Still Alive
Gotta post, gotta post...
Sorry - I've been recovering from Pennsic, and then getting new teeth put in, and recovering from that. The three crowns on the left side are now set in with temporary glue, just to make sure that the teeth underneath two of them aren't so nerve-damaged that they need root canals. Once I decide whether they're too sensitive to manage (and let me tell you, the temporary? Agonizingly cold-sensitive) or not, we'll do the permanent gluing. Meantime, I get used to slightly different teeth.
Pennsic was awesome - the camp was awesome, the party was awesome, singing Friday night was awesome, the shopping was good, and generally, I remembered why I like Pennsic. Seriously, the bad garb doesn't bother me nearly as much as the snarking on it in the Pennsic Independent - "Shame a lame out of their mundanes"?! Way to be ableist and an asshole. Good Show! In general, it was the usual mix, but the better has gotten so much better that the bad stands out a little more, but hey, at least it's an attempt. Pennsic is such a crossover event, I don't give a fig if you're in black leather or fine linen. In fact, I picked me up a smokin' hot steampunk corset vest in red leather. I don't know why it was at Pennsic, but who cares? Yummy.
I did have a problem with the people who wandered around in their t-shirts and shorts, clearly not having either just arrived, or just leaving, but simply not bothering to dress up. I don't care if your little kids won't dress up, but adults? Throw on a tunic, please. You look silly, and it's rude to come to a dress-up event and not dress up, you impact everyone else's fun. Tunic, you needz one.
The weather was astoundingly hot, but Tom and Heather put together a stews in camp for us! Ingredients: One kiddie pool, cedar shingles, canvas, wood strapping and cooler water, and voila! A delightful stews, wherein we could steep our overheated feat. Just marvellous, and we could fit way more people in it than a bucket.
I, of course, overdid it a bit, and ended up very achey (I gave up on using my cane after a while, because it was a toss-up between being wobbly and making my arms hurt much more - so I wobbled), but I had great fun, and even got to see some stuff as I kept Bob company on a couple of his times as Watch Commander. I even brought him breakfast, aren't I fulfilling the bare minimum decent behaviour for a life partner nice?
(Hee.)
Gardiner's did our Opening Ceremonies pike escort for the King and Queen of Atlantia, and we looked damned good doing it, if I do say so myself. Of course, I brought the tone down a bit by playing Will Kemp, in moustache and beard, but they put up with me remarkably well. Sandy and Carla made little paper souvenir flags, which were well received by the crowd.
I didn't take that many pictures this time (I forgot, okay?), but rest assured, it looked great.
Thanks to the Vair and Ermine camp for hosting us, as usual. We appreciate it, especially being surrounded by such splendid tents and pavilions.
Pennsic, for me, has always been the "Burning Man" of the SCA - there are a lot of crossover groups that attend, and there's a lot of looseness in what actually constitutes "period", but you know what? If everyone looked fantastic, we wouldn't get as many compliments, and I'm a greedy little sucker for compliments, I am. I can't control what people do, and don't want to - if someone wants to follow either Gardiner's or Vair and Ermine's example, that's awesome, and we love to help, but if you don't, that's okay, too. We just like creating our own little corner, and it's very enjoyable.
Over the years, I've become very tired of the people on both sides who see any level of interest different from their own as a failing and/or judgement of their choices. Like pretty much everything in life, you can't shame people into doing what you want, it just makes them pissed off. If we inspire you, fantastic. If we intimidate you and you get mad at us for it, please understand that we're not judging you - we don't have the energy. It's pretty much live and let live in our neck of the woods. It seems odd to me sometimes that we have so much trouble getting people to believe that.
The only time I care is when someone chooses to make no effort at all, which simply makes me wonder why they joined the SCA, since they clearly don't want to play. What I care about far more is the people who are assholes. A crappy costume doesn't ruin anyone's fun, but an asshole does. I'd rather be surrounded by creative attempts than snobs who find pleasure in making people feel bad. After all, I can help someone become a better costumer (if they want), but it's very hard to fix an asshole (and boring to attempt).
So Pennsic costuming merely amuses me, but being an asshole about it pisses me off. I'd rather laugh than fume. And I spent a lot of Pennsic highly amused, but appreciative of the quality entertainment and the good friends. What a great week.
