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How do you know??

Started by BagPipeBabe, November 21, 2008, 03:28:45 PM

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Carl Heinz

I've been known to visit faires in civies.  This is usually because I don't want to interact with other visitors as though I were a participant.  This is usually on my first visit to an event that's new to me so that I'll know where such things as the privies are so that I'll be able to assist others if asked.  At other times, to be truthful, I just don't want to be bothered.

However, I'll generally interact with those I know from other events as though I were in costume.  Back in the days before I kept the beard between events, I also found it to be amusing to walk up behind someone I knew only the the context of another event and start talking.  It sometimes took several minutes before I was identified. :)

So I don't think mundane is necessarily garb related.  Wouldn't most folks at an event whether in costume or not be there because they wanted to be there?  If that's the case, then I wouldn't say they were mundane.  Their ability to interact within a persona is more one of skill or interest.  Not attitude.  YMMV

I would agree that the "Mundane Topics" forum generally meets my understanding in that most of those threads are not event related.

Mundane is mundane is mundane??  Mundane isn't faire??
Carl Heinz
Guild of St Cuthbert

Tammy

As this is my first year going to faire I don't have an answer that's on topic.

On the Mundane conversation though...I thought this was interesting...
mundane
Adjective
1. everyday, ordinary, and therefore not very interesting
2. relating to the world or worldly matters [Latin mundus world]

Collins Essential English Dictionary 2nd Edition 2006 © HarperCollins Publishers 2004, 2006


Royal Protector of Raccoons, Mistress of the Poi, Best Friend of Windland/Nim, Guppy, Seamstress for The Feisty Lady.

Carl Heinz

Hi, Emma and welcome.

The term "mundane" has frequently been applied to that category of folks perhaps better described a "them" versus non-mundane or "us" within the context of historical reenactment.

I think this usage started within the Society for Creative Anachronisms (SCA) and spread to faires. 

A lot of my comments harken back to a number of discussions (now a number of years old) on the alt.faires.renaissance usenet news group (AFR).  The point I've tried to make both in the old AFR discussions and here is that we can't afford to have such a division.  To do so discourages ticket buying customers and faires are already running so close to the bone that we can't afford to alienate those who pay for our playpens by making them feel like they're outsiders.

This does trouble some faire purists who feel that we should adhere to strict historical accuracy.  But I think we can keep close to this while still making all visitors welcome.  Those who wish to interact on that level can still do so, but we shouldn't chase away the pirates and klingons at an Elizabethan event.  Who knows, perhaps they'll decide that they want to start playing at that level.  But we shouldn't exclude those who don't.  I've had fun with Jack Sparrows, klingons, pirates, fairy princesses, and folks in "civies" as well as those who want to interact within the context of the event.  I also interact with children and others, likey myself, who are mobility challenged.  If nothing else, Sparky/Lightning provides a photo op. :)

Come play and enjoy.
Carl Heinz
Guild of St Cuthbert