The portable crafts, like embroidery, knitting, drop spinning, mail-making, leather-work, and on and on are things that help occupy your hands, start conversations, and, as you said, carry you through other things. But for me I find that things that keep my hands busy help me stay focused on the other things that are going on, like fighting or demos and so on. I enjoy that it encourages people to walk up and ask questions. It certainly helps me keep my cool in meetings when I really want to strangle someone!
I, too, explain the difference between the SCA and Ren Faire as "we play, instead of watch."
It amazes some people, but I enjoy finding the kitchen and washing dishes or helping out, even when folks don't know me. As a peer, I'm working: it helps me find out what's going on (not only the gossip, but I learn what the feast cooks are doing, what they know, how the dynamics are between them and their volunteers). But in general kitchens can be fun -- good music, you can inspire folks to sing easy songs, and you get to meet lots of new people -- both folks you don't know and folks who are new to the event.
(When I was visiting at Boar's Head in Northshield in early December, on a visit to the kitchen to chat with a friend briefly, I ran across a young man who was, by other's comments to him, a relative newcomer, and whom I had seen helping and running around all day. At the end of the day, when the feast set-up was happening, he was still running around working hard, so I stopped and gave him one of the Celtic bracelets I was wearing and thanked him for all his hard work. I remember during my first year in the society something similar happened to me -- I have never known who it was, but it's one of those jewel-like moments in my head. I want to give that gift to others.)
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yes, but...
Date: 2008-01-07 04:05 am (UTC)I, too, explain the difference between the SCA and Ren Faire as "we play, instead of watch."
It amazes some people, but I enjoy finding the kitchen and washing dishes or helping out, even when folks don't know me. As a peer, I'm working: it helps me find out what's going on (not only the gossip, but I learn what the feast cooks are doing, what they know, how the dynamics are between them and their volunteers). But in general kitchens can be fun -- good music, you can inspire folks to sing easy songs, and you get to meet lots of new people -- both folks you don't know and folks who are new to the event.
(When I was visiting at Boar's Head in Northshield in early December, on a visit to the kitchen to chat with a friend briefly, I ran across a young man who was, by other's comments to him, a relative newcomer, and whom I had seen helping and running around all day. At the end of the day, when the feast set-up was happening, he was still running around working hard, so I stopped and gave him one of the Celtic bracelets I was wearing and thanked him for all his hard work. I remember during my first year in the society something similar happened to me -- I have never known who it was, but it's one of those jewel-like moments in my head. I want to give that gift to others.)