Weekend and ramblings...

[stellar_muddle]

So, this weekend was Labour day weekend over here, and what with taking Fri off as well for the AAF BeorgWic camp, it was a long weekend.

Highlights:Large Viking tent set up and on its stone base (we cheated and after a lot of rock shifting on Fri, got the 4 corner rock pillars level), with chests, carpet and viking bed set up inside. Have photos, and I should really get around to posting them somewhere. Twisted wire workshop - I now have sharp copper veil pins that I made:). Wool felting workshop - have alpaca wool and must try (after cleaning and carding). Very nice food - want more apple and berry crumble and grete (veal?) pie. Z's tripod and cauldron setup and his anglosaxon pewter broach design. Don't care that the pin holes didn't quite work:)

Lowlights: Seemed to need far more naps than previous - spent a lot of time sleeping durring the day at Festival, but was up much later at night. This time wasn't staying up that late (midnight or 1am), but still getting tired durring the day. And was sleeping very well/solidly on the bed as well. The futon mattress we picked up at AusJunk on the way out to site may have had fleas, so all the cloaks, bedding and clothing needs to be washed:(... and it had been comfy to sleep on, though had compacted a lot over the 3 nights. Got hot on Mon, while packing up... and windy and dusty. Straining the right arm while shifting more rocks on Fri probably didn't help much.

Comments: Thems biiiiig lizards in this country. And seeing one about a metre long and up a tree is rather cool.

Apparently I look like a gnome in my newly finished wool Viking coif... but I had a nice warm head while sleeping:)


And after witnessing the discussion on the SCA Lochac list...

Don't give a toss about staying in persona in classes in a collegium context, especially with respect to getting interesting information across in a clear and concise manner. In this context, it is the info/research that is important. This also may reflect some of my opinions of the persona/ingame thing...
Having said that, I would be interested in seeing some classes where the person is in the appropriate persona the full time for passing on a particular skill etc. Mainly curious, and I am not certain how many people could pull this off.
WRT garb and classes, I don't see why people shouldn't be able to do practical classes in certain of their garb. But then I think Z and I need more mud brown linen tunics for rock shifting and dirt shoveling. And that is how I play - it is good to be able to get down and actually do stuff in a manner in which they would have done in a Viking/Medieval context. Frankly, that is a better way to spend the event than sitting around in garb looking pretty, drinking and gossiping. That what you sit around the fire in the evenings for...


Forecast for tommorrow is up to 26 degrees...Sigh. Hello summer.
And there aren't that many stellar astronomy jobs at all in this months listings. Hmph.

Comments

[alpha-angel.livejournal.com]

Most of MLH's workshops happen at events so everyone is in garb - and most of us have quite practical outfits for doing stuff in - you should see the stains on my old wool tunic, walnut dye, horse blood, my blood, scorch marks etc.
We've discussed holding a big workshop weekend over Queen's Birthday - we hold our AGM at this time, so there's lots of mundane things to talk about - so since it's winter and likely to be shitty weather, we think it would be a good idea to hold an event with lots of hard accommodation and halls etc, and do all of the workshops, lectures, etc that involve power tools, power point, and so on. A non-garbed event to do all the non-medieval things that help us do our medieval stuff better.

[stellar-muddle.livejournal.com]

So an equivalent to the KWW, but with a medieval discussion focus?

Powerpoint is an odd one, since I have no issues with people using books for reference in their talks (at events) and really like a chance to look at the references - especially if they are some of the rarer (often textile) archaology texts. Hence no issue with Powerpoint if it is getting more info across. Guess it depends on whether you are trying to learn a period skill in a period manner with period tools, or want the evidence, and evolution of usage etc. Both are useful.

[alpha-angel.livejournal.com]

Yeah. That's as good a way to put it as any.

Our events are pretty practical in nature - practical workshops, demos etc are going to be the norm, so they'll be done in as period a manner as possible with what we have available. (Stu's smithing workshop at Summer Camp will probably involve modern tools, but the activity itself will be medieval.)

I'm hoping that our WWW (Winter Workshop Weekend - working title...) will give us an opportunity to dig out the slideshows and all the books and so on, where they're not going to get grubby hands all over them. Or get the heavy-duty sewing machine out so we can get more of our people into medieval footwear. Making pattens using a bandsaw is far faster than cutting them out by hand, and having pattens improves my whole look. I guess we want to provide a time and a place and the people with the know-how to take all those shortcuts to improve overall authenticity.

[stellar-muddle.livejournal.com]

So will you bother much giving a brief demo of the period technique first before showing the modern shortcut or what?
So here is a discussion point - are you making your medieval stuff as an accessory to the end effect, or as a means to an end itself ie is the process as important as the end result? I know it varies depending on the time available and possibly how long you have been doing things for and the skill level involved... eg shit, need tunic for festival vs I want some sewing to work on while watching TV...

[alpha-angel.livejournal.com]

Hell yes! The period technique should always take priority. If it can be shown, then that is ideally what will be shown or at least described before getting out the powertools.

Generally the first time I make something, it will be simply so I can have that thing, and find out if it works the way I think it will. The next time around I'll put more effort into the technique of making said thing.

The people who do go to that extra level of making it right as well as having it look right get noticed for their efforts and are the kind of people we look for to become Citizens. 3/5ths of our Council is a meritocracy. The people who put in the time, effort and passion to help others are the people in charge.

[stellar-muddle.livejournal.com]

So what is the status of Citizens? Or is it more a recognition of said effect? Or what (ideally) you want the club/participants to be made up of?

[alpha-angel.livejournal.com]

I'll forward you the info...

[stellar-muddle.livejournal.com]

Thanks for that:)
Does the teaching component need to be in a MLH context, or just observed by other Citizens?

[alpha-angel.livejournal.com]

I guess ideally it would be in an MLH context, but if a bunch of MLH members attend someone else's event - like the Cymbrogi Living History Camp that's coming up, or CF or something like that and run a class there then that would probably count if the Citizens knew about it.