How would you rate your MRF 2009 experience?

[Obadiah Jib]

So in comparison to other years how would you rate you own 2009 MRF experience?  Measure in the cost, the drama, the food, the friends, the entertainment, what you hoped for, what you missed, what impressed you, and lastly what will keep you warm all winter waiting to do it again!

[escherblacksmith]

interesting question . . .

I dunno.

I'd say it was a pretty average year for me.  I had some bad weather days which limited crowds.  overall, I still prefer 1993, 1994, 1996.  93 was when I started, 94 was a very festive year with the fencing booth, and 96 was when I started with MacGregor's.

So, I give it a 14 because you can't dance to it.

[William_MacKean]

Food was awesome!  Unbelieveable!  (Thanks, Alice!)

I actually had some time off to play, but did not bother with any shows.  I was usually checking in on booths and walking with friends or making deals.  Had a couple HR issues, but they have been resolved.

I think I made more $$ this year than last.  At worst it is a strong wash.

Shows at my booths were great, as always.

Met the love of my life there this year.  I really want to keep her.  She'll keep me plenty warm.

[Charlotte Rowan]

Not my best year. My heart wasn't in it as much as usual... it was at home with my new husband.  I still had fun though!

[Goody]

I've been really into fest for the last four years (but attended for last 13yrs). The first year was great cuz it was the first but this year is right up with it. I drove down there every weekend from press party, labor day mon, and fest fri for a total of 17 days at fest (and 27 days overall in the last four months at fests in 5 states). The main reason I loved this year was due to Fest Friends. It was great to have a meeting place. There's always someone to sit and talk to or go do something different with (thanks Kurt & Terri!!) I put on way too many lbs eating out after fest but that was fun too.

[Missi Rocks]

I would have to say not my most favorite year.

Most of my friends are gone this year.  My fiance (who I met out at festival 7 years ago) was not able to be out this year and that sucked.  The parking Drama was a major pain in the butt for me. Working for a new booth and getting used to how it runs is always difficult. Over all it just didn't seem fun this year.

[Storm]

Certainly not my favorite year this year, but that was because of my gimp knee. It really limited me, especially in bad weather and crowds. I really only could make it from the front gates to the stocks and from the front gate around the newer grounds around to Beowulf in foul weather or large crowds. The other sections of faire were just too uneven grounded to navigate under less then ideal conditions. Pretty much those section were closed off to me much after 11:00 am due to crowds. The gimp knee made faire a lot tougher then I originally thought it would. I really only could handle about 3-4 good hours a day out there. Gin and I were out of there very early pretty much every day because of it.

But, I still had some good times out there. I was fortunate that so many of my friends worked at The Foaming Stein and Willins. Those 2 places were my poles. I could wander back and forth between the 2 and rest there for a while before wandering on. I did have fun hanging out there and talking with everyone. I guess the one thing I will take out of this year was because of my knee I stayed in one place more often and talked to people more then I have in years past. And, that was fun. I had some good laughs at Willins thanks to Jack and MG. Who would have thought trying to remember an actor from a movie (Alan Rickman from Robin Hood) could be provide so many laughs!...

[TheFerret]

On a scale of 1-10, this year has been a 9.5.

Lack of personal/fest drama was a nice change. The parking wasn't a huge thing for me. I didn't have to fire anyone. I didn't have any falling outs with people and my relationship was stable.

I got new garb and looked really good in my old stuff. I got some lovely pictures taken.

The shop did really well this year. In the four years I've been working, we've never had every day meet the goal of 100 bars of soap. This year we did it everyday but fest friday which none of us at the shop count as a real day. I had awesome help and really felt at home.

I was a down at the start of the season due to depression but once it took off, I got much more interested in it.

The only downside was that we were so busy that I didn't see as many shows as I'd have liked. I did get to hang out with people and my boyfriend did come and visit. This was the first year that lots of people came to look for me. The day that I was only out at site for a couple of hours ended with me getting scolded for not being there earlier! It made me feel very loved.

[Random Girl]

It was a hard one.  The Drama Llama was up close and personal with me this year. 

2009 can just fade away as far as I'm concerned but I am totally looking forward to next year.

[MissBubu]

I had a really good year. It was the first time performing with the commedia troupe as a member, forgot how much I like being in a stage show. Working front gate was (mostly) fun and I got to see many of my "regulars". I got my 10 year service award. Nice things happened on a personal level. Good things were happening for my friends.

[Noble Dreg]

Parking in the pit was kind of fun.

***ducks for cover***

[Tarac]

Parking in the pit was kind of fun.

***ducks for cover***

And run like the wind, But on the other hand this year was a new experience for me working at the shop in front more and seeing pay trons do some of the dumbest things with clothes, another story for a different time.
Met new members reacquainted with old but all in all it was nice but Damn cold in a Kilt on the last weekend.

[Ethel]

Not my favorite year.  I had so much stuff going on outside of fest that I couldn't really get into it when I was there, and I had to miss five whole days (plus fest friday and mimosa monday) due to house stuff.  I'm looking forward to 2010.

[escherblacksmith]

And run like the wind, But on the other hand this year was a new experience for me working at the shop in front more and seeing pay trons do some of the dumbest things with clothes, another story for a different time.
Met new members reacquainted with old but all in all it was nice but Damn cold in a Kilt on the last weekend.

Ach ya pansy, it was PERFECT weather for a kilt!

[William_MacKean]

Ach ya pansy, it was PERFECT weather for a kilt!

Some of us are hung low enough for that cold to be a problem.

Apparenty some aren't, too.