From elasait

1. You’ve spent a lot of time in Ealdormere. Compare it with Calontir.
I think the biggest difference is size. For example, Calontir, overall, is a better fighting kingdom. It’s not that there are not talented fighters like Nigel and Edouard and many others, but there’s at least half again as many fighters in Calontir so I think the talent pool is deeper. I’m guessing that fighters from kingdoms larger than Calontir view Calontir in the same way. The main difference culturally would be the power of households in the two kingdoms, and because of the smaller size the household differences in Ealdormere can be magnified. Also, they have a distinctly different bardic tradition that accepts more solo performances and accepts reading from a lyric sheet, but they sing as much if not more than we do.

2. Where would you travel if money and time were no object, and how long would you spend there?
Boy, that’s tough, there are so many choices. I would probably do a repeat of my England trip of a couple of summers ago, only with adding Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. As to how long, can I do it for the rest of my life, coming back for Lilies and Pennsic? 😉

3. What’s the best event you were ever at, and why?
Wow, lots of choices. Pennsic two years ago comes to mind when I got my Lily and so many Ealdormerati came to congratulate me. Another possibility might be my first Estrella when I truly realized I had found a home. The Siridean’s Breach Gulf Wars has some magical memories for me, as well as that following Pennsic when I was in company command. 25th Jubilee was also pretty cool, especially trying not to cry announcing the cup thing in court. However, of all of this, I would probably say that either the Lilies or Pennsic when I was champion was the best. It’s really hard to top that.

4. What is your favorite non-SCA-related pursuit?
Hmmm, probably my Diamond Mind baseball league. It’s sort of a fantasy league only wayyyy more complicated.

5. I should probably know this, but don’t. Do you have any siblings?
None that are human, but several feline ones.

To evil_fionn

1. If you weren’t able to finish your degree in your chosen subject area, what would you chose next?
Somewhere along the way I figured out that I’m a teacher, so I would get an education certificate. I’m pretty sure I was born to warp the youth of today and tomorrow 🙂

2. What do you consider your worst personality feature?
Whininess and laziness. I need to be much more of a go-getter to actually achieve all of the things I should. Part of this is overcoming my innate tendency to torpedo myself anytime I come close to achieving anything.

3. What is your best, in your opinion?
That’s hard for me to say, I think. I think my sense of humor is probably my best feature. I like that in nearly every picture of me I’m smiling.

4. Considering what a multi-talented individual you are, what peerage do you think would give you the most satisfaction in achieving, Laurel or Knight?
Hmmm, that’s tough. I would say that probably becoming a knight, because it will have been more work and more effort, not that becoming a Laurel would be easy.

5. What brings you the most joy in the SCA?
Helping people enjoy themselves in general, but in particular any time I can create a bit of medieval magic. Probably the best moment ever was thinking about Maerwynn giving out the cups at Gulf War. I didn’t do the work, but it was my idea and I arranged it and I have heard so many people talk about how much those cups meant to them.

Leave me a comment saying “Resistance is Futile.”

• I’ll respond by asking you five questions so I can satisfy my curiosity

• Update your journal with the answers to the questions

• Include this explanation in the post and offer to ask other people questions (I’ll also answer more, if asked)

These questions are from clairebearkl
1. What do you think is the biggest thing we’ll get out of the Staffordshire hoard?
Wow, what a question I should be prepared to answer but am not. I really haven’t looked at the hoard all that much yet from an academic perspective. Off the top of my head, I would answer however that I’m guessing we’ll get a much better understanding of the trade routes and production centers because it’s a major increase in the sample size of such artifacts. I think it will also continue to move along a current trend of not assuming immediately certain aspects about an object simply because of where it was found.

2. Someone asked me what drew me to Anglo-Saxons so I, in turn, shall ask you. What draws you to the Anglo-Saxons?
Tolkien and poetry and Maerwynn, essentially in that order. The Wanderer has been my favorite for a long long time.

3. What was one of your favorite things that happened in Calontir this year?
Wow, choices. The 25th Jubilee was an amazing thing, and I would say that, though I selfishly I have to admit that I am partial to the cup thing we did for Maerwynn and what she got to do at Gulf Wars.

4. What attracts you to heavy fighting?
I’ve always played sports, especially team sports. I didn’t get to play team sports much for a while before starting to fight, so it was a great opportunity to me. Also, I was often, despite the fact that I’ve never been slim or fast, the quarterback because I like controlling and leading a team so I have loved the leadership opportunities inherent in unit command.

5. What’s your favorite song to sing? (SCA or non-SCA)
To sing? Hmmm. I would say that my favorite one to perform is Faith’s Lessons Learned. My favorite performance piece is my Rose Poem, especially when Maerwynn is around, who helped me write the poem long before she thought she’d be queen. I’m starting to learn Kilkelly, because I’m wanting to do Irish sessions and that is an amazing song. Also, I’m really trying to learn Yew Tree for both SCA and sessions.