[MR] raising and lowering expectations

[Judithsca at aol.com]

Lady Kilmeny wrote:

<<I can hang out with friends in a
mundane backyard any time. The point of an event is to
recreate a specific period of time with tens to tens
of thousands of likeminded folk. If this hobby did not
post at least some challenges, it would not be so
special or so much fun.>>

Hear, hear!  I could not agree more.  The challange for us (the SCA) should be to aspire to authenticity (or at the very least the the look thereof) without breaking the purse.  I assure everyone that this is possible with a little creativity.  No one says that you have to have an bedroom suite modeled after Roi Rene's book of tournaments to participate at events, and that your pavillion has to be hand stitched (mine bloody well isn't!).  So you cannot afford to order a pair of well-made, sturdy period chairs.  Fine, understandable.  (warning, an opinion is coming) So make slip-over covers for those unsightly coleman chairs that everyone uses these days.  Neither expensive, nor difficult, and just that little touch would go so far to adding to, instead of detracting from, the Period atmosphere of an event.  Like the convenience of the nylon earth pimple?  No problem, get one of those day shades, make a more period-looking fabric cover to go over it, and set it up over you tent, concealing it.  A little effort is all it takes.  I mean, if I wanted to hang out with a bunch of people getting drunk while singing 1970s folk songs in jeans, sneakers and nylon chairs, I would follow the NASCAR racing circuit(I grew up in Dover, DE, NASCAR land, and thus have a God-given right to ridicule it).  Now, getting drunk with people singing some good renaissance/medieval tunes in passable Xth century clothes, shoes and chairs---now THAT'S my idea of a good time! (Yes, I know, perhaps not a politically correct statement to make, but my career in politics was doomed LONG ago)
     Seriously, though, I understand that everyone has to start somewhere (and if I could show some of my earlier attempts, you all would die of laughter), but we should get better and make more effort, not the other way aroundd.

J