Re: How to deal with Misinformation... (was Sumptuary Laws)

[burginde@juno.com (deborah e burgin)]

Poster: burginde@juno.com (deborah e burgin)

Greetings,

I would like to take this opportunity to put in a plug for someone who is
not on the list, but who has been working on a newbie event.  If you have
suggestions or questions, please email them privately to Calli at
sfcallic@ncsu.edu    Basically, his event is a "retreat" for those new
members picked up at colleges (NC State, Duke and UNC being the primary
targets) where we have a weekend-long event run by "oldtimers" but for
the newbies - containing classes on all the different aspects of the SCA
- history, re-creation, arts and sciences, different fighting types,
"how-to" (court, royalty, hand-kissing), etc. but basically answering all
the questions that newbies will ask and to get them interested without
being intimidated by those few nay-sayers out there.   This might be
something that groups who get a large portion of their members from
universities might want to think about.

All of the previous talk has been excellent, and nailed the problem on
the head.  The problem is doing it.  When I first joined (and for many
months after) I had not even heard of a chatelaine, nor saw anything
resembling newbie activities.  I got by because several of the long-time
members (read:  when rocks were soft) were fabulous and loaned me
personal garb and feast gear and told me everything I needed to "survive"
without trying to absorb me into their household.  I have tried to extend
this to current newbies, and it has worked.   And don't concentrate on
the few bad apples out there - I had been a paid member for at least six
months before I began to see the negative people - everyone at events
were so friendly and helpful and quick to answer any and all questions I
had (and boy did I have a lot).

Our chatelaine's office has only recently been occupied by people who
have _done_ anything.  No offense to those out there who have active
chatelaines - it's a great office, but I've never seen it in action.

Ok - enough soapbox - feel free to flame me PRIVATELY - as you will
probably do it anyway.  Thank you for your time :-)

Gisele l'Orpheline
Barony of Windmaster's Hill
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