femkes_follies (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
femkes_follies) wrote2010-02-16 10:36 am
femkes_follies) wrote2010-02-16 10:36 am
Entry tags:
Bouncing Things Around
So, in the interest of not pointing out problems without also trying to put forth potential solutions, here we go....
There is some significant aggravation (no, it isn't just me) with the fact that Spring Crown is currently locked in for KY for three years and Coronation seems to be happening in the same area with a great frequency. Why is this?
The stated reason is lack of bids from other areas.
If this is so, why?
Possible reason 1: Eliminating the Rotational system means that since it isn't anybody's turn... it isn't anybody's turn. Or, nobody feels a burning need to attempt to put together a bid for any specific event. Many moons ago, if Pentamere was up on the rotation for say, Fall Crown, the idea would get bandied about at local meetings. Other Baronies would be contacted to see if they were putting in a bid. Because, after all, it was Our Turn. Now.... not so much.
Possible solution - return to some sort of rotational system. Something as simple as returning to the regional rotation, or even just splitting the Kingdom in half. North-South or East-West. Or get more complicated and specific - Ask which groups would be interested in the rotation, and then assign events to specific groups. White Waters has Fall Crown 2011, Cleftlands Coronation Fall 2011, Roaring Wastes Coronation Spring 2012...etc. With a "back up" group for each and the stipulation that event dates may be traded with another group. Failure to trade the date or notify your back-up group of your inability to put on the event within 6 months of the event would lead to being dropped from the rotation for X number of years.
Possible reason 2: Many groups are currently putting on too many events as it is. The calendar is overloaded, everybody scrambles to get things on the Calendar WAY early, and nobody has the energy to host a Kingdom event. Or already has an event scheduled that month. Mine own Barony has rather monopolized the month of March for the immediate area, scheduling events on three of four weekends. This is crazy.
Possible solutions:
1 - limit the number of events any given group can hold, excepting hosting Kingdom events. I'm sort of against this, because it's in general rather dictatorial and might prevents some pretty nice one-time events.
2 - eliminate the requirement for EVERY group to throw and event every year. Make it every other? Or allow them to "co-host" with a neighbor. It's pretty hard to even start a group these days because it's so hard to wedge another event into the calendar.
3 - Restrict calendar access - Each group may place up to two events on the Calendar each Calendar year at any time. Additional events may not be placed on the Calendar until 4 months before the desired event date. Which would prevent some of the mad scramble for dates.
4 - Restrict timing of events - No group may throw an event within 30 (or 60 or 90 or whatever) days of another event held by the same group, unless it is a Kingdom event being hosted by that group.
5 - Ask nicely for groups to hold fewer, higher quality events. Which won't work. Everyone will assume that their own events are so well-loved that this suggestion is directed at everybody else.
6 - Encourage certain special interest events to go every-other year or to be "roaming" It seems to work well for the Cooks' Symposium and Bardic Madness.
7 - "Tax" events... For every X number of events hosted, one bid for a Kingdom event is required.
Possible reason 3 - Allowing TRHs to chose their own Coronation site is nice - but really limits the timing Window - since there is usually only about a 6-7 month period from Crown to Coronation.
possible solution - back to assigning groups again. More of a pain for TRHs, but potentially improving the ability to spread the love, so to speak.
Thoughts? Additions? Holes to be poked?
I really do feel like Coronation and Crown have been HARDER to get to, and less equitably distributed since Northshield became a Kingdom and the rotation system fell apart. Interested in what others think.
There is some significant aggravation (no, it isn't just me) with the fact that Spring Crown is currently locked in for KY for three years and Coronation seems to be happening in the same area with a great frequency. Why is this?
The stated reason is lack of bids from other areas.
If this is so, why?
Possible reason 1: Eliminating the Rotational system means that since it isn't anybody's turn... it isn't anybody's turn. Or, nobody feels a burning need to attempt to put together a bid for any specific event. Many moons ago, if Pentamere was up on the rotation for say, Fall Crown, the idea would get bandied about at local meetings. Other Baronies would be contacted to see if they were putting in a bid. Because, after all, it was Our Turn. Now.... not so much.
