My Pennsic 2004 Diary Week 2

A novice bard goes to Pennsic

This is the second week of my Pennsic diary for 2004. Click here to return to the first week.

The days on this page:

Monday, August 16

949.53 +
3.00: breakfast
1.43: mailed postcards
13.00: shopping (t-shirt for Jeff)
25.00: Wolgemut CDs
4.00: cobbler
6.00: supper
3.50: smoothie
3.00: Wolgemut concert
= 1008.46

11 am

I now have my two rings on a cord that I wear proudly as a necklace. I've shown them to at least 5 people already. Some more random "wow, this is cool" moments from the circle last night:

Wolgemut performs tonight, at 6 I believe, but possibly at 9. Afterwards, there are at least 4 circles I want to go to. I suppose I'll decide later.

I changed my sheets this morning and added another blanket to the bed. Yes, despite all the layers, my feet still get cold. The cold doesn't bother me as much as the dampness. Ah well. At least I'm far more comfortable than last year.

Speaking of comfortable, I love my pants! I bought 3 pairs of very light, 3/4 length white cotton pajama pants. They are wonderful! Everyone who loves not chafing, say aye: aye!

All the shopping I have left to do is get a gift for Ian (probably a chalice) and to fix my basket, which I'll do now. Oh, and more CDs. (I only have 19!) *grin*

About 5:30 pm

Much singing today. About an hour at Casa Bardicci to a small but very receptive audience of Bardiccis. Incidentally, I (finally) got my entrance token to the Hoity Toity party on Thursday. I also spent the afternoon at an impromptu mini-bardic at Eoforwic with William the Younger, Unnr, Henry, and others. Much fun was had, but sadly Henry must leave tomorrow for Mundania. He will be missed.

I'm now waiting for the Wolgemut concert to start. As of 2 pm, they still didn't have their loud instruments, but I'm sure it will be fun anyway. Afterwards, probably Enchanted Ground.

12:40 am

Wolgemut was fantastic as always, despite a lack of loud instruments. My favorites were the first one they did, with very improvised instruments, and the "original for the SCA" number, performed on heavy combat armor. (Yes, they dressed a guy in heavy armor and proceeded to play music using the armor as instruments.)

I caught the end of the Bardic Forum. Very nice people, but I'm getting a little frustrated with the false modesty. People, you're good, just admit it and move on!

Went to the Enchanted Ground for about three hours. Wonderful but tiring -- Cariadoc has a very soothing storytelling voice, that is almost hypnotic combined with a campfire.

The real question I must ask myself is: what do I want from my bardic? just fun? authenticity? a laurel? the three (or more) paths are quite different, I think, though not mutually exclusively.

I saw Henry one last time the -- he shall be missed.

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Tuesday, August 17

  • 1008.46 +
    3.00: breakfast
    5.00: lunch
    2.00 Pennsic Independent (today and yesterday)
    20.00: goblet for Ian
    3.00: cookies
    5.00: supper
    7.00: smoothies
    = 1053.46

    9:45 am

    Some reflections on what makes Pennsic different from Mundania:

    • no beggars / homeless people
    • no one goes hungry

    ... if only the real world was the same way.

    Late afternoon

    Where to start? Today's activities so far:

    • last of the shopping done, with about $150 of burn money left over
    • checked out the MDA silent auction. Nice stuff, and cheap! Definitely something to put up on the web site! I bid on 5 things. I'll check again tomorrow.
    • saw the A&S exhibition. Jaw, meet floor. So stunning! I was in complete awe.
    • impromptu bardic jam session with Lorelai, another food court busker-bard. Turns out she has many songs I want, and (more surprisingly) vice-versa. Lots of fun. Hopefully we'll do another one before the end of War.
    • A lady of Gypsy Peddler told me she'll do my hair with Italian braids for the Bardicci party. Total cost about $30. I may indeed take her up on it.
    • spoke to Mistress Nicolaa about UofT. She gave me lots of great advice and some names of people to contact.
    • actually saw A and L this morning. Yay!
    • Fiona's concert is tonight. I'll probably go to that. Afterwards, there are some cool-sounding bardic circles that I may go to. I'm not sure yet.

    I'm over 3/4 through my notebook! Eep! I'll have to start writing on the other sides of pages soon.

