[MR] 5%

[Lady Rhiannon of Berra]

> Median is -not- average, but the middle of a distribution of values.  Sometimes it is close, but I doubt this time it is.  I simply cannot believe that the average American makes $17 an hour, especially when minimum is a 5.25.  $17 could be the average wage, but Trump is in there and so is Julia Roberts' $20M a picture.  I certainly doubt the average SCA participant makes that much.  Everyone keeps asking where the abundance of college students are that used to be a part when we were younger.  I believe this is chief among the causes that changed our demographics and raised our expectations.

Wow..where can I sign up to make $17 an hour???? I seriously doubt
I'll ever see that figure per hour in my lifetime.. but I have spent
countless hours behind the scenes doing what I can to make the events
I was involved with as special and fun as possible, so much so, that
I'm still rather toasty, not to mention a tad testy when someone says
I'm not doing my share.

There have been very few events over the past 7 years that I haven't
been actively doing something to promote the SCA in one way or
another.  There have been countless events when I've shown up on site
and missed the days events because my "SCA jobs" have determined that
I need to be somewhere off the beaten path or in meetings.

Just because you don't see me in the kitchen washing dishes or picking
up trash or mopping floors doesn't mean I've spent the event sitting
on my behind while other people work to make the society a nice place
for ME.  I know there are others like me, who do the same thing.  I've
actually been one of those people who were the last to leave site
(usually a local one).  I've cooked lunch for an Unevent (by myself)
only a few days after abdominal surgery, only to be ordered from the
kitchen while other people served and did cleanup for me; all without
a word from me.... folks saw a need (I was exhausted and ready to
drop, but I was there to support my group and the Autocrat) and they
stepped in and it all went well). I see people coming to site and
pitching in with set up and tear down.  I've seen people show up on
site ready to fight only to marshal because other folks want to fight
but they need a marshal.

To give a percentage doesn't do justice to those who work behind the
scenes.  We all do what we can to make the SCA work.  Right now.. I'm
incapcitated.  I can't get up and do anything other than soak in the
ambiance that is the SCA, enjoy my friends who happen to walk by me
and give water to those who need it and share what food I bring.

Since I'm not able to do a lot of the work that is needed at an SCA
event right now, should I not come to events because I can't
"contribute" the way other people would have me to?

Lady Rhiannon of Berra, CP
Kingdom of Atlantia