evile: howdy :)
SkyeDS: how do :)
evile: I was going to try & get to PNO tonight, but looks like
there's a vigil at the Capitol that is more important. *sigh* stupid
republicrats.
SkyeDS: vigil for what?
evile: against the marriage amendment.
evile: http://lgrl.sitestreet.com/calendar/event.asp?eventID=244
evile: vigil. wrong word. demonstration. sorry.
SkyeDS: Clinton signed Bill Barr's POS DOMA
SkyeDS: so I don't understand why there's the need for more
legislation
evile: *nods*
evile: expecially not an amendment to the fucking constitution.
evile: I'm sorry, I am not conventionally religious, but I still feel
like the constitution is a sacred text..you don't just go sticking
shit to it.
SkyeDS: thank you.
evile: Personally I feel that marriage is a misogynistic trap...but I
would never presume to tell other people how to live their lives.
SkyeDS: the horse-assy marshal of bryn gwlad tried to take my student
away from me, I found out last night
evile: interesting.
SkyeDS: and someone else, whose name I don't know yet, told her
parents that the helmet I had her wearing is an antique and is not
Approved
evile: ??wtf??
SkyeDS: the mistake these two made, is that they said this to the
wife of the Earl Marshal
SkyeDS: who immediately told me
evile: One would wish that a parent with safety concerns would
actually bring them to the instructor rather than all this roundabout
nonsense...
SkyeDS: it wasn't a parent
SkyeDS: it was another equestrian
SkyeDS: just trying to make trouble
SkyeDS: for me
evile: Well, if they're telling the student's parent that you're
using unsafe equipment, I wish the parent would come to you instead
of you having to hear about it like this.
SkyeDS: she did
SkyeDS: the parent happened to be the wife of the earl marshal
evile: oh, ok.
evile: it's all clear as mud now :P
SkyeDS: lol ok
SkyeDS: randy and karen have a daughter who takes lessons from me
SkyeDS: I had permission to give lessons at an event
SkyeDS: the b.g. marshal who is so snooty tried to convince Karen
that her daughter should take lessons from "professionals" (ie. her).
SkyeDS: someone entirely different, I don't know who but I will damn
well find out
evile: aha. OK.
SkyeDS: said the helmet I use is an antique.
evile: wtf.
SkyeDS: this all happened before two of my advanced students (E & M)
both took firsts at their very first competition
SkyeDS: so my reputation as a teacher now is somewhat more vindicated
evile: heh.
SkyeDS: and there's nothing against the Rules about sniping students
SkyeDS: but I'm still going to tell Lorraine and Linda
SkyeDS: NOT as the head marshal but as my friend
evile: that seems like a pretty rude thing to do...
SkyeDS: because that is rude and it sucks
evile: Me, I feel like people are entitled to their opinions-if they
think I'm stupid, ugly, whatever, that's their business. But don't
fuck with my livelihood.
evile: it's fine if *you* think I'm a lazy slacker, but don't go
telling my bosses that and trying to get me fired, ya know?
evile: and if the person really had a safety concern about the
helmet, why not bring it to you at the time the child was 'in
danger'???
SkyeDS: zactly
evile: such stirring really just reflects badly on the stirrer.
SkyeDS: which is why although no rules were violated, I'm still
telling Laura & Linda.
evile: good.
SkyeDS: clique shit can go too far
evile: yup.
evile: Poly Dinner on Thurs is Chuy's--the one closest to my house!
Yay!
SkyeDS: :)
evile: Hopefully it will be one where nice people I like show up.
evile: Got an email from Stepdad. Mom wants to know what I thought of
the new King Arthur movie. I haven't seen it yet, but I suppose I
should.
SkyeDS: it is on my list
evile: One of the kids at Sharjinka's bday said he liked it for the
action scenes. I'm sure that's probably about as good as it's gonna
get, review-wise.
SkyeDS: garb and probably horses, makes me moderately happy
evile: Need to work on finding/focusing more on happy stuff.
SkyeDS: Karen told me something last night that wasn't happy making
evile: no?
SkyeDS: I was afraid it might be the case, but now that fear is
verified
evile: ugh.
