[SCA-BMDL] Niche events or "Why is Purim so popular?"

[Gretchen Beck]

--On Friday, March 02, 2007 9:57 AM -0500 "L.J. Rodriguez" 
<rufinasca at gmail.com> wrote:

>
> well, i wanted to come to purim because she'era was cooking and it would
> be new unique food, but i didn't get off my butt in time and i missed the
> pre-reg (never thinking it would be full!)
> maybe people come to these events because they are so specific that they
> sound like they will be small and intimate and some people prefer a small
> event to a big overwhelming thing like blackstone, icedragon, or
> warpractice.... people who like to spend time with people rather than
> doing many many things might be the ones who prefer these niche events OR
> maybe it's just niche events have fewer activities and so offer more time
> to relax?
>
> or, it could be that a niche event offers a chance to learn about
> something you don't know ANYTHING about and we are all knowledge
> sluts.... ;)

I think that last comment hits the nail right on the head. As we get older 
as a kingdom, many groups have fallen into the habit of offering 
"traditional events" -- non-theme events that offer the general market 
atmosphere. These events are like eating stew. Except for where you are 
eating it, one stew is pretty much like the other stews (there may be 
variations on the spices, and you one event may have white onions while the 
other has red onions), but they are still stew. You can love stew, stew can 
be your favorite dish, and the stew can be the best stew anybody ever made, 
but after a few years of stew, a niche event is like going out to a fancy 
resturant.

toodles, margaret