[SCA-BMDL] courtesy

[Monica Cellio]

This is an SCA mailing list, so I assume the proper scope of this
discussion is SCA activities only.

This is not a yes/no question.  It depends on context, the type and degree
of participation expected from the would-be crafter, the senses required
by the craft in question, and the degree of invasiveness.

A barony meeting is about disseminating, not usually discussing,
information.  An attendee is doing the aural equivalent of skimming.  Five
minutes in the next hour will matter to you, but you don't know which
five.  I don't see anything wrong with parallel-processing in that
context.

If we are talking about something more interactive, I think anything you
can still do entirely on auto-pilot would still be ok but anything that
requires you to look or think would not.  I'm told that certain types of
knitting and crocheting can be done blind; on the other hand, something
like counted embroidery would require your attention and thus send the
message "I'm only partially paying attention to you".  Reading a book (or
surfing the web) would seem to be right out, to me.

And if your craft requires that you make noise, emit odors, or take up
extra space around you for your crate of supplies, that's a different kind
of rude.

I don't do any small, non-invasive, portable crafts, which I sometimes
regret.  It would really help when meetings are long (and passive),
inefficient, or late.  (No, this is not a "teach me to knit" plea. :-) )

She'erah