Meeting Notes - Fewmet Online

1. Officer Reports

Rapier: Yasmina had no news.
Chatelaine: We are planning a demo for Astronomicon, a science fiction/fantasy convention on Saturday, November 11 at the Clarion Riverside Hotel, 120 Main Street, Rochester. Dubheasa asked for dancers, drummers, fencers, and fighters to participate in the demo. We attended last year and had a LOT of fun, she said. (Peregrine asked that if gentles expect to spend a fair amount of time away from the demo at speakers' presentations or sessions, please do the courtesy of paying for an entry ticket.) A planned demo for DePaul has fallen through, but she hopes to schedule it for this spring. She and Sigvaldi still seek donations for the demo box. Their office expires in January, and both have decided not to seek another term; so, she urged gentles to consider taking the office.
Herald: Matilda said she "played Fridrikr" at Crown since he was unable to go, wearing the "thought condom" and organizing the heralds for field heraldry. She thoroughly enjoyed herself and announced that Rurik and Angelik are our new prince and princess. There was some bemused discussion regarding how Their Highnesses still fully expect to run the traffic and parking department for Pennsic staff this year… ("Should be interesting for their retainers," Yasmina quipped.)
- On a side note, Matilda related how she, Olivia, Christopher, and Sophie attended a taping of Emeril Live last March in New York City! They all wore garb, since it was a Halloween show. She described one of the dishes made during the taping: a subtlety meatloaf in the shape of a dead man. The episode will be broadcast on The Food Network on Oct. 22 at 8 p.m., Oct. 23 at 3 a.m., Oct. 28 at 8 p.m., Oct. 29 at 3 a.m., Oct. 31 at 8 p.m., and Nov. 1 at 3 a.m.
Youth Fighting: Mairghread noted that we've been having regular practices on Monday nights. Gabriel and Finn entered the tournament at Baronial Champs. (Gabriel won.)
Chronicler: The Fewmet is going electronic, starting with this month's issue! Mairghread directed gentles to check out the October newsletter at http://fewmet.thescorre.org and comment on it.
Since she did not yet have a copy of Microsoft Publisher in time to do this issue, Mairghread thanked Donal & Sorcha for formatting the newsletter contents for her. She noted that the online version requires so much less work by hand, and that the URLs in event announcements link directly to that event's webpage. Plus, we're no longer limited by print space!! (The newsletter will happily accept original artwork, poems, etc.) The deadline for submissions to the November issue is Oct. 31.
- The electronic Fewmet will now be available free, but Alina had pointed out earlier to Mairghread that several subscribers still have outstanding partial subscriptions and those need to be resolved. Mairghread asked to allow Alina to offer refunds for those outstanding subscriptions. (Gentles may donate the remaining funds to the Barony, if they wish.)
  Since asking for gentles to contact her if they have no electronic access, Mairghread has been contacted by only one person. She printed out a hard copy for that gentle, free of charge. She will do so for any other gentles who don't have electronic access, out of her own pocket.
- Eldjarn is working on the Domesday, and it's almost done. He needed the copy of Publisher to finish it.
Exchequer: We had $2,534.81 in checking and $3,110.11 in savings as of the beginning of this meeting, Alina reported. We had a surplus of $986.66 as of Sept. 30. She has uploaded the advance request and reimbursement request forms to the Thescorre Yahoo groups webpage, and asked the webministers to add them to the Thescorre website, so gentles don't need to get them only from her from now on.
Webministers: We've been working on getting the Fewmet online, Sorcha & Donal reported. We've added a form so that gentles can submit article ideas online.
- Fridrikr expressed extreme concern that a few gentles who don't have Internet access or email will feel shut out now that the Fewmet is no longer a hardcopy edition.
- He further asked that the upcoming Domesday be provided free to everyone. Katja interrupted to note that the last two Domesdays *were* given free of charge to all Thescorreans, and additional copies were available for $1, so she assumed the same would be true with the upcoming edition.
- Fridrikr also worried about whether the officers' home addresses and phone numbers would still be listed in the online version. They won't, Eldjarn said, per legal requirements that private information cannot be on the web without prior permission. The Fewmet, just like the current officer webpage on the Thescorre website, lists only names and Thescorre.org emails.
- Katrina, Phillipe, and others noted that they were not comfortable with personal information being available online, saying it could be dangerous.
- Several folks then asked how would they be able to contact people, since the online officer page will no longer list that contact information? Donal or Mairghread said he/she would be happy to create a single-page document of the officer contact information, just as it existed in the previous Fewmets, and bring a stack of them to meetings to distribute free of charge.
- Solveig said that she was not willing to contribute articles to an electronic publication, and thought that other authors might feel the same. She noted that large sections of New York were still without power and could not access an electronic newsletter. She further noted that she thought paper had a big advantage over electronic, since you could take a hardcopy version of a newsletter with you in the car for site directions. She added that she was a professor of computer science and not a Luddite.
- Donal replied that the electronic version is more accessible and saves the Barony money. In addition, he reminded everyone that they *will* provide a free paper version to those who don't have electronic access.
- Those present voted 14-1-3 to allow Alina to offer reimbursements to those gentles with outstanding subscriptions.
- Peregrine asked that further comment on the Fewmet issue be discussed on the Yahoo group, and issued several orders in German to settle down the rambunctious group. There was also some mention of the possible use of riding crops in the future to keep meetings on track… <smile>Chirurgeon: We had one incident at Baronial Champs, Phillipe said (a bandaid).
Historian: I'm still looking for history, Phillipe added. "Hopefully, it won't repeat itself," someone said.
A&S: Peregrine read Kadlin's report, which stated that Carlo, Eldjarn, and Solveig entered the A&S competition at Baronial Champs, with Eldjarn winning both the competition and the populace's choice. Both dance practices, cooks guild, scribal, and threadworkers are all meeting regularly and doing lots of stuff. She needs a topic for the November social meeting, and welcomes suggestions.
Archery: Peregrine also read Cedric's report (in verse, of course):
There was an event in October,
Although we didn't camp
It was bright and sunny day
Perfect for Baronial champs.
The competitors took the field
Some were old and some were young
We shot all day long
We had lots of fun
We shot at so many targets
Each one was a test
One by one they were eliminated
Until we found the best
Heiko was the winner
He was really on his toes
Heiko will shoot against anyone
But not without his clothes
Baron & Baroness: Eric reminded everyone that he and Katja will have an open house for Willa this Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. at their home in Hilton. Willa is running for state senate. Katja read a report of all the activities, events, and awards they've done since taking being invested in July, since the rather distracted baroness thought this business meeting was Curia for some odd reason. <rueful smile>
Seneschale: Peregrine announced that the offices of knight marshal, MOL, and chatelaine are all up for renewal in January, and both the present officers and any potential successors must submit an officer bid form to her ASAP. [Chancellor minor and equestrian marshal are both vacant.] Next month is Curia; there are no policy proposals at this time.

