it's like the eye of a duck

The cold still lingers. It never got awful but the lingering stuffiness is slowing me down.

Tomorrow I'm going out to Gaylaxicon for the day, taking medicine with and seeing how long I last, as most of the discussions I want to hear/participate in are tomorrow. If all goes well I hope to do part of Sunday there as well and attend my friend K.'s wedding in the afternoon (last bit is non-negotiable). Monday is a holiday so I'll recupe then (and [flinch] rewire a blade).

I hate being sick. I'm being redundant but it's true. I may be a total lightweight but being even mildly under the weather REALLY crimps my style!

Not sure when I'm going yet.

This isn't a plea for suggestions, just a comment that with the seemingly endless variety of weekend activities this fall, I really don't know yet, though there are a number of people I'd like to see there.

Likely I'll post here/elsewhere a few days before I go to figure out who will be around and coordinate from there.

Unless it's blazing hot I'll likely be in garb.

Perhaps not news to half the people reading this, but news to me: Costume Con 2009 is going to be in my neck of the woods (PDF)! Good news for me as I'd fallen out of the CC loop after not being able to go for a couple of years; having it in my own backyard means I have no excuse not to go in a couple of years.

Given that CC welcomes space cadets, living history afficionados [sic], reenactors, textile designers, theater designers, fursuiters, mascots, cosplayers, fantasy costumers, costume professionals and folks who just like to dress up, I know some of y'all reading who may not have been to one might want to.

There's a photo archive of all past competition entries and winners at the main site - I double-dog dare all of ya to try and find me in there ;)

Disclaimer: not affiliated with production, just a very satisfied past attendee :)

Just some observations based on the recent fighter practices and related mailing lists:

• Fighter practice ain't just for fighting, or at least not locally. The one I visited over the summer includes dance practice and there is now discussion of setting aside a hallway for informal sewing lessons. Coming out of clubs where the entire focus is on the sport/martial art, I find this kind of odd but refreshing - it gives people who want to be supportive but who aren't necessarily into swords something(s) to do. Besides, if there's a space, might as well use all of it.
  
  • This seems to be planned for the new local practice as well, though there haven't been enough people to fight let alone do other stuff (thus far?) I've brought in the Mary Rose book for people to look through, and I'll likely bring in other books if there's interest.
  
  
• One of the local heavy fighters takes his persona development fairly seriously, building a back story for his name and even developing a "secondary persona" for some of his other interests. I've met a few SCAdians who really get into the acting/character development aspects (rather like creating a character for an RPG?) but not often so that's kind of novel for me.
  
  • Said fighter has offered to help me figure out my own persona, which is kind but I'm not there yet - I'm not even as far as a name yet. I figure when I do it will likely be something like [period version of my first name] of [tempting to pick a variation of "Maupin" or "Alatriste", but let's face it, "Quixote" would probably be more fitting :P]
  
  
  

Leaving tomorrow, and here's part of what I'm packing:

Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts

Before The Mast: Life and Death Aboard the Mary Rose

The Culture of Fear: Why Americans Fear The Wrong Things

Sun over Breda

Medieval Clothing and Textiles 3

Textual Poachers: Television Fans and Participatory Culture

Textiles in America 1650-1870 (thanks jlsjlsjls!)

Kushiel's Chosen

The Elizabethan Underworld

No, I DIDN'T dress, but it's just as well - it was very hot and very dusty. I am still sneezing/tearing/coughing black gunk. Will someone please tell the weather fairies that it's October already? I was so wiped by the time I got home that I ate and crashed early... and woke up at 3 am craving water after being in the heat all day. Note to self: beer is counterintuitive in hot weather, no matter how wet or watery it is :P

Ok, venting part over - mostly it was a grand day out. I got to see my friend C. for her birthday along with her dude A. We ran all over faire with my old college buddy J. and his new girl (YAY! He needed to meet a nice girl!) and further finally encountered vree, skill_grl, dreamtigress and company for Vree's birthday!

I did a number of things I don't usually do at Faire: I finally saw the jousting after several years of always managing to miss it. I'm always impressed but such a close partnership of human and horse for a common objective - running a lance through a ring is one thing on one's own, but when you're having to closely collaborate with another species to do it? That's a different kind of accomplishment, IMHO.

