duncan_prime

G&G - December 2009

2009-12-19T22:41:10Z

This month Steve picked Abuelo's in Zona Rosa, north of the river. It is a chain Mexican place that he and Jerri had tried in Oklahoma City one.

They didn't take reservations, so Steve & Jerri got there early to put our names in. Deanna and I got there right around 7 and found them still in the bar, not having been seated yet. They were nursing monster margaritas, but we got summoned to our table before we could order anything. We weren't deprived though, as De ordered sangria when we sat down. I got a gin and tonic, since it was the last day of Hanukkah (see my previous post for why).

I got their dip sampler and a bowl of tortilla soup for the appetizers. The waiter was a bit surprised that six people were going to share a single bowl of soup (not to mention that I ordered the appetizers without consulting anyone else), but he got over it. The three dips (guacamole, queso and chili) we all good, but nothing spectacular that I would have to have again (unlike the "Hai Chi Hua Hua" from Dos Reales up the street, but that's another post).

Let's see if I can remember what everyone had:

Jerri:	Matamoros Combination Platter
Steve:	Fajita Chimichanga
Deanna:	Salmon (of course)
Marshal:	Durango Burrito (spicy beef)
Linda:	Enchiladas
Me:	Grande Combination Platter

Everything was really good and flavorful, spicy but not mouth-numbingly hot. Even the chile rellenos on the combination platters weren't to hot for the mildest palletes amongst us, but they weren't bland either. All the plates started off really hot, so rather than passing we just kind of slid them around the table. Mine was the size of a turkey platter, which made this a bit tricky, but we managed. Our waiter missed that part of the show, so he was a little surprised when we all talked about the flavors of everyone else's meals.

The dessert menu was supposed to be in the on table flip menu, but ours was missing. We told the waiter ours was broken and we needed a new one that actually had desserts in it. He returned with one promptly, and Jerri and Marshal chose a flan and a "Chocolate Eruption". Similar to the appetizers, both desserts were good, but nothing spectacular.

The total bill only came to $50 per couple, including drinks. Considering that we all took food home, it was a very good value.

Since this was our December dinner, we exchanged presents. We got indestructible (life-time warranty) 16 ounce, insulated tumblers from Linda and Marshal, and a cute, table-top Xmas tree and snowman candle from Steve and Jerri. We also got a 2010 calendar of windmill pictures that Jerri had taken over the last year. We gave mead and soap again, and got promises from both couples to bring back the bottles we gave them last year.

The leaving was the only bad part of the experience. Zona Rosa is one of those new, high-end shopping areas that are designed to be pedestrian friendly, yet are stuck in places zoned commercial, so there are no residents. Top that off with there being only one way in and out, and the traffic is a mess! I don't think I will be going back any time soon, even though the food was excellent.

Happy Hanukkah

2009-12-19T22:02:53Z

I had my gin and tonica! How about you?

Thanksgiving Memory

2009-11-27T17:13:44Z

It was1981, and I was going to graduate school at Georgia Tech. My wife had stayed in Kansas City, because she had a good job. Luckily, part of her job that year included multiple trips to Dothan, Alabama and the army fort there (she was doing energy studies for the DoD). This required that she change planes in Atlanta, so she would spend the weekends around her trips with me. One of those trips was immediately after Thanksgiving, so she came there rather than me coming home.

My wife's sister and brother-in-law also lived in Atlanta, but they were going to visit his family, so we had the run of their house for the weekend, and all we had to do was watch the cats. We decided that we didn't want to cook dinner for just the two of us, so we headed out to find a restaurant where we could eat. In 1981 in suburban Atlanta, nothing was open. No restaurants, no grocery stores so we could cook, nothing. To be fair, part of that was probably that we were unfamiliar with the area, and didn't know where to look. But everywhere we did look, everything was closed.

As we headed back to the house to see what we might be able to scrounge up, we saw an open gas station. Remember, this is 1981, and gas stations weren't theses small grocery stores with pumps that they are today. No, this was an old-style gas station with a freezer case for ice cream treats, a beer cooler and a couple of racks of chips. We went in without much hope, but boy did we score! They had frozen pizza!

So, our first Thanksgiving as a married couple was frozen pizza and ice cream treats. But at least we were both healthy, and I didn't have to go to the ballet. But that's another story for another time.

G&G - November 2009

2009-11-25T19:07:12Z

Wow, I totally forgot to post about this month! Let's hope I can remember things correctly.

This month was Deanna's pick, and we went to Riuchi, an Indian restaurant at College Blvd and Antioch in Overland Park.

Since we had done Indian recently, no one got adventurous and tried the goat this time. We had pretty standard fare, for Indian, actually.

Steve:	Lamb Tikka Masala
Jerri:	Chicken Khorma
Marshal:	Riuchi Special Biryani
Linda:	Tandoori Chicken
Me:	Lamb Khorma
Deanna:	Malai Kofta

Everything was quite tasty. The Riuchi Special Biryani was chicken cooked with green chilies, and was hotter than we expected, but very flavorful. I think De's Malai Kofta was the favorite, because the sauce on that dish is to die for. I don't think we have ever been disappointed with it at any restaurant.

We had planned all along to have the rice pudding for dessert, which is a good thing, as that was all they had by the time we were ready for it.

Even though we had just had Indian a couple of months back, when I finished my leftovers on Sunday (we were out of town on Saturday), I was ready for more. Too bad there isn't any place closer to the house.

