From: case1@husc.harvard.edu
Message-Id: <9404291731.AA03671@husc4.harvard.edu>
Subject: Response to newcomers 15 years ago (and now)
To: carolingia@bloom-beacon.mit.edu
Date: Fri, 29 Apr 1994 13:31:12 -0400 (EDT)
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What!!! Resistance to newcomers?  Why I can rememberas if it were yesterday
attending my first event (in a snowstorm), being introduced to the Baron, the
Seneschale, and Mistress Marion, not to mention others.  I can remember my
second event (reign of Bertrand and Allanda, they were there) being given the
help of the Deputy Pursuivant (Samuel ben-Isaac of Sarkel) who not only helped
me with name and device, but procured me the services of the best herald 
painter in Carolingia. After that, time somewhat blurs, except for my first
fighting practice, where Johan von Traubenberg said: "This is a light blow, 
this is a borderline blow, this is a killing bl...."  Where was the ostracism?

Today is much the same.  In some ways (answering the Barony's phone to be 
precise) I AM the voice of Carolingia, now.  I have also served five years
jointly with my Lady as the Magisterium.  I think I can safely say that 
newcomers (the term newbies, as far as I am concerned, has NOT yet been 
invented)are generally welcomed by us on the phone, by Stefan Skywatcher and 
his disciples, by the seneschal, by the Baron and Baroness, and by the general
populace with AT LEAST that degree of warmth and coutesy as the newcomer
demands.  Note the phrasing of that statement.  If you are a newcomer from
another area saying "This isn't how WE did this," or worse, "That's all wrong,"
I'll probably show you the door myself.  However, if you say "That's 
interesting, we did it differently, why do you do it that way?" you may be my
next nominee for sainthood.  And if you're a newcomer to the SCA, you'll get
all the help I have to give, even if you're just trying to line up acts for a
medieval theme bar-mitzvah.  And if I finally meet you in person afterspeaking
on the phone, HOOBAH!!

Many things change, but I do think, from my own unique (and being the answerewr
of one of the only two listings of The Society for Creative Anachronism I know
of it is fairly unique) I think Carolingia has, is and will continue to be a
group that will play with anybody as long as they play fair with us.

However, I still wonder what the rest of Johan's sentence was.

Taran of Windy Hill, CDS
who still doesn't know what sort of timer he is.