Do Something!   It is a better choice than doing nothing.

I got a question the other day (yes I still update the web page and yes I do occasionally still get folks who ask me questions)

This is an amalgamation of several conversations between myself (occasionally other knights as well) and a few squires and men-at-arms that I’ve had over these first few months since I’ve been knighted. In most cases they were genuine requests for information in some cases they were specific and in a couple they were almost “whiney” and resentful. But Each time they were valid enough to deserve honest answers and I thought I would add them here. I promise I’m NOT saying any of this to be conceded or anything to that effect, It is all honest opinion and what I believe (that doesn’t make it right)

The basic question was asked by fighters who had been fighting longer than I had, and wanted to know how I had done it so “fast”.

I was Knighted after being in the SCA for 7.5 years – I know many others who have been knighted on a faster track than I was, but the questions were put to me, so these are my answers, for theirs, ask them.

U (Ulrich) F- Fighter

 

U – are we talking prowess or the other “intangibles”?

F – we are talking prowess mainly.

U – okay…but just out front I have a saying that I stole from Duke Max, “it is true, prowess is the most important attribute in becoming a knight, but we can teach any monkey to fight, it’s the other stuff that takes time and is just as important.

F- yea I’ve heard something like that.

U- you want the simple answer or the long drawn out answer

F- Simple would work.

U- Are you sure, you’ll likely find it insulting, but it isn’t intended that way.

F – I won’t get offended.

U – Okay….Simple answer; My competitive drive, passion, work ethic, and dedication to SCA fighting as a martial art is MUCH higher than yours.

F – yea that’s a little insulting..

U – let me explain it like this….How long have you been fighting?

F- about 15-16 years

U – On average how many events do attend

F- 1-2 a month plus Gulf Wars and Pennsic when I can…

U- And how many Fighter practices?

F – I try to go to more, but usually 2 a month.

U – How often do you work on fighting outside of those activities. You know, research, film study, pell work, muscle memory?

F – Not very often every once in a while on the pell, I might occasionally watch a fighting video.

U – How much time do you spend doing pick-ups at events? How often are you the last guy on the field doing pick-ups?

F – I try to do a few pick-ups after the scheduled fighting at an event…and occasionally I’m the last guy out there.

U- Really? I’ve never noticed you to be the last guy on the field doing pickups, I’m glad to hear it. (yes there is a slight there, but if it is true I’m glad to hear it)…anyway do you make sure you fight the best fighters on the field and those who can teach you the most or do you just go out and whack your friends with sticks?

F- I do a little of both

U – Okay now lets say you do 24-28 events a year, 24 practices every year and spend 20 hours a year (a high estimate) working on fighting outside of Events and practices…that sound about right?

F- Yea I guess sounds a little low to me when you draw it out like that…but.

U – Okay now lets look at me;

Events – 3-4 per month call it 40 per year on average. (I’ve not been to less than 35 events in any one year since joining the SCA.)

Practices – 1-2 per WEEK depending on holidays and events lets say 45-50/year.

Pell – negligible only really to work out new shots lets say 2 hours a year

Film study – honestly 40+ hours a year average. (20 hrs of film study per CL plus I study each video I make at least 3 times through every time they are fresh and new, and I try to get as many tournaments/fighter practices on video per year as I can)

Working on fighting – I work out new shots driving, walking the halls at work hanging out at events, talking to fighter friends away from events/practice. 10 hrs a year is a low estimate imo.

I do all the pickups I can, I can honestly say 75% of the time I’m among the last fighters to leave the field, and I do my best to fight the best fighters out there every time. (if you fight them enough, it becomes whacking your friends with sticks).

F- Still I’ll give that it’s a lot but still…

U- Still not seeing it eh?

F- sort of…

U – Okay so our “hat” time (our time fighting) is roughly the same right?

F- Yes

U – Okay here is the difference yours is spread out over 16 years, that means the first little bit of every time in hat you spend “getting back in practice” I have done just as much fighting in half the amount of time, so I have had less (not none but less) time to get “out of practice” and have to “recover” less. Instead that time is maintenance in place of recovery, and improvement in place of maintenance. Also by our comparisons you don’t spend near as much of what I call “development time” as I do time out of armor developing things of your own or learning about fighting from others, and that counts for more than some people would.