Succumbing to the Memage - Fionna

2009-11-25T17:58:34Z

Succumbing to the Memage - Rhodri

2009-11-25T17:11:46Z

Leave me a comment saying "Resistance is Futile."

• I'll respond by asking you five questions so I can satisfy my curiosity

• Update your journal with the answers to the questions

• Include this explanation in the post and offer to ask other people questions

1. What one non-SCA event (Indy 500, Kentucky Derby, etc.) would you like to experience?
Walking on the moon? I guess I should give a more realistic answer. Attending WorldCon. It's something I never did while I was more heavily involved in SF, and I'd like to go and meet some of the authors I admire.

2. You've got lots of pretty shiny big things like a white belt and a
Pelican medallion, but which small token from your SCA career do you appreciate most and why?
My "Spirit of Gallantry" from TE Avraham & Jorunn. Partially because they are relatively rare, and partially because it is from my local group.

3. So let's rewrite history. Instead of the SCA, you start with another lifelong hobby. What would that hobby have been and what comparable achievements to peerage would you have done?
Nothing has ever really grabbed me like the SCA has. I was pretty heavily into SF in college, but my wife never was. It most likely would have been dog training, now that I think about it. I did that fairly frequently with our first dog, and we have friends that got pretty into it. Having champion obedience dogs or perhaps becoming a judge might be equivalent to a peerage.

4. When you die, and they distribute your body parts to various places as relics, which body part do you think should be most revered and why?
My gall bladder, because it is mysteriously missing!

5. Isn't it about time we find some nice B&B opportunities in Missouri to bring that wayward squire of yours home?
Ah, if it were only that simple... She will come home when she is ready. As will they all.

Succumbing to the Memage - Elasait

2009-11-25T14:23:46Z

Leave me a comment saying "Resistance is Futile."

• I'll respond by asking you five questions so I can satisfy my curiosity

• Update your journal with the answers to the questions

• Include this explanation in the post and offer to ask other people questions

1. How did you come to be part of the SCA?
I met Master Christopher Amber when we were both in a science fiction club in college. He met Mistress Liriel. She had a shop at the KC RennFest. She got introduced there, and drug Chris in. Ylva made some clothes to sell at Liriel's shop, so we spent lots of time out there. One day some SCA folks came to the shop looking for people in garb to sit in the gallery, and I went. I saw the fighting and said "I have to try that!"

2. What do you find is the most challenging part of being a peer?
This one is harder than I thought it would be on first reading. After many false starts, I have settled on choosing squires (I haven't even thought about proteges yet). Getting the right fit is hard! And it is only getting harder.

3. What made you want to be Advocate? (Or, if want is not precisely the right word, exhibit insufficient reluctance?)
I wanted to serve the Kingdom, but I don't do well with paperwork. I think I do a good job of seeing many sides of an issue, so mediation (which you know is what the job really is) seemed a good fit. I also like to be in the loop, but I can keep my mouth shut as well.

4. What would you change about Calontir, if you were made benevolent dictator of the Known World?
Another tough one. There isn't a lot I think we do wrong, just different. I guess I would like to see us hold grudges less. The amount of vitriol that can be spewed about when talking about Tuchux or light archers or (gods forbid) fencing is enormous. We should remember our past experiences with those things, but not let it control our actions for all time.

5. I know I've been thinking about this more lately, realizing that I'm in the second half and possibly the last third or so of my career. What would you like to do in retirement?
Travel. I love going to new places and having new experiences. And I have to catch up with my sister. She is ahead by 3 continents (she has all but Antarctica).

Good Laws

2009-11-11T03:36:45Z

We have all heard of Moore's Law (about computer speed doubling) and Niven's Law (that 90% of everything is crud) and so forth. Well, Wired.com has put together a list of 10 Geeky Laws that should exist but don't.

I really the xkcd comic that is referenced in the first law, so of course I admire the list. SFSF

Symphony of Science

2009-10-28T00:02:50Z

Wow. I have seen no better explanation of my personal philosophy.

For more information about the video, read this Wired article.

O-blah-dee, O-blah-dah

2009-10-16T16:22:51Z

Life goes on, brah!

We had to put our dog Theo down this morning.

She started coughing last weekend, so De took her to the vet. They didn't find anything in the blood work, and based on her history, they said it might be allergies, or it might be heart failure. There wasn't much we could do about heart failure, so we got some pills to treat it as an allergy.

The pills seemed to make the cough better, but it didn't go away. A call to the vet on Wednesday recommended giving her three pills a day instead of two, and see if that did it. Unfortunately, it did not.

Thursday night Theo's breathing was very labored, so we headed to the emergency vet. They took an x-ray (which we had eschewed at our vet, hoping the allergy diagnosis would be correct), and her pulmonary cavity was practically filled with fluid. They drained as much of it as they could to ease her breathing, and it turned out most of it was blood. The prognosis was not good, probably a burst tumor.

We left her there over night in an oxygen cage (clear plastic door rather than bars) on the off chance it was a one-time thing, and the cavity wouldn't refill. No such luck.

This morning we all went back and said goodbye. She came around to each of us a couple of times, and then just laid down. She was obviously uncomfortable and very tired. But she was surrounded by all those she loved at the end.

I really like this clinic. They are incredibly understanding and caring.

