Court is Good(tm) (Was: RE: I'm so proud.)

["Thorpe, John" <thorpj@caepo1.columbiaSC.NCR.COM>]

Poster: "Thorpe, John" <thorpj@caepo1.columbiaSC.NCR.COM>


Greetings from Eldred!

Scripsit efen:
>I may not be a smart man, but I know what court is...

>I think one of the coolest things about the SCA is watching your
>friends get awards and recognition. Not only did I get to present
>my friend Eoghan as the new Roayl Bard, but my own little sister
>Nadia (yes we share the same parents) won the hat fashion
>contest! I'll bet its even cooler to hand out awards when you're
>on the Throne. Any ladies who fight interested in putting me
>there?

The next best thing to being on the Throne is to be the herald
at Court!  You get to read out the scrolls and see people's
expressions a lot easier!

Now that you've brought up the topic of Court, you now have
to listen to Eldred rant at the populace a bit....8^)

I notice that a lot of people avoid Court.  I know for a fact that
the number of people who attend Court is always lower than
the number who are at the event itself.  I am aware that there
are several in the kitchen preparing feast, but I also know that
they represent a very small portion of event attendees, and
they certainly don't make up the balance between event
goers and Court attendees.

So the questions are:  why aren't people attending Court,
and where are they going instead?  Some  are in the kitchen--
they get excused.  Some people day-trip and leave because
they either need to get to work (3rd shift) or it's a long way home--
they're excused under mitigating circumstances 8^).  What
about all these other people that seem to disappear when
Court is about to start, yet plan to stay through feast/bardic
circle/etc.?

Excuses I have heard:
4.  I don't like crowds.
3.  Court is boring.
2.  I need to get ready for feast.
1.  I'm not going to win anything, why should I go?

My responses:
4.  Neither do I.  Just sit near the edge or the back, or
     even off to the side where you can still see
     or hear.
3.  If it is boring, let us know what we can do to make it more
     exciting.  I'm open to suggestions (except car
     chases and big explosions).
2.  So do most people at Court, you can wait to set up your
     gear like      the rest of us.  8^)
1.  Because you never know whether you will or not.  Not
     being in Court can be construed as an insult to
     the Crowns/Coronets and to those receiving awards.
     Hopefully no one takes it THAT seriously, but it
     could provide for some useful Court schtick.
     Court is used to publicly praise those whose work/
     effort/skill has impressed their friends enough to
     ask that they be given an award.  If you were
     receiving an award, wouldn't you want people to
     know about it?(Yes, some exceptions do apply.)
     If it was your friend going up to receive an award,
     would you stay to share in your friend's moment
     of glory?

I'll stop ranting now.....

>Also, those of you who recieve Recreating History magazine
>(see http://www.recreating-history.com/) my Lady Arawynn is on
>the front cover of the latest issue! Mind you, its not her
>article, but she did pose for the pictures.

Congratulations!

>I guess I'm done bragging now. (My friends are better than yours!
>:-)

Be nice....

In service,
Eldred
Gordian Knot Pursuivant
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