Travels with the Pig, Part IV, part 2
James H Sweetland
May 4, Monday, and week two starts with clouds and mist all day. Go to the
local public library, update my card (this one even lets you check out
books) and use the stable connection there to send final grade reports in.
(The fancy system for official grade reports often doesnt work well with
WiFi, at least as I can get it). In camp, I use the less stable connection
to begin dealing with the second section. (it's good money, but running
the
end of one class while starting a second section, while being on the road
with either expensive or unstable internet is a royal pain). And, since
there isn't much to do, I begin reading the results of the literature
search I did before leaving for North Carolina (yeah, the book and like
that). A major change since the last edition is that a high percentage of
what I need to read is now online in full text, which means I can do
significant work even away from a large library.
Tuesday much the same, except I do laundry and work on the book, and
Wednesday more of the same (including the rain/drizzle/cloudbursts). Off
to site with a rider, to check on stuff. There has been enough sun and
non-rain that my tent top has dried off. The ground is even wetter. Gamers
and the site crew are speading mulch and gravel around. And, no more
evidence of drips in the tent. I get a bunch of mulch from the gamers
(thanks, guys), and spread more cedar inside the tent.
Thursday no rain. People come out of their tents/card/trailers/RVs and
start to socialize. I finish work on the first two assignments for the
class and email grades and comments. I sit and listen in on a jam session
which leads to much jocularity, and some very odd bar/parlor games. For no
apparent reason, I am asked to judge one. I do, and said judgment is
accepted. The best part of the day is a long chat with one of my
neighbors, who turns out to be a very interesting person. And she knows,
among others, my left hand neighbor from last year. And we talk into the
evening, on a very large number of subjects. (see below)
Friday is pancake day, thanks to one of the rennie campers. We get
pancakes, and he collects tips, which go to RESCU. And, until the rain
starts, a lot more socializing happens. Since there was heavy rain in the
night, I get a rider when I go to set up for the weekend, and end up
seeing the former faire site (they had to move across the road at some
time) where the people he is looking for are camping. I confirm there were
no drips, and am a happy camper. I add a few books to the mix, but dont
untarp.
Saturday, up at 7:00 and off to site, where I nearly get stuck in the mud
(lots of other participants do get stuck). Need I say its been raining or
drizzling since about midnight? Rain stops from about 1:00 to 4:00, and I
make some sales. I have my break at about 1:30, so I get to wander the
site, catch a show, and say hi to visitors (Hi Harold and Kat). The
downside: I left some paper towels out, and they have been chewed up. In
clearing them, I uncover a mouse nest. One of the critters (adolescents
I'm
guessing) does not run away when I pick up the nest, but I shoe it away. I
then spend some time clearing out mouse poo and checking random samples of
books to see if any were damaged. Nope, except for the one that slid down
behind the shelving, and has soaked up a lot of water (Attila the Hun, as
it happens). I spend the day riffling pages to keep them from sticking as
they dry. And, slide back to the van, slide down the parking lot hill, and
home.
Sunday, weather is about the same, with a lot of rain in the night. It
clears up most of the day, and sales are OK. I find no new mice, but a
large number of excretions (and yes, I am aware that they tend to pee
where they poo.) I have brought my leather gloves and am more aggressive
about checking in dark places. And, no new drips! So, the roof is now OK.
Im able to wander during break, and catch a show. And see where friends
booths are. And, with the sales, I almost triple what I did last week,
I
make about 2/3 of my original estimated nut, and less than half of the new
estimate. Fortunately, all the gamers and vendors on my street are cool
people, and we have fun interacting when there are no customers, as well
as mutual hawking when there are. So, it could be worse.
(Below: my neighbor and I discuss the rennie culture in some detail. She
notes that she has found it very hard to date any nonrennies. We agree
after reflection that its because we really are an upfront subculture,
with different vocabulary (place can be time, as "they are getting
handfasted in New York at Tenneseee"), different body language, and a
different time sense in interpersonal relationships (a lot more direct and
less game playing in social interactions, which can be readily
misunderstood by the outside world). And, there are a whole set of social
conventions, like the suggestion of a mutual trip to Wally World, which is
often the cusp between casual friendship and a serious relationship (not
unlike the yuppie organization Its Just Lunch: you can spend a lot of time
with someone, tell much about them by what they buy, dont buy, and stop to
look at, and if it doesnt click, you just dont get more intense.
I also find out that in addition to the movie set at a renfaire, somebody
is doing a documentary about the life, which (surprise, surprise) involves
them asking where is the orgy, nearly molesting some entertainers, poking
backstage into peoples homes, and clearly trying to get evidence that
their preconceptions are true. This is only rumor, but if even close to
fact, the product will make the Penn and Teller fiasco look like Ken
Burns. What we need is a Margaret Mead or Franz Boaz to get to the facts
(or not. After all, I have come to saying "If I have to explain it, you
won't understand" more and more.). And yes, a lot of people I talk to have
mixed emotions about the Freecreditreport.com commercial.
Fortunately, this camp ground has a mix of transients, rennies, long term
campers and musicians/rodeo folk and others, so there is some considerable
cross communication among all the groups. (even some of the folks in the
quartermillion dollar RVs will talk, ask questions, and actually come out
when we are around. (in some campgrounds, the normal people tend to avoid
us, not here. But then, is trying to break into the Nashville music scene
normal?) . And, as long as the media stay away, this will be just fine.
(Cynical thought for the day: what would happen if a bunch of reporters
and media types went into an apartment building or neighborhood in (pick
your city) and then wrote a new Peyton Place? Oh, wait, they did--its Real
Housewives. Sure, they're typical, too,right?)
--
James Sweetland, Pigasus Enterprises
Books, maps, prints, playing cards and all manner of printed material of the
middle ages and renaissance.
Lloyd Olson
"James H Sweetland" <swee...@csd.uwm.edu> wrote in message
news:Pine.OSF.4.33.090623...@alpha2.csd.uwm.edu...
> --
> James Sweetland, Pigasus Enterprises
> Books, maps, prints, playing cards and all manner of printed material of
> the
> middle ages and renaissance.
>
>
Thank you for reporting your travels. Hope you and every vendor who make the
faires special have a great season ! LTG :)