So this weekend is the beginnings of the Society for Creative Anachronism’s Gulf Wars, and I think I’m actually going to go. I had registered last year but it was cancelled, and this year we are giving it a go. My therapist thinks my social isolation is what is triggering the self sabotage I’m fighting with school and life in general. The SCA is a historical reenactment group that is worldwide, about 53 years old and had some pretty cool creators, including a number of science fiction and fantasy authors.
I’m only going for the two weekends though, I have school during the week, so I’m not missing class to run around in medieval clothing no matter how fun it can be. I’m hitting Walmart Friday for a supply of Diet Pepsi and snacks, I’m on the group food plan for main meals, so I don’t have to lug cooking stuff or food, I just have to help with the clean up on Saturday night.
The last time I went I wasn’t in school, so I took the whole event in, and took a lot of classes and really enjoyed them. I’m on a budget this year, so that might not be an option, but I can hang out with people and work on some chip carving to have something to do while everyone else is watching fighting or going to court. I might go to court, but I might not — as a Mongol Hordesman, we don’t really DO kingdom court unless we have to. My new friends frown on that, so I might go. But I don’t really want to.
I’m too broken to fight, but there are so many other things to do. Basically, if they did it in the past and it’s not immoral, overly dangerous or toxic (and not too gross) someone is doing it in the SCA. All kinds of artists, craftspersons, music, dance, and just “The Dream”— where you hit your groove at the event and the fantasy comes alive. Not to mention fencing, heavy and light weapon fighting, archery, axe throwing, knife throwing, catapault usage — it’s a fun time, but it’s not a Renne Faire. We don’t put on a performance and sites are generally closed to gawkers unless they pay the entry fee, but we don’t entertain or put on shows for outsiders at major events.
The exception to the no gawkers rule is an Arizona event where the lookie lous come out in force and expect us to entertain them, while they steal from merchants. I don’t go to that one anymore.
But yeah, going to be social with people I semi know for the first time in 2 years and scared shitless about it.
I probably will not be able to respond to comments as there’s no internet on the site so I’m not bringing my laptop, (I wrote this Wednesday) but I will be thinking of you all on Saturday night and hope you are all doing ok in these hellish times.