay $50-$100 per night just to have a place to sleep and shower (though it *is* nice when it happens). Besides, I'd rather spend the money on books ;)

My advice to newcomers is ALWAYS to line up one or more people to hang around with *before* the event. Some newcomers are more limpet-like than others; my best friend at his first event was perfectly happy to wander off and talk to people, but at my own first event, I was more of the limpet or barnacle type ;) (I'm actually quite proud of myself for going to that event at all, when the person I'd arranged to carpool with backed out at the last minute.)