'nuff said!

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It's kind of interesting in an academic way- maybe there's a finite point at which reenactment reaches some sort of critical mass and new research becomes secondary to supporting the status quo.

Maybe you've kept your desire to do research by staying independent. It certainly would make an interesting research project.

But to address your question, I'd have to give you the same advice you've given me- do it if it is of value to you personally, not because anyone else cares. And certainly not because you want approval from anyone else.

quote:

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Originally posted by Thomas james hayman:
People might end up like this if you don't!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-hkINbyyFQ

'nuff said!

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AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[ 12-27-2006: Message edited by: Ulfgar ]
[edited by FS to reduce the 700+ pixel scream of horror ]

[ 12-27-2006: Message edited by: Fire Stryker ]

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If it's worthwhile to you and helps someone else, by all means host the file on your site.

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Moderated and/or limited access forums are better, but are limited because of the finite number of people contributing.

A general info website is certainly a great resource, but do you really want to give all your work away for free? In my experience people don't often appreciate things they get for nothing.

Dunno, I guess I'm feeling rather cynical about things right now and that colours my response.

Example: Can anyone cite me the ORIGINAL SOURCE for Queen Anne of Bohemia being the first woman to introduce riding aside to England? (It is stated a lot with sites linking to each other, but it's always the same quote and no one every "cites" the original source as to why people have come to this conclusion, is there evidence in a extant document or art to support this statement? As they say in Missurah..."Show me".)

We are restructuring our own web site with references on page and a bibliography. I've taken to getting facsimile's of original documents because there are many times when I don't feel I can trust the translation or it's taken out of context.

[ 12-27-2006: Message edited by: Fire Stryker ]

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I've tried to improve as a living historian over the last 10 years(or more). I spent money on books, web access, and even spent a year of my life as a moderator on the now dead Arador Forum (which made me a better researcher btw).

Most of my research of the last few years has been in the WMA side of things... but I do bring the perspective of a LH person to my WMA studies. How the clothing and shoes effect footwork and sword moves et al.

I started a 14th Century German Longsword study group this winter as a secondary WMA focus... one of my students is a local fitness trainer who commands a pretty penny for his time. I'm not charging for my time as this is a test to see if I'm grounded enough in this style to teach it localy as a WMA...

the guy has missed most of the classes...

I guess if I was charging him $50 an hour he'd be there...

Maybe things that are free have no value...

Don't let the lowest dominators chase you off.

Cheers,

David Teague

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Co-founder The Highland Recrudescence Guild
http://www.alaskascottish.org/hrgfound.html

I don't mind sharing general information, but when I'm expected to give up hard won research or documents that I've paid for out of pocket to people who want it just because it's somehow expected...I'm less inclined.

If a better interpretation comes out of my research that can benefit others, then I will offer it to people I know will appreciate it and make use of it.

You gave me a document Brent, and even though my project has not yet come to fruition, the document will be used, I just don't read German and haven't acquired the assistance of someone who can translate it for me. When it was given, it was and still is greatly appreciated.

I've shared with people who had a similar interest (or something different) and/or a project. The information exchange was bidirectional and mutually beneficial. I spent some time with friends with small language translation projects because they are friends, it was fun, I learned something, and I had the resources to help. They've done the same.

David,

maybe the fitness trainer had some unexpected scheduling issues. You might want to touch base with them to see if it's something that they are still interested in.

Perhaps you should at least institute a nominal fee like $120 for (4) 1 hour classes. This will get a monetary committment and will give them incentive not to miss it.

Create a lesson plan of what will be covered at each lesson perhaps a background on the fighting style and then move on to proper safety and handling to basic postures and perhaps some basic sparring at the end of the four lessons, even if it's only wrestling.

Your time is valuable. A lot of us give up our time because we are passionate, but there comes a time when you realize that what you know is in demand and if you're honest about your abilities and what you can offer, then you should get something for it whether it's satisfaction in passing on the knowledge, some monetary compensation, or a trade for goods.

I've bartered web and computer advice and design for historical clothing because I didn't have the time (or inclination) or space to make my own stuff. I bartered my expertise for someone else's expertise and I think we both got a good deal.

Just like I've occasionally been known to let experienced riders ride my horse without a fee, because she gets exercise and training and they get to ride without having to do chores, so it's mutually beneficial. If someone offers to groom or muck, I won't say no, but it's not expected as long as we both walk away feeling like we got something in return.

Sorry for the ramble.

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Oh, there is a set plan for training and I've given a overview of the fighting style.(I've been teaching a formal class in 18th century Scottish Broadsword for a few years now).

I have called, he does want to be there, but he's a newlywed, setting up a new household, etc... With his clients, they pay in advance and if they don't show.. so be it, they lose the money paid.

Just seems like he could make it a bit more as we set the times around most people's schedules.

Sigh...

At this time we don't want to charge as we lost our salle this spring due to buget cuts in the local school system... and we want to make sure we can teach this before opening it up to a larger class. (I'm got 4 selected test subjects for this)

Hey, one of the members of my history group can read 14th century German as one of the 11
she knows... is that the sort of German you need help with?

Cheers,

DT

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Co-founder The Highland Recrudescence Guild
http://www.alaskascottish.org/hrgfound.html

Thomas, many groups already look like that.

I think what bothers me is the time thing, it takes time to put up information and if people don't put any time into things then why should I spend my time putting up info. So I think I am going to read more.

