Festival of the Rose

[storytimewithjoe]

This past weekend, we schlepped up to al-Sahid for Kolfinna’s Festival of the Rose. For those SCA-types not in Caid, Festival of the Rose is an event held once a reign dedicated to the arts and sciences – particularly the performing arts – to entertain the Queen. It is a cool concept, and one that I try to encourage whenever my calendar doesn’t explode (which sadly is often). 

 

Coincidentally, this weekend was also the deadline for Pentathlon, and a lot of push was given for people to fill out their paperwork so that they could enter. Evil thing that I am, whenever I found someone who had just finished their paperwork, I offered the Giuseppe gauntlet-throw which usually took the form of, “well, I’m entering too, so in the immortal words of Paris Hilton, GAME ON bitches!” 

 

OK, all evil-kidding aside, I love Pentathlon. I really do. And frankly, the only real “competition” in my eyes involves competing with oneself. I really don’t believe that two items in the same category can often be compared to one another – not really. Two different dishes from two different time periods and cultures really cannot be compared. But, that is the nature of the beast, I guess. I become inspired by the concept of the ideal standard, and, of course, by learning something new in the process. “Win,” “lose”… I cosmically couldn’t care less. The only thing that I care about is receiving back my judging sheets and having at least one of the judges write down some nugget of wisdom that I did not previously know – a different technique, an idea of how to approach the project, or maybe a new sourcebook. If I honestly do the best that I can and someone else beats me, I will be thrilled. Sound nuts? Not really. It means that I still have more to learn (YEAH!) still can get better (YEAH!) and have more resources out there to discover (YEAH!) Now, if I am beat by someone whose most-talked-about entry involves an 18^th century Jananese wardance performed to panpipe music, there Will Be Issues!

 

I really think that right now in Caid, we are in the beginning of a new age. For a long time, Caid lived in what I believe to have been a glass bubble. Because the early players in Caid created a system that actually worked pretty darned well from the beginning, Caid did not suffer a lot of the growing pains that other Kingdoms do. And I think because of that, many people were taken by surprise when someone finally came along that disrupted the system not for everyone’s good, but simply because he could. Now truth be told, this is nothing that the other Kingdoms haven’t gone through. But Caid functioned in the naïve existence that “it will NEVER happen here.” Well… it did. And yes, it hurt. But unlike in other kingdoms, Caid worked hard – VERY hard – to restore the damage. And rather than the disruption becoming precedent for bad behavior, it became precedent of what not to do – ever. Old-timers who had walked away came back, realizing that their absence was not helping. Laws have been restored and strengthened. And the event attendance which had dramatically dropped is beginning to recover. We survived. The storm hit, and we survived. But the question is – NOW what? There are so many directions we can go. I don’t think going backward is a good idea. Sure, we can rely upon our own past and towards what many people consider to be ideal reigns. But I don’t think we can ever move backward. What can we do? Move forward. I think we need to think about and consider some new ideas to meet with the changing of the times. Perhaps event fees (which in the grand scheme of things are ridiculously cheap), need to increase slightly to help build up local coffers. Maybe we need to think of event concepts and event venues that we had not previously considered. Maybe we need to work on activities in addition to simply “tourney in a park”. Maybe we need for more groups to combine efforts to rely upon each other’s expertise in particular event areas (group A run the event, group B do the feast, group C handle gate, etc.) Maybe we should all put as much “oomph” into Great Western War as possible, given the beauty of the site, the great weather, and the overall fun that we all have. Maybe we need to stop whining and bitching about how we don’t feel like our opinion counts at Estrella by creating another war event where we work with another Kingdom that we DO get along with. 

 

The time is ripe right now for some really great and dynamic changes, and I don’t know how many people really know it. No, I am not jumping into this particular foray… yet. My main focus right now is Gyldenholt. And that is how it will be until I finish my tenure as Seneschal. But after that… LOOK OUT! Giuseppe is inspired. And there are fewer forces in nature more stubborn than a Giuseppe who really wants to see something happen. 

Comments

[aeddie.livejournal.com]

As a current staff member for GWW I agree with the pump it up idea.

I also like the idea of trying to reduce the number of events in a year. There are 52 weeks in a year, in the past there have been over 120 events on the calender, not including out-Kingdom wars. I think with fewer events and a slight fee increase we can re-build the different groups' coffers.

More focused activities at events besides, "let's all set up around the list-field and watch our friends beat on each other". I like what Medb Renata and Aliskye (among others) are doing with the C&I workshops at events.

Having more things to do would be good. Even something like Gyldenholt opening their Baronial pavilion at another group's event for a needlework/embroidery get together.

[joeguppy.livejournal.com]

I'm all for it. And heck, we've been doing our part here in the Barony towards event reduction. I'm waiting to see if the other groups step it up, too.

[aeddie.livejournal.com]

I know Darach did. We're only doing Black Oak Lodge (are you coming?) and Anniversary this year, though we did borrow the pirate theme from the dropped event.

[joeguppy.livejournal.com]

No Black Oak. Despite everything that was done to avoid event conflicts, BoL is the same weekend as Gyldenholt-Calafia Friendship. I kinda gotta be there.

