[MR] A&S issue

[Phillip Jones]

When I submit a project to be judged, I expect to be judged. You can imagine 
my dismay to return to the A&S table to find zero comments on my sheet. 
After the second event with no comments on multiple entries, I figured I was 
casting pearls before swine, particularly with my woodwork.

I'd still  enter projects had I received -any- feedback. I don't expect a 
judge to sugar-coat, but I do expect them to comment. I've incorporated more 
period technique into my woodworking, hand-cutting dovetails or finger 
joints, making and using hide glue, but I'm doing it for me, because I enjoy 
the process of building. No one expects cooks to use period stoves.

I too don't expect to be a peer; I feel no paths are open to me. I can't do 
heavy combat, I've traveled at my own expense to every kingdom in North 
America to teach diverse topics, typically three or more classes, and 
frankly think that my service to the entire SCA had long ago risen way above 
any reasonable rubric. You cannot walk onto any field of combat and not see 
a product I helped guide through development to sale. I don't need a stamp 
for my ego; I know who I am and what I've done. I'll come out and play, but 
because I think it is fun, and not for another merit badge.

I don't hang out with any 'peers' who don't treat me as an equal, and 
consider many to be close friends. Not being a peer doesn't bother me much, 
I'd rather put my energy into helping someone learn to fight, or freeing up 
my comrades from supervisory roles so that they can go do things I'm no 
longer able to do. Coming to this place of apathy brought me peace of mind.


ghaltai  (ash tie)


-----Original Message----- 
From: Logan
Sent: Friday, December 02, 2011 8:43 PM
To: atlantia at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org
Subject: Re: [MR] A&S issue

any time someone agrees to be judged they need to accept that they are being
judged.  that means, i am asking f0r your opinion on my efforts even if i
dont like your opinion.  i have been asked many time to judge someones
efforts at preparing foods.  sometimes in an "official" capacity, sometimes
in a competition, and sometimes in the capacity of someone wanting to simply
know what i think about their efforts.  if i am asked to judge something i
do only that.  i remove any emotion.  i am not there to be a cheerleader or
to make someone feel good about their efforts.  to do so would be a failure
as a judge.

i have been told when judging sca sca cooking efforts, which i am very
qualified to do, that my comments were "hurtful", "unfair", "discouraging",
etc.  sorry......  i was asked as an "expert" in the art to judge the
efforts.  i feel its unfair for me to do otherwise.  if someone prepares a
dish that is terrible i say so and i explain why i feel that way.  i am
talking about the dish, not the person.  if they take it as a personal
affront shame on them.  i was asked to pass judgment and i did so.

that being said there is no room at all in being personally nasty about the
opinion.  that is all it is, an opinion.  i cant imagine how someone could
judge an effort and make it a personal attack without it being clear that it
is a personal attack.  i think your protein was cooked perfectly to
temperature, seasoned well, and presented beautifully.  however i think
youre a toad so i give you a "2".  that would, of course, be out of line and
detestable and unworthy of consideration.

non-positive judgments should be considered, if explained, as constructive.
if there is no explanation it could (but maybe shouldnt) be ignored.

regards
logan

"I never did give them hell. I just told the truth, and they thought it was
hell."
Harry S Truman
"If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his
vengeance need not be feared"
Niccolo Machiavelli
For your SCA combat needs please visit:
www.ebonwoulfe.com/armory.htm

www.ebonwoulfe.com

For worldwide listings of fighter practices please visit:
www.fighterpractice.com

-----Original Message-----
From: atlantia-bounces at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org
[mailto:atlantia-bounces at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org] On Behalf Of Gerita
della Mara
Sent: Friday, December 02, 2011 5:23 PM
To: atlantia at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org
Subject: [MR] A&S issue


Enough time has passed that I hope I can address this calmly.  I certainly
could not at the time.

I have entered several A&S competitions this past year.  I have not entered
with the plan of winning, but just for the fun of "putting my stuff out
there" and maybe getting a few pointers from those who are ahead of me in a
craft (and there are many).  At least twice, competition rules have said
"Documentation encouraged" one even added "but not necessary".  I found that
interesting in the light of my work being scored (at zero) for the same
documentation that was stated to be not needed.

Again, I would beg judges to recall their early efforts in the Medieval
Arts.  Comments I have received have been nasty to the point of discouraging
me to participate any further and take my art into a deep dark corner all by
myself.  Since I've spent nearly 30 years in and out of the SCA, teaching
much of that time, I cannot see how that could be considered encouraging to
participants.  This last competition was amazing in that regard.  The utter
rudeness of judges' comments....with not one constructive thing
offered...was really off-putting.

The really hard-to-swallow bit of this is that I hear the above comments
from many people, the great majority of which are, or should be, artisans of
note.  But they are not.  Why?  Because they've quit letting their fellow
SCAdians see their work for fear of more harshness, more not following the
published rules, etc.

No, I will not name names, nor events.  Otherwise, I'd like to participate
in an effort to stop this sort of stuff.

Still dreaming...

Gerita

--
Gerita della Mara Seneschal, Barony of Highland Foorde Chamberlain, Their
Excellencies Siegfried and Francesca
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