F- okay so you don’t think it has to do with you being more talented?

U – No not really, I’m not all that talented, yes I have some aptitude for what we do, but that comes mainly from a “sports” back ground….I fight a TON of guys who are men-at-arms or Squires who have MUCH more talent than I do…I’ve progressed past them through hard work and dedication. That simple.

F – Okay what about the intangibles, or Service and support of the arts, dancing, chess, you know all of the “other stuff”.

U – I had a hard road with the intangibles, I tend to speak my mind and that gets me in trouble, sometimes I get angry and I work on that, its important to actually try and change who you are in regards to some things, not just “cover it up”. I will never like cheats or any of that, but I will try to keep those things in check.

U- Service is easy…work….just work, help out where you can. You don’t have to work so much that the events become a job and not fun…but work where you can offer help where you can, usually that’s enough.

U – Support of the Arts – that’s a harder one for me, I don’t have many artsy/craftsy talents…I can do some rudimentary leather work, and that’s about it. So instead I support the arts by attending their events, I try to go to 3-4 artsy events a year, and if they have populace judging I go through and look at/vote for the displays/entries. Having a art/craft talent isn’t necessary but it is nice…if you have it, please display it and enter in competitions if your good enough its always a good thing.

U- Dancing, chess, heraldry etc… – I don’t dance much, I’m working on changing that, but I don’t abide goobs well so dealing with a lot of the “dance masters/mistresses” is difficult for me. Chess as far as the SCA is concerned I play on a master level (I’ve played chess all my life). Heraldry I know the basics, and can blazon most heraldry that isn’t too complex (and I can do my own and all of those in my lineage of course) and that’s what I think is about minimum there.

U – but to me the two most important intagablese are; have a passion for what your doing, and gain some reknown.

Passion – look like you are enjoying yourself have fun don’t whine, people can tell when they see you on the field.

Reknown – become so known that not only are you known on the field here, but you are known on the field in other kingdoms.

 

4/18/07

 

*** Update added 7/25/07*** ***From my Blog***

 

Hiya folks….I know I don’t normally post on here about anything “serious” but well I thought this one might be necessary.

So I was at RUM this weekend teaching a class and I was asked a few odd questions, some public some private, some…implied.

I will not go into the who’s or what’s about who asked these questions or why and both these questions and answers are paraphrased from conversations with different individuals. Some I know personally and others who I just met that day (though I had seen them before)

I am not always prepared for the candidness of some questions I get, and I can only assume that people are blunt and upfront with me because they know I will not give them the PC answer. that I will be honest and up front with them. – Unfortunately for me, while I am completely up front that my answers are mine alone and only my opinion, some folks take it as “the word of gospel for all knights” or more often when my answer is something that they perhaps do not wish to hear, that I am being insulting in some way by answering with the same candid not candy coated style that they asked. it is unfortunate in this day and age that some people cannot accept honesty in reply to a question without it being considered rude. it almost seems that people only want to hear what they would wish to hear, instead of the questioned persons honest opinion. And no, I was never rude with my answers.

Hence these questions and answers will be in much the same way as they were presented. – please do not take offense to them, they are simply honest. and realize that my answers are MY OPINIONS ALONE and not the opinions of “all peers everywhere”.

Q) Did you (being me) actually say on your web page ( ulrichvb.googlepages.com) that if you can’t make 35-40 events a year can’t be elevated?

A) No, never did I say that. The only time I mentioned anything about that amount of travel was in reference to what got my prowess (fighting) level up to a “knightly level” and that was in direct response to someone basically nuts out asking me (yes they were a bit drinky at the time) How I got knighted so “fast” when they had been fighting for over twice as long as me and THEY still weren’t knighted. They asked in earnest and so I answered them candidly.

The question was asked along the lines of fighting and thats how I answered. Now simply GOING to those events isn’t what got my fighting level up, it was making sure I fought while I was there. and while I made sure I fought anyone who wished to cross swords, I also made sure I fought people who pushed me to get better. – the answer isn’t telling people HOW to get better at fighting, it was answering him how “I” got better at fighting.