SkyeDS: Bridget, the troublemaker, is slated to be the next KEO.
SkyeDS: that's a year and a half from now
evile: yuck.
SkyeDS: but she will be there for the customary two years
SkyeDS: which means my life will be hell for two years
SkyeDS: every time she starts shit with me, my only recourse will be
to report her to the new Earl Marshal.
evile: *nods* Or you could j ust find another group to hang with
during that time, maybe?
evile: (I don't know what KEO means)
SkyeDS: the only defense I have will be that my friend Randy is a
knight, and the old Earl Marshal
SkyeDS: and the new Earl Marshal is his mentor knight and dear friend
SkyeDS: KEO = Kingdom Equestrian Officer (head horse honcho)
evile: *nods* seems like SCA is big enough group that you can go to
stuff and really easily avoid those persons who need to be
avoided...still find plenty of folks to hang out with.
SkyeDS: well, if you're an equestrian you can't avoid the KEO
SkyeDS: or any other marshal for that matter
evile: ick.
SkyeDS: but she doesn't get to make up her own rules, not even as KEO
evile: right.
SkyeDS: and Randy said that as long as I was saintly and rose scented
and gave her no ammo, he would intercede with Pat (the new Earl
Marshal, who is over the KEO) on my behalf.
SkyeDS: but it doesn't bode well.
evile: sounds ick.
SkyeDS: and I don't care on my own behalf.
SkyeDS: but it will hamper the boys doing something they like to do
and are good at.
evile: that would suck.
SkyeDS: it's a year and a half down the road I know
SkyeDS: but still a bridge I know will have to be crossed, so I need
to at least keep it in mind now
SkyeDS: try to stay out of her path as much as possible in the
meanwhile
evile: Well, hopefully you'll have a chance to really settle in to
the horse bunch between now and then, have a lot of allies for the
trials to come.
SkyeDS: I've already got the only ally that will be of any help when
the time comes. But for some reason I'm still dreading. I hate
unpleasantness :(
evile: yeah.
SkyeDS: and Randy gave me advice for dealing with her over the next
year and a half that will be absolute torture.
evile: *nods*
SkyeDS: every time Bridget takes a shot at me, I am supposed to take
her to Lorraine and say, ok, let's have this judged now.
evile: but he's hte politician, so he knows how to handle
people..following his advice, however distasteful, will probably be
the best
SkyeDS: I know
SkyeDS: but it's going to be very painful
SkyeDS: because to me, that reeks of tattle telling
SkyeDS: and I don't want anyone to have the impression that I'm
friends with Lorraine because she's KEO
SkyeDS: or that I'm using my friend's status.
evile: *nods* But perhaps a growth experience for all concerned. As
the bumper sticker says: "not another fucking learning experience"
SkyeDS: because just like I didn't know Randy was Earl Marshal (or
even wtf Earl Marshal was) when we became friends
SkyeDS: I didn't know Laura was KEO or what that meant when we became
friends
evile: Hopefully, if done consistently and without any tantrum-ish
behavior on your part, but only cold rationality, it will not have to
happen more than a few times before she gets the point.
SkyeDS: I hope so.
SkyeDS: but, I wonder
SkyeDS: if over the next year and a half, I officially report her
every time she snipes at me, what retribution will she exact when
she's KEO
evile: *shrug* Hopefully she'll learn that you're not a person to be
fucked with before it reaches that point in time.
SkyeDS: I am an immediate person
SkyeDS: I'm not inclined to worry about 2 years down the road.
evile: *nods* But political solutions are often longterm.
SkyeDS: but the point has been made to me that I might need to worry
about this
evile: Yup.
SkyeDS: and with due consideration, that's true
evile: lay your groundwork, get in your bluff/licks before she's in a
position to hurt you, and I'm sure things will go much easier when/if
she finally gets KEO
SkyeDS: nods
SkyeDS: I think no matter what I do, whether I drag her before
Lorraine or not, she's going to be gunning for me
SkyeDS: so I'm not going to save myself any pain if I don't.
evile: If she gets in a habit of pushing you around and you let
her...it won't get any better once she has some actual authority
SkyeDS: you're absolutely right.
evile: does she give sineater and sonar0m grief, or just you?