2. Baronial Champs Report

Katrina announced that things went very smoothly, the site owners Joe and Edie are still very happy with us, and it was a successful, relaxing day despite the fact that a LOT of activities were going on throughout the day. Sixty-nine gentles attended the event, which made a $43 profit. Dinner was great, and she thanked Sue for organizing the potluck. The scheduling of the various activities was a little strange, but it worked out well and she recommended it for future champs events. Both Eric and Katja expressed how happy and proud they were of the event and all those who participated. Donal suggested that someone donate sunscreen to the chirurgeonate, since several gentles forgot to bring their own.

3. College of Three Ravens

Peregrine is seeking bids for this event and needs them ASAP. She recently looked at a potential site, a Lutheran church downtown. It's very nice, but small and parking is limited, she noted. Fridrikr said he was willing to submit a bid with himself as autocrat, Bryn & Olivia as head cooks, Bronwyn as class chancellor, and Orianna as tollner. He's suggesting $10 onboard, $4 offboard, with half-price for children aged five to 17, and no charge for children under five. If 150 people attend the event, at $6 per person for feast with 100 to 120 onboard, it would have an estimated $300 to $450 profit.Katja called Caradawc to see if he was still working on a bid to autocrat the event, but he does not have the time to pursue it due to his school schedule. He welcomed Fridrikr to pursue the bid.Katrina said that someone from the Armory on Main Street has contacted her, and the site is rentable. It has classrooms and a kitchen!

4. Borders wrapping demo

The bookstore Borders offers free gift wrapping during the holiday season, Fridrikr, a Borders employee, reported. The store asks nonprofit groups to donate their time to wrap the presents for a couple of hours a night, and allows them to set out a tip jar. In the past, groups have made $50 to $100 in an evening. He asked if he could direct the Victor store's wrapping coordinator to contact Peregrine, as well as the number of the coordinator for the Henrietta store; those present supported the idea. We could do it in garb, of course! He added that the new Sting album, Songs from the Labyrinth, would most likely be played in the background. Eric explained that the album is Elizabethan/Jacobean lute music, and according to a recent All Things Considered report he heard, it's quite accurate. He and Katja also think it's beautiful music.

5. AEthelmearc Rapier Academy

Yasmina had planned on resurrecting the Sergeants & Yeomen event, but has instead decided to resurrect Æ Rapier Academy, and hopes to present a bid next month for an event in May. She's considering three sites: the Armory, Camp Eastman, and a church Downtown. Sir Brian from Darkwood Armory has already agreed to teach.

6. Fairy Tale Ball

Peregrine needs more information on the request for this January event from the Strong Museum. She asked for a show of hands of who would be willing to do the demo, which would not be educational or for recruitment but just to add "color" to the event.

7. Guild Announcements

Middle Eastern dance is tomorrow (Wednesday) at Dubheasa, Dehka, & Vettius' home.
Matilda said that Threadworkers meets this Sunday at 3 p.m. at her house.