3453icq w/A

[evile]

Aug. 22, 2005

 

 

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 :)