Something I realized yesterday

[brickhousewench]

One of the reasons why I like reenacting is because modern life is complicated. We have too much going on, too many choices, too many things. When I'm reenacting, my choices are simple. I have less options for clothes to wear. My first priority in the morning is getting the fire going, putting on water to heat, and then starting the cooking.

Comments

[fionaniconnor]

Is good that you can talk about it with the Guild and get them to go along with your plan!

[brickhousewench]

Yes, it's good that we can talk about it. And it's great that everyone is taking it as an opportunity to up our game by weeding out the stuff we bought when we were just trying to have gear, authentic or not.

But it always makes me feel like a crab when I bring stuff like this up. =P

[fionaniconnor]

Don't feel like a crab. You're being smart and practical.

[malterre]

I understand your pain. In my case it's baby stuff or clothing-but fortunately blue_micha has a lower tolerance so about the time I'm ready to say something she is waving the offending item and shouting its new location. :)

[brickhousewench]

Sometimes I think it's just the urge to "mark your territory."

I've been putting up with it since I was a squire for ATTAC. We had certain knights that could walk into the tent, drop their gear all over the floor, and suddenly our entire ginormous tent felt crowded and there was no room for anyone else's gear. I'm sure there's some natural law about people's shit expanding to take up all available space that I'm working against. =)

[ravena_kade]

I would think that as part of historical accuracy a campsite would just have what is needed or what is most prized as they would have had to carry all that with them when on the move.

[brickhousewench]

Exactly. Even with wagons, we wouldn't be dragging unnecessary gear along with us on the march. Right now, we've got too much stuff to be accurate.

[mre_awiwench]

In the rev unit we are working on the same issue. As a unit , we have downsized our trailer and I feel another round coming on. Getting the guys to cut down on their personal stuff is another story. I joke that the women cut down their stuff the more the guys bring. :-)

[brickhousewench]

See my comment to malterre about how I'm sure there's some natural law about shit expanding to fill available space. =( But I think that for any unit portraying an army on the march, you have to periodically look at the level of crap you're dragging around with you and determine "If I were on foot and didn't have a car, would I be bringing this along with me?"

[hlwoods]

If you think about it, when you have lots of *stuff* on display, and it all varies in accuracy, you're also potentially confusing the punters, because they have no way of judging which bits of kit are barely good enough, good enough, or totes accurate ...

Or think of it as the reason why museums only put their best bits on display. :)