Twenty Hours of Twelfth Night

[jamesq]

Yesterday was Montengarde 12th Night, our biggest event. I was running it - and by "running it", I mean "holding on for dear life".

I woke up at 5:30 in the morning and went to Denny's for breakfast. I reasoned this would be my one opportunity for "me time", so I wanted something quiet and out of the way. Breakfast was good and I almost stole a car.

When I got to Denny's, I parked my car at the end of the building. Leaving, I went to the last car and got in. I sat in it dumbly for a minute wondering why it didn't feel right until I put together that it wasn't my car - I had gotten into the car next to mine (which has arrived later). It was also silver and the owner had left it unlocked. I quickly exited and got into my own vehicle, driving away before the owner noticed. Not the best omen for the day really, unless you count it as "you'll fuck up, but no one will notice" which is better then it could have been.

I was the first one at the hall (as planned) and started moving stuff inside. I was met with other people setting up and the number of folks gradually went up. I don't recall seeing huge lineups at any time, so the folks at gate didn't seem to be slammed at all. Busy at times, but not slammed.

We got 227 adults, 11 youths and 29 children.

So how did it go? I'm really not the one to ask, because all of the failures loomed large in my mind. The biggest was getting people to sit in the right places for feast. If I were to do it again (and we had sufficient space), I'd increase the "on-board" feast area 25% and just assume that people don't like being elbow-to-elbow with strangers have a ton of tables, not care about who was on or off board and let them get their own food from the buffet. We ended up doing this in an ad hoc fashion anyway, but it was the closest I got to losing it when there were lots of people around. I held it together, but only because of harsh language.

Dealing with the cops showing up (someone's kid triggered a silent alarm in a restricted part of the hall) was easy in comparison.

All of the courts were fun, because I got to see some great court schtick (the Huscarles' 30 years/30 gifts presentation was inspired). Plus I got to see lots of my friends get awards. minyata, bow_bitch and garething were particularly big winners.

But still, I had burned a lot of my personal midnight oil by the end of it. Post-event cleanup was particularly bad because:

1. My back started to seize up (It never flat out spasmed, but it was close).
   
2. I got so tired I couldn't make decisions anymore.
   
3. I was still smart enough to know my mental state, but I couldn't do anything about it. Do you have any idea how supremely frustrating that is? People would ask me simple questions I should have instantly had an answer for (i.e. "do you want me to wipe down this table") and I couldn't even parse the question, much less come up with an answer. That more then anything else damn near had me in tears by the end of it.

In the end, I had just enough juice left to get othelianna home without falling asleep at the wheel. Not enough to get myself home though as I literally don't remember half the ride from her place to mine. Thank heavens the roads between there and here aren't busy after midnight. I passed out about 1:30 am. and woke up at 12:30 pm. I've been largely useless today.

So how was the event for others? Lots of people say they enjoyed it. I remember the food being good. Other then that it was a blur of doing stuff and trying (and failing) to find moments to rest.

Highlights: Pulling it off. Watching friends get awards. Knowing who I can depend on.

Would I do it again? Maybe a smaller event, given enough time for me to forget just how badly this wounded my spirit. I love helping out, but I hate the anxiety attacks that go with having so many people depending on me. I literally don't know how I pulled it off, except to say surround yourself with competent people.

Also, when in doubt, give everyone a pearl necklace.

Comments

[oblivions.livejournal.com]

Best bit is, you didn't micro manage, or, at least it didn't appear to me that you did.

I quite enjoyed myself and all the comments and feedback I've heard have been very positive.

that seating thing

[missymorgan1.livejournal.com]

I know ALL about this. I have come to the conclusion that either you refuse the entire idea of off-board (everyone pays the same damned fee and then sits wherever, and you don't have to worry) or give 'em place-cards. Because the real problem is the eighteen people who MUST sit together even though six are off-board, plus the on-boarders who arrive late and can't find four seats together and so just add themselves together into a space for two people.

Of course, neither of those options are allowed. The offboarders compain that they should not have to pay for food they can't or won't eat (that 'affordability card' always comes up here)(even though these people will spend approximately double the feast fee at the bar without blinking)
and placecarding, well, I am not sure why, but we seem very resistant to this although, in a technical sense, nobody would have had a choice in the real Middle Ages...you sat where the lord told you to sit, you ate what you were given, and you tried to remember not to wipe your hands on the tablecloth, 'nuff said.

But it sounds like you did the Barony proud. And kept your temper - I almost never do!

Re: that seating thing

[jamesq]

It was actually a moot point. We only had a handful of people volunteer to be servers, so brotherselwynn decided to make it buffet style. They didn't have to sit in any particular area. I was too in love with my table arrangement.

[ishansonofbrand.livejournal.com]

Also, when in doubt, give everyone a pearl necklace.

*Giggle Fit* Mind, welcome to the gutter, gutter please welcome mind. Ah it is good to be home!

Anyhow, the event was awesome. I never felt rushed, and never felt tension in the air. I liked the timing of the Rapier Tourney, though had issues with the fighting. That wasn't your problem. You delegated well, and all told I went away feeling happy about the event. Good job James!

The feast was pretty good. I adore the buffet style so that on boarders and eat with off boarders. It is very... inclusive. As for the feast itself, it was good. One of the great problems with feasts is that some people will only eat certain parts of the feast and they will never get enough of what they want. I have seen feasts where a particular dish gets devoured and the dish beside it never gets touched. Bit of a waste of food and people go away hungry. There was enough there that I got filled up on what I wanted to eat and there was precious little in my 'Yuck Bucket'.

So, are you going to put in a Crown or a Quad bid?

Cheers,
Cormac

[jamesq]

Micromanaging means I have to work harder. Why would I do that?

[jamesq]

So, are you going to put in a Crown or a Quad bid?

Bwahahahahahaha hahahahaha hahahaha.

*deep breath*

Ahahahahahaha hahahahahah.

[oblivions.livejournal.com]

That fine point is lost on many people.

[minyata.livejournal.com]

Twelfth Night was a blurr of busy for me, go here, to that, go there, sing that, oh crap, forgot the CDs, Run home, drink wine, rinse, repeat.

The day flowed seeamlessly for me. I didn't see any hiccups (major or minor), I even missed the cops and didn't find out about it until I was in evening court! Lemma tell ya, I am super appreciative of that!

As for feast seating, I am strictly of the opinion that SCAers are generally honest people and at a feast, the main bulk of people who will eat the feast have paid. There will always be expections, but there is no way to avoid that (unless everyone pays for the feast whether eatten or not).

Twelfth Night is HARD to event stewart. It has to be with the tourneys and gobs of people all crowded into one place. Everytime I saw you, you looked calm and gave the impression you were enjoying the event as much as anyone else. I think thats important with something like this. If you are running around like a chicken with your head cut off, people will realize something is up and it snowballs from there. That didn't happen, not even once.

Ya done real good!

[jamesq]

The cops were actually looking for the leader of an international smuggling ring. I think they said her name "Mellisa Reimers", but I may have misheard.

[minyata.livejournal.com]

Shhhh!!!!! :P

Smuggling, importing, whatever. Its all in the details

[naughtynat07.livejournal.com]

James you did a great job:)

Overall the event was okay for me but that was nothing to due with the event itself but another situation. I was able to work on some more of my tatting which was nice.
I wasn't big on the feast and the hour between removes but it is hard to cook for that many people.
I am sorry I couldn't help out more -especially with clean up but i am not allowed to do heavy lifting etc, can even vacum for 10 days.

but definalty call on me should you ever need me to help with antyhing-event or not.