    1:30 am

    Tonight was a "Pennsic Moment": sitting by the fire at the Mountain Freehold camp. Bards sang and told tales, but it was relaxed, among friends, with no pressure. People sang (or spoke) seemingly at random, but it all flowed together. The songs ranged from patriotic and bold (The Boreal Army Muster, for example), to slow and sad (Mingulay Boat Song, Maid on the Shore), with a few comedic stories and songs thrown in for good measure (Wagner's opera in a participative story by Chiara). It was fun, relaxing... wonderful.

    Incidentally, Chiara wrote the Boreal Army Muster (brilliant, really) and I have (perhaps foolishly) offered to sing it at the head of a Boreal contingent to the battle. Unfortunately, I also promised to meet someone at 11 am tomorrow... Conrad will understand. I can always to it Thursday. Tomorrow Mountain Freehold is having a pancake breakfast, so I'll talk to him then.

    Incidentally, Fiana's concert is not in fact Mistress Fiana but the group Fiana... I didn't go to the concert.

    After tonight's bardic circle and bardic forum, I'm revising my list of types of bardic circles to 4:

    1. pure period (Enchanted Ground) => often serious and focused
    2. "high bardic" (Brion, club Aed) => serious (usually), focus is on skill and quality
    3. "relaxed bardic" (Mountain freehold) => serious or not, focus is on camaraderie, not necessarily skill (though many skilled people perform)
    4. "low bardic" (Bog) => fun, relaxed, focus on having a good time and drinking

    They all have advantages and disadvantages, and their own time. However, in general the people who attend different types tend to be different people. There is, of course, crossover. Anyway. Just more rambling from a newbie bard.

    D gets his AoA tomorrow. Yay D! It's long overdue!

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    Wednesday, August 18

    1053.46 +
    2.00: Pennsic Independent
    6.00: lunch
    2.00: Italian ice
    15.00: CD
    3.00: cookie
    42.40: sheepskin
    6.00: supper
    30.00: mask
    3.00: dragon's eye
    = 1162.86

    Classes today: Latin Mottoes

    About 6 pm

    I saw a procession of wailing women today carrying their "dead" relation home on a cart. It was very funny, and definitely something you'll only see at Pennsic.

    Other notable things:

    • this morning was a pancake breakfast at Mountain Freehold. Thank you, Chiara!
    • I bought a sheepskin to use on the floor next to my bed. It's big, incredibly soft, and was only $40. Yay!

    Things I still want to do this war if possible:

    • sing for my supper at Bard's Haven
    • check out the classic swimming hold
    • more classes!

    D and I have gotten lax about making breakfasts. We still have food left from our first shopping run, a fact that astonishes me. I attribute this to neither of us really wanted to be in camp, or to do dishes. So we tend to only use the very portable things, and anything requiring even the semblance of work (bread and cheese, for God's sake) we don't eat. This is probably bad of us, but I don't care.

    I don't actually know where D is. I'm at camp, and I thought he said he'd be coming here, but I may have misheard. I'm not very coherent in the mornings.

    I thought of a friend at home for the first time all War, except for the "I need to get him a gift" thoughts. I actually wanted him to tell him things and share things with him. This is probably a sign my vacation is almost over -- I'm starting to think of home. [cries] I don't want Pennsic to be almost over! There's so much I still want to do!

    A is back. Just had a conversation with her. She's looking at the Guide to Bad Garb book. (6:30 now) D still isn't back at camp.

    I just counted and I've got about 35 songs I want to learn when I get home. Yay more songs!

    Also, I'm up to about $1120-ish so far. Add dinner tonight, and that's $1130. Add food costs for the next 3 1/2 days, and that's about $1230-ish. Which means I've got something like $50 or $75 left of spending money -- enough to get my hair done for the Bardicci party tomorrow. I'll probably do that then. [note: it rained the next day, so I didn't actually get my hair done, because it would immediately get messed up]

    Court is in an hour and a half. I've been in this strange tension for a while, because while I don't think I'm getting my Troubadour, and I certainly don't think I deserve it yet, there's still a very small part of me that's wishing I would. It's the same part of me that's taking almost certainly innocent comments and obsessing over them. I know I always say that, in the end, I'm not in the SCA for awards. I don't do anything to get an award. I certainly don't do bardic in the hopes of getting an award.... but it would kind of be nice. Actually, what I really want is recognition. I want people around a campfire to ask me to sing, instead of my imposing myself on them. I guess if I keep doing it long enough, I'll eventually get recognized. The reactions I've gotten to my songs have been good so far, which is nice. I don't know. I just wish I knew. I will soon, I guess. [note: I didn't get it. I don't mind at all. It was a relief, actually.]