She was a good dog, despite getting in to the trash. SFSF

G&G - October 2009

2009-10-11T14:12:53Z

This month was Linda's pick, so this past Friday we went to The Courthouse Exchange on the square in Independence. It is a little bar and grill in the basement of a building across the street from the courthouse. It has comfort food and that's pretty much it. While it wasn't anything to rave about, it was also decent fare for the price.

A chili making friend of the Dowdy's was in town for a cook-off the next day, so they brought him along. Marshall's daughter Jennifer wimped out on us, so there were seven of us. They had pushed several two person tables together for us (that seemed to be all they had except for the four person booths), which moved one table out from under the television that hung from a post above it. Apparently they do that a lot, because the platform the tv was sitting on was wrapped in foam pipe insulation as padding. And it was a good thing, as Marshall (who was sitting right next to it) whacked his head on it!

As for the food, we had:

Marshall:	Fried Chicken Platter
Linda:	Meatloaf Platter
Steve:	Chicken Fried Steak
Jerri:	Mac & Cheese with Brisket
Mike:	Fried Shrimp
Deanna:	Fried Chicken & Waffle
Me:	Open-faced Roast Beef Sandwich

We started with onion straws (which were really more like pieces of onion rings, I thought) and buffalo wings. Steve and Mike each had whiskey while Linda and I had beer (Boulevard and Guiness, respectively), as their wine list was, ah, limited shall we say?

Several of us were a bit put off by the idea of mixing fried chicken and a waffle. I had heard of it being considered comfort food in other parts of the country, but I hadn't ever seen it or had a chance to try it. It was an interesting combination, but it would have been better with real maple syrup. I'll have to relearn where it is more typical and go try it there. It isn't really fair to judge it based on a local grill's interpretation of what it should be. That's how you end up with "yellow chicken spoo" instead of real gravy.

Jerri is very alergic to shrimp, but we have a system worked out for passing our plates. Whoever ordered the dish with shrimp has to sit so that Jerri gets their plate in the first pass. They then switch to a clean fork, so they won't put their shrimp infected fork in the non-shrimp dish. Jerri just sits this round. After that, we pass as normal, and everyone else can use their same silverware, as Jerri's dish is moving just ahead of the shrimp, and no one will touch her food after touching the shrimp. Normally we just don't order anything she can't eat, but sometimes we just can't resist.

For dessert Marshall and Jerri picked the peach pie and chocolate layer cake. Mike lobbied pretty hard for the bread pudding, but he was overruled. It's tough being the visitor. SFSF

The food was plentiful and pretty much what you would expect. The place wasn't very busy for a Friday night, but it has been around for almost 100 years, so I imagine it can survive this recent down turn. They probably survive on the lunch crowd anyway. That and people coming to watch the numerous televisions for sporting events.

We ended up spending just over $20 each, which makes us all pretty cheap dates!

My First Sports Post

2009-10-08T04:42:07Z

I write this because the ESPN on-air folks discussed on the most recent Monday Night Football how hard some franchises have tried to replace their "franchise" quarterbacks. They mentioned five teams that have had at least 8 starting quarterbacks since the one mentioned, and have one only one playoff game. The quarterbacks/teams mentioned were:

Dan Marino / Miami Dolphins
John Elway / Denver Broncos
Steve Young / San Fransisco 49ers
Troy Aikman / Dallas Cowboys
Jim Kelly / Buffalo Bills

I think the reason the Chiefs were left off that list, is because they have won 3 playoff games.

Since winning the 1969 Superbowl (played in January 1970), the Kansas City Chiefs have won 3 playoff games (2 in the 1993 season). In that same time period they have had the following 24 starting quarterbacks:

Len Dawson
Mike Livingston
Tony Adams
Steve Fuller
Bill Kenny
Todd Blackledge
Matt Stevens
Frank Seuer
Doug Hudson
Steve DeBerg (won 1 playoff game)
Ron Jaworski
Steve Pelluer
Mark Vlasic
Dave Krieg
Joe Montana (won 2 playoff games)
Steve Bono
Elvis Grbac
Rich Gannon
Warren Moon
Trent Green
Damon Huard
Brodie Croyle
Tyler Thigpen
Matt Cassel

Wow. From a playoff point of view, Kansas City has sucked for a LONG time. They may have been the winningest franchise in the 1990's during the regular season, but they just cannot get it done in the playoffs.

iTunes meme

2009-10-02T00:47:54Z

...stolen from noveldevice

How many songs total: 1243 (724)
How many hours or days of music: 3.2 days (1.7 days)
(Numbers in parenthesis have books on tape filtered out.)

Most recently played: "Lawyers, Guns and Money" - Warren Zevon
Most played: "Immigrant Song" - Led Zeppelin
Most recently added: Calontir Songs - Volume 2

Sort by song title:
First song: "Aboard the Good Ship Venus" - The Poxy Boggards
Last song: "Your Smiling Face" - James Taylor

Sort by time:
Shortest song: "We Say F*ck" - The Poxy Boggards (0:20)
Longest song: "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" - Iron Butterfly (17:02)

Sort by album:
First album: "Agents of Fortune" - Blue Oyster Cult
Last album: "When I Woke" - Rusted Root

First song that comes up on Shuffle: "Pour Oh Pour the Pirate Sherry" - Gilbert and Sullivan

Search the following and state how many songs come up:
Death: 0
Life: 28 (22 of which are from the album "Lager Than Life" by The Poxy Boggards)
Love: 41
Hate: 0
You: 75
Sex: 1 ("Sexy Sadie" - The Beatles)

There are very few downloaded songs on there. They are mostly ripped from my CD collection.

