So weird question.....

[patgund]

seattlejo brought up a very valid point recently.....

When do we transition in the local barony from "newbies" to "the people who have been blown off for over a year"??

The local barony (Madrone in An Tir) seems to be almost actively....indifferent to newcomers. The last Baronial social we attempted we left when the gentleman running the meeting hall said the local group hadn't paid their bills in months and refused entry.

Messages on the local mailing lists go unanswered. Emails to baronial officials go unanswered. Attending local events and we're just ignored. It's like they have their own little group and don't particularly care about anyone new.

I'm wondering if we should find another local group to play in, or just give the whole thing up as a lost cause. My worry is that this "we don't know you, go away" attitude is endemic in An Tir and NOT localized, and going elsewhere means beating our heads against the walls again.

Comments

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

Maybe consult some of our older-timer friends in An Tir and ask their advice about actual active groups? I'm thinking, Master Mir and Countess Berengaria. Even though they don't necessarily live close by, they are both pretty well informed. Either of them will happily tell you like it is.

[patgund.livejournal.com]

Can you email me Her Excellency's email address so I can ask her. I have Mir's already

[morgan-gw.livejournal.com]

And it may be that someone higher-up -- maybe the kingdom chatelaine? -- will be interested in a barony blowing off potential new blood, and decide to have a few words with some folks (like the baronial officers), especially when word comes from respected "elders" *EG*.

Second answer

[morgan-gw.livejournal.com]

That said, if you don't click with the locals, finding another group that will make you feel welcome is probably better.

[seattlejo.livejournal.com]

I won't say that its not partially our fault too. We have a lot going on and don't dedicate our time to chasing down people and events. The baronial social before it was cancelled was at 7 on a school night, not something we are always able to make because of Miss Bit.

With the cooks guild meetings for me, two out of three nights that they meet I have something else going on, half the time miss Bit related. A and S work nights? On the eastside, so a 45 minute drive, on a... school night. ( or an hour and a half bus, I think. I asked the guy if his place was busable, but no response)

Patrick and i are also both a little frustrated that after mailing three different lists, (2 baronial , 1 kingdom,) about a ride for this weekend, I didn't even get a signal response. I'm not expecting a free ride, just a simple response even if its a no.

[silkensteel.livejournal.com]

Or you could just find all the ignored newbies and start something yourself.

[abbybob.livejournal.com]

Have you thought of a letter of introduction?

Email my Dad (dkeen111253@aol.com) and ask him to email one to the B&B of Madrone. He's done it for a lot of Calafian transplants. You may also ask Dame Selene to do the same.

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

I can do that, I just figured they were an active group and could handle transplants. Grrr, you're right though, I should have done this last year. Now I have to write "Don't make me come up there." ::evile grynne::

[fionnbharro.livejournal.com]

I recall something similar a few years back, regarding integrating 'newbies'.

A word with Flieg (Duke Frederick of Holland), and with his Grace and Charm, he spoke to the 'old guard', reminding them of Courtesy, and things were fixed up right proper.

Flieg is the most pro-newcomer in the SCA I've ever known ( http://xray.cchem.berkeley.edu/flieg2/ ), and he's been around longer than anybody (see here: http://history.westkingdom.org/Who/Who-F.htm (scroll down) and here: http://history.westkingdom.org/Year1/FirstTournament.htm ) in the SCA.

Great guy.

[fionnbharro.livejournal.com]

What I mean is have someone well-respected in the kingdom -- or someone known throughout the Knowne World (like Flieg) -- and have them champion the cause.

[pandorasbox.livejournal.com]

That makes my blood Boil. I was Chatelain to Madrone back in 2003 during one of the most wonderful times. That their Bills are not being paid and they aren't answering emails speaks Volumes. An Tir is generally the reason I quit playing
Try emailing Mistress Anne-marie, she was the former Baroness and still is very active in Madrone. Her email is dailleurs@liripipe.com
Also you might want to look into playing with Aquaterra to the north. They are far less snotty. You can contact Raphella she is the Bomb and can direct you to the proper people. Her email is ayeshadream@livejournal.com.

good luck!

[seattlejo.livejournal.com]

We've met the Baron and Baroness. They (and most everyone else we've met) have been cordial. there is a bit of "Welcome, this is what we have, play where you want to, now go have fun and leave us alone."

When I've asked for advice on local events best for kids, I've been admonished that her care is my responsibility instead of given information. i needed to know what events were better for children. Patrick and I know she is our responsibility, but it helps for us to know that boars hunt is great for kids, but banner war not so much, you know?