    12:40 am

    One word for this evening: long. Court was very draining. It rained (and is still). I think I'm PMSing. Sigh.

    On the other hand:

    1. I bought a mask for the Bardicci party. Yay! I'll probably use it for LARPing at home.
    2. The sheepskin is really nice. So soft!

    I'm tired and going to bed now. 'Night.

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    Thursday, August 19

    1162.86 +
    15.00: lunch (D and I)
    0.75: Pennsic Independent
    = 1178.61

    Classes today:

    About 2 pm

    I hate rain, and I hate PMS. Obnoxious things that have happened so far today:

    • woke up to discover water in my tent (thankfully, nothing was damaged, but my new sheepskin is wet)
    • my shoes should be renamed "mud puddles"
    • I'm PMSing
    • in about an hour, a storm will be coming with 50 mph winds. I'm not at camp because, really, there's not much I can do that I haven't done already.
    • I didn't have my hood during the downpour. It was at Freya's. So, now that I have it, my shoulders and torso are already wet.

    I don't know about the Bardicci party. I was so ready to go with my red dress, my hair up, and my brand new mask. But it's muddy, and I'm feeling "blah". I don't really want to do anything, truth be told. I'm listening to the bardic exhibition now. I haven't decided whether I want to perform yet (yes, this is rare for me). On the upside, it's dry here, and there are lots of chairs.

    I feel really drained. Sigh.

    5 pm

    Okay, bardic has revitalized me. I performed my "Not at Pennsic Blues" -- it went over very well. I am happy. The fact that it has stopped raining (for now) and the storm never came is also good. And I got cookies. Yay! I'm now up to going to the Bardicci party, though I still haven't decided whether to get my hair done. [note: I didn't get it done. In the rain, it was too much of a hassle.]

    11:35 pm

    Despite the early night, I'm really, really tired. My shoes were filled with mud all day. I've cleaned them (and my feet) as best I could, but it looks like I'll have drenched, muddy shoes tomorrow. Then again, it's supposed to rain all day tomorrow, too. I may just curl up and stay in my tent all day.

    On the other hand, the small puddles in my tent have continued. My sheepskin is soaked -- Murphy's Law, I suppose. On the upside, my new air mattress is really good. I haven't needed to refill it in over 5 days. Yay!

    I had dinner at Eoforwic (Unnr and Charles camp up to the camp to help me into my red dress). Eventually I went to Bardicci. Despite my more appropriate garb and mask, I didn't really enjoy myself. My dress was muddy, I had to carry my huge basket, I was tired... I left before 11 pm.

    That's it, really.

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    Friday, August 20

    1178.61 +
    5.00: lunch
    6.00: cobbler and drink
    4.00: dragon's eye (mark 2)
    = 1193.61

    Classes today: The Sonnet

    12:45 pm

    I'm still at camp. It's been a lazy morning. A made pancakes -- yay! Otherwise, I've done some preliminary packing, set up a clothes line and hung out the wettest of my clothes (hood, red dress, sheepskin), and that's about it, really. I don't really want to go out because my shoes are still muddy and disgusting. I could wear other shoes, I suppose, but I don't really have anything other than my running shoes, and I want to keep them dry for the drive back. My feet have orange crisscrosses on them from the wet leather stains. It's kind of pretty, in a strange Pennsic way.

    I'll probably go out tonight. There's a bardic circle at Aethlemark, I think. Also, I want one of today's Pennsic Independents. Otherwise, I'm perfectly content to be lazy today. Yes, I'd rather be lazy around downtown Pennsic, and once I'm done writing this I'll probably try to wash my shoes and head out, but I'm still enjoying being lazy. I hope the weather stays nice tomorrow so my tent is dry when I pack up. Fingers crossed!

    I can't believe I've completely finished this book. I'm going to have to start writing on the other sides of the pages. But 200 pages! In less than two weeks! Crazy!

    4 pm, back at camp

    The weather forecasters say there's a storm coming, so I'm back at camp. I've taken in what I can, and have stuff ready to take in if it starts raining. I've got stuff up on the clothesline that will have to come in fast, and there are camp chairs etc. that also will need to come in. So this is where I am for a bit.

    Bad news on the auction -- apparently I didn't come by fast enough, so anything I may have won got auctioned off already. Sigh. That's kind of the day I've been having. I scraped my wrist closing up a table, too.