THAT SAID – because I traveled that much and did that it helped my fighting along. Now as to WHY I did that, was NOT to raise my fighting. I LOVE the SCA, for the most part it is populated with wonderful, kind, generous, hardworking, very likable people most of whom have a great passion of history and mutual enjoyment of a hobby we all share. So while I traveled pretty well when I first started, When my mother died in June of 2001, The SCA and Fighting became my escape. I immersed myself in it, I enjoyed it, I lost myself and my troubles in traveling and doing and having fun. Just having fun. and when I did that I realized just how much FUN that level of involvement is for me. Then came the questions, “Ulrich, who put you on the “dog and pony show”? “. “Ulrich this traveling at a “frenzied” pitch is going to burn you out, your not ready to go “on the circuit” yet. and various other types of statements.

As for travel I live in Madison AL, within 2 hours of me at the time were 3 weekly practices and 1 monthly practice, none of which interfered with eventing, and two of which it was pretty much a lock that there would be at least 2 knights at practice. As to events, well still where I’m from there were several major event sites that all fall well within 2 hours of my house at the time, Camps Arnold, Meadowbrook, and the “Royal” WoW camp in Alabama, Henry Horton State park, Circle YI and the Cumberland Center, the Foxes Site (can’t remember the name) in Chattanooga. made it to where I could do 20-25 events easily within “day trip” range yearly for me, if you take that out to medium range events – 4 hours – you add in most of the events for “The Niche”, Thor’s Mountain, Nanty, Owls Nest, the Evergreen WoW camp and 2 GA state Parks, call that another 10(?) events a year . which meant I only REALLY had to travel any “great” distance 10-15 times a year to hit “35-45″ events a year. sometimes it helps to live in a “central” area.

that seems like a lot of travel and practice until you realize that I spent many of my years growing up playing sports which meant 3-5 days a week practice and travel for games 1-2 days a week. Then joined the Army in Armor (where you are always on the “GO” somewhere. and then add in that I have either been in school or worked within the education system since 2000, nothing like that for having your weekends/afternoons/summers free.

Someone later asked.

Q) So since we are being up front about things, why isn’t Squire “X” a knight, they do all of these things( and they list out a great number of things that this person does and does well), “X” leads troops in his area, and travels when possible, and really is a heck of a person.

A) At this point I asked if this person wanted the “real honest to god reason” or if they wanted the tap dance around PC answer. They said “real please” to which I responded. Because Squire “X” can’t fight their way out of a wet paper bag. Yes “X” does excellent work, yes “X” helps people all over the place, Yes “X” is a great person, and has a TON of “Peer” like qualities. But to be a Knight, you MUST be able to fight.

Q)This person said, well if they are a “Peer” in all of these other ways, then shouldn’t that count for something? Do you have to be a top 10% – 20% fighter to be a knight.

A) Yes the works outside of fighting do count for something, they count for a LOT, trust me there are many fighters out there who “FIGHT” well enough to be knights, but if they don’t do everything else then they can just be stick-jocks forever. Conversely if you do all of the “other” parts of being a knight well, but don’t have the Prowess level of Knighthood then it does Squire X no good service (actually it might do them great harm) to be brought into the order, and then promptly beaten on by every hot stick squire out to prove the meet the “minimum” prowess requirement to be considered for Knighthood.

I was in a conversation with Sir Morgan Olander at Border Raids, and he made a statement that I actually believe sums it all up. For the Order of Chivalry, there are two main ingredients, 1) Prowess 2) Peer like qualities ( overall – Justice, Loyalty, Defense, Courage, Faith, Humility, Largess, Nobility, Franchise – more SCA centric -service, support of A&S ) [this also works for Laurel or Pelican tracks, simply replace Prowess with A&S or Service as correct and I believe you will have the right of it]

however these are a 50/50 mix the Prowess is the vessel into which the “Peer like Qualities” are poured. without the prowess within which to put the peer like qualities, you cannot have a knight, (though you may have a Pelican if they can forge a vessel for service, or Laurel if they can forge a vessel of artistic ability) . without the “Peer like Qualities” you have a sad empty vessel, and still not a knight. without both parts, it cannot be whole.