GoG - September 2009

2009-09-20T18:51:43Z

This month is was my turn to pick, so this past Friday we went to an Indian restaurant called Korma Sutra in Westport.

I hadn't been thinking "Westport" when I made the reservations, or I might have picked their other location on the south side of town. The parking is always bad there, and on a Friday night it is worse. We parked 2-3 blocks away, and as we walked back toward the restaurant we saw the Dowdy's cruising, looking for a spot. Just as we crossed the street in front of them, a car was pulling out, so we stood in the spot until the Dowdy's could pull in.

It was a short walk from there, and we took our time, chatting about the neighborhood and window shopping, since we were a bit early for our 7:00 reservation.

The dining room was mostly empty, so we didn't have any problem pushing tables together to seat the six of us. I was a little surprised at how empty it was, but I think they do most of their business at lunch, when they have a buffet.

Before I even had a chance to order appetizers, our waitress (who seemed to have the best English of all the people we saw), brought us each a small lump of vegetable paste that had been battered and fried. It was tasty but really salty. It turned out that (to me) all their fried savory stuff was salty. I ordered coconut soup and chicken somosas for the appetizer. It took a couple of tries to get 6 spoon for the soup. Some places just don't understand right away that we pass everything around so everyone can taste it. Both were good, but the soup was a bit sweet for an appetizer to me. The somosas had finely ground chicken in them, so they were easier to divvy up that I was expecting.

Since the wine list consisted of Chardonnay, Cabernet, or one other I don't recall (no other description, like the winery or the year), we decided to pass on the wine. Steve and Deanna both got mango lhassi, a cool drink made with thin yogurt. They were available as either sweet or salty drinks, and the waitress recommended sweet with the mango. They were good, almost like milk shakes. Jerri and Linda both got chai, I had a Kingfisher beer while Marshal stuck with water.

One of the reasons I picked this place was because they have goat on the menu. They had a whole section for it, as a matter of fact. We ended up getting:

Goat do Piazza - A house specialty. I was good, but I am spoiled and didn't enjoy having to wrestle each small chunk of meat off the bit of bone it was attached to.
Vegetable Kofta - This is was Deanna always gets at Indian places, but it is always good. Ground vegetables in balls or patties cooked in a delicious cream sauce.
Lamb Saag - Chunks of lamb served in a fresh spinach and yogurt sauce.
Goat Vindaloo - Ordered medium, and it really was. That was the first time I had had vindaloo without setting my mouth on fire. Very flavorful.
Chicken Biryani - A rice dish with meat and vegetables cooked in with it. Kind of Indian fried rice, but without the frying part.
Chicken Khorma - Chicken in a cream sauce similar to the vegetable kofta, but subtly different. You can also see one of the cups of chai.
The garlic and onion nan (claimed to be a house specialty) was uninspiring, but OK. I didn't feel like it added any more to the flavor than the plain nan did.

Everything was good and very well spiced. The two goat dishes were both medium, and they hit the spot just right. Not so hot as to be inedible, but a little more fire than just curry.

For dessert we had planned on ordering the rice pudding and the fried dough balls in honey, but our waitress brought us out exactly that on the house! They also brought each of us a small piece of their (very hard) mango ice cream on a little skewer. At first we thought it was frozen chunks of mango, but they were very sweet and quickly melted in our mouths. A refreshing end to a delicious meal.

The cost only ended up being $45 per couple. We get off a lot cheaper when we don't drink!

A good choice, overall, I think. I'll be interested to try their Johnson County location (near the Sprint campus) and see how different it is.

More Stolen Meme-age

2009-09-12T22:43:58Z

Stole this from noveldevice partially because it tickled me, and partially because there were a bunch of answers I didn't have to change!

1. What's the first thing you wash in the shower?
Hair.

2. What color is your favorite hoodie?
Gold

3. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?
Yes.

4. Do you plan outfits?
A bit. I've been harassed often enough about clashing that I have to.

5. How are you feeling RIGHT now?
Lazy, I'll cut the grass tomorrow.

6. What’s the closest thing to you that's red?
A velcro cable restraint, of all things.

7. Tell me about the last dream you remember having.
I don't recall my dreams.

8. Did you meet anybody new today?
Yes, Willhelm.

9. What are you craving right now?
Salt.

10. Do you floss daily?
Not even close.

11. What comes to mind when I say cabbage?
Helgaball!

12. Are you emotional?
Not publicly.

13. Have you ever counted to 1000?
No. What a waste of time that would be.

14. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it?
Lick.

15. Do you like your hair?
Yes.

16. Do you like yourself?
Yes.

17. Would you go out to eat with George W. Bush?
No. I like to have intelligent conversations with dinner.

18. What are you listening to right now?
Nothing (other than the computer fan).

19. Are your parents strict?
Not really.

20. Would you go skydiving?
Yes.

21. Do you like cottage cheese?
Yes.

22. Have you ever met a celebrity?
No.

23. Do you rent movies often?
Never.

24. Is there anything sparkly in the room you're in?
Do CD-ROMs count?

25. How many countries have you visited?
Canada, Mexico, England, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, Scotland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Kenya, Greece, Yugoslavia, Belgium, Netherlands and Wales.

