[MR] A&S issue

[Amerie Helton]

Ghaltai - Greetings

My wife drew my attention to your posting about not receiving either  
judgement or comment on work of both high quality and deep  
authenticity. I am sorry to see another person in this situation.

Several years ago I took a complex project to Kingdom A&S. I was  
extremely put out by the level of critique available to me. Most of  
the comments were "That's great" or "How long did it take?". Comments  
of this caliber are what I expect when I take it to demos, from the  
general public, not from Peers of the Knowne World.

I have not resolved this problem, but I do have an approach which  
may, in time, produce a more broadly educated corps of judges. Be  
Amazing with your documentation, provide side bar articles where  
germane and possible. Post articles or links to as many lists as you  
can, such as the Florilegeum. *Communicate*.

This is my approach, and if it spreads it may do some good.

In hope of better service, I remain,
Lord Tom Drumbuilder


On Dec 2, 2011, at 10:41 PM, Phillip Jones wrote:


> 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)
>
>