evile: hey :) how was your weekend?
SkyeDS: some good, some 	bad
SkyeDS: how was yours?
evile: same :)
SkyeDS: did you 	get to see your mom at all while she was down?
evile: during the 	week, yes. but not over the weekend, she had the
children. She 	may or may not be back in Austin later this week.
evile: The only 	things I've heard about Ravensloft so far: hard to
find/poor 	signage, and someone got heat exhaustion and passed out.
But 	other than that...
SkyeDS: many someones
SkyeDS: pitifully 	poor turnout
evile: I'm not surprised--it wasn't well 	publicized.
SkyeDS: the owner is a sweetheart, lovely fellow, 	greener than grass
when it comes to event management
SkyeDS: 	they had the hawkwood militia doing security
SkyeDS: one of the 	big plusses - we were given a good sized covered
arena with 	electricity and fans to perform in
SkyeDS: one of the downers 	-
SkyeDS: one member of security, supposed to be looking out for 	all
thehorses, decided that rather than use the HUGE barn right 	next to
the arena, like everyone else, he was going to use the 	arena
SkyeDS: so the first day I had to do all my pony rides with 	not one
but two horses known to bite and kick tied up at one end 	of the arena
SkyeDS: where he was going to leave them until I 	told the Owners I
would not perform with them in there
evile: 	sounds a bit disorganized. But nothing fatal.
SkyeDS: the problem 	with Outlaw's horses could have been fatal
SkyeDS: it gets 	worse
SkyeDS: I told Management (the owner, and his second) about 	the
problems and explained to them the liability issues
evile: 	*nod*
SkyeDS: the owner is the number one pro jouster in the 	world right
now, he ought to know the dangers of the situation 	without me having
to explain it to him
evile: no shit.
SkyeDS: 	management told Outlaw not to bring these horses too because
of 	the biting and kicking
SkyeDS: and they served no purpose
SkyeDS: 	he rode them in the parade and they stood in stalls the rest
of 	the event
SkyeDS: didn't joust, didn't do squat
SkyeDS: so on 	good advice from two different sources, the next
morning, we went 	to the head of security (Buddha) to get the horses
moved because 	Outlaw wouldn't move them
SkyeDS: the first incident, another 	member of security, friendly to
us, persuaded Outlaw to take them 	out of the arena, but then he put
them into the pens adjoining 	the arena - where he'd put them t he day
before when he was 	forced to move them - and from where they can
still attack 	over/through the rails
SkyeDS: so t hen we had to go to Security 	again to get them out of
there
SkyeDS: I had been told to go 	to Buddha to get them moved if Outlaw
wouldn't move them 	himself
SkyeDS: so Outlaw and his woman wanted to get into a 	peckerlength
contest with sineater
SkyeDS: I told sineater no, 	but he did it anyway
SkyeDS: so then I dragged him away by his 	ear and said, I said no
SkyeDS: sent him off to find 	Buddha
evile: suck.
SkyeDS: so off Outlaw goes, a nd off 	sineater goes, and a little later
Outlaw and his woman come back 	bitching to high heaven but he moves
the horses out of the arena 	pens.
SkyeDS: I assumed that was because Buddha told him, you 	move them or
I will
evile: Did you end up getting to perform 	at all?
SkyeDS: yes
evile: well, that's good.
SkyeDS: they 	got moved, and I thought great, that's all over
SkyeDS: but it 	wasn't
SkyeDS: he spent the rest of the day sniping at sineater 	and sonar0m every
time I was out of earshot
SkyeDS: he got in 	Chris' face and cursed Chris nearly into tears
evile: that's very 	unprofessional.
SkyeDS: Outlaw had taken the only community water 	trough and
appropriated it for his use alone
SkyeDS: after 	Chris had moved it out of the arena on my orders
SkyeDS: and so 	after he appropriated it for himself, Chris moved it
again so 	that the jousting horses could access it
SkyeDS: as it turns out, 	Buddha was not the one who had the second
set of words with 	him
SkyeDS: we don't know who did
SkyeDS: Buddha and Outlaw 	are best buds and thicker than stink on shit
SkyeDS: the security 	girl who's friendly with us, Aja, member of the
fire group
evile: 	*nod*
SkyeDS: warned me that "someone" who she wouldn't 	name
SkyeDS: complained to Buddha that our horses were under 	saddle the
entire day
SkyeDS: well how do we give pony rides 	between performances otherwise?