[aliskye.livejournal.com]

Aw thanks. :) All the credit should go to Medb. She's the one who has hauled all the infrastructure to make the "Traveling Scriptorium" work. Her pavilion (or the pop-ups in inclement weather) and the tables. I don't think it would have worked without that.

I love the workshop at events concept though and it works with so many different art forms.

[aeddie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but you're out there promoting it and teaching.

[aliskye.livejournal.com]

Yay me. :)

[aeddie.livejournal.com]

Yes, yay you. You are helping to showcase an artform by doing it and teaching it in public plus you are providing something to do besides watch the fighters between courts.

All are worthy things.

[aliskye.livejournal.com]

I think we're in for some tough times due to a couple of external factors.

The economy is the sux (which is not news of course) which is making it harder for many people to get to as many events as they would like, which makes for smaller attendance at many events.

We also have to deal with the aging of Caid which makes some people (me for one) less inclined to go to nearly every event.

And a third factor which is the tragic worsening of traffic in Southern California which makes the thought of driving anywhere more than 20 minutes from home just cringe-worthy.

I'd love to see some big combo events. Where (for example) Gyldenholt, Angels and Lyondemere host some combination of Anniversary tourneys, or Darch, Isles and Altavia get together and host some cool event. Say each month there was a big featured event. Then a second weekend of the month could be reserved for local events and the other weekends would maybe even not be booked at all (so we could recover, do our laundry and work on arts stuff :)

Or something.

[cayswann.livejournal.com]

...of course, that was usually Darach, Isles, and Carreg Wen -- the "Tri-Shire Area." But there was one Altavia event held in Darachshire, because the (then) Baroness liked our weather. *wink*

I'm also a huge fan of have a REAL reason to go to the events. I'm noticing a whole lot of "so we're hanging out in a park while the fighters suit up?" Saturdays. I need to figure out how to help with that.... the making better, part.

[joeguppy.livejournal.com]

Well, ifn's ya want my two ducats worth, I think it really comes down to creativity. Tourney-in-a-park works, and is great for the fighters and those who want to watch fighting. But what about people who, say, wanna dance? What we need are some small specialty events dedicated towards smaller activities. If we are able to find smaller sites that are affordable (no small challenge), we can do things like fiber retreats, dance workshops, music get-togethers, etc.

[aliskye.livejournal.com]

We're geared to to the tourney in the park. It works (as proven by the vast number of those events on the schedule). Let's *dance* in the park. We used to do that all the time.

If the mountain won't come to us, we'll have to go to the mountain. :)

[aliskye.livejournal.com]

The combinations were just an example, of course.

On the whole I've never had a problem with the hanging out in the park in the funny costume while the fighters fight thing, cuz I was usually hanging out with my friends which is always fun.

On the other hand, helping Medb with the traveling scriptorium has been a great incentive to getting out to events where I normally might not have. Even if there isn't a lot of teaching, at least I'm working on a scroll and making progress. And if there is an opportunity to teach, or help Medb with a class, it's even better.

[aeddie.livejournal.com]

"the making better, part."

More string? {grin}

[takadai-no-tora.livejournal.com]

The kingdom scribes are doing a lot to promote scribal arts/C&I with the traveling scriptorium, the fiber geeks are doing much the same thing with the fiber arts play days coupled with tourneys. One of the inherent limitations on both of those, and many other arts and sciences is the need to Lug Around Stuff. And then there's working in the wind/drizzle/dust storm. I think if we had fewer, bigger events, maybe that second weekend per month could be for an arts and sciences activity, indoors, in a good location for the teachers. There are a lot of things that work better with longer time blocks rather than a drop in format.

[aliskye.livejournal.com]

I'm looking forward to Pentathlon. I'm doing it more as a way to just get somethings done that I've been wanting to do (and talking and thinking about). It's a way to kick myself in the pants. I guess I need the deadline to really focus.

On the whole, I've judged Pentathlon far more than I've entered. It would nice to be able to apply some of what I've observed over the years to my own entries. A good thing to try and remember.

So....bring it! :)

[jillaw.livejournal.com]

I'm excited about Pentathlon! As you were saying about competing with yourself, my main goal is to DO IT. I always shy away from the arts competitions, because they never seem to involve what I am actually good at, and when I *have* entered, it has been embarassing. (Several years ago, while I was still Dun Or's A&S officer, I was guarding the A&S competition at Anniversary. Another competitor came over, and without knowing it was mine, picked up my entry and started mocking it. Yeah.)

I agree with your assessment about Caid. Ya know, before Gaius passed away, he and I talked about doing a Dance Weekend. Then I became Queen for two years (with a lunchbreak), and then I kinda forgot until now. I think once Pentathlon is over, I will work on that in earnest. Hold me to it. :)

[joeguppy.livejournal.com]

And I will work with you on the dance weekend!!!

As for people mocking you, SCREW them. Seriously - it just happens. I have had that happen several times. And always, there is one common factor - it is something unusual (i.e. not what everyone does and everyone sees), and the person doing the mocking just doesn't know what to make of it. No more, no less.

You do what you do to please you - and nobody else. Remember that.

[gottasing.livejournal.com]

If you want to dance in the park I'll play music for you to dance to.

[joeguppy.livejournal.com]

SWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEET!