Het Gaat Lijk Lukken Bakken

Currently debating with myself if I want to even TRY to put anything together for Kingdom A&S. I can't GO myself. But I could maybe send something small that is nonperishable. Knowing that my entry would get judged on it's written docs while the others will be face to face.

Thoughts?

So, here's my next little thought-project:

West Pentamere Costume Collegium - an extended clothing workshop in four sessions

Quarter 1 - Pick a Time and Culture, determine the appropriate garments, draft a pattern

Quarter 2 - Underwear and Foundation Garments, Assembly - techniques covered will depend on student choices and what is necessary to complete them

Quarter 3 - Fit, adjust, and finish. Adding trims, findings, embroidery, and other elements

Quarter 4 - Accessories and milinery - complete the look

Structure - sort of free-floating instructor/student interaction. Less than a class, more than an open "work day." I'm planning for each "quarter" to basically be a day-long session. But not garbed, and not an "event" per se. Pot luck lunch/snacks. BYO sewing machine, we'll try to provide irons and boards, muslin, pads for note-taking, lap tops (hopefully with internet access) for portrait surfing, books for reference, and general notions.

Hopefully everybody will leave session 1 with a complete pattern and yardage requirments, as well as a notions list. The intent is to come to the next section with it at least cut out, possibly partly assembled, depending on the complexity.

A track on Arts and Sciences for Combat?

Arrow making, armor making, clothes for fighting kits, equine caprisons, fencing garb.... ??

Mistress Sarafina and I have gone back and forth about trying to raise the level of instruction at RUM in such a way that the class list is not a conglomeration of intros.

That, and some other things, have gotten me thinking about the wheres and whyfores of A&S classes at events.

There seems to be an honest-to-goodness desire from the groups that run some smaller events for "basic" classes. Frequently in things that aren't even period in any way, shape, or form. And I've had people insist to me that there is a "need" to have classes in these very simple things.

Who needs them? Is the supposition that new folks are most likely to turn up at small events, and that they "need" to learn these things? Why? They're going to have to face now being told that some of this stuff that they learned at their first event isn't period. Possibly by a crabby Laurel. Why would you want to do that to a newbie? Why not teach them correctly from the start? And why assume that somebody new wouldn't be interested, or might be overwhelmed by something more complex or focussed? And all of these things also apply to the argument that it's where people learn to teach, too.

Some of it, I think, comes from the fact that at many an event, the A&S classes are an afterthought. No effort = no result.

More often, I think it's laziness. It's easier to get your friend to come teach a class on polymer clay perioid beads than to contact somebody a couple Cantons over who knows how to make glass ones. It's easier to just teach other people how to make the needle felted schnauzer you bought a kit for and copy the instructions than to learn to wet felt a hat.

There might be a some influence from the belief that "everything's been done before." (Go read the Attack Laurel's post today for an excellent discussion on why this isn't true). Why bother researching something new to teach when someone else somewhere has already done it?

Or possibly the belief that there are certain basic skills everybody needs. Now, there is some logic in teaching basic names, heraldry, SCA social skills, administrative stuff. But I cannot think of a single A&S skill that everybody needs to learn. Not a one.

(still crabby for various reasons. But utterly delighted with the faboo Steampunk Minnie Pin that alysten sent me. She's made of win. An actual birthday pressie. For me!)

Now that I no longer have access to the MKTAG to see if people are abusing me personally, I perused the Middlebridge to fill the void. ;-) I therefore perused the very long and laborious thread regarding A&S and the faire system. While this was a somewhat masochistic pursuit, doing it in hindsight was somewhat enlightening.

I'm debating about sending a note to the Laurel charged with exploring options regarding MY opinions.

We're all clear, by now, on the fact that I believe the Regional Faire system is no longer useful for much other than clogging the Kingdom Calendar. Granted, Kingdom Faire still has a purpose in life, but the person who commented that Faire is really about the documentation had it right. What we do NOT have is any venue that is intended to display and reward sheer workmanship. (No, I do not count the Craftsperson's faire. That's a bean count on clever ways to hide the mundane.)

I thereby suggest another venue.

Our very own Queen's Prize Tourney. To be conducted at whatever event the reigning Queen selects. Documentation is not required, but would be helpful. The set up is such: The artisan pre-registers his or her work, and selects a time slot. At the event, a panel of Laurels, selected for the purpose by Her Majesty, interviews each artisan. The work is presented, questions are asked, etc. With the advice of the panel, the Queen distributes whatever awards she wishes.

Is it objective? Nope. Neither is Faire. And with Faire, the attempt to remove as much subjectivity as possible via the Criteria (Gad, the all powerful Criteria!!!) also hobble the judges. It's nearly impossible to get a decent score in both Creativity AND Authenticity. With the suggested set-up, at least that element is removed. Though a generalized score sheet would be a decent idea.