    Good things:

    • found a gem to use as a Dragon's Eye (an award we're gifting to our incipient barony). It was only $4, but hey, it's the thought that counts.
    • listened to Michael and Lorelai for probably the last time this War
    • took my last class of the war

    Everyone is either leaving or preparing to leave. Many people left yesterday. The weather is supposed to be rainy tonight and tomorrow, but nice on Sunday. I just hope my tent is dry when we take it down -- I really don't want to set up again in Monday. Leave it to Mother Nature to be nice most of War and rain the last three days. Just like last year. Sigh. Maybe it's me. If it's nice at War next year and I'm not there, I shall be annoyed.

    4:18 pm

    It's raining. I've taken in everything I could, with D's help. My tent is much fuller now. I just hope it doesn't leak too much. I guess I'll do some reading or something. I really don't feel like facing the rain again, especially after (finally) cleaning my shoes and packing my dry, clean tunics under all the dirty ones. Sigh.

    11 pm

    Still raining. I've been at camp since 4 pm. I took a nap, chatted with Alix and Lothaire, graciously accepted their offer of dinner (thank you!). My tent is still leaking. A lot. Some on my bed. Thankfully nothing on my pillow. I hope this stops soon. I'm cold, damp, and really not enjoying myself.

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    Saturday, August 21

    1193.61 +
    1.00: Pennsic Independent
    7.00 breakfast
    5.00: shopping (books from Claus)
    3.00: donation
    13.00: lunch (D and I)
    5.00: supper (D and I)
    = 1227.61

    1:30 am

    Today was a long, long day. D and I had promised Freya we would help her pack up. Well, after a hectic morning where Bob (Freya's van) wouldn't start, we finally began packing up somewhere between noon and one o'clock. We didn't finish until 8:30 pm, even with 4 or 5 of us working continually. I still think Freya is crazy to bring so much (almost) every weekend. I was also annoyed at Freya's campmates for not being there to pack up the kitchen tent. By the time we saw Freya and Tigger off, D and I were both tired and cranky. The fact that we'd had to come up to camp 4 times today didn't help. I called mom to check something with her, and then D and I went off to get food - a challenge in itself. We finally bought stuff at the Cooper store.

    After an unsatisfying bardic circle at Trimeris Royal (but good corn on the cob) we went up to Morgana's camp for a final bardic among familiar faces. Lucia gave me a bead - something to add to my ring necklace. Yay! It's strange to think that last week I'd never heard of Morgana, Michael Alewright (or Michael Kelly), Brion, Mr, or any of the others I now consider friends -- Pennsic does that, I guess. It's part of the magic.

    I will miss the stars when I get home. Tonight is beautifully clear -- thousands of stars. I will miss them.

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    Sunday, August 22

    1227.61 +
    19.16: gas
    9.84: lunch (D and I)
    6.40: toll
    11.78: supper (D and I)
    50.00: hotel
    2.81: snack (D and I)
    = 1327.60

    8:25 pm

    Where to start? Last night was incredibly cold. Of course, as per Murphy's law, I had already packed all my wool socks. I wound up sleeping in the fetal position all night, but at least I did sleep.

    This morning dawned clear, cold, and foggy. Watching the sun hit the morning mist through the trees in the forest was ethereal... beautiful. Just a last reminder of Pennsic magic for the road.

    We finally finished packing at about 12:30. It was frustrating experience, with both D and I snappish and tired. D's ankles and knees were hurting, and I keep getting frustrated at him for taking too long. Suffice to say, I'm glad it's over. I wound up throwing out my tarp, because I didn't want the aggravation of drying and airing out a 10 x 20 tarp in my backyard. The next time I go to Pennsic, I'll just get another one. I'll have to set up my tent at home in any case -- the bottom is completely soaked. In the end, though, we got everything into the car in about a half hour, and it all fit beautifully.

    After lunch in Butler, we hit the highway at about 1:30. We've been listening to my new CDs all day. Some songs are actually really funny, but after 6 hours, I was getting fairly tired of vocals with guitar accompaniment.

    Which brings us to now. I'm sitting in a hotel room in Brewerton, NY (noticing a trend in place-names here?). Again, CAA was my friend: got a $10 discount or so off the room rate. I'm in a stuffed armchair. I've had fast food twice today (3 times if you count a snack). I've paid for the gas and D's meals, he chipped in $40 for the hotel room. He has no cash left, only traveler's checks. I'll recommend he changes them tomorrow before we leave. Other things about this hotel room:

    • I don't know what the weather is outside
    • I can't hear my neighbours cursing at their kids (yes, they did -- all War long)
    • there is lighting after dark that doesn't come from a flashlight, lantern, or tikis
    • hot water! (haven't actually showered yet, I'm letting D go first)

    These are all things I will have reacquaint myself with. I'm going through reverse culture-shock. I nearly called the woman at reception "m'lady". She thought it was funny when I told her.

