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2003-02-10 - 11:44 a.m.

This weekend saw me working my little heart out at the forge at Yimir.

Sad thing is that the entire time I was doing my axe demos�not a soul showed up to watch. I guess it is my fault really�there was no announcements made, or information of the event schedule to let folks know that it was happening. But you would think that all the hammering would have at least attracted some attention. I guess that it is hard to compete with the excitement of fighting. Oh well�I�m not going to worry about it.

The cool thing was I made a Viking patterned axe on site�and then took it to the thrown weapons tourney.

It was pretty funny to see the looks on the faces of the folks there. Here I am with a freshly forged axe with a branch for a handle. It hadn�t gotten any finishing treatment. No sharpening, no filing, no grinding, no time with a wire brush�it was just out of the fire rough. And I liked it that way.

Needless to say when I showed up to the thrown weapons list, the folks there all looked upon my rough little axe with�amusement. When I asked them to inspect my weapon they snickered a bit�but then went on ahead checked it out. It passed. I then stepped up to the line and proceeded to bury the thing in the target from the 20-foot line. They all stopped snickering�

The tourney was pretty cool really. It was designed as a novice tourney which was fine by me�considering that I have only ever thrown an axe a few times before�a long time ago at several events in Black Diamond. The tourney was pretty straightforward. You have 2 founds which consist of 3 throws from the 10 foot, 20 foot and 30 foot lines. I lost to the range master (but only by a few points)�but considering that he was not a novice his throws did not count. Now when I had gone down to the tourney I had planned on offering the axe that I had made as the tourney prize�so it would not do for me to win the tourney. So after all the points were added up�I asked the fellahs that were running the tourney to please strike my name from the list and to please award the win to the fellah that came in behind me.

I after all, I had proven what I had wanted to. My axes flew well and straight�and while not pretty at the moment�they did their job well. This was all about my blacksmithing skills for me, and not my ability to throw. So I figured that the win would mean much more to the other fellah�especially since he was MUCH newer to the SCA than I was. I remember how pumped I was when I won my first competition. I bowed out gracefully informing the young man that my score would not count that day�because I was not a novice (and compared to the rest of the folks there that was true. I don�t think any of them had ever thrown an axe ever before�).

I was also overjoyed to see several of my friends elevated to Peers. Andrew getting his White belt was wonderful to see�and to think�I spent so many days listening to him tell me that he would never get knighted. Heh�I told you it would happen some day man. I am so happy for you.

Roland also became a Pelican that day also. Man�it is so great to see all the folks I �grew up� with in the SCA becoming peers�

Congrats again to the both of ya.

My only real complaint about the event was that I was SO very cold�especially come night time. It is my own fault though. I should have dressed warmer. Wool socks and stuff like that. I guess I will learn one of these days.


In other news�it looks like I am not going to have to deal with the Evil Children�s Specialist for much of this week. It seems that she was in a car accident this weekend and totaled her car. Because of that she will not be into work till Thursday or Friday. Sigh�I guess that this means that I will be doing her job as well as mine now�since there is STILL no fucking sign of the Branch Manager. I am SO over this place. Ya know�I think that I am really beginning to look forward to putting in my notice.


Tonight I am off to see Henry Rollins at the NORVA. I can hardly wait. It should be super mad fun.


Well I guess that is it for me today�Take care all.

Oh and I learned that you too can make a Balrog out of Marshmallows. Go check it out�it is way too cool!

So, how bout you, what have you learned today?

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