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gwendolyngrace) wrote2009-03-22 10:18 am
gwendolyngrace) wrote2009-03-22 10:18 am
Home from War
I missed the second-to-last train out of South Station because I had to take the lift with both bags. But I caught the *very last* train and made it to Harvard Square. I'm glad I had already planned to take a cab from there because the buses had stopped running (I think, anyway).
Collapsed about 1:00 AM. Woke up about 9:30. Starting to catch up on emails and LJ, gah. (Monica where's that shortcut you mentioned? I have filters but - flail.)
Gulf Wars was fun. In some ways more fun than last time; in others not so much. Very little "alone time" with Joel - none really apart from one rather pleasant stroll around at night. I was a stress puppy the first night (for no good reason!) and couldn't sleep at all. Tried to nap unsuccessfully the next day and gave up, to finally crash Monday night.
Not enough bardic-ing, which was a problem last time, but! Better Bardic-ing of the stuff that was done, because I am a Kool Kid there now, hee. I have them all fooled. Much discussion of CD recording and where and how to pull it together. Yes, I need to master. Oy. Okay. Fall project. Really. And Garraed was there, which neither of us expected to see each other - unfortunately I failed to find everyone Wednesday after being with my peeps in the earlier evening, and so we didn't get to hang as much as I'd have liked. Got to see pics of the new house (YAY) and already wondering when I can fabricate an excuse to visit (Um... House warming Kitchen Sink Party?)
Gulf Wars is still much more low-key than Pennsic, but in its way more difficult to navigate. Both times I've been there, I've been heading up the retinue, and since we usually have a small contingent, that means lots of shifts. Certainly I don't mind in the slightest - it's the primary reason I've gone, both times - but they play a little different down there and it takes some adjusting. The plans for Opening Ceremonies must have changed about 5 times between the original posted schedule and the final arrangement. Communications about things like party themes and even where to find the parties is a little slipshod, so we were forever a bit unprepared. (For example, we all *HAD* stuff for the "Come as your favourite Goth" party, but we thought it was Friday, not Wednesday. So we walked over all pretty and Medieval and saw a sea of black. Damn.) Similarly, I heard that the place to be on Thursday would be Ansteorra, but really that had been Wednesday. Whoops.
Some of their pageantry is wicked cool, and some of it misses the mark - mainly in the way it's executed, I think, but some could be conceptual. Two years ago, the Royalty Reception didn't really work. Royals could bring two retainers - that time it was me and Don - and the food was set up in a single buffet in the middle of the hall, with tables around the outside (for laying gifts) and chairs in front of the tables. It didn't create conversation areas and anyone going to the table for food felt like he was running a gauntlet. VERY stilted. This year, they 'fixed' the problem by having a separate area outside (under a modern pavilion) with food for the retainers. We were told we could go inside for our drinks, but this was a little awkward. You felt as if you had to duck in, get something quickly, and duck out. I can't speak to what was going on inside, but I gather that the entertainment was more theatre than background.
Possible solutions would include: move the reception earlier in the week, say the night of Opening Ceremonies; make it more about meeting and greeting the other royalty; if you're going to keep it royals only inside, then a. have about 4-6 staff who serve them while there and b; make sure that the retainers' space is not lit by a single candle and consists of one tray of grapes and a platter of kebabs; make any entertainment either background music or, if there is a focused performance, keep it meaningful and short.
Well, one advantage of missing the bardic activity is that I still had a voice on Friday, when we instituted what appears to be the first of annual "Bardic Press Gang" performances at the Green Dragon. Very cool concept - Ken's face lit up when he saw me Monday night and immediately he said, "Friday night, here, we're getting the really fab bards together to perform, invitation only. Are you in?" (Which was made funnier by the fact that a friend of Illadore's told her he "wasn't sure" I'd be allowed to perform when she told him I would be part of the concert. Uh-huh.)