SkyeDS: just me.
SkyeDS: she tries to give them grief, and they channel her in my
direction
evile: wierd.
SkyeDS: they have been told, in general, if anyone complains about
the horses, to bring it to me
evile: *nods*
SkyeDS: I bear that burden by myself (for a reason)
evile: I would say it would depend on the nature of the complaint. If
sonar0m were riding his horse into people's tents, that would be his
lapse in judgement that needed correcting not an actual problem with
the animal.
SkyeDS: right
SkyeDS: and he knows better
evile: I would hope so.
evile: so that vs, say, one of the horses' tendiences to kick horses
that get too close to their butt. One issue is rider stupidity, the
other is a horse behavior issue, that would rightly need to come to
you as their owner & primary trainer.
SkyeDS: exactly
evile: Well, I definitely second Randy's suggestion.
SkyeDS: I know
SkyeDS: I know in my head
SkyeDS: and I'm not usually irrational or emotional
SkyeDS: but it is torture to me, it's completely against my nature
evile: Time to learn a new behavior pattern that will be more
advantageous in the long run....it's uncomfortable, but eventually it
will be more natural to do things that way.
SkyeDS: I'm never going to like it. I don't have to, and I'm going
to do it, but I'm never going to like it.
SkyeDS: and I'm going to end up passionately hating that woman for
putting me in this position
evile: No group is perfect. There are going tobe people you dont like
and have to deal with anyway.
evile: Doesn't seem like you like her much now, or care much for
making her happy, so what are you losing by showing her that you are
not an easy victim?
SkyeDS: well, first she picked on my boys and wanted to throw them
out of a practice
SkyeDS: and then she was rude to you
evile: ?
SkyeDS: and then she tried to poach my student
evile: I don't even remember her, so might as well not hold that one
against her.
SkyeDS: by default I want people to be happy
SkyeDS: until they give me reason not to care
SkyeDS: which she's done, many times over
SkyeDS: now I just want her to go away
SkyeDS: not to go away mad, just go away
evile: And how likely is that to happen, really?
SkyeDS: lol it isn't
evile: Not very. So suck it up and do what has to be done to protect
yourself and your loved ones in order to remain in the group and in
the game.
SkyeDS: but you're right, I don't care about whether she's happy
anymore or not, because the way she behaves
SkyeDS: the proof, as always will be in the pudding.
SkyeDS: Under Lorraine as KEO, the group is bigger than ever before
and still growing
evile: And you should _never_ ever ever ever put someone else's
happiness so high above your own that you are making yourself
miserable so theyll be happy.
SkyeDS: I think we'll see a lot of people leave or stop participating
if Bridget is KEO and continues to be herself
evile: probably.
SkyeDS: the devil on one shoulder says it can't wait till Megan
starts competing
SkyeDS: she could easily compete with the advanced adults, but all
minors are lumped in together
evile: *nods*
SkyeDS: and she's going to outcompete them with one hand tied behind
her back
evile: wow.
SkyeDS: and I have to admit, when that happens, I'm not going to just
be happy for Meghan, which is right
SkyeDS: I'm going to be maliciously satisfied at my own vendication
(which is bad)
evile: heh. as long as your'e graceful about it.
evile: You have every right to be proud of a good student & the
results of your good teaching....imho.
SkyeDS: my way of being graceful is to just not say anything (except
to friends & family in privacy)
SkyeDS: I did comment to everyone at fighter practice who would
listen last night that I was proud of my boys
SkyeDS: and they all said, as you should be
evile: yup.
SkyeDS: I keep pointing out to the boys that I am only responsible
for one third, maybe two thirds of the teaching
SkyeDS: I did train the horses
SkyeDS: and I did teach them to ride
SkyeDS: but I didn't teach them how to handle the weapons while riding
evile: *nods*
evile: but without a firm foundation, they would not have gotten to
where they are.
evile: which is what you gave them, in having well-trained animals
and giving them your knowledge of riding.
