If Something Cannot be Used for its Primary Function, Invent a New Function

One of my wee traditions relating to Quad War is to take highway 36 back to Calgary (it's a lot less aggravating than highway 2) and stop in Killam for ice cream.

The last three times I went there the urinal in the men's room was out of order. It had a black trash bag wrapped around it to keep people from using it. The last time I went through I noticed that the bag was dusty. Hypothesis: It's not that it's coincidentally broken around the same time each year, it's that they never fixed it at all.

So I made a little note to myself and hid it in the urinal. Nothing much, just "James Q was here, August 1st, 2011." I also told a handful of people about it. This was in 2011 and I figured I'd check to see if it was still there in 2012.

I was a little late getting there this year due to having to get a flat tire fixed in Wainwright. Still, we stopped and I went in to check. Here's what I found:



If you can't read the writing, this new note reads:
Blailith & Magda were here
August 6th, 2012
Hi James!
Possibly the most amusing thing that could happen in a men's room without involving a US Senator.

Underneath that note was the remains of my own, earlier, note. It was a little water (not urine, I hope) damaged, but was still legible. Hypothesis proved: They have no interest in fixing the urinal.

Want to add to the shenanigans? Go to the Stop Spot Drive-In in Killam and add your own note. I'll read it next year.

Quad War 2012 GBU

What can I say about Quad War? It was a Quad War. As with most SCA events, they start out seeming fresh and new but you get to a stage where the same things happen over and over. Thursday set up; Friday Wench Wars; Saturday Jug shoot, Pirate Palooza, Lost Viking court, Grotto party; Sunday Iron Arrow, Archery championship, The Seawolf Bay fire. Monday tear down and after lunch at a Wainwright restaurant. All-in-all pretty routine.

And yet, despite not liking that routine the last couple of years (really - can't we mix it up a bit?) this year I let those feeling of irritation go and I just went with it. The familiar was embraced for what it was - an opportunity to use the form of Quad war to enjoy what it was really about, good times with good friends.

Good

First, I got to spend quality time with lots of good folks. There's never enough time to do it all given that there are 600+ people at this event, but I did have a few meaty conversations with folks, and drive-by huggings with others.

I was witness to a lot of the manufactured "drama" (court-shtick for households really, but without so much court) for the 1st year anniversary of Quon and Anabel arranged political marriage. Fun to watch.

It was nice seeing new people from Castel Rouge there. Keep pimping out Quad War folks, just because it's not in Northshield, doesn't mean it's not fabulous.

Bjar the Blue's vigil and elevation to the Order of the Pelican. For you non-SCAdians, this is a Big Deal™. I had no advice or questions for Blue. Instead I just offered him my envy - he's always fit into the SCA in a way I never have. I guess that's why he's a Pelican and I'm not.

Carousing! Saturday night may have been a top-five drunk for me. Because it was a top-five drunk I was able to overcome my natural anxiety about flirting to actually attempt it.

Quick aside about flirting. I've always felt that this wasn't something you do to get laid, but really about sexy banter. Despite that, I know that a lot of people use it as a vehicle for sex. And let's be honest, I've indulged in those thoughts too, even if I know that's not the point intellectually. But my heart has different ideas, and because it does, I'm no good at it due to self-confidence and anxiety reasons.

Sober, I can sometimes flirt - maybe as a drive-by quip, or even up to two statements. But once I see that a girl is flirting back? I panic and run, or freeze up, or say something blindingly creepy. The trick for me is to be so drunk that my internal editor shuts up. Well, the editor never shuts up, but when I'm drunk I usually think "fuck the editor, I'm going to have fun." Sadly, the potential for creepy loser statements also goes up, but it's not inevitable.

This time around I was at the sweet spot where I could flirt, I wasn't creepy (I hope - my judgement was impaired too so I can't be 100% certain of that, which is an unfortunate side effect of ignoring the editor) and there were women willing to flirt back! I had an absolutely wonderful time flirting up a storm at the Grotto Party. Some girl who's name I don't know (but I'm pretty sure is from Cold Keep) I was especially happy to flirt with.

Bad

I was flirting with one girl I know too much. She told me to flirt with others. I think she was trying to aim me at more acceptable targets rather than suggest she didn't like me flirting. Ultimately I think this was a good thing, but I do worry that I upset her or made her think I was creepy.

God decided that my flirting had to stop and hit the Grotto (and the surrounding countryside) with a wrath-filled prairie thunderstorm. It completely drenched everything.

I missed Marie getting her Child of the Minotaur.

Bjorn discovered I had a flat tire as I was attempting to leave site on Monday. Thankfully a can of puncture sealant I bought years ago for just such an occasion worked as intended and got me, my car and Marie to the Wainwright Canadian Tire. Still, the money I got for selling my helm was entirely used up buying a new tire.

I discovered on the ride home that two cute girls were looking for me in the Montengarde encampment on Thursday night! Why didn't anyone tell me sooner? Sadly Marie did not recognize them due to darkness.

Ugly

Nothing happened to me - certainly there were no depressive incidents or anxiety attacks. I attribute this to good preparation and my rule about drinking two days in a row.

Sadly, ugliness did affect two friends. I wish I could wave my magic wand and take their tears away, but I can only fix the problems that I can get my hands on. Social problems are something I'm rotten at. Anyway, not my story to tell, I just hope that everything turns out right for each of them - they both deserve happy endings.

Noteworthy

The archery shoots were enjoyable. I did OK in all of them but was never in any danger of winning any of them.

The weather was at times stinking hot and at others pouring rain. Still it was never oppressively so. I didn't get heat stroke and I don't appear to be badly sunburned. The tent made it through the rain without collapsing of leaking greatly. I discovered it leaked a little due to me piling some dirty clothes against he wall. Note to self - cloth on canvas wicks moisture.

I didn't get to socialize with Marie as much as I'd hoped (before her move to Vancouver), as I deliberately left her to do her own thing during the event. I knew I'd be able to monopolize her time on the way home. And I did.

Summary

I had a blast. It wasn't quite an epic Quad war for me, but it was good enough to leave me with almost all happy memories of it. That's pretty good for a negative fellow like me.