I do love that there's a ready-made venue for bards on site, though it's less suited to some types of music than others. Being a tavern, with a performing space *above*, it's a little hard to connect to the audience, and certainly it's hard to set a mood for pieces that aren't all rollicking or humourous. But that's okay - it meant there was a little more singing backup and a little less singing some of my hits of a more tearful nature. And there was, again, much discussion of when and how to produce my CD. (Fall project.)
I bought myself a shiny hat. It's teh pretteh.
I'm waffling about going to Ice Dragon. More than half of what I brought (and I brought too much!) went back with the boys in the truck, and I'd like to get it back *before* Coronation. Also, I know they're having trouble finding judges and I could help out - and I'm feeling an obligation as Clerk of the Fleur to get out and partake of our artisans' work to get more familiar with it. OTOH, long drive. (New CDs, though, to take along....)
I'm sure everyone who posts about GW will have a lot to say about Josie, packing dirty elephants and other toddler pronouncements, and I'm no exception. She really is the cutest cherub EVAR OMG, hours of entertainment and scary-smart. Possibly even smarter than I was (although my dad assures me this cannot be so). I will confine my Josie-tales here to one, because this post is getting long.
I wore boy-garb on Friday and my coif blew off in the yard while chasing the child. I didn't notice it until inside the cabin getting ready to go back out. After coming up empty inside, I borrowed Josie's coif (because yes, it FITS, my head is that small). (I did find the coif later - but that't not important.) I asked her whose coif I was wearing: "Brandubh." No, Josie's coif! I told her. Who's wearing Josie's coif? "Brandubh." What? Who am I? "Brandubh." I took off the coif. Who am I? "Gwendolyn." Coif on: "Brandubh." Coif off: "Gwen." About three times. Interestingly, there was no similar confusion over Erin in boy garb. She's still Erin.
LMAO.
So that's one of what I know will be many Josie-stories to come. For now, suffice to say: I feel an urge to watch "Finding Nemo" (her favourite movie currently) and also, I know that for the foreseeable future, I shall occasionally find myself signifying my desires per the following construction: "Diet Coke, okay!" or "Cereal, okay." (The proper inflection here, is to use "okay" as the operative substitute for "Please" and/or "Now" - half-demand, half-request.)
Yeah. She rules our world. I'm okay with that.
Collapsed about 1:00 AM. Woke up about 9:30. Starting to catch up on emails and LJ, gah. (Monica where's that shortcut you mentioned? I have filters but - flail.)
Gulf Wars was fun. In some ways more fun than last time; in others not so much. Very little "alone time" with Joel - none really apart from one rather pleasant stroll around at night. I was a stress puppy the first night (for no good reason!) and couldn't sleep at all. Tried to nap unsuccessfully the next day and gave up, to finally crash Monday night.
Not enough bardic-ing, which was a problem last time, but! Better Bardic-ing of the stuff that was done, because I am a Kool Kid there now, hee. I have them all fooled. Much discussion of CD recording and where and how to pull it together. Yes, I need to master. Oy. Okay. Fall project. Really. And Garraed was there, which neither of us expected to see each other - unfortunately I failed to find everyone Wednesday after being with my peeps in the earlier evening, and so we didn't get to hang as much as I'd have liked. Got to see pics of the new house (YAY) and already wondering when I can fabricate an excuse to visit (Um... House warming Kitchen Sink Party?)
Gulf Wars is still much more low-key than Pennsic, but in its way more difficult to navigate. Both times I've been there, I've been heading up the retinue, and since we usually have a small contingent, that means lots of shifts. Certainly I don't mind in the slightest - it's the primary reason I've gone, both times - but they play a little different down there and it takes some adjusting. The plans for Opening Ceremonies must have changed about 5 times between the original posted schedule and the final arrangement. Communications about things like party themes and even where to find the parties is a little slipshod, so we were forever a bit unprepared. (For example, we all *HAD* stuff for the "Come as your favourite Goth" party, but we thought it was Friday, not Wednesday. So we walked over all pretty and Medieval and saw a sea of black. Damn.) Similarly, I heard that the place to be on Thursday would be Ansteorra, but really that had been Wednesday. Whoops.
