[MR] Your suggestions please

[Glynis Knibb (Glynis Gwynedd)]

My earliest encounter with the SCA was finding my first event (Highland
River Melees 1996) by accident at almost 10pm. My boyfriend at the time
begged me to turn and follow the signs. We did, and the autocrat (not that I
knew what that meant) and some other folks were sitting around at troll
telling stories. They welcomed us in and included us in the camaraderie. The
next night they had a big dance circle around the firepit with straw bales
around to sit on, and drummers, and dancers, and chatting. It was just so
surreal, and so relaxing, so welcoming. There were two older men who taught
me a little bit of how to drum - and it was they who offered, not me who
asked. (Believe it or not, I'm shy. Yes, really. Quit laughing. It's true.)

I think it was the intimacy, the feeling of being included, that made the
difference for me. I was immediately welcomed into the event and made to
feel as though these were people I'd known for a long time. I was a PART of
it, not just a spectator.

And now I know why I always seem to find something to "do" at events to help
out. I get to be part of it that way, and not just watch everyone else.

Glynis Knibb
aka
~Lady Glynis Gwynedd
Barony of Highland Foorde
"Have you hugged a harp today?"
--
"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the
difference."


On Thu, Oct 14, 2010 at 2:24 PM, Marybeth Lavrakas <katrous at yahoo.com>wrote:

> A really magical moment for me was at my first camping event, at a site
> where tents were clustered around camp fires  b/c that was the layout of the
> site itself. I camped next to the friend I'd carpooled with, and the other
> people who were around our fire were new to me, but we still sat around the
> campfire together chatting about period things, and looked at the stars
> (that event was the first time I'd ever seen the Milky Way!) and there may
> or may not have been some singing. It wasn't a paaarrrrtttyyyy gathering
> around a campfire with 40 people, and it wasn't a closed off group of
> friends who've known each other forever, and it was very cool.  I've had
> similar experiences since then...but not in years and years.
>
> Kateryn Rous
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