(Greet and Julia in Kass McGann's shop – Reconstructing History)

I had a wonderful time – I met wonderful people, learned things on purpose and not, tried things, and generally got more perspective.  Some of the things I learned:

I can stop feeling nervous about my kit – I'm starting to feel more secure in my presentation.  Need a proper chair for evening hangouts, and a tent.  I want fancy boxes (27" wide at base) and some other camp niceties, but bins hidden from view will do for now.  I brought three times as many clothes as I used, but I managed to stay pre-600 BCE at all times except for my half-naked-Jain yoga clothes.  I now have better direction of what to do with fabric I already have, based on how the garb worked.  A bit more sewing, and then a big garb sort is in my future.

I love music.  I love my harp, which I learned more about how to play in groups.  I want a bodhran.  I want to learn more song lyrics, because I can sing.  I want a Migration Period lyre, even if I have to learn to make it.  I want to read the historical novels written by the laurel who taught the early Welsh poetry class.  I want to find out how to find a 12thc harp piece (I heard one at the harp symposium).  I love jam sessions.  I want to learn more about modalities, and get my standard music theory stronger.  I want to get my recorder skills stronger (and maybe get a nicer one).

I will answer to "Alanis".  Blame Francesca.

A lot of people I know, know a lot of things.  And they like to be asked about them.  This is important – my usual "do it `self" approach is not always the best way.

I love weaving.  The warp-weighted loom was AMAZING technology.  I got to help knit heddles (part of the loom setup for 2/2 twill, also called wadmal), and wove a bit.  I got useful and encouraging feedback on my string skirt and Bronze Age presentation from a fiber laurel who specializes in 2nd C N Europe, with neat suggestions and much bibliography geeking.

I love pottery (the consumption of).  I geeked with three pottery people, bought some, talked about arranging more in trade, commission, and graphic design.  I love graphic design – I got some woad, and met people who knew how to use it.  I met people who told me about word magic for my tent.  I met people who have made wool tents, and advised me of the pros, and how to manage the cons.  I have found the jewelry love…was sort of feeling like I was broken or something.  My brooch collection has Grown – shopping out of archeology texts is so freaking cool.

I love encouraging and being encouraged by people.  I met the lovely Julia who recognized me by the chiton I posted here – who was inspired to research her own outfit, creating jewelry she found in museum piece photos, a terrific hairstyle, and all probably much better sourced than what I threw together.  (Must read up more; I am glad that Julia did me one better, and I don't want to lead anyone astray without knowing where the Major Disclaimers need to be.)  I geeked Pradapika translations with a certified yoga instructor who also fights, and had very helpful things to say about how to learn to teach it.  I learned several new shoulder opening moves, and that my shoulder/chest tightness is why I can't balance my scorpion pose yet – will try to practice these every day for a while.  I saw a ten-year old harpist, who played her own composition, and was prompted to announce shyly that she'd just gotten her AoA.  I was so proud of particular of my friends, who struggle to learn their own crafts in relative isolation, and finally get fantastic (and mundane!) recognition for the contributions they are making.

I love throwing myself down rabbitholes: Welsh poetry, lyremaking, Anglo-Saxon housing (small huts and large castles-cum-manor complexes), rune magic, engraving (not following that one up), sprang, tents (oh, the desert one was very cool!  Terribly tempting.)

I learned more about the SCA in other places, and should my job search take me out of kingdom, I am not so afraid of not finding the wonderfulness that I have experienced in the last 2.5 years, in other places than Meridies.  I am soooo glad I went.