The Banners Have Eyes!!!

[femkes_follies]

I really ought to be a good kid and find out if anybody local is for sure heading to 12th Night, and offer to take a scribal assignment. I'm procrastinating a bit, as I have other things I want to do. However, I'm so glad not to be saddled with the signet's office just now.

One thing I found when I DID hold it was the ridiculousness people will say/do/assume where awards are involved. Folks, it's a cookie. Go buy a bag of Oreos if you want one THAT badly.

Things that drive me crazy in this regard:

1. "The (decorated personages du jour) are watching me!!!" Um, really? Just because somebody told you this, it does not follow that your vigil is imminent. And if you're assuming, well, you know where THAT leads. Admittedly, one 12th Night a few years back, I was tripping over Laurels left and right. Which, while vaguely creepy for me, was more likely due to the high proportion of various leaves, feathers, chains, and metallic beanies present AT that event than any sudden "candidacy" of mine. Although I am entirely too candid some days, I will admit. In short: Get over yourself. If your name did, in fact, come up in the Order meeting - nobody should have told YOU. And if you're just assuming - well, you're setting yourself up for disappointment.

2. Putting EVERYBODY (or nearly everybody) in the local group in for some kind of award every time royalty visits, on the ground that they don't visit very often. What, nobody in your group EVER goes to events outside the group? Point two: Royalty is relying on you to give good and wise counsel. If you're just LOOKING for things to put people in for, so that it's a big court at your event, or because Lady Dhramalia wants an Order of the Royal Smoocheroo, or so Lord Eeyore doesn't feel left out.... you're not giving wise counsel. It's also extremely aggravating for the staff that sets up everything necessary for Court. Stop it!

3. While I'm on the topic - the Midrealm uses an auto form for recommendations that asks you to fill in what events a person will be at. DO NOT fill in every bloody event, knowing full well that the person in question won't be there!!! It doesn't make it any more likely that a person will get the award. But it does make it more likely that they won't be present to get it. Now you've A) Deprived the person of their moment in the sun in court, B) Deprived the Royalty of the joy of personally bestowing an award, C) Bored the audience to tears as the umpteenth award is given with no recipient present, and D) driven the staff that gets the tokens and scrolls for court together that much battier for no good reason! So.... Stop it!!

4. Treating awards like either competitions between folks, or checklists, or timelines. "THL McFancy Pants the Tailor got his Golden Needle six months after he got his Silver Needle, so I should be getting mine any day now!" Or, "It's been 3 years since Lord ShowUpandSit got an award. What should we put him in for?" Or, "Well, I've put three entries into Regional A&S, done 2 bean counts, 3 prize tourneys, and taught 4 classes. I should be getting my Companion of the BusibodiArts by now, don't you think?" No. I don't think. And I want to drown people who start down these roads. There are so many variables. Yes, folks who live in larger, more active areas do get awards more frequently or with less effort. They are more visible. Sorry, that's how the game works. Is it fair? Maybe not. But who said life was fair? Remember always that all awards are at the Whim of the Crown. Not because you've got space left on your ration card. Stop it!!

Have pity on the poor folks who are honestly trying to give recognition to those deserving. And stop living solely for that recognition. We're supposed to be noble people - not lap dogs.

(/soapbox)

Comments

[gwynubis.livejournal.com]

/golf clap.
well said

[femkederoas.livejournal.com]

Being on a number of local lists, I see these discussions a lot. It was either vent for a moment, or go drive bamboo shoots under my fingernails.

There's a very nice, well meaning lady who likes to organize "letter writing campaigns." The result of which is people who get awards at events 500 miles away and they don't find out about it until they read it in the Pale!!

[alliquay.livejournal.com]

THANK YOU!!!

Each of these things drives me batty, too! All the result of this is that when someone DOES get an award that they really didn't deserve, it makes cheaper the award to the person who really DID work hard for no other reason than that they wanted to.