26. Have you made a prank phone call?
Yes.

27. Ever been on a train?
Yes.

28. Brown or white eggs?
They don't taste different to me.

29. Do you have a cell phone?
Yes.

30. Do you use chap stick?
No.

31. Do you own a gun?
Yes.

32. Can you use chop sticks?
Yes.

33. Who are you going to be with tonight?
My wife.

34. Are you too forgiving?
Not.

35. Ever been in love?
Yes.

36. What is your best friend(s) doing tomorrow?
Getting stuff ready to put back in the vigil box.

37. Ever have a cream puff?
Yes.

38. Last time you cried?
Last Sunday, when Miranda spoke.

39. What was the last question you asked?
"Did you say something I needed to hear?"

40. Favorite time of the year?
Autumn.

41. Do you have any tattoos?
No.

42. Are you sarcastic?
snort Would you believe me if I said no?

43. Have you ever seen The Butterfly Effect?
No.

44. Ever walked into a wall?
Yes.

45. Favorite color?
Purple/Blue.

46. Have you ever slapped someone?
Yes.

47. Is your hair curly?
No.

48. What was the last CD you bought?
Weird Al, "Straight Outta Lynnwood.

49. Do looks matter?
No, not really.

50. Could you ever forgive a cheater?
Define "forgive". Play nicely with them? Yes. Trust them? No.

51. Is your phone bill sky high?
Not really, but higher than I would like.

52. Do you like your life right now?
Yes.

53. Do you sleep with the TV on?
No.

54. Can you handle the truth?
Nothing but.

55. Do you have good vision?
Not really, but I don't need glasses except to read yet.

58. The last person you held hands with?
Ylva.

59. What are you wearing?
Shorts and my new Valor XXX t-shirt.

60. What is your favorite animal?
Dogs, hands down.

61. Where was your profile picture taken?
At Armorgeddon when I was made a Huscarl.

62. Can you hula hoop?
Nope.

63. Do you have a job?
Yes.

64. What was the most recent thing you bought?
Groceries.

65. Have you ever crawled through a window?
Yes, both directions.

Pelican Ceremony

2009-09-11T21:32:32Z

Behind the cut is the script from my Pelican ceremony. Some things didn't go as scripted, and if I know/remember the changes, I have noted them. For those of you unfamiliar with Calontir Peerage ceremonies, this is pretty typical, especially for those done by TRM Martino & Ariel.

