Re: MR-Disc: Activity Survey

[David KUIJT <kuijt@umiacs.UMD.EDU>]

Poster: David KUIJT <kuijt@umiacs.UMD.EDU>



Alfredo, new to Atlantia, writes: 

> As I have mentioned, I am new to Atlantia, and concerned that
> the things I used to do in AEthelmearc are inappropriate to
> genteel Atlantian Society.

Follow this rule--if you think you have offended, then immediately
fart really loudly.  In genteel Atlantian society, this is tantamount
to a public apology, and everyone will smile and forgive you for your
previous inappropriate behaviour.  Thus the famous Atlantian proverb:
flatulence forgives everything.


>I now invite you to rate my activities to the following scale:
> 
> +3: I wish more people would do this.
> +2: You'll fit right in doing this.
[etc. deleted]
> -3: I'm glad you brought this up here first, before you went
>     and ruined an actual event.
> -4: Depending on the site, this may be against mundane law.

Too exact.  I'm going to use the English Language instead.  In most of
the cases I would like to explain why, not just give a number.
 
> A: Singing songs about the SCA, set to 20th century tunes.
>    (such as "Anachronism" to the tune of "Anticipation")

Blah.

> D: Having myself called into court to make a fawning tribute to royalty.
> E: Having myself called into court to publicly proclaim love for my wife.

Court is almost always too long anyway -- do not go into court without
real business that is of interest to the bulk of the populace.  If you
want to fawn, do it when the royalty is sitting in state.  If you want
to publicly proclaim love for your wife, hire a herald to cry it, or
a bard to sing it.  If everybody started going into court for this
sort of thing, court would be closer to eight hours than one.


> G: Bringing in a big box of board games, including:
>    G-a: Fanorona, the national game of Madagascar.

Never heard of it.  What is it?

>    G-b: Byzantine Round Chess.
>    G-c: XiangQi (Chinese Chess)
>    G-d: Shogi (Japanese Chess)

I've seen all these at events; I've made boards for b and c myself.

>    G-e: Kaissa (Gorean Chess)
>    G-f: Jetan (Barsoomian Chess)

Why bring modern fantasy games, when there are so many cool medieval
ones?  Play Tamerlane's chess, or Great Chess, or Chess of the Four
Seasons.  If you bring these modern things, I'd prefer not to see
them.  They aren't much better than playing Magic or RoboRally at
an event.  Which is fine, but shouldn't be done where those who are
interested in being medieval for a while are forced to view it.  I
myself played about 17 games of RoboRally in various places at 12th
night over the four or so days we were there.  And if you had pulled
out Jetan or Kaissa there, I'd have tried them.  But not in the hall.

> I: Shouting "Vivant!" instead of "Vivat!" when more than one person
>    is being acclaimed.

I do it, so it must be OK.  The real problem is that nobody can really
hear you.

> J: Shouting "Vivamus!" instead of "Vivat!" when the acclamation is
>    something like "To the Populace"

I don't remember ever cheering the populace.

> K: When a lady offers her hand, bowing low and placing her hand on
>    the top of my head.

Do you have a basis for this behaviour, or are you redheaded?


> M: During the feast, proposing a toast ("Incolumes reveniant") for
>    all Scadians mundanely deployed in harm's way.

This is common when we have any significant company abroad, as at
Desert Storm/Shield.

However, toasts during the feast can easily be, and often are, overdone.
By which I mean there are too many.  We don't need to toast everyone who
worked hard, and it is not an insult to everyone else if we just toast
the royalty.  Further, it is rather precipitous to toast the cooks before
the meal has been eaten, as often happens.

 
Dafydd ap Gwystl
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