SCA practice, take 2

[anotheranon]

Made a second visit to the SCA rapier practice I attended back in July and am still impressed - sorta:

Pro:

• More/different fencers to fence, who are quite good and challenging
  
• peeps are (as most SCA folks seem to be) cool and nice and eager to share what they know
  
• My usual historic practice is mostly drills and this is a chance to practice what I've learned
  
• aforementioned usual practice is taking a break right now and scheduled to return with a run through the saber curriculum, so this is a place to keep my rapier fresh
  

Con:

• Not much drilling - I'm not so good that I don't need it
  
• I'm reluctant to get too involved in SCA-specific fighting techniques, mostly because I've already got 4 weapons in my head (modern foil, smallsword, rapier, and dueling saber) and I'm not sure I can fit another without all of them suffering
  
• to fence with something as big as Vera (classed as a "schlager" under SCA rules) I need a gorget which might be more cash than I'm willing/able to lay out just now
  

In other words, I like this practice but I'm not sure it's what I need, at least in the short run. I'd like to attend the occasional practice if I can work with my weapon under their safety rules (they have epees for loan, but see above re: trying to fit another weapons system into my brain).

I've made a deliberate effort with my modern fencing to document my successes/failures to more skillfully target my weaknesses, and I think I need to do the same for rapier - if I could just get enough practice to know what I need to work on (hand parries - I know they suck)!

At the same time, it seems like all I'm doing lately is work, sleep, fence - which is fun but I'm pretty sure there's a world outside the fencing strip with people, places, and things in it that would get all neglected if I decided to get hardcore with another sport/martial art/thing :P

So, I think for the time being I'm going to continue the twice-a-month Long Way Away historical practice + more at-home practice (hey, a rapier IS a weight, right?) with the occasional foray to this SCA practice as the rest of my life permits.

Tangential - still no results from Saturdays competition. Not that I kicked all THAT much ass, but it would be nice to know how my game compared to that of others.

Even more tangential, but there's a sword in it - finished "Captain Alatriste" and enjoyed very much - not so much swashbuckling from the main character (who is a principled mercenary who does what he has to rather than a dashing rake in a plumed hat) but plenty around him and the author clearly loves the characters, and Spanish history. The writing is beautiful as well, even in translation. Checked out the sequel, but haven't started yet.

Comments

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

Glad you liked the Captain ... the series just gets better and better as each volume adds new layers to the character. And I love learning the Spanish side of events.

Am impatiently awaiting the first hint of news on the translation of volume four ... you'll hear my happy squee! when it's announced. :-)

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

And I love learning the Spanish side of events.

Thank you for recommending these (the fact that the rec took the shape of a trailer with Viggo Mortensen as Alatriste didn't hurt ;) )

In all seriousness, the novel (and it's use of so many historical characters) feeds the flame of my interest in the Spanish Golden Age (kinda got into it through costume, but "Captain Alatriste" provided names and places to look for about the broader history of late 16th/early 17th c. Spain).

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

'twas knowing your costuming interest in the period that made me recommend the books to you ... the swordplay was just gravy (but darned tasty gravy). ;-)