I think groups probably research in starts and fits and I think most of it is done by just a few people anyways and so what they are doing is really what is the most important.

I wish more people really cared because it is not like it is hard or anything. Ok finding super cool stuff or exactly what you want when you want it takes some skill but reading books and learning is like something gradeschoolers do.

thanks, actually, it's somewhat modern German, 19th century.

Though I do have a horsemanship treatise by Frederigo Grison that was translated into German that she might be interested in giving a once over. It's from 1572. Only problem is that it's written in that obnoxious Fraktur font.

[ 12-27-2006: Message edited by: Fire Stryker ]

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I wish more people really cared because it is not like it is hard or anything. Reading books and learning is something gradeschoolers do....

Yup. I'm currently focusing on a few people who have a clue. I'm tired of fighting with people who know everything already. I didn't spend 20 years reading books and learning the hard way to do a free brain dump into the lap of someone who can't be asked to crack a book.

I've been able to sneak in a little reading during my twice daily milk breaks and on my walk to the parking lot (geek). I'm only about 100 pages in after a month or so; it's *really* slow going, but Brent, it might make you feel better that it is a book that you suggested. I've read the articles that you've sent, and I've skimmed the dissertations, but again, those are going into the queue of SLOW reading, due to the aforementioned cute reasons.

I'm also (slowly) working on a tutorial, which isn't so much research, but a way to give newer folks a good start on what they need.

Dealing with people with high standards is hard, new people on Grey's board are finding that out as well.

I think one problem is that there is no community anymore. We have mostly broken down to the point where there is no inherint interest in giving much help to eachother. I am 100 times more likely to help or converse with someone in Europe then I am here and even then the list of people I really interact with in the re-enactment community is extremely small and they all have stuff to offer me in return. I think too many years of problems have taken their toll. But I suppose that is life. Time to move on to other things.

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People who really can't be bothered to do any searching of their own, not even using google to get started.

Worse still are those that need some advice, ask for it and then when it doesn't fit with their notion they discard it and say 'well they mighta had it, just because we can't prove it, so I will keep using my egg whisk of death in any case'.

Finding information takes time, using that information to get some idea of what the writer is talking about takes time and money. That seems not to be appreciated very much as we live in this freeze dried-just add water world of 'information'. I now rarely give away much that I have trialled or learned, not because I am a mean old git but that it falls on deaf ears and the same questions keep getting asked. However, when I have charged for my humble skills the response is positive and the information retained and used, hopefully. I do swap skills for others, I find that to be a good thing all round.

I can relate to your frustration Brent, but find who you can exchange the info with and enjoy that process, if nought else.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Brent E Hanner:
[B]Charlotte if everyone worked as hard as you do I wouldn't have any problems. But how many member of Greys do you think read 100 pages a month about late medieval English history? or how about just 50? or 40? 40 pages is only 2 pages a day 5 days a week for a month.

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I don't read as much as I would like, I spend lots of time doing projects and working on web stuff.

At the same time I put out any scrap of info I find to help improve things. Even if a beer and bash guy uses my info so he can be lazy the community improves.

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Flittie, I don't typically do military history and when I do it tends to military thought.

James, if you don't spend much time researching then what you have to give out is just that, scraps.

It is all too little for me right now to make it worth investing my time in anything going on. Maybe at some point in the future or maybe I'll go visit Jorge for an event in England.

'Egg whisk of death'. I'm still chuckling.

Anyway didn't you threaten to visit our group once?

But Gwen is right about the beer thing.

Myself and a couple of mates from the region (at least one of whom posts here), reenactors who enjoy the learning as much as whacking each other meet up in a range of pubs, ostensibly to catch up on historical stuff, but it soon gets more relaxed than that and 'normal'.

Gwen, I have an egg whisk of death and i defy you to prove they didn't have them, oh and the cheese board of holiness.

[ 01-10-2007: Message edited by: gregory23b ]

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quote:

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Originally posted by gregory23b:

Anyway didn't you threaten to visit our group once?

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I keep making plans which are usually killed by lack of funds. The current posibility is for Easter. Not sure the next one after that.

quote:

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Originally posted by Brent E Hanner:
Charlotte if everyone worked as hard as you do I wouldn't have any problems. But how many member of Greys do you think read 100 pages a month about late medieval English history? or how about just 50? or 40? 40 pages is only 2 pages a day 5 days a week for a month.

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I couldn't say. I'm not really worried about what other people are doing right now. I will say that I wish I had a bit more time to work on projects. I have to finish Jeff's pourpoint by March, and that's going to really be stretching it.

quote:

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Dealing with people with high standards is hard, new people on Grey's board are finding that out as well.

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You know, everybody has to start somewhere. A bunch of new people will fade away, never to be heard from again. But there are those diamonds in the rough, the ones that might turn out to be really special. You never know who that might be (although, it might be easy to figure out who it ain't!).

quote:

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I think one problem is that there is no community anymore.

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Yes and no. I agree that many of the "old community" no longer feel a sense of community. However, there will always be a community. Who are the leaders of it if everybody "good" loses interest? Just a philosophical question.

quote:

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We have mostly broken down to the point where there is no inherint interest in giving much help to eachother. I am 100 times more likely to help or converse with someone in Europe then I am here and even then the list of people I really interact with in the re-enactment community is extremely small and they all have stuff to offer me in return. I think too many years of problems have taken their toll. But I suppose that is life. Time to move on to other things.

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