Possible solution - return to some sort of rotational system. Something as simple as returning to the regional rotation, or even just splitting the Kingdom in half. North-South or East-West. Or get more complicated and specific - Ask which groups would be interested in the rotation, and then assign events to specific groups. White Waters has Fall Crown 2011, Cleftlands Coronation Fall 2011, Roaring Wastes Coronation Spring 2012...etc. With a "back up" group for each and the stipulation that event dates may be traded with another group. Failure to trade the date or notify your back-up group of your inability to put on the event within 6 months of the event would lead to being dropped from the rotation for X number of years.
Possible reason 2: Many groups are currently putting on too many events as it is. The calendar is overloaded, everybody scrambles to get things on the Calendar WAY early, and nobody has the energy to host a Kingdom event. Or already has an event scheduled that month. Mine own Barony has rather monopolized the month of March for the immediate area, scheduling events on three of four weekends. This is crazy.
Possible solutions:
1 - limit the number of events any given group can hold, excepting hosting Kingdom events. I'm sort of against this, because it's in general rather dictatorial and might prevents some pretty nice one-time events.
2 - eliminate the requirement for EVERY group to throw and event every year. Make it every other? Or allow them to "co-host" with a neighbor. It's pretty hard to even start a group these days because it's so hard to wedge another event into the calendar.
3 - Restrict calendar access - Each group may place up to two events on the Calendar each Calendar year at any time. Additional events may not be placed on the Calendar until 4 months before the desired event date. Which would prevent some of the mad scramble for dates.
4 - Restrict timing of events - No group may throw an event within 30 (or 60 or 90 or whatever) days of another event held by the same group, unless it is a Kingdom event being hosted by that group.
5 - Ask nicely for groups to hold fewer, higher quality events. Which won't work. Everyone will assume that their own events are so well-loved that this suggestion is directed at everybody else.
6 - Encourage certain special interest events to go every-other year or to be "roaming" It seems to work well for the Cooks' Symposium and Bardic Madness.
7 - "Tax" events... For every X number of events hosted, one bid for a Kingdom event is required.
Possible reason 3 - Allowing TRHs to chose their own Coronation site is nice - but really limits the timing Window - since there is usually only about a 6-7 month period from Crown to Coronation.
possible solution - back to assigning groups again. More of a pain for TRHs, but potentially improving the ability to spread the love, so to speak.
Thoughts? Additions? Holes to be poked?
I really do feel like Coronation and Crown have been HARDER to get to, and less equitably distributed since Northshield became a Kingdom and the rotation system fell apart. Interested in what others think.
no subject
no subject
4.1.3. The incipient group shall have demonstrated an ability to do Demostrations and Events.
And if you ask, usually you'll be told "Oh, well, you have to hold and report on at least one demo and event per year to advance."
Which tends to snowball into the perception, at least, that it's a requirement.
So perhaps I should have said something to the effect of "Correcting the misapprehension that every group needs to hold an event per year and encouraging cooperative events or biannual events.
no subject
no subject
It's just a harder problem to get a handle on. I understand that nobody wants to monkey with the nature of an event that's doing well and risk it flopping. Which, of course, is why it can be like pulling teeth to change venues, head chefs, etc.
Though I would argue that Val Day, for instance, has changed dramatically over the past five or six years. When the Heavy Weapons side moved from a formal Pas style to what is effectively a melee practice, it changed the very nature of the event. How many people did you see in full Venetian or Tudor? What's the ratio of space devoted to A&S any more? It's made the event much more popular - attendance nearly doubled or better. But it's effectively a different event. That can cut both ways.
It's the "doing things the way we've always done them" thing that's the hardest. You can tell people all you like that changing their events up a little now and then is a Good Thing(TM). But they all want the next Stooper Dooper Event XXX!!
Which is why I sort of favor an approach to the effect of putting any two events on the Calendar at will - 3rd or more events only within a 4 month window. It opens up at least some opportunity for newer and incipient groups to launch events.
no subject
I know the feeling!