Sorry - I've been recovering from Pennsic, and then getting new teeth put in, and recovering from that. The three crowns on the left side are now set in with temporary glue, just to make sure that the teeth underneath two of them aren't so nerve-damaged that they need root canals. Once I decide whether they're too sensitive to manage (and let me tell you, the temporary? Agonizingly cold-sensitive) or not, we'll do the permanent gluing. Meantime, I get used to slightly different teeth.
Pennsic was awesome - the camp was awesome, the party was awesome, singing Friday night was awesome, the shopping was good, and generally, I remembered why I like Pennsic. Seriously, the bad garb doesn't bother me nearly as much as the snarking on it in the Pennsic Independent - "Shame a lame out of their mundanes"?! Way to be ableist and an asshole. Good Show! In general, it was the usual mix, but the better has gotten so much better that the bad stands out a little more, but hey, at least it's an attempt. Pennsic is such a crossover event, I don't give a fig if you're in black leather or fine linen. In fact, I picked me up a smokin' hot steampunk corset vest in red leather. I don't know why it was at Pennsic, but who cares? Yummy.
I did have a problem with the people who wandered around in their t-shirts and shorts, clearly not having either just arrived, or just leaving, but simply not bothering to dress up. I don't care if your little kids won't dress up, but adults? Throw on a tunic, please. You look silly, and it's rude to come to a dress-up event and not dress up, you impact everyone else's fun. Tunic, you needz one.
The weather was astoundingly hot, but Tom and Heather put together a stews in camp for us! Ingredients: One kiddie pool, cedar shingles, canvas, wood strapping and cooler water, and voila! A delightful stews, wherein we could steep our overheated feat. Just marvellous, and we could fit way more people in it than a bucket.
I, of course, overdid it a bit, and ended up very achey (I gave up on using my cane after a while, because it was a toss-up between being wobbly and making my arms hurt much more - so I wobbled), but I had great fun, and even got to see some stuff as I kept Bob company on a couple of his times as Watch Commander. I even brought him breakfast, aren't I fulfilling the bare minimum decent behaviour for a life partner nice?
(Hee.)
Gardiner's did our Opening Ceremonies pike escort for the King and Queen of Atlantia, and we looked damned good doing it, if I do say so myself. Of course, I brought the tone down a bit by playing Will Kemp, in moustache and beard, but they put up with me remarkably well. Sandy and Carla made little paper souvenir flags, which were well received by the crowd.
I didn't take that many pictures this time (I forgot, okay?), but rest assured, it looked great.
Thanks to the Vair and Ermine camp for hosting us, as usual. We appreciate it, especially being surrounded by such splendid tents and pavilions.
Pennsic, for me, has always been the "Burning Man" of the SCA - there are a lot of crossover groups that attend, and there's a lot of looseness in what actually constitutes "period", but you know what? If everyone looked fantastic, we wouldn't get as many compliments, and I'm a greedy little sucker for compliments, I am. I can't control what people do, and don't want to - if someone wants to follow either Gardiner's or Vair and Ermine's example, that's awesome, and we love to help, but if you don't, that's okay, too. We just like creating our own little corner, and it's very enjoyable.
Over the years, I've become very tired of the people on both sides who see any level of interest different from their own as a failing and/or judgement of their choices. Like pretty much everything in life, you can't shame people into doing what you want, it just makes them pissed off. If we inspire you, fantastic. If we intimidate you and you get mad at us for it, please understand that we're not judging you - we don't have the energy. It's pretty much live and let live in our neck of the woods. It seems odd to me sometimes that we have so much trouble getting people to believe that.
The only time I care is when someone chooses to make no effort at all, which simply makes me wonder why they joined the SCA, since they clearly don't want to play. What I care about far more is the people who are assholes. A crappy costume doesn't ruin anyone's fun, but an asshole does. I'd rather be surrounded by creative attempts than snobs who find pleasure in making people feel bad. After all, I can help someone become a better costumer (if they want), but it's very hard to fix an asshole (and boring to attempt).
So Pennsic costuming merely amuses me, but being an asshole about it pisses me off. I'd rather laugh than fume. And I spent a lot of Pennsic highly amused, but appreciative of the quality entertainment and the good friends. What a great week.