Pelican Ceremony for Duncan Bruce of Logan

Herald: Countess Lyriel	Within the fellowship of the Society, three orders of great merit have been created to honor those who have excelled in arms and chivalry, in arts and sciences, and in service to the realm. A member of each of these three orders is one whose skills are freely manifested and willingly taught. One whose efforts on behalf of others are unstinting and whom above all is an example of courtesy and grace. The Order of Chivalry honors martial achievements; the members of the order are the swords of the King. The Order of the Laurel honors those skilled in Arts and Sciences who create works of value and beauty. In the sixth year of the Society, there was called into being the third great order of Peerage; The Right and Noble Order of the Pelican, to recognize those who have distinguished themselves by there sustained and exemplary service to the Society It is the privilege of the Crown to elevate into this order such persons as Their Majesties see fit. Therefore, the Crown now calls into their presence the Masters and Mistresses of The Right and Noble Order of the Pelican here present.
King: Martino	There is one among Our people whose service you have endorsed and brought to Our attention, asking that they be elevated to this esteemed order. While not in the script, I believe at this point His Majesty asked if someone would speak as my sponsor.
Sponsor: Count Fernando	Your Majesties, Sir Duncan Bruce of Logan has served Calontir well for many years. A service so beautifully performed as to be invisible to many. While many of our order stand out among the populace, this man works behind the scenes so that the work is done, but sometimes unseen. It is our fervent request that you recognize him as a member of this order. I don't know what Ferd really said. I know that everyone who could hear him laughed at least twice. I have been told that he said something about me cleaning up after my own vigil, which proved I belong in the order.
King:	Then call forth the candidate.
Herald:	The Crown now calls Sir Duncan Bruce of Logan into Their court. I was preceded by my children, Miranda and Byron, with Byron carrying my battle standard. Escorting me was my lady wife Ylva, followed by the non-Pelicans who would be speaking for me.
King:	Knowing of your selfless devotion to Calontir and the Society, We are minded this day to recognize you as a Master of the Right and Noble Order of the Pelican. Here now what it means to be a Pelican.
Queen: Ariel	Know that to be a Pelican is to be sworn to the service of the Society, forgoing personal glory for the goals of greater scope, Striving always for the betterment of our Society. These are things you already do for Calontir. Her Majesty then riffed on the distinction between the service expected of a Knight and that which I had done to earn a Pelican. I had asked everyone who was speaking for me to talk of this distinction, because I think it is important.
King:	Who will speak for the Chivalry?
Chivalry: Sir Gawain	He spoke in his own words, concentrating on how I already knew how to be a Knight, and now I must learn how to be a Pelican.
Queen:	Who will speak for the Laurels?
Laurel: Baroness Jorunn	She spoke in her own words about how I teach service through my example.
King:	Who will speak for the Pelicans?
Pelican: Mistress Elasait	She spoke in her own words about the meaning of the pelican in her piety. She also mentioned the work I have done that is not expected of a Knight.
Queen:	Who will speak for the Royal Peers?
Royal Peer: Countess Maerwyn	She spoke in her own words about how she appreciated that I was always willing to lend a hand.
King:	Who will speak for the Populace?
Populace: Miranda	She brought everyone to tears speaking of how she admired me and hoped she could emulate me. Did I mention that this was a very* humbling experience?*
King:	What say the Duncans?
The Duncans: Sir Duncan Faramach	This one takes a little explaining. Over a decade ago, several people, unbeknownst to each other, chose Duncan as their SCA name. We ended up turning it into a joke, with talk of the "Duncan Collective" and so forth. It has grown into much more. The Duncans now rely on each other for guidance, friendship and love. I asked Their Majesties to add this, and they kindly agreed.
King:	This is not a choice to be made lightly. Having reflected upon what will be expected of you, are you willing to accept the accolade from Our hands, and be admitted into the Right and Noble Order of the Pelican?
Candidate:	Something like: After much consideration, I am.
King:	Logan, do you swear that you will honor and defend the Crown and Kingdom of Calontir
Candidate:	With all my heart!
Queen:	Do you swear that you will continue to conduct yourself in all matters as befits a peer, continuing to practice the virtues of chivalry, nobility and personal integrity?
Candidate:	I do so swear.
King:	That you will further your knowledge of the ways of service, and give aid to others in this endeavor, always maintaining a level of participation that does not sacrifice the well-being or health of yourself, or the undertaking at hand?
Candidate:	As Your Majesties command.
Queen:	That you will continue to be courteous and honor all with whom you have dealings?
Candidate:	I will.
King:	Therefore it is proper that you, whom having long and loyally served Crown and Kingdom be recognized as a Master of the Right and Noble Order of the Pelican. Bring forth the medallion
Queen:	Take from Our hands this medallion, which bears the symbol of the Order: a Pelican in her piety. For this creature was believed, in ancient times, to nourish her young, if necessary, with blood from her own breast, and thus cam to symbolize the good and true servant. Wear it always with honor, wear it always with humility. The medallion was a pin that had been sent from Mistress Liriel and Master Christopher. HRM pinned it to my tunic. But she then presented me with a hood (knowing that I don't like cloaks) she had made for me (in her copious spare time, I'm sure), which covered up the pin, so she had to move it to the hood.
King:	Accept now from Our Hand that which your service and devotion has brought you. May your skills ever be increased and offered in service to Calontir and the Society.
Queen:	May your comportment ever serve as an example of gentle courtesy and humility.
Crown:	And my your spirit ever follow after the goals your heart has set before you.
King:	It would please Us to have you reaffirm fealty at this time.
Pelican:	Here do I swear homage and fealty to the Crown and Kingdom of Calontir. I herewith give my solemn oath to support the ideals, laws and customs of our Society. To loyally dend and uphold the Crown and Kingdom. To champion justice and foster knowledge. To faithfully fulfill my feudal obligations to my Liege Lord and Lady. And to ever and always strive to be worthy of the Pelican. By word and deed, this swear I, Master Duncan Bruce of Logan.
Crown:	We do accept you fealty freely given, and swear never to sacrifice you needlessly. To reward fealty with love, service with honor, and oath breaking with vengeance. So swear We, Martino, King, and Ariel, Queen.
King:	Arise, Master Logan Let the scroll be read, so that all may know of this.
Queen:	Noble Pelicans, please escort your newest member from our court.

I want to thank everyone involved. It was very humbling.

Getting My Version Out First

2009-09-07T22:46:48Z

or How I Got Ambushed By the Calontir Crown

It all started out as an innocent request to deliver a small package from grnvixen (my lady's Laurel) to Her Majesty Ariel.

So last Thursday, she swings by the house and drops off a small manila envelope. Ylva puts it in her event basket, and we don't think any more about it.

We arrive at the event Saturday morning (we had been there the night before to set some stuff up, but TRM weren't there yet), finish unloading, and Ylva goes in search of Ariel to discharge her duty to her Laurel. I go off to armor up and get ready for the day's fighting.

When I see my lady later, as she and Brialen prepare to help run the list table (for 5 (later reduced to 4) serial, single elimination tournaments and a concurrent bear pit), I ask if she found HRM, as I know where she is. She says she did, but that HRM asked her to give the message to me, so I could deliver it in court. She said she would ask for it at the proper time.

There were two peerage ceremonies planned for Valor this year. Master Glendour was to be elevated to the Chivalry, and Her Ladyship Gillian Warrender was to be elevated to the Laural. I was to speak during Glendour's ceremony, so I assumed the message that I was to deliver was related to that. When I saw HRM later that day, I asked her if she wanted me to remove whatever it was from the manila envelope so it wouldn't look quite so mundane. She thought about it, said OK, then changed her mind and said to just leave it as it was.

So, when the time for court came, I am sitting with the populace, holding a blatantly modern envelope (when I'm not thwacking Her Excellency Maerwyn with it for misbehaving), waiting for my cue to speak to Glendour on the chivalric virtue of Justice. Things are proceeding as is typical at Calontir courts, working their way through the AoA level awards, when I hear "Their Majesties grant the petition of Sir Duncan Bruce of Logan to come before Them." I didn't petition Their Majesties, I was just a delivery boy. So I approach the thrones (somewhat apprehensively), and present the envelope to Her Majesty, announcing to the court that I have a message for her from Mirtress Liriel. She thanks me, but does not dismiss me while she opens it. I begin to suspect there may be more to my delivering the message than mere convenience of being in court anyway.