Thoughts?

A general update later on doings and goings on - travel, sewing, chickens, children and the like.

For the moment, I pose a philosophical question to the air:

Where do you draw the line between using research and plagiarism?

If you take a class on a technique is it appropriate to:

Enter an identical item to the one taught in A&S competition?
Teach a class on the same technique?
Teach a class using the instructor's class notes - after all, they're on the web. With the author's permission? Without permission, as long as you leave the author's name on it?
Is there, for instance, a difference between using someone else's classnotes for a calligraphy class, and using their published ductus but teaching the technique with your own notes?

When developing a class to teach, is it appropriate to:

Print off someone else's website to use?
Photocopy a section of a book to use? How much of a section?
Copy occasional paragraphs from others' work into your notes - not directly credited, but listed in a bibliography as a source?
Copy images from other sites and print the images alone to use?
Base a class entirely on someone else's research, but put it in your own words? Does your answer change if the research in question is unique in nature?

Does your answer to any of the above change based on the person? Do you expect more of someone actively pursuing the Arts and Sciences than you would, say, a relative newcomer? DO you consider there to be two groups of instructors: One that does and presents original research, and one that teaches how-to and technique based on others' work?

Lastly, do you feel that it is necessary upon reaching a certain level of achievement within an art or science to branch out of what has been done before and begin to make your own conclusions and interpretations - not based on someone else's work but based purely on the evidence at hand? In other words, is a "thesis topic" a necessary element? Rather than merely using others' redaction of recipes, there is a point at which you need to not only redact a few yourself, but to compare similar recipes of a region and time and begin to reconstruct flavor profiles, for example.

Speak to me of the boundaries of intellectual property. For myself, I feel like the raw information is available for anyone to use. But the theories, conclusions, and interpretations I present are mine alone. Support them, discredit them, argue till you're blue in the face - but credit the source. Yes, it's possible for someone to independently have found the same sources and reached the same conclusions, but is it likely?

What say y'all?

Still thinking about RUM and what would be a good range of classes.

And while at it, something gwacie said on another E-mail list make me think:

What about a roundtable on writing for publication? Specifically in larger SCA markets. Would it be worth listening to the ins and outs of what makes a good article and how to write it as discussed by people published in TI, CA, Artes Draconis, and other larger outlets?

As a separate question -

What sorts of classes would you like to see at a Royal University? What would induce you to make the trip? What sorts of "advanced" classes do you not find locally?

It's a Cool (It's a Cool) Cool Summer...
Leaving me here on my own....

Weird, weird weather. My peppers are not going to do diddly-squat, as it's not warm enough. My 'maters don't want to ripen, either. *sigh* The raspberries never got past the unpack-the-stick-that-looks-dead stage. Apparently they WERE dead. I cleaned the peas out of the garden - along with the Chinese Cabbage that bolted and never produced a single head. All went into the compost pile. Which at least is well-fed.

The Chickens tried for a Chicken Run last night. I must figure out which one knits. And John needs to finish the coop!!

I might seed my garden with Winter Wheat as a cover crop when my veggies are done. I'm not sure how long it takes it to ripen in the spring - I'd like to have the wheat. Though I might settle for the straw. Maybe I'll learn the seven-strand plait and weave a hat for one of the girls. Or both, if there's enough straw. It might make a cool A&S project. Though why I care about that at this point, I'm not sure. I suspect at least 2010's Faire will be in Cinci. Whether this will be a permanent thing or not remains to be seen. I still think it's a bad idea. For a host of reasons other than just that it's on the other F'n side of the Kingdom (No kitchen facilities for the people entering cooking to use, and a seemingly twitchy management that may or may not be cool with regular events over the years, etc. etc.)

I have looked it over and dropped my Pentathalon plans for the moment. The logistics of what I want/can do and getting it done/to Cinci just about gives me a Migraine. I know when I am defeated. *white flag*

So I will shove it in the Happy Box, work with Sarafina on RUM stuff.

And continue my Sooper Seecrud Lone Looney crusade. ;-) (let the banners fly and the bells ring out - eventually).

Always makes things just a little more real. Our Efficient new Dean has all the new contact info up. And AWAY we go!

Now taking suggestions for things people would like to see at a RUM. ;-)

Out shopping on Sunday, John found a yeast called "Cry Havoc!" and some malt called "Honey Gambrinus." He purchased both for the gruit ale he's making for the Baronial Althing. Then he mentioned in passing that he really should work on his Charcuterie or cheese or something instead, as it's borderline impossible to get Laureled for beer. And he refuses to bother with mead, which he considers mostly undrinkable.

Which makes me wonder.... Are there certain disciplines more difficult to get recognized for? What are they and why?

Is it more difficult to build a reputation in a field that's popular? Or in one that nobody cares about but you?

Butterfly brains with Beer Brewing husbands want to know.