Post Pennsic Post

[mikekn]

Yep - that time again. Time for the post-Pennsic post.

Camp
I did land grab for our camp this year, but that was about it - we didn't really organize work in the camp, camp fees, etc. Next year I'd like to get someone to take the job of running the camp (I can still come out for land grab). I had no complaints though (don't know if anyone else did). We never talked to Drachenstein about using the shower.

We had a few newer folks with us, and I hope to get them all back next year. With a handful more of campers we should be able to expand again to fit from road to road (which is ideal in my mind).

Classes
This was good war for classes. I had about 18 classes I wanted to try and attend (trimmed down from my much larger list based on scheduling) and I made it to half of them. Highlights include:
"Geometry for the Crafter" - using just a straight edge and compass I can now easily divide a circle into seven parts when making boards for seven player backgammon. This was one of the high lights of my war. Now I want to find a good reference book for Geometric Constructions to see what else is out there.
"Essential Knots for SCA Campers" - Yeah, I was never a boy scout. It was good to learn a variety of knot for different uses. Now I just need to practice them.
"Developing a Group History", "How to Recruit in the SCA" - Both really good classes taking "real world" practices and applying them to the SCA.

I went to a few classes just for the fun of it: "Contact Juggling", "Finding Your First Calligraphic Script", "Divination", & "Guilds: Period Laurels & Their Apprentices". Missed all the beekeeping, mead making and Pennsic 39 classes.

Games Tent
We were in a new location this year and no one was sure what effects that would have on the tent. For the most part I think it was a successful move. Our classes were usually well attended and we still had gamers hanging out through out the day. We were a little more boxed in since there was stuff on three sides of us (compared our old spot where it was all open), and we have to work on traffic flow in and around the tent.

We had a good mix of classes and teachers, and several new volunteers. With luck we'll see some of them again next year and add a few more as well. The Pennsic Volunteers page was a great way for people to learn about our needs and complexated did a good job of putting together a schedule for them.

We also made the shift and got our tent supplies stored with the rest of A&S supplies instead of a in a private camp trailer.

Game Gnight
I helped in the shop twice this year - once so Galen could go to a Hurly game and then again during Midnight Madness. As always, I enjoyed it and got a few game as my payment :)

Shopping
I was pretty successful in my shopping this year, though I didn't find any garb I wanted. I did pick up a few patterns from Reconstructing History that I will try to make. I got a cheap contact juggling ball, a practice poi set, another reproduction playing card deck, the new edition of the Known World Atlas, the CD from Forbidden Pennsic, my annual t-shirt, a Roman board game, and a "tasting" mug.

Visits and Nightlife
Yeah, apart from one visit to see some friends and staying up though Midnight Madness, there wasn't much night life for me. A little bit of hanging out in camp, but I usually was in bed around the normal time. Not sure how to change that - the big parties do nothing for me, and the groups I like to hang out with are all doing their own things. Just sitting around a fire puts me to sleep.

Overall a very good year.

Comments

[bertana.livejournal.com]

Sounds like it was pretty good overall! I'm glad to hear the new location and volunteer scheduling worked out well (for a first run).

Just out of curiosity - which patterns did you end up getting from RH?

[mikekn]

I got:
RH207 -- 16thc Common Man's Doublet & Breeches
RH104 -- 1600s Shirts and Shifts
both on the theory that the don't look too difficult and they are more accurate then much of what I currently wear.

RH506 - 1560s Doublet & Pluderhose was also recommended as the right time and place for me, without being full on Landsknecht.

[marietta-sca.livejournal.com]

Visits and Nightlife
A little bit of hanging out in camp, but I usually was in bed around the normal time. Not sure how to change that

Come visit me next year. I will have the boy with me and won't go out, but everyone else in camp went out almost every night this year, and with Chris reading, I had nothing to do and no one to talk to. :(

[mikekn]

Sounds like a plan. I can bring games :)

[marietta-sca.livejournal.com]

YAY! I don't get to play games as often as I'd like.

[kandy-elizabet.livejournal.com]

Ooo, you made it to the geometry class... may have to hit you up for that one, I missed (ok, more accurately, I went over, saw it was crowded and opted for joining Joe for the butter class, so it was still a win).

So with you on the parties thing -- the big ones are simply too much like frat parties for me, and I stopped going to those by the end of my first semester in college. We should have wandered up an evening or two, and now regret we didn't :(

[loosecanon.livejournal.com]

I was also at geometry, but left when there was no room at the table for me. I don't squeeze well. They needed to ell the tables to make more room for people. Something poetic in the geometry class missing the volume to surface ratio that still makes me laugh when I think about it.

I did speak to the teacher later ( he's bytchearse's protege, and an acquaintance ) and got the meat of it. He has the gifts of a clear voice that carries, a skill, and the ability to strip the skill to basic common denominator language.

It's all under the heading of "drafting techniques". The 7 is a great and wonderful trick.