SkyeDS: they do have something of an advantage, in their relationship
with Jesse
evile: *nods*
SkyeDS: not all horses have the fierce competitive spirit, the lack
of fear, or the heart for her riders, that Jesse has
SkyeDS: and that bond between horse and rider is always an advantage
evile: *nods* and thats just one of those 'chemistry' things that
nobody can force or predict.
evile: Sort of like how Spaz is 'my' cat and Eris is Sweetie's baby.
SkyeDS: Tracie is USET dressage
evile: that is your mentor, yes?
SkyeDS: and she pointed out that I could lease Mirage to a
professional and she could go further in the dressage world than if I
ride her
SkyeDS: one of many yes
SkyeDS: but she also pointed out that Mirage will never perform for
anyone else like she will for me out of love bond
SkyeDS: so at least one dressage professional recognizes that
SkyeDS: I don't know why the "dressage crowd" in the SCA doesn't seem
to get that
evile: *nods*
SkyeDS: I mean, one of them beats her stallion between the legs with
a sword
SkyeDS: how good for their bond can that be?
evile: Well...you've been very hot on the issue of nobody questioning
your methods with your animals...so I would say extend the courtesy
unless you see damage or abuse and then report it to the proper
authorities....
evile: maybe it's a bad analogy, but I don't like choke collars on
dogs, but I would never presume to tell another person not to use one
on their own animal.
evile: Unless I saw the collar drawing blood or the animal vomiting
because it had been choked too much, then I'd call the authorities.
SkyeDS: that's another thing that happened this weekend
SkyeDS: Diane, of the dressage crowd, has this Rottweiler
SkyeDS: and he runs around on a choke collar and leash
SkyeDS: but nobody holds the leash
SkyeDS: which renders it a little pointless imho
evile: yup
SkyeDS: so he comes bounding over at breakfast time to our pavilion
where Linda's 13 yo daughter is eating bacon & eggs
SkyeDS: knocks her to the ground and takes her food
SkyeDS: she isn't hurt
SkyeDS: but still unacceptable
SkyeDS: AND little Addy, Lorraine's grandson, who is not yet 2 years
old, in diapers still but walking, tends to run around camp
SkyeDS: we had to keep an eye on him because he would walk unescorted
right into the girls' pen.
SkyeDS: and truthfully he's safer walking into the pen with the girls
than with a dog that would tackle him
evile: poor parenting . sad.
SkyeDS: so, I grabbed the leash and told him to sit and to stay, but
after a while, nobody came to get him
SkyeDS: and I got tired of babysitting the dog
evile: by law, though, the animal owner is liable if the stupid
little shit gets hurt, though.
SkyeDS: so I tied him to the only sure structure there, a horse
trailer
SkyeDS: and half an hour later, they come to get him, glaring at me.
evile: stupd.
SkyeDS: regarding little Addy, everyone kept their eyes on him
constantly
SkyeDS: but it doesn't take but a split second for those little speed
demons to head for potential trouble.
evile: Personally,I feel that if you crapped it out, it's your
problem.
evile: If some little shit kid ran into my property I would ignore it.
SkyeDS: I still don't think the potential for problem was Addy as
much as it is a pit running around with no one holding his leash.
evile: Or maybe make a loud remark about free range sprogs being
tastiest on the BBQ pit...
SkyeDS: err Rott, sorry
evile: I feel sorry for any innocent creature whose handlers can't be
bothered to watch them..
SkyeDS: I'm not mad at Blake. I'm mad at Diane.
SkyeDS: Diane comes cruising in with her full ton dually and 8 horse
trailer late at night
SkyeDS: drops it off, horses still in it
SkyeDS: and goes off to a hotel
evile: nice.
SkyeDS: leaving the rest of us to listen to the horses kicking all
night long
evile: ugh.
SkyeDS: then the next day she goes wandering away, leaving Ashia the
stallion beater to watch them
SkyeDS: Ashia decides to go somewhere else and leaves watching them
to me.