Her Majesty opens the envelope, and I can see a hand written note and another sealed envelope with in it. HRM does not read the had written note, but simply exclaims that this was not what she expected. She then opens the second envelope, and finds a letter, folded, tied with ribbon, and sealed. This, according to her muttered words, was more like what she was expecting. She broke the seal, and began to read aloud a letter from both Mistress Liriel and Master Christopher. At that point I knew what it was going to be, and gave both Their Majesties the best stink eye I could muster. He just smiled, and she grinned like the Cheshire cat!

TRM called the Order of the Pelican in to court, and charged me to let them know my decision whether I would accept the accolade and when by the end of the day (it was already dark). Her Majesty smiled sweetly at me and said "No pressure."

As I was escorted from court, Abby of Darkdale turned to her mother and asked "Did Logan just beg his own boon?"

"And that, Your Honor, is why I had to kill her."

G&G August 2009

2009-08-29T17:38:12Z

I first posted about our dinner group here. I have every intention of documenting all our dinners here from now on. Not just for all you food voyeurs out there, but to document where we went and what we ate for my own failing memory.

Last night we (Steve & Jerri Dowdy, Linda Baschnagle and Marshall Brown) went to Wild Bill's at the Legends in Kansas City, Kansas. This was Marshall's pick, and quite a good one.

A small digression about the Legends. This is a "destination" shopping district that has been built out by the Kansas Speedway. It is upscale for what that area used to be, and seems to be pretty successful. There are your typical suburban strip mall stores (TJ Max, Best Buy, Target, etc.), a cineplex, a bowling alley, and lots of theme restaurants. A major complaint is that most of the restaurants are grouped all together in one area, and there are no signs you can see from your car indicating where in that mass of commercialism the one you are looking for is. That makes it virtually impossible to park on the proper side if you don't already know where it is. This is mitigated somewhat by the fact that most of the restaurants have their entrances in the middle of the complex, so you have to walk halfway through it to get in, even if you did park on the proper side. Sigh.

Anyway, back to our dinner.

They don't take reservations, but you can call ahead, which Marshall had. It turned out that there wasn't a wait in any case, so we were seated right away. There was a live performer on the "patio" (the fenced off portion of the concrete commons right outside the restaurant), so we asked to be seated inside so we could hear ourselves talk. After all, we are a lot more interested in hearing each other than some random performer. And as many of us are starting to have trouble hearing over crowd noise anyway, the quieter the better, as far as we are concerned.

My job is to order the appetizers. If you followed the link above, you know that the menu is available online, so I knew what I was going to order when we walked in. So we got our Calamari and Spinach & Artichoke dip pretty quickly after we sat down. The dip was OK, but nothing special. But the calamari was warm, crispy, tender, and had a bit of a kick that was quite pleasant.

Since my heart attack we make a joke about me having to drink red wine whenever we get together, but "strictly for medicinal reasons". However, it is Linda's job to pick and approve the wine, and this seemed to cause our server some problems, as she kept asking me about the wine. I need to check with Linda to see if she remembers what we got. It was quite nice, and not nearly as dry as some we have had. And for a change the waitress didn't try and empty the bottle pouring the first round.

As is "required", we all ordered something different:

Linda: Garlic & Herb Chicken
Marshall: Chicken Pot Pie
Jerri: Half Roasted Chicken
Steve: Top Sirloin
Deanna: Grilled Salmon
Me: Chipotle Buffalo Ribs

Everything was very tasty, but mine was melt-in-your-mouth tender and complimented excellently by the garlic mashed potatoes and crispy onions. I hope the left overs are as good today. SFSF We did all agree that the chicken pot pie was much better than Swanson or Banquet though. Another advantage of having the menu online was that we knew there was salmon on the menu, and if there is, that is what Deanna always gets. So, when I went to the grocery earlier in the day, I did not buy the salmon that was on the list, figuring that eating it Friday night, and then leftovers later in the weekend would be enough for now.

Before I could, Steve asked the waitress how they could safely serve a half roasted chicken. She looked confused rather than amused, and Jerri just told her to ignore him. But we all agree that that is Steve's job, being the smartass.

The decor was what you would expect from a place called Wild Bill's. Lots of pictures of Wild Bill Hickock and saloon kitsch. There was a large (life size?) rear end of a horse mounted on one wall. We decided it should have a plaque reading "Politician of Your Choice" under it.

There was also a mechanical bull. The guy operating it was really nice to the people riding, giving everyone a minute or so of very gradually increasing difficulty. There was one really little kid (4 or 5) that got to ride for quite a bit. He never did get "thrown", but when his mom took him off, he was smiling. The rest of his family each got thrown in their turn. His mom lost one of her shoes in the process. It was interesting to watch, but none of us are young enough (or foolish enough) to want to have tried it for ourselves. It did make for nice after dinner entertainment though.

We always just split the bill, and this time it came to $57 per couple. Not exactly cheap, but not outrageous either, considering that includes two appetizers and a bottle of wine.

So, in the final analysis, I would recommend it for the food, and the atmosphere is not too cutesy to tolerate.

Happy Anniversary Jo & Frank

2009-08-21T14:23:18Z

60 years ago today my parents got married. After all that time, not only are they still together, but they are obviously still friends. I can only hope to be so lucky.

Happy Anniversary to a lovely couple.

Eclipse APOD

2009-08-20T14:21:27Z

Here is another really good Astronomy Picture of the Day. An unusual view of the recent (July 22nd) eclipse in south Asia.