[pandorasbox.livejournal.com]

I do know. I have quit playing all together after too many bad experiences. While Bit is your responsibility, you need to know what events are kid friendly. In my opinion most events are not Kid friendly. You guys might want to contact Aquaterra or BoA. YOu might want to contact the An Tir Dean of Pages or The Pied Piper. I know Bit is alittle old for Pied Piper, but Nimue is awesome and has Kids Bits age. She can be found at margaritavil@hotmail.com
I hope that helps

[seattlejo.livejournal.com]

Aquaterra is much more kid friendly, I recognize that. I also fucked up pretty bad there 6 years ago and was removed from office. (Basically non attendance and failure to follow through with the position while i was working 80 hour weeks. ) so I'm hesitant to play up there much. It was six years ago, but I'm still embarrassed.


The fact that Madrone doesn't have a pied piper or dean of pages really does indicate how child friendly the barony is. I'll give the kingdom level a contact.

[pandorasbox.livejournal.com]

They aren't very Child friendly. It is getting better, but not on a grand level. I was a great Officer but people just turned me off to the whole process

[dreamingcrow.livejournal.com]

Let me pipe up in here that Aquaterra has awesome kid-friendly events and is very welcoming, or at least used to be so.

Madrone is 98% of why I am no longer involved in the SCA. :(

[pandorasbox.livejournal.com]

Yep! I was part of "that" group and I became disqusted at the level of "snobbery". I can't even talk about it in my own journal because that group are so far in They say I sound bitter and "shame on me". I Just quit playing all together and now I save so much money I am able to go to Europe once a year for 2 weeks

[panzerwalt.livejournal.com]

god lord anubis, it use to never be that bad. when i first moved up here we were practically jumped by people. granted now i have been more or less inactive for the past 6+ years but that is shocking to hear.
just about every one at the Halloween party was our old school SCA friends. i'll kick a few rock and see what i can scare up.
i plan on getting back into the SCA next year, have a few new friends that are interested. so if things don't improve by spring we can go kick in the doors together.

oh isn't there an An Tir LJ or was it just an SCA one?

[ophy.livejournal.com]

I've found exactly the same situation here in Starkhafn. Paul and I tried for over a year, attending events and meetings - to be basically ignored.

Organization didn't seem high on anyone's list - so events were rarely publically announced, and getting info on events that were announced (like, I dunno WHERE they were) was nigh impossible.

The feeling we got was that the B&B had their little circle of friends and they really weren't interested in making new ones. And hell, you know me... I was my gregarious self, trying to meet folks left and right!

It saddens me that Paul and I have all but stopped playing in SCA. I miss it terribly, but after more than a year it just wasn't worth the effort. (Granted, I do think "growing up" in Calafia kinda set me up for disappointment anywhere else. I had some sort of guild at least once a week and an event at least monthly before we moved. I miss that something awful.)

[pandorasbox.livejournal.com]

Hey Try emailing the Kingdom Chatelaine. He will be able to help : Chatelaine@antir.sca.org
he is also Local over in Dragonslaire.

[danceswthcobras.livejournal.com]

This was my exact experience in Florida and North Carolina as well. I think it's endemic.

[seattlejo.livejournal.com]

It was my experience as well in Arizona. An Tir was better when i first moved up here, but for various reasons I dont have contact with my former barony.

[winterlion.livejournal.com]

Varies up here. We try to be welcoming to newcomers to the point that anyone who's been playing a while occasionally ends up scratching their heads and wondering what to do...
(hence I try to be with Reik Felag more these days ... not that I go anywhere much anymore)

Our public events and the Bransle on one friday a month are all very friendly. There ARE exclusionary groups but they tend to get chastised by Vicountess Amanda if they do it much. That's not a good thing at all.
(lionsgate.antir.sca.org)
however we're kind of a long ways away from you.

I've liked the Madrone folks in the past but haven't been to an event down south of the border in umm two years? three?

[dreamingcrow.livejournal.com]

Hell, I spent most of my time wishing I could go play with my friends up north, so this is SO true. :p

[silversunshadow.livejournal.com]

I was further south in An Tir than you are, but what little I did then, I always felt welcome/included. Maybe it's the barony?

[beki.livejournal.com]

Welcome to the Seattle Freeze :( IME Madrone has always been standoffish and cliquish. Mind you, this was back in the 'mid to late 80's. It's not something new.

My experience is to go, do your thing, have a good time, and suddenly folks will treat you like you have always been there.

[catmcroy.livejournal.com]

It is NOT endemic to AnTir. I do know people who don't play with their local groups and consider themselves members of different groups and luckily you have a lot of baronies and shires all real close by :D

That being said, all the bullshit that happened in Seagirt kind of turned me off the SCA for the time being. Maybe I'll go back in a year...