SCA @ UVa

This room seems like a good place to put up some recruiting posters.

For sure, we can show some people more fun ways to fight a battle than table top!

Isenfir (our local group) hosted the spring Crown tournament where the next royalty of Atlantia are chosen. Brie & I were the only students able to make it to it largely because finals are currently happening. So below is my view on the day.

We got there quite early because I had volunteered to help at Troll (place where everyone checks in). It was an interesting experience seeing almost everyone in normal clothes and then seeing them again later once they were in garb.

I caught just a brief portion of the fighting but in that time I did get to see Sir Corby fight twice.

Most of my time was spent catching up with various folks and just taking everything in. The garb, the pagentry, a little arts & science display, and trying to remember peoples' names that I'm sure I've met before.

Hey everyone!

Just wanted to announce that Wednesday, at Handcrafters, I talked with Wayne (the best bealt and pouch maker of the kingdom at least!). I talked to him about possibly having a belt making workshop during a handcrafters. So we talked about doing it Wednesday May 9th. This is still to be worked out but as it stands that seems to be the idea. He said that we were so scrawny that it should be any trouble at all :P.
With regards to costs I have yet to talk to him about it but I invite everyone to come to handcrafters anyway! even if we dont have the workshop that day.
Just wanted to give a headsup and hopefully Matt will make himself a belt so that he may return Wayne's favored belt back to him :).

My boss is looking for people to work in our lab this summer and on into the future. Here's his ad:

The ITC-ACHS lab is seeking several students to work in our facility this summer as well as possibly next school year.

Our facility provides assistance to research faculty and staff in acquiring and preparing research images for publication.  To assist researchers in acquiring their data, there are microscopes, densitometers, flat bed scanners, slide scanners, and VCRs connected to image acquisition software and hardware on both Wintel and Macintosh computers.

Primary tasks include assisting research faculty and staff with acquiring and preparing their images for publication and assisting ACHS staff with general lab and computer maintenance.  Likely candidates are mature, responsible individuals that enjoy working with the public and answering questions.  A working knowledge of Macintosh or Wintel computers is necessary. A working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop is a MUST.  We provide training on our equipment and additional software packages.
The lab is open from 9am to 5pm.  The work schedule is flexible around classes and other obligations as long as the hours are consistent
each week.  At the beginning of each semester, we prepare schedules.

My freebie (thanks Kymber) bike had a rear flat. After a very messy attempt to use a can of Fix-A-Flat on it ("Warning: Do not attempt to use on bicycle tires." said the can.) I took it by Blue Wheel Bikes to get repaired. Quoted cost over the phone: $9.50. Standing there as the owner(?) fixed something else, I asked if there was any way to fix my bike's broken shifter for less than the value of the bike. Since the value of the bike was apparently about $10, the answer was no. Still, planning to get it repaired, I look around at the bikes.

"Do you ever deal in anything used?" I ask innocently.
"We do take trade ins, and it happens I have something now that would fit you."
"Funny you should mention it, because I don't even know what size bike I should be looking for."
See, I thought maybe I needed a 17 or 18 inch frame. Nope. The owner rolled out a 21" frame mountain bike. Biggest I've ever seen.  So after a test drive, I'm now the owner of the best bike I've ever had and the only bike that has fit me since I was 13 or so. I actually have to put extend my toe out to touch the ground from the seat. I'm not hunched up between the seat and the handlebar.

Corner of Emmet and Ivy in Charlottesville on Friday.

Technorati Tags: Around Grounds, Funny, UVa

The Atlantian University is coming up in a few months so the class proposals are being submitted now. In hopes for us to get a full dance track happening I have volunteered to teach two. Below are the descriptions (in case you were curious).

"Dances for any number"
Dance is Fun so we try to include everyone during dance practices and events, yet what happens if your dance calls for 3 couples but there is one more couple left out? In this session we will learn dances and variations that allow additional couples to dance. Additional variations and conversations are welcomed and encouraged. Dances will tend to be English Country Dances. No previous dance experience necessary.

"Flirt or Fight: Expressing yourself through movimenti in dance"
Flirt with your love interest... Have a public spat... All in a few short counts. This session will focus on the expressive power of small, improvised movements in dance (movimenti). The dance we will be doing is Rostiboli Gioioso (a 15th Century Italian Dance)

Last night was the Spring Dance & Dessert revel. As has been done in the past, it was an in garb dance. There was lots of good food, fair amount of dancing, and lots of silliness/fun. The large amount of space in the Newcomb Hall Ballroom makes some of the dances such as Petite Riens a lot of fun.

Mistress Thjora was kind enough to take many pictures with my camera which will be loaded to a flickr page in the next day or two.

On the downside, a handful of us went to the College Inn afterwards and that was much less enjoyable. They had a live jazz band playing. While this might be a good idea in theory, it did not work for that small of a restaurant. It made it incredibly hard to hear anything and we were at the far end of the restaurant. Plus the parking situation was not great because of a concert in the satelitte ballroom. Oh well.