SkyeDS: and oh by the way
SkyeDS: 	unbeknownst to us, there was a pony ride company already 	there
SkyeDS: with the typical set up, ponies on a spoked 	wheel
evile: saw pictures of them.
SkyeDS: not in garb 	either
SkyeDS: since they showed up not in garb they were asked 	not to come
back the next day
evile: *nod*
SkyeDS: they got 	pissed because about half way through the first day,
when they 	had gotten all the ride business and we hadn't
SkyeDS: we put our 	heads together and figured out how to outdo them
SkyeDS: we 	implemented a full out assault, and also went after
patrons he 	couldn't - teenagers and adults
SkyeDS: anyway, where the girls 	were in a covered arena with giant
fans all day
SkyeDS: his 	ponies were out in the sun all day
SkyeDS: saddled
evile: 	*nod*
SkyeDS: she said that Buddha might say something to me, 	just because
the complaint was lodged
SkyeDS: and I said, will 	he say anything to the other outfit?
SkyeDS: and she said, 	probably not, because the complaint wasn't
lodged about 	them
SkyeDS: even if they did the same thing
SkyeDS: uh huh. 	three guesses and two don't count as to where that
complaint came 	from.
SkyeDS: as it turns out, thankfully, nobody was stupid 	enough to say
shit to me about that
evile: that sucks. it 	would have been one thing if someone was
actually concerned about 	the animals, not just trying to stir up
trouble.
SkyeDS: Jerry 	the owner came to talk and I thought, well, here it goes
SkyeDS: 	I've stepped all in it now like I always do, you know
SkyeDS: but 	he didn't say anything about the girls being under saddle
all 	day, nor was he upset that I had gotten into it with Outlaw
SkyeDS: 	he wanted to make sure *I* wasn't upset and that everything
had 	been handled to my satisfaction
evile: well, cool.
SkyeDS: 	nods emphatically
SkyeDS: I apologized for the discord, but 	pointed out that the
liability isn't just mine, it would be his 	too
evile: yup
SkyeDS: as an equestrian, he knows as well as I 	do if not better that
non-equestrians are always looking to get 	rid of us, and just waiting
with baited breath for something bad 	to happen with the horses
evile: *nod*
SkyeDS: I told him, who 	do you t hink the parents are going to come
after 	hardest?
SkyeDS: not me
SkyeDS: one) they signed a waiver with 	me
SkyeDS: they haven't signed a waiver with the Faire
evile: 	*nod*
SkyeDS: there's supposed to be a sign up at the gate that 	serves as a
waiver - I don't know how effective that is in a 	court of law
SkyeDS: but he hasn't got one up yet
SkyeDS: two) 	the negligence isn't on my part, it's on the part of the
owner of 	the horses that are known to bite and kick
SkyeDS: and those 	horses are here under the auspices of Faire
Management
SkyeDS: 	and three) people go after deep pockets.
evile: yup
SkyeDS: 	his pockets are a hell of a lot deeper than mine
SkyeDS: so I 	told him, look, man, I'm not trying to cause trouble,
I'm trying 	to cover my ass. AND yours.
SkyeDS: which he seemed to 	appreciate.
SkyeDS: while it is dismaying to find out that the 	head of security,
on whom I have to rely to physically remove the 	horses from my arena
if Outlaw continues this, is on his 	side
SkyeDS: it is also enlightening to find out that while 	Outlaw and
Buddha are best buds, he is not best buds with Jerry 	the owner
SkyeDS: so, if it happens again next weekend, as I fear 	it might,
then I'll go to Jerry or Robert (the 2nd)
SkyeDS: 	problem is half the time Jerry and Sabrina (his wife) weren't
even 	on the grounds
SkyeDS: the professional vendors were all pissed 	off too
SkyeDS: the bright side was watching little girls wearing 	purple
wings riding Jesse to the Nutcracker (they all chose the 	ballet
unanimously over any of the other music)
SkyeDS: and 	watching a little boy play Smite the Knight with all four
of our 	"knights" at one time until he was too tired to 	continue
(which was a long while, that kid was serious)
SkyeDS: 	and making half a dozen or so new friends
evile: that's 	good.
evile: did y'all get pictures?
