I am a pirate. Have been since before Johnny Depp. Since before it was the cool thing to be. Not as long as the Castillean Fleet, but longer than most these days. Been one since before it was cool. And now, in the days leading up to the latest "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie, I find myself thinking: I am so fucking sick of pirates! Pirates are a bunch of bloodthirsty, greedy cutthroats, not some romantic fucking ideal with a"code" and all that bullshit. This season I am probably going to be the biggest asshole of a pirate the kingdom has ever seen, since Pirates now seem to have everyone else outnumbered. Time to cull the herd. Then perhaps start out next year doing all different events, and be my original Irish Mercenary (Galloglas) persona again. Hell, why not, I look DAMN good in a kilt.
Or perhaps a Highwayman, no one portrays those. The look? Think "Pirate" without all the skulls.
Been approaching Burnout for a while now, really. Been running into too many people at the events I go to that seem to think it's for real. The SCA is not only not real, it isn't even REALISTIC! Get a grip people, when it comes to realism, the SCA ranks right up there with pro wrestling! In period western Europe, you wouldn't be able to get a history lesson with that drop spinner you just bought. You wouldn't be able to get a history lesson from anyone on Merchant's Row. You'd just be expected to pay your money and move on, so the booth's proprietor could continue with business whilst keeping an eye out for thieving urchins. You wouldn't FIND a Roman Legionnaire. Or a Viking. AND PIRATES WOULDN"T TELL YOU THEY WERE PIRATES! Should fall into a big fat "DUH" category, but there you have it. But go to any event, and you'll find all three hanging out around a firepit. So no, the SCA isn't real, nor is it realistic. I am okay with this. These other people are not, and tend to object to having it pointed out that the only place where they find friendship is at events. The friendships one forges in the SCA tend to be shallow fleeting ones. These people may like you a great deal, but can't tell you your middle name. I have friends I have talked to for years whose names I can't remember. There are more than a fair share of exceptions, but most people one strikes up a friendship with are not really going to get deeply involved with getting to know you. The people who can't distinguish fantasy from reality do things like run their apartment like it's their "Pirate Ship." Never mind that if they tried to practice the trade of "Piracy," they'd find the "Life Merry and Short" has since gotten a whole lot less "Merry" and a WHOLE lot SHORTER, thanks to things like SWAT tactics and modern firearms. Give me a fucking break. Or better yet, show me how you sail your apartment building through the harbor. Then get a life outside of the SCA.
Or perhaps a Highwayman, no one portrays those. The look? Think "Pirate" without all the skulls.
Been approaching Burnout for a while now, really. Been running into too many people at the events I go to that seem to think it's for real. The SCA is not only not real, it isn't even REALISTIC! Get a grip people, when it comes to realism, the SCA ranks right up there with pro wrestling! In period western Europe, you wouldn't be able to get a history lesson with that drop spinner you just bought. You wouldn't be able to get a history lesson from anyone on Merchant's Row. You'd just be expected to pay your money and move on, so the booth's proprietor could continue with business whilst keeping an eye out for thieving urchins. You wouldn't FIND a Roman Legionnaire. Or a Viking. AND PIRATES WOULDN"T TELL YOU THEY WERE PIRATES! Should fall into a big fat "DUH" category, but there you have it. But go to any event, and you'll find all three hanging out around a firepit. So no, the SCA isn't real, nor is it realistic. I am okay with this. These other people are not, and tend to object to having it pointed out that the only place where they find friendship is at events. The friendships one forges in the SCA tend to be shallow fleeting ones. These people may like you a great deal, but can't tell you your middle name. I have friends I have talked to for years whose names I can't remember. There are more than a fair share of exceptions, but most people one strikes up a friendship with are not really going to get deeply involved with getting to know you. The people who can't distinguish fantasy from reality do things like run their apartment like it's their "Pirate Ship." Never mind that if they tried to practice the trade of "Piracy," they'd find the "Life Merry and Short" has since gotten a whole lot less "Merry" and a WHOLE lot SHORTER, thanks to things like SWAT tactics and modern firearms. Give me a fucking break. Or better yet, show me how you sail your apartment building through the harbor. Then get a life outside of the SCA.
VIEW 6 of 6 COMMENTS
jeseryn:
Men in kilts are fucking hot.. and you're no exception 
tosslink:
HA! Well said! WELL SPOKEN! SCA suffers from BURNOUT just as ANY large gathering of Personalities DOES! Funtime has a tendancy to move towards... IDIOCY! The real FUN is when you have REALLY IMAGINATIVE folks getting together so that they may shed the skins of their NORMAL life and experiment a bit with fantasy. Most poeple just don't GET that... It seems to me , that you DO! Well met Sir!