Eclipse City

TED Video

2009-08-13T04:17:34Z

This is a very interesting talk on letting kids explore their world more than many people are wont to let them.

Solar Eclipse on APOD

2009-07-18T13:52:14Z

I really like the APOD picture today. I especially like that you can see the sunlight on the mountains behind the fort.

Remebering Randy

2009-06-24T01:59:14Z

I first met Randy as Sir Ternon in the SCA. He was venerable by then, having served the Kingdom of Calontir for many years in different capacities. But even my favorite SCA story about him stars him as Randy. But that is a story for another time. I will speak of how I got to know the man, rather than the legend.

One day at fighter practice, Randy and I were discussing programming in general, and Delphi in particular. I commented how my company really needed another programmer. I didn't realize it at the time, but Randy was tired of consulting, and was looking for a permanent gig. One thing led to another and we ended up working together.

I have often heard it said that there are two types of programmers, artists and mathematicians. Randy was an artist in his approach, while I am not. This turned out to be quite the blessing, as our skill sets complimented each other quite nicely. Even though we didn't get to work together all that long (about a year, as I recall now, a decade later), it was an enjoyable time. We spent lots of time just chatting as we worked, and we talked about everything from religion to sex to astrophysics and science fiction. His background varied so much from my own that we had very little common ground, and that made things more exciting.

We had a co-worker who was a devout Methodist, and Randy was a real puzzle for him. But through long conversations and gentle pursuasion, Randy convinced him that people were people, regardless of their color, creed or sexual orientation. It was a fascinating transformation to watch.

This is the Randy I miss. The Randy I grew to love. I regret letting him drift away.

Boffering Lessons

2009-06-22T16:25:32Z

At this past Lilies War, I reached an epiphany about youth combat.

Unlike many Kingdoms, Calontir does not have organized youth combat. Instead, we have a children's game called "boffering". This is a mostly unregulated game where children (mostly under the age of 16) run around and hit each other with pieces of PVC tubing covered in foam.

I say this is mostly unregulated, because there is basically no adult regulation. The kids do a phenomenal job of regulating themselves. They have written their own rules, they marshal themselves, they create their own scenarios, etc. There are almost always adults around watching. After all, these are kids playing and accidents happen. But they rarely have to get involved.

I have long enjoyed watching the kids play this game. They participate in both tournaments and melees. They attack the fort yelling like the little hellions they are, and run away screaming like little girls (which many of them are as well). They inspire me with their chivalry as they readjust the sides to make things more even (and therefore more fun for everyone). They humble me with their courtesy as the big kids let the little ones swarm over them and "beat" them to the ground. But most of all they impress me with how well they follow the only rule that was imposed by the parents: Rule #1 - Make sure everyone littler than you is having fun.

One thing I did not realize boffering was teaching so well was SCA fighting. Sure, I knew the kids were imitating the adults as well as they could (no head shots, etc.), but I hadn't internalized how much technique they were picking up. I had always heard this as a reason for supporting the organized youth combat that so many other Kingdoms have. "It is better training for rattan combat." "The fighters from other Kingdoms will kick our butts because they will have been training from a younger age." Stuff like that. I have other arguments to marshal in favor of just letting kids be kids and play a game, but nothing to directly counteract the "prowess" argument.

Now I do.

My son turned 16 in April. He has been fighting boffer and looking forward to fighting rattan practically his entire life. I didn't want to push him in to fighting, nor did I want to hand it to him on a silver platter. So, I have helped him gather armor as he asked for help. Pointed out things he could be doing to improve his fighting. But I didn't build anything for him (although I did buy kits upon occasion), nor even borrow armor on his behalf (he had to ask himself). I didn't nag him to practice or train. If you know my son at all, you will realize that this means he didn't practice, he played computer games. He didn't spend hours fabricating armor, but borrowed what he could and put together something quick and serviceable for the rest.

He had originally talked about authorizing immediately after his birthday. That came and went without the armor being ready, much less practicing. A couple more months pass, and he plans to fight at Lilies war, but the armor still isn't done! He talks about getting ti finished the first couple of days of the war, with help from people there. A fine idea, that falls apart as soon as we are at the War and there are many other distractions. Finally, after much help from many people, he gets his armor finished on Thursday and he passes inspection.

I am very concerned through all this time, as I am expecting him to need several hours of instruction and practice to be able to pass his authorization and fight. To my absolute amazement, he picks up a heavy shield for the first time, grabs a rattan sword, and performs quite adequately. After only a total of about 45 minutes of fighting over two days, he passed his authorization easily and quickly.

My point in all this is that he didn't have any "formal" training. He didn't participate in any "organized youth combat" activities. And yet, he is a much better fighter than I expected he would be. And the gods know I cannot credit genetics. I had to work hard before I could authorize.
So, in the end, letting the kids be kids is the best solution after all.

Logan wears his war wound like a corn...

2009-06-22T14:25:01Z

(with apologies to Elton John)

I went the entire time I packed and prepped for Lilies without hurting myself.

I went the entire war, including all the battles, without hurting myself. (Not even any significant new bruises, which is a miracle itself for someone on Plavix!)

I got through all the camp tear down and unpacking at home without hurting myself.

As I was stepping into the shower at home (the same shower I have been using for 20 years now), I stubbed my toe and put a nice gash right next to the nail.

Sigh.