SkyeDS: as far as there 	being poor turnout, which I guess illustrates
that it wasn't 	properly advertised, and a whole bunch of other
management 	snafus, it was the first weekend of the first faire, so
maybe it 	is to be expected that management is greener than grass
evile: 	yeah...
SkyeDS: sineater brought the camera and took no 	pictures.
evile: oh...oops.
evile: sounds like he was pretty 	busy. Hopefully you'll get a bunch
of good photos next 	wekeend.
SkyeDS: I sent the boys (sonar0m, Chris, and Jason Poel) 	out as criers
to advertise that the Dancing Horses were giving 	rides, that included
costuming, music, and pictures if the 	parents didn't have cameras of
their own
SkyeDS: and that the 	boys would groundcrew the rides and take the
horses through all 	of their dance movements, or that the riders would
be allowed 	free rein if they chose (and their parents if they were
minors) - 	we actually had adults riding too
evile: that's very 	cool.
SkyeDS: I couldn't have allowed free rein if we weren't in 	a solid
arena
evile: *nod*
SkyeDS: so once we started 	making as big a production as could be
made out of our Dancing 	Horse rides over the pony rides, we did more
business than he 	did.
evile: cool.
SkyeDS: who do you know that went?
evile: 	nobody personally, just read the yahoo group.
SkyeDS: ah
SkyeDS: 	I haven't been online yet - still checking mail
evile: 	*nod*
evile: I get to leave early today--worked through 1/2 of 	lunch. I
want to go see Undersoul on campus at 4. Still not sure 	how I'm going
to get to WFM, or if I'll get there in time to walk 	before dinner
iwth the gals, but I'm gonna try.
SkyeDS: it 	doesn't help that Thursday night something happened that
shouldn't 	have (long story) and Mirage went to the vet the next day
(I 	shoudl have gone to the doctor but didn't, oh well)
evile: 	owie.
SkyeDS: so now I am literally covered in bruises, I look 	like a black
seedless grape
evile: that's awful.
SkyeDS: 	and Mirage has a deep cut right behind her eye that couldn't
be 	stitched
evile: ouchies!
SkyeDS: but we both did okay.
evile: 	that's good.
SkyeDS: everyone who watched the show both days 	found different
things that they liked, and that's always 	interesting to find out
what caught the attention most
SkyeDS: 	we put Arthur in the show on Sunday
SkyeDS: during a walk 	sequence
evile: *nod*
SkyeDS: I wonder what will come 	eventually of [K/mom] having had the
kids this weekend
evile: no 	tellin'.
SkyeDS: that's going to be a lot of potential 	fodder
evile: yup.
SkyeDS: I'm sure K considered that 	beforehand and based her decisions
accordingly
evile: hope 	so.
evile: she is not even as cynical as I am, when it comes to 	people,
so she'll probably be caught flat-footed, and end up 	feeling horribly
betrayed. But...she's an adult and I feel like 	she was armed with at
least the few worst-case scenarios I could 	come up with...she knew
there was a risk.
evile: I didn't hang 	out with them at all. I went to Yoga and to a
poly party, and 	then toobin' sunday. Apparently Mom brought the kids
over to 	L&B's on Saturday, but they stayed out in the front yard 	the
whole time.
SkyeDS: little hot for that wasn't it?
evile: 	*shrug* NOT my problem.
evile: L&B's house, they said they 	didn't want the kids inside. [Aunt L]
is at least aware of the 	risk to [Uncle B]'s profession.
SkyeDS: good for them
evile: 	The 'poly' party, bTW, was not as much a poly party as a 	body
choir/swingers party with the polys invited as 	party
favors/candy/toys for the old stringy perverts. (this is 	my
impression, at least, dont' know how to approach the hosts 	about my
feelings without giving offense)
SkyeDS: 	lovely
evile: I didn't stay long.
evile: no point in staring 	at withered sausage when I've got
perfectly good at home 	:)
SkyeDS: lol true dat
evile: I'm looking forward to chatting 	about the party at girls'
night with the gals who went.
evile: 	I always worry that I'm being overly sensitive or taking
offense 	too easily, so I want a reality check of what the party felt
like 	to others.
SkyeDS: I'm like that too.
evile: Well, I'm going 	to take off. See Thax and Hojo do their thing
at UT.
evile: & 	then figure out how to get to WFM.
SkyeDS: have a good time 	:)
evile: I will. They're really a fun band :)
evile: *hugs* 	have a good evening :)
SkyeDS: wind to your wings :)