2003-07-15 - 11:43 a.m.

Whee....post nasal drip from hell...just what I need to make my Tuesday special...on the plus side, the Tylenol Sinus seems to be holding it's own, along with copious blowing of the nose, so I think I'll be able to avoid the sinus infection of doom...we'll see.

So, off of allergy issues and onto Assessments...well...I've been Assessed...and found out of practice...

Had far, far too many armor breakdowns early on. In the first field battle, I thought all was well until afterwards, when I realized "Umm...my right knee is about a foot lower than it should be". Quick run over to the pits (Elizabeth's Polyester Palace we had custody of for the weekend) to discover that my belt had slipped off my spare tire stomach and was now hanging too low to be effective. And nary a suspender to be seen.

So, my quick-thinking wife grabs the white and blue striped woven belt I was using as a belt and rigs up a makeshift suspender. Appears to work.

Then, while racing to put my body coat back on to make the 3rd field battle (having missed the 2nd one to do this repair), I pull too hard on the closure strap and pull it right out. And no, I don't have a backup.

So, proving once again that she'll do anything for me, Rhiannon unlaces one of her boots and uses the lace to tie my jacket closed...I think she loves me :)

So, back onto the field for battles 4 and 5, where I am a step slow and totally unaware of what's going on...not my best plan...but hey.

Then it was time for the bridge battle...I don't particularly *like* fighting bridge battles, because they are too many people in too small of an area, and just asking for hot tempers and injuries...but, into the fray I go, first carrying a spear.

After about 5 minutes, I realize that the spear is not my thing today, and our side needs more shields, so I go and make the quick change to sword and board.

Just in time to end up in the middle of a press and end up dead and to do a wonderful imitation of a overturned turtle trying to roll over the haybale.

Back into the fray after a couple of minutes to make sure all my pieces were there, and end up under about 1000 lbs of fighter. And again, do my imitation of an overturned turtle trying to get off the bridge.

I hate bridges...Really I do. I'll fight the third one at Pennsic this year as a CA, because I can do that well, but I don't know if I'll just show up late and only play in the 3rd one, or if I'll actually suck it up and deal...we'll make that decision on Thursday of War Week, I guess.

But, all told, I was able to fight in most of the stuff, and wasn't completely exhausted at the end...Probably need a couple more good practices before I'm *ready*, but I should be able to get those.

And, of course, there is the question of if I should even bother, given that on 12/1, my kit is no longer legal by Atlantian Law (the ill-advised and likely to be ineffective Cover Your Plastic Armor ban).

I think it's hilarious that the Powers That Be think that simply covering the plastic is going to somehow make Heavy Fighting look Period to the Casual Observer. We're fighting with DUCT TAPE COVERED PIECES OF WOOD, people...you never see sword techniques that work effectively with real swords (slices, draws and the like), because judgement of "Is that good or not" is based largely on if it bruises the recipient (Yeah, I know, it's an overstatement...your point?). We aren't allowed to grapple in Melees, we use helms that have to cover the entire face and neck, we have no Cavalry, we have a far higher percentage of folks carrying Swords than most medieval armies (I believe, I'd be interested in seeing research on that...my impression is most levees carried overglorified farm implements...I may be wrong through), and the personas that would have gone into combat wearing little to no armor at all can't play...but we're all gonna have tabards...

I dunno...maybe I should just give it a chance...folks are saying it won't be difficult to bring my stuff into compliance...although I am sorely tempted to meet the 'Must cover plastic with fabric' rule with a white muslin layer with "Do not remove this tag under penalty of Atlantian Law" written on it in sharpie.

Somehow I suspect I'd get kicked off the field in 2.4 seconds...so maybe not.

Well, it's time to take some more decongestants, so I'll post this and let the chips fall where they may. If anyone has questions, the guestbook is open :)

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