SkyeDS: the prize horse is on the sun side and away from his peers in
the shade, so he immediately tries to hogtie himself
SkyeDS: and I realize, you know what, that horse needs to be in the
shade with his buddies
SkyeDS: and if I so much as untie him and move him, they're going to
be pissed
SkyeDS: and of course if he puts himself on teh ground, they will
also be pissed
evile: ugh.
SkyeDS: so I located someone I know I've seen riding Diane's horses
before and said, would you please retie him on the other side of the
trailer and keep an eye on her horses because I've got to take care
of my own
SkyeDS: you see, if I had a death wish, I'd just shoot myself in the
head
SkyeDS: easier than having Diane rip it off my shoulders and spit
down my throat
evile: true.
SkyeDS: and no, I'm not going to say a word to any of them about what
they do
SkyeDS: until I see Ashia put someone in danger again (she's done it
several times before)
SkyeDS: but I don't know how many times I'm going to be able not to
say anything about the genital beating before I haul off and do
something
evile: *shrug*
evile: I am not an expert, I don't pretend to be. To me any kind of
animal beating looks cruel, but there are people I know and trust to
be humane and wise who beat livestock.
SkyeDS: the genital beating is not as much of an immediate danger as
running over pedestrians
evile: *nods* that ought to be adresed by the authorities at the
event, I would think..
SkyeDS: which is why I don't say anything about it, hard as it is,
but I'll be damned if she runs over people on the ground
SkyeDS: what I don't get is, she was just given a major award
SkyeDS: and I don't know whose bright idea that was, or why
evile: oh well.
evile: I dont' know any of these people, I dont' know anything about
SCA so I dont' know enough to even hazard a guess why this person
deserved any awards.
SkyeDS: it's one of those things that just puzzles me on an academic
level
SkyeDS: like the year Arafat got the nobel peace prize
evile: politics are confusing.
SkyeDS: I know Lorraine, Linda and some of the other marshals are
trying to stop this stuff as much as they can
SkyeDS: like keeping Diane out of the saddle when she's been drinking
evile: *nods*
evile: damn, LJ is wigging out again.
evile: either it just ate an entry or it posted it into a community
rather than into my own livejournal. ACK.
SkyeDS: :(
evile: Oh well. I've been whining entirely too much lately. The
Universe is probably trying to tell me to shut the hell up before it
gives me something to cry about, in its own inimitable way.
SkyeDS: lol
SkyeDS: so sleepy
evile: me too. I hope I get a nap before the demonstration. But Erinlefey
& Tangentsferret want to get dinner first. So probabl y not.
evile: I think they are going to want me to pick the dinner place.
ick. argh. I hate that.
SkyeDS: i'm not good at that unless I have a craving
evile: me neither. Plus we are talking about driving & parking
downtown at some point...ick.
evile: I guess I'll find out where they're at at 5:30 and we can go
from there. Maybe something near them that we can go to and leave a
car there, carpool downtown. something like that.
SkyeDS: good idea
evile: Hope so. I think Tangentsferret does low carb. Not as much of a
challenge to find LC menu items as it used to be, though.
SkyeDS: nope
SkyeDS: 1500 products in stores as opposed to like 10 last year
SkyeDS: and lots of restaurants are catching on
evile: *nods* I heard a radio ad for Serranos where they were talking
about their LC menu items.
SkyeDS: speaking of food, slow, going to eat
evile: Sweetie got the blue trooper running, BTW. so we can now be in 2
places at the same time. :)
SkyeDS: cool :)
evile: yeah. I think he got tired of being stranded while I was at
Krav Maga
SkyeDS: good
evile: The radiator for the vanagon is on backorder. Once it's here,
we'll have 4 running vehicles, 2 of which are drivable by me.
SkyeDS: freedom is a good thing
evile: Yeah. I will probably be able to drive the vanagon, assuming
he gets it fixed fixed and not jury-rigged with some bizarre thing.
The Ghia is 1) his other woman and 2) far too delicate for me to try
to drive.
SkyeDS: least that other woman won't transmit an STD :P
evile: no, she just makes him smell bad.
evile: have to drive it with the windows down because of the gasoline
fumes.
evile: yahoo messenger seems to be fucking with my ICQ now. the ICQ
screens just cleared.
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