At J.'s request, we also sat still long enough to take in some of the music. In the past I've focused on theater and shopping, overlooking the music at faire as window-dressing instead of an event on it's own, which is a damn mistake because the bands are very good and quite funny - they joke with the audience so it's not like they're on a pedestal up and away.

D. and I danced energetically with the former to the last song of the night - two drummers = stomping beat = good for dancing. Good vibe too, and creative - who knew belly-dancing to bagpipes would work so well? The people watching was most excellent, with pretty alternapeople of most sexes representing :)

I also, conspicuously, didn't shop - normally I come away with some knick-knacky thing I never look at or jewelry I never wear, but I behaved. Sure, I window shopped and picked up cards, but no impulse buying, so I'm chalking that up as a "win".

I've come to the simultaneous conclusions that taking I'm my garb too seriously (especially for renaissance faires, where accuracy is an afterthought) AND that I am on the right track in creating a base "wardrobe" of garb that I can wear comfortably (and sweat in!). I asked a regular of this particular event how she survives the hot weather and her advice was: natural fibers and "suffer" - and oh yeah, men's gear is easier to move in and "more fun" :P

So, gotta get swingin' on a doublet with removable sleeves, but not before completing what I've already got going: shemhazai's NoNewSoMo (finish all unfinished projects) idea is a good one, so I'm off to stitch a bit on that smock!

Yep, those baptistry doors. At the Met, 10/30-1/13/2008.

It's only a 4 hour drive from here. Possible? Perhaps.

Thanks to ellid for the tip.

Went to the local SCA university today.

The Good: Part of my reason to go to the event was to try and meet more people to do historic fencing with - as reported earlier, I thought I might have misjudged the nature of fencing within the organization.

Well, I was right! Turns out there is serious historic scholarship, but it's governed by the arts and sciences "department" rather than with competitive combat - evidently drills and demonstrations don't fall under the same rules as free fencing where winning is the goal. So, yes, I've found some more people playing the game I want to play, and I know where to find them too. Very cool :)

I also attended a class for newcomers that gave me some insight into the royalty hierarchy and who to curtsey to and when, and was reminded again that manners matter - sometimes just being there is being supportive, and sometimes one just has to shut up and be gracious. Given that I'm often uneasy in new situations, it helps me to have what I can do to be polite and help and how to address people spelled out for me.

Tangential to the class, I was reminded again what an overall generous organization the SCA is - people eager to share knowledge, answer questions, share food, water, space, etc. There are some good people there :)

I also stepped out of my usual interests and took a couple of dance classes - one on classes for multiple dancers, and one on fighting/flirting with dance. This worked out well because 1) it's a good workout, and 2) again with being shy, show me something to do in a social situation and I'm less stressed by not being able to find things to say :P Didn't do much fighting or flirting because I was busy watching my feet, but evidently I did ok my first time out.

orangesophie, on the other hand, flirted like mad and danced very well ;) She was funny as hell!

It was my friend C.'s first SCA anything, and though she was tired by the end I think she had a good time, especially the dance and medical/surgeon/physick classes. I hope she sticks with it if it struck her fancy.

The Bad: I thought the venue would be air conditioned and, as such, wore my doublet/breeches fencing kit (pockets! And I wanted to wear my new swank duds). Er.... no. Which brings me to:

The Ugly: Always Cold Me was damp flushed and rumpled by the end of the day, as was everyone else. There was temperature control, but not enough to warrant wearing 3 layers of long sleeved canvas :P The people in Greek garb clearly have the right idea for summer events!

So, I'm going to spend the evening swilling water like there's no tomorrow. Because I'm getting up for (modern) fencing practice tomorrow morning....

No, really - I missed this exhibit when it traveled north of here as "Body Worlds" and I'm not going to miss it a second time!

Anyone wanna go see some (plastinated) dead bodies this summer?

One buttonhole. One phone call. One careful line of prose....

I may be slow, but I get there in the end.

This fact will not stop my lamenting that there aren't more hours in a day.