[MR] Re: Secrecy and awards

[Rosine]

<snip>
> however, back o the subject, none of this is possible
> without recommendations.  my original comment was
> based on the reality that we often times arrive at an event
> and have received zero recommendations from the local
> members or the landed baronage.  then we have to try to
> run around and find them (TEs) or the local seneschals to
> pick their brains for info on the notable works of our people.

   To me, Your Majesty, that is just unacceptable. In that there is no way
YOU should be needing to do such a thing! Whenever the Majesties are heading
in our direction, Arn and I sit down with one or two officers (or more,
depending on the setting) and discuss the local folk and then send a letter
of recommendation - usually in a clump-form (person A for this, person B for
that) if it seems that things like AoAs or non-Order awards are what we
think are appropriate, always assuming that The Majesties might feel
something else is far more reasonable. Order recommendations go in on a
as-we-notice basis throughout the year. A lot of fighter's practise/event
decompression chatting results in a letter or at least a tally in our "keep
track of folks" book.
   I don't know if other B&Bs do it, but we keep a log book of every event
and significant activity we attend, along with our folks, and what happened
that was of note (like Lord so-and-so won the A&S competition, little sally
helped in the kitchen all day... that sort of stuff.)
   It would seem to me that is a basic duty of each B&B and of every
seneschal (either to write, or to insure that something is written.) There
are times when Arn and I have not written if a person's name has come up and
someone else more aquatinted with them wanted to write the letter and bio,
as it were. But then we keep an eye out to make sure that the information
did reach the intended audience (Royal and/or Order).
   It would seem more fitting, in my eyes, that no awards be given out
should the folks in the area have so little concern that their friends and
family be recognised. (And won't that comment just raise a storm!) But that
might be because I've done my own share of begging for recommendations while
at the same time being criticised for "not giving out enough awards". The
grumpy ones can't have it both ways and the buck can't stop at the Throne
when the Throne-sitter doesn't live in the area or know anything about the
local folk.

   What it comes down to is - what have you, not "you the king who I started
to answer", but "you the person reading this letter on this list" done to
help those you admire receive the acclamation of your friends, your peers,
and your Royalty?

Hrothny
(Rosine)

(But I still say that it's a cool thing to have a "staff" person flit about
and make sure that the day's possible recipients are actually onsite and not
unaccompanied by Spousal Units, Peers, Significant Others...so long as it's
not the King and Queen doing the checking.)