    I'm in mundane clothes. Putting on jeans was obnoxious, and I'm going to have to get used to wearing running shoes again. The bites on my feet hurt -- I've got 4 or 5 per foot. I suspect they're spider bites, but I'm not 100% sure. It would be my luck, though: no mosquito bites, but 10 spider bites.

    I realize I haven't been on the computer for 2 weeks. Knowing me, it will be one of the first things I check when I get home, but hey, I'm addicted. At least I went through the two week withdrawal period.

    I don't want to turn on the TV. That, I think, will be the last sign Pennsic is over -- the ever-p[resent, blaring TV. Maybe I'll write poetry or something instead.

    This Pennsic has been different from the last in a number of ways:

    • camp was vastly different, which made the whole flavour of War different
    • I had a purpose: bardic. Consequently, I was able to put my precious little time to productive use.
    • I met a lot more people. Especially important to me are the Pennsic Bards (Michael Alewright et al.) and the Eoforwicians (potentially my future home). Even though I only met them this week, I now think of many of them as friends. Many even live close enough that I'll probably see them at events.
    • I spent about as much money shopping this year as last year, but must less on knickknacks and trivialities. I got many presents and some big things for myself (wench garb, sheepskin, banner stand, CDs, etc.) I think I did better shopping this year, knowing both what I wanted and where I could get it.
    • I took many less classes this year (except when it was raining). Seeing people was often more important.

    Another note: it was really nice to do bardic with other bards. It was especially nice to be recognized as having some skill. Thank you to everyone who let me sing at you!

    It seems my offering to the gods (1 1/2 cookies yesterday for 36 hours of good weather) has worked. We packed up with no problems and today has been clear all day. Now, I don't take credit for the whole thing, but at least my little part helped.

    Incidentally: spider bites, almost certainly. You can almost see the path it walked on my foot, biting as it went. And nowhere else on my body is bitten at all. For some reason, I almost always get spider bites (when I get them) on my feet. I've counted 10 so far on my right foot (ie: the driving foot). This makes driving unpleasant at best. Wait -- make that 13. Sigh. When do they get a chance to eat so much?!? Are my feet a buffet?!? Sigh. Just grin and bear it, I suppose. At least they're not on the bottoms of my feet. Thanks for small favours. Maybe this is what I get for trying to influence the gods.

    I don't know what to write right now. Pennsic is over. I have songs to learn, people to correspond with, journal entries to type, and loads of gear to unpack. I'm looking forward to seeing my family and friends, sleeping in my own bed... but I still somehow wish Pennsic weren't over. It's a truly magical place where you can share a Dream with 13,000 friends.

    10 pm

    Just had a shower. Mmm... I feel almost human. I haven't got all the dirt off my feet, but I've made a good start. I was singing in the shower -- mostly songs to which I only know half the lyrics. Frustrating. I'll just have to learn the words.

    Things I wanted to do this War but didn't:

    • go to the classic swimming hole
    • sing for my supper at Bard's Haven
    • buy the perfect gift for Ian (bought many imperfect gifts, but that's different)
    • find out more about yurts
    • learn tablet weaving or buy a loom to teach myself
    • more classes!
    • lead the Boreal Army into battle with Chiara's song

    But, all in all, I did pretty much everything I really wanted. I realized, though, that it is probably impossible to do everything I want at Pennsic -- it's just too big. It's like the old adage: "You can't have everything you want, but you can have anything you want." Pennsic is like that, too.

    I'm slowly shifting back into mundane mindset. I'm thinking about GREs and grad school, about this semester's workload, about unpacking and settling into daily life, about my friends and gaming. (Incidentally: I saw people playing Magic: the Gathering at Pennsic. C'mon, people! Look around you! You're living in a place as close to Magic as you're going to find! Enjoy it!) Mundania reappears in my thoughts. I wish I could keep it at bay, at least until tomorrow, but I know I can't, now that I've started. It was a good two-week hiatus, though.

    It's only 10, but there's not much to do. Neither D nor I want the TV on, and I've said most of what's been on my mind today. I may just go to sleep early. (10 hours of sleep? Crazy!) I'm bored -- a sure sign Pennsic is over (or, this year, raining. But now it's over, not raining. I can't even pretend now, in my hotel room.)

    G'night, or something. See you next year.

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