Some of their pageantry is wicked cool, and some of it misses the mark - mainly in the way it's executed, I think, but some could be conceptual. Two years ago, the Royalty Reception didn't really work. Royals could bring two retainers - that time it was me and Don - and the food was set up in a single buffet in the middle of the hall, with tables around the outside (for laying gifts) and chairs in front of the tables. It didn't create conversation areas and anyone going to the table for food felt like he was running a gauntlet. VERY stilted. This year, they 'fixed' the problem by having a separate area outside (under a modern pavilion) with food for the retainers. We were told we could go inside for our drinks, but this was a little awkward. You felt as if you had to duck in, get something quickly, and duck out. I can't speak to what was going on inside, but I gather that the entertainment was more theatre than background.
Possible solutions would include: move the reception earlier in the week, say the night of Opening Ceremonies; make it more about meeting and greeting the other royalty; if you're going to keep it royals only inside, then a. have about 4-6 staff who serve them while there and b; make sure that the retainers' space is not lit by a single candle and consists of one tray of grapes and a platter of kebabs; make any entertainment either background music or, if there is a focused performance, keep it meaningful and short.
Well, one advantage of missing the bardic activity is that I still had a voice on Friday, when we instituted what appears to be the first of annual "Bardic Press Gang" performances at the Green Dragon. Very cool concept - Ken's face lit up when he saw me Monday night and immediately he said, "Friday night, here, we're getting the really fab bards together to perform, invitation only. Are you in?" (Which was made funnier by the fact that a friend of Illadore's told her he "wasn't sure" I'd be allowed to perform when she told him I would be part of the concert. Uh-huh.)
I do love that there's a ready-made venue for bards on site, though it's less suited to some types of music than others. Being a tavern, with a performing space *above*, it's a little hard to connect to the audience, and certainly it's hard to set a mood for pieces that aren't all rollicking or humourous. But that's okay - it meant there was a little more singing backup and a little less singing some of my hits of a more tearful nature. And there was, again, much discussion of when and how to produce my CD. (Fall project.)
I bought myself a shiny hat. It's teh pretteh.
I'm waffling about going to Ice Dragon. More than half of what I brought (and I brought too much!) went back with the boys in the truck, and I'd like to get it back *before* Coronation. Also, I know they're having trouble finding judges and I could help out - and I'm feeling an obligation as Clerk of the Fleur to get out and partake of our artisans' work to get more familiar with it. OTOH, long drive. (New CDs, though, to take along....)
I'm sure everyone who posts about GW will have a lot to say about Josie, packing dirty elephants and other toddler pronouncements, and I'm no exception. She really is the cutest cherub EVAR OMG, hours of entertainment and scary-smart. Possibly even smarter than I was (although my dad assures me this cannot be so). I will confine my Josie-tales here to one, because this post is getting long.
I wore boy-garb on Friday and my coif blew off in the yard while chasing the child. I didn't notice it until inside the cabin getting ready to go back out. After coming up empty inside, I borrowed Josie's coif (because yes, it FITS, my head is that small). (I did find the coif later - but that't not important.) I asked her whose coif I was wearing: "Brandubh." No, Josie's coif! I told her. Who's wearing Josie's coif? "Brandubh." What? Who am I? "Brandubh." I took off the coif. Who am I? "Gwendolyn." Coif on: "Brandubh." Coif off: "Gwen." About three times. Interestingly, there was no similar confusion over Erin in boy garb. She's still Erin.
LMAO.
So that's one of what I know will be many Josie-stories to come. For now, suffice to say: I feel an urge to watch "Finding Nemo" (her favourite movie currently) and also, I know that for the foreseeable future, I shall occasionally find myself signifying my desires per the following construction: "Diet Coke, okay!" or "Cereal, okay." (The proper inflection here, is to use "okay" as the operative substitute for "Please" and/or "Now" - half-demand, half-request.)
Yeah. She rules our world. I'm okay with that.