[MR] Ugliness and newcomers

[Jessica Fitzgerald]

Greetings All! 

I confess, I don't read the merry rose like I should and I had no idea what ugliness was going around until today. Having read some of the comments, I'm sad to say I'm not surprised. My first event was atlantian 10 year/emerald joust. I grew up in the Sca and I'm only currently 26. I'm part of this group everyone is debating. The Sca IS too expensive. For my husband, my toddler and I to go to a weekend event it never costs less that $150, and we don't even have to pay site fees or feast for our little one. It is much easier to rent a movie or buy a video game, and cheaper too. 

Also, As I have grown up the Sca has fallen in love with itself and as a result has become pretentious and condescending to those who are starting out. We make much of pomp and circumstance and then we break our own rules.  Most people walk around with plastic water bottles, soda cans and cell phones, and smoke cigarettes while they lean against the cars that they think are too important to have to put away. Old Sca expects new Sca to do what they say, not what they do and to jump when they say jump. Gone are the days when one went to an event to have a good time with their friends. Now everyone has to work the whole time and it's no fun for anyone. I know someone who is quitting the Sca after being a member for 14 years because he will no longer stand for being yelled at by those who think they're better than everyone else when he was only doing what he was told in the first place.  

If you mix high cost with bad experiences and nasty attitudes, why in the world would our new people want to stay?

All of that said, I love the Sca and everyone in it. I want this organization to survive as much or more than anyone else because I really can't imagine life without it. We need to lighten up and as another good gentle said to cut back on costs somehow or our beloved society will dwindle into nothingness. If we don't welcome newcomers or even each other, how can we expect to survive as a society?

THLady Gwendolyn Tremayne 

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