2003-09-09 - 10:05 a.m.
Bah! : )
Okay, let's scratch this morning and start over... I really did have a good time at the event. My American apprentice (and I'm missing my temporarily English one already) did extremely well in her first competition entry - for those of you who were there and I DIDN'T schmooze, hers was the beautiful green Elizabethan outfit. ...Just for you, Bryce: She got lower points on complexity because it wasn't a fancy outfit, just a middle-class one, even though all the decoration was hand-sewn, and all the finishing was done by hand. I pointed out that if she'd done something fancy, she'd have been docked points for authenticity. Well, *I* thought it was funny, in an ironic sort of way. We had a lovely set-up, and I went all out to provide a beautiful-looking lunch and table. Alas, we gave space to two people (who are perfectly nice otherwise) who had modern metal chairs, and left their plastic water bottle and discarded lunch skewers on my nice tablecloth, and piled modern things around their chairs, rather disrupting my nice period-looking display, but hey. Lead by example, and smile nicely, right? I must be a good girl. I got a lot of compliments on my hair, and so many people asked me about how it was done that I'm probably going to teach a class about it at an upcoming University. Yeah! Take that, Laura, you whiny thing, you! *snicker* I can't help it; I'm a walking mass of contradictions, and even *I* don't know what to do with myself sometimes. The girl I lost "best in show" to was a worthy opponent... (insert posing with rippling muscles here - I don't know why, but competitions always make me think of bodybuilders flexing.) ...and frankly, I'm wondering if we should poll for her. (If she hasn't been polled for already; I'm terrible with keeping track of things.) I *like* competitions and displays - competitions in particular, because they force people to put out their best effort. If more Laurels did it (if we got enough, we could do them in a separate section of the competition, so other people aren't discouraged), I think more people would be inspired to create things of their own. At the very least, you'd be able to scope out the Laurels to see who does what, how well they do it, and whether it would be worth asking them for lessons or an apprenticeship. A lot of newer people have no idea what we do, so it's a good way to let them know. That way, if they want to do something, they can check out what's gone before them without having to go through the nerve-wracking (for some people) process of *asking* (some people, me included, feel like we're bothering people when we ask about things - a display set out is a conversational starting point that makes it all easier). That was part of my soapbox speech to Francesca, by the way. She's so patient with me - she only giggled a few times. We evangelists can be heavy-going work, sometimes. : ) And I am thinking the best this month, remember? *knocks self on head* I should be thanking the person that told me they wanted to do a coif just like mine because that's a *huge* compliment. Other things to be thankful for/happy about: Someone I'm not really sure about came up and complimented me on my coat, and seemed much more genuine than I've seen them be in the past. I'm keeping an open mind. In general, people made a *real* effort with their furniture, clothes, and stuff this weekend. even the rapier fighters. Especially the rapier fighters - they looked really good on the side of the field, as well as on it. There was almost no fu and wa. People came and visited us all day, even though we were tucked in a corner. People asked us if they could sit with us. This is a huge compliment to us that they wanted to be there. I had chances to be a caregiver for people. My apprentice is cool. So very, very, cool. As is her husband. And their child, who is one of the cutest, best behaved kids I've ever known (one of the others would be little Grace). A A&S display that was pleasingly fun to look through. People are so talented. The fact that I was greeted with smiles everywhere I went. I'm not grateful enough for that, sometimes, and I forget that for every one person who might not care for me, there are fifty who do. Coming away from the event with ideas for two new classes to teach, and an article mostly written. Knowing deep in my soul that my husband is the best husband in the world, and that I would be utterly, utterly lost without him. I love you all. And I'm thinking positive. Everyone have a good day. UPDATED AGAIN: Gianetta, no, it wasn't you, and anyway, it's perfectly reasonable for that person to say such a thing - that coif is well known, and a lot of people like it - I got to it first, but I don't hold exclusive rights to it. I'd be happy to make you a copy of my documentation. Gorm, I actually wasn't in a bad mood Saturday, just a funky one. The combined stress of doctor screw-ups, the absence of Robert in the morning, the guilt over him staying behind to fix things for me, the general stress of entering a competition (and firmly telling myself it doesn't matter if I don't win, and not to be stupid), and the awareness all over again of how stressful it is to put your "baby" up to other people's scrutiny - I'll be even more mindful of that when I judge again - made me feel very outside myself, a feeling that carried over to Sunday and this morning.
When I *am* thinking truly evil thoughts, I go very deadpan, and wait until I'm in private to yell.
Usually. No-one's perfect. : P But thanks for thinking I looked relaxed.
Dorsal - Ventral
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