"just a stick-jock" RE: [SCA-AE] Re: ANNOUNCE: Royal Court Report: SecondCourtofChristopher and...

[KaziBrionSCA]

Alexancer was offended...

<<Sorry if  I sound snippy - but that statement really pushes my  buttons.

AcW>>

And then Patrikia was offended...

<<Your Excellency, I am sorry that your buttons were pushed, but really, did
you have to take out your personal issues and venom on me and by extension,
my husband? You certainly know us better than to think that we have some
kind of  problem with armourers. In fact, Mord is known as the chief
purveyor of research  to the many armouring laurels in the Southern Region
of the East Kingdom, as  well as being one of a very few knights who
received their laurel  for something other than armour in the East. Of
course, he also would never  attack someone like that for no reason. 
 
I'm really offended, and out of here for now.
 
Patrikia Maria Agrissa Sgourina>>


First of all let's all remember that e-mail is an imperfect communication
medium, as 90% of our in-person communication is, in fact, non-verbal.
Please step back and think "benefit of the doubt".  

Secondly, I understand both sentiments all too well.  Mistress Patrikia
perhaps didn't explain herself fully:  she knows that very few fighters are
"just stick-jocks".  Sir Alexander had an allergic reaction to a well-known
and rather annoying stereotypes of fighters as "just stick-jocks".  

I am not as experienced as either one of you, since I have been in the SCA
for only 18 to 20 years.  Please indulge me and let me share what little
insight I have about those stick-jocks.  Brion and I, with whom I fought
side by side until two years ago, have been often frustrated by being seen
as "just stick-jocks".  His activity in the bardic arts, translation and
rewriting of period texts, cooking, armoring, embroidery, leatherwork, wire
weaving and a few other little things has been overlooked for the better
part of two decades, only because he is a darn good fighter.  When I fought,
admittedly I bought into the "I am a dedicated fighter" mentality, trying to
make up for the fact that I am a woman.  However, my activities in horn
carving, C&I, sewing, embroidery and bardic arts and a few other little
things have been generally ignored until I *stopped* fighting.  Interesting
coincidence, that.

Let me also point out that as a fencer I am more or less expected to be
involved in the arts, but as a fighter people were always a bit surprised
that I was.  Why are fencers regarded as more artistic than fighters?  A
beginner fencer wants to know...

If we look around ourselves, we will find that there are very few
"stickjocks" around.  Sure, some fighters are in the SCA for fighting alone,
but even they, after a year or two, get involved in other aspect of our fine
activities.  Sometimes people say "I am just a stick-jock".  That's a way of
expressing that fighting means the world to them and they probably wouldn't
be in the SCA without it, and also that they don't think they are all that
accomplished in their other areas of endeavor.  Some may also introduce
themselves in this manner because they are defensive about a well-known
stereotype.  Some may say it in sarcasm, because they know that the
stereotype is just a caricature.  Their attitude matures along with the
length of their involvement.

So can we take a deep breath, agree that neither Sir Alexander nor Sir Mord
are mere stick-jocks, and that they would be regarded as fine scholars even
if they didn't fight?  
(said with a smile, ready to duck-and-run :-)

With best regards to all,

Kazi