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In thinking about what I would do if I were Empress of the Universe, I would plan my largest events near the most populous regions to draw the most money. I have been advocating for years that we should be buying large tracks of land and establishing home bases and providing potential spots for inter-kingdom wars etc. The different branches then take turns hosting the event at the home base, thereby filling their coffers for their next event, and giving some of the money back to the land for its maintenance and payments. The event where I was offered my Laurel had 2400 people, because it was near a population center. Last year, the same type of event, away from a center drew about 600, I think. I really am of the opinion that event locations decisions should:
1. Take into account weather - we had someone die from the heat at one of our recent events in the desert in July. I think it is just bad planning when we have both mountain ranges and cooler seashore locations vs. 115 degree heat. This same site is much more amenable in May, so why not then instead of in July? (back to cult of personality)
2. Take into account population centers. The closer to a city the better for the coffers. For example, I will travel maybe 7 or 8 hours if I REALLY want to go, usually not, but no way for 24 hours. Trade between the population centers to even out fairness for travel distance based on percentage of membership, and if the little groups are not getting their fair shake, allow them to autocrat in someone else's lands and take their share of the profits. That happens here occasionally. I still think it is better than a less than optimal crown event in podunk wherever with no hotels for the aging and one mini-mart.
3. Centralize the venue procurement - have an officer or the Kingdom seneschal in charge of this, and have the group in charge run in rotation and if they decline, open it up for idea bids. People could really get creative with event ambiance if they didn't have to line up the land, porta-potties and water trucks if they are already on a retainer.
4. Allow groups to present bids as normal - or a couple years in advance - if they have a really great site and idea and allow the crown to decide.
5. Divide kingdoms into principalities so they have their own local power/ceremonies and emphasis. This both enriches the kingdom with ceremony, provides more regional focus, money making opportunities and helps make smaller groups less thirsty to be the host of the kingdom events (or so I think).
Okay, now you know why I am not the empress of anything :)
no subject
Nor are there really that many areas that are very remote. Even Donnershafen, which is probably in direct opposition to the current site-in-the-middle-of-the-mountains, isn't any more than 8-10 hours from most of the Kingdom.
It's pretty hard to find a site that is further than 2-3 hours from some pretty major population centers, so less of an issue.
Thing is, there isn't any one site so superior to others as to warrant making it permanent. If you could buy land... maybe. But making it centrally located would be a plus.
See, I think it's easiest to host an event that is at least in easy distance of the host group. Otherwise, you might be really struggling to get volunteers.
I'm not sure it's "thirsty for hosting." I think it's more a matter of Grace's 4 year hive mind effect. To whit - if there hasn't been a Coronation or Crown within reasonable distance in at least 4 years, the newbies (from whence most enthusiasm stems) don't get the concept and don't have any desire to agitate for hosting privileges.
Not sure Principalities would help - that would tend to add on events and possibly make things MORE problematic. As well as adding a host of events for TRMs to attend.
I'd have wondered if Pentamere wasn't teetering on the cusp of investigating it. But the economy has hammered the region so badly, I'm not sure there are enough people left to make a go of it. :-(
no subject
--The self enforcement of practical event holding.
I see little issue with the yearly event requirement as it does not specify the size or type of event beyond the basics... a group could easily run a self-promoting demo-event type thing and still qualify. People need to think outside of their little boxes.
--Groups, and their seneschal, should enforce a responsible level of event frequency. Several events in one month is crazy and worse if the group is in close proximity to other groups. This, of course, excluding smaller and informal functions such as workshops and the like.
Rotation is not a bad thing if practised responsibly with no pressures on groups to comply should they feel they can't do it. There is no valid reason why rotation should not be practised... even economy, if anything, economy is a good reason to keep it as no group should be more deserving than the other...
Becoming royalty is more than just winning a title and a pretty hat... if I could not travel, I'd likely wouldn't play at that level and doubt it would kill me not to either. On the other hand, it would be strongly encouraged for something to be set up to help with the financial bits. The TRHs should see their Kingdom as so... their kingdom should see them as well.
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Going back under my rock again. Have fun at the SPA! Sit in the steam room. Sleep in the dreamy beds. Oi, damnit now I wanna go back. sigh.
no subject
Yeah, earnin' the spa time. Most of the afternoon consisted of critters that were dead, nearly dead, or possibly downright necrotic. Oi.
And tomorrow? Two ginormous dog spays, one of which is in heat, obese, and 8 years old. Grrrrr.... At least I should be outta there by 11:30 and headed for GR.
Gotta remember to take the Garmin. But am gonna miss my li'l moppet - she probably won't be up when I leave tomorrow. Have to settle for just Boo kissies.