Yes you do should be in the top 10-20% of fighters to be a Knight. – Those who say, I can’t or it is too hard, have already lost, either it means enough to you to do it or it doesn’t, thats the individuals choice. As HRH Maximillian says, (and I have stolen for my own) “We can teach any monkey to fight with enough time and effort, it is the rest of the stuff thats often hard to get across.”

Q) But Squire “X” is a sold war fighter and leader you (being me again) must admit that.

A) again, War fighting/leadership is only a PART of the formula of prowess needed to be a knight. and honestly if a fighter doesn’t excel in singles combat, then they must be an EXCEPTIONAL war fighter to be a knight. we have an order for “solid” war fighters, and it is called the Legion of the Bear. that said Yes in MY opinion an EXCEPTIONAL war fighter who doesn’t participate in tournaments can achieve knighthood, but it is a MUCH harder road. a high level of individual prowess must exist and people must be able to see it. and while it is true that “X” is a solid melee fighter, you must agree they are not exceptional. and for the record conversely I find it is completely necessary that an EXCEPTIONAL singles fighter must also be able to function at a high level of melee skill as well. – unfortunately it is much easier for an exceptional singles focused fighter to be a force on a melee field, than it is for an exceptional melee focused fighter to be a force on the tournament field.

It is sometimes unfortunate that the path to knighthood is a subjective subject, and sometimes it is a good thing as well. Good lord knows I hates a checklist.

Q) so Squire X will never be a Knight?

A) I can’t answer that. it depends on the will of the Crown and the order if “X” is ever brought up. Yes it is possible that “X” may be knighted some day. However, for my part, I will not support “X” in the circle until I see a MARKED improvement in their prowess. others have said that they see it, and I believe them, but to convince me, I have to see it with my own eyes, and I travel enough that if it is there, I will see it. For that matter I will not support any candidate that I doesn’t make the mark it is nothing personal.

But for ‘X’ and many others who are in a situation similar to ‘X’ who have a plethora of “peer like qualities’ but lack the prowess, perhaps another track would be a better choice, especially if they have the talent for it. And visa versa, some folks don’t have the makings of a Pelican or Laurel, but may be hell on wheels as fighters, and to them perhaps the path of knighthood would be the better choice.

Q) Nothing personal…would you (again being me) support a candidate you didn’t like personally.

A) If I believed them to be a knight, yes. Liking someone isn’t a requirement for my support, me believing that a person is a knight, and needs to be recognized for such is all that is required. To that end, honestly I’m probably a harsher critic of my friends than I am those who are not.

————
just after the class I taught at RUM I was asked…

Q) so let me understand this, to you it isn’t a field of honor, it is a field of reputation?

A) Not quite. It certainly is a field of honor, and we are all supposed to act on the field with honor and integrity. and certainly we all should do so. What I refer to when I say “it is not about honor on the field it is about reputation” is this.

Honor is something that is personal and private and individual, no one may steal your honor nor take it away from you. Each persons honor is their own, only they know if they are being truly honest with themselves and others or honorable in their actions. When they do anything and only they must live with the repercussions of their own acts. It can not be stolen, or taken from you. it may be questioned or impinged, but it may not be damaged.

Reputation is something held by your peers, and all of those who see what you do, and form opinions about who you are. on the field it would be anyone who sees the fight, and anyone who those people talk to about your actions in the fight, and anyone that those people talk to, or those people talk to, or th(oh you get the picture).

Hence While you are on your honor to do and fight within the rules of the list. It is your actions and others perception of those actions that will form your reputation. And that is what others will judge you on. If you fight outside the calibration of the area in which you live, and people see you as a “rhino hiding bugger who never takes a shot” then that is what you will be known as. regardless of what you think or wish them to think. the only way to fix that is to act “better”.

Some people don’t care about their reputation, and some people do. me for example. I am incredibly concerned with my reputation on the field, and in my professional life. However, in my personal life, I don’t give a rats butt what other people think of me, so long as I can look myself in the mirror the next day, I’m okay with it. that being said, I don’t go out of my way to be an ass (actually I go out of my way NOT to be one…yes scary isn’t it that what most of you hear is actually filtered), but I realize that in the end the only people who really have to be okay with my decisions are me and those who are directly affected by them.