MEDATS awesomeness
Oct. 28th, 2012 11:33 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
abendgulesRobert and I are busy writing up respective notes from MEDATS at the British Museum - him the AGM notes, me my own. It was a splendid session, with 4/5 speakers showing up, and no dud sessions; one was chewier than most, because it had mostly text slides rather than shiny pictures, but the subject was still fascinating, and I scribbled down several references to go chase on the Intawebs.
The promised session about breastbags (medieval bras) and the last session about necklines and cuffs development in 15th c/16th c were both as brilliant as hoped. More TBA.
The Society (and friends) showing was strong:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
maryf, purplemermaid, edith_hedingham, Lady Margaret Woseley (new arrival from Atlantia), Lady Margareta m_nivalis and I hogged a row, fitting in Teddy and Caroline Yeldham between us.
maryf volunteered herself as treasurer (which caused the whole row of SCA folk to laugh out loud- what a surprise!). I think Mary shocked Jenny Tiramani by actually answering her request for a replacement; JT probably thought she'd have to ask several times, and keep having to do the job anyway. Robert vouched for M's ability to drive a spreadsheet like noone else. He hasn't yet told anyone she can actually do needlework... so the Society continues to hold a stake in MEDATS with its programme, newsletter and treasurer being populated by SCA folk, though we still miss Ynes terribly.
Lady Margaret was having the time of her life, much as I have, saying she hadn't had so much fun in years - seeing the authors of her favourite books live and in the flesh (Ninya Mikhaila and Sarah Thursfield were sat in front of us, Jenni Tiramani did a presentation and I saw Frances Pritchard in the group). MEDATS does sometimes have the feel of a tiny select textile-geek convention where you can mingle with your heroes.
On the organisation front, it has all the same issues that are familiar to me from the SCA: the website is now under new management (hurrah!) - so there were no moans about it this time; should the newsletter go electronic? (serious resistance here, because there are some members in this group who either have no e-mail, or no computer, but we did choose to make new members' default option for PDF rather than paper); and for the first time I can remember the bank account wasn't a major issue.
There's a new Chair, which is very welcome, and as he's a curator based in Edinburgh there was talk of holding a session outside of London(! shock! there will be mutterings I'm sure).
A total first: during the AGM, someone asked Robert, who was speaking into a microphone (doing his report on as programme secretary) to speak up and stop mumbling, she couldn't understand him. Being heard isn't usually one of Robert's problems!
To date I've fought off temptation to take on a volunteer role in this group (Ynes commented in the past that she could see me struggling in meetings to fight the inclination). The likely commitment is modest compared to my investment in the SCA. But it may yet come; TD wants to get out of the newsletter editor's role (whose main perk includes first pick of the books to review). We'll see...
Six of us had a very yummy lunch at the Korean noodle house on Museum Street, which has very cheap takeaway. The sit-down prices are a bit higher, but thanks to a recent dinner with Francois Estencele, when he was in the UK last, I knew what bibimbap the main dish of noodles served in a hot stone bowl was, and could recommend it all round.
We wrapped up at the Holborn Whippet for a post-conference pint, where we toasted an excellent day, and I took my all-conferenced-out sweetie home for careful unwinding.
It still surprises me (though it shouldn't) that the Central line is sardine-packed both morning and night on a Saturday. Though it takes me to some favourite places, I sitll haven't recovered my affection for it, after it was my only means of transport to a crap temp job for almost 2 years.
The promised session about breastbags (medieval bras) and the last session about necklines and cuffs development in 15th c/16th c were both as brilliant as hoped. More TBA.
The Society (and friends) showing was strong:
maryf, purplemermaid, edith_hedingham, Lady Margaret Woseley (new arrival from Atlantia), Lady Margareta m_nivalis and I hogged a row, fitting in Teddy and Caroline Yeldham between us. maryf volunteered herself as treasurer (which caused the whole row of SCA folk to laugh out loud- what a surprise!). I think Mary shocked Jenny Tiramani by actually answering her request for a replacement; JT probably thought she'd have to ask several times, and keep having to do the job anyway. Robert vouched for M's ability to drive a spreadsheet like noone else. He hasn't yet told anyone she can actually do needlework... so the Society continues to hold a stake in MEDATS with its programme, newsletter and treasurer being populated by SCA folk, though we still miss Ynes terribly.Lady Margaret was having the time of her life, much as I have, saying she hadn't had so much fun in years - seeing the authors of her favourite books live and in the flesh (Ninya Mikhaila and Sarah Thursfield were sat in front of us, Jenni Tiramani did a presentation and I saw Frances Pritchard in the group). MEDATS does sometimes have the feel of a tiny select textile-geek convention where you can mingle with your heroes.
On the organisation front, it has all the same issues that are familiar to me from the SCA: the website is now under new management (hurrah!) - so there were no moans about it this time; should the newsletter go electronic? (serious resistance here, because there are some members in this group who either have no e-mail, or no computer, but we did choose to make new members' default option for PDF rather than paper); and for the first time I can remember the bank account wasn't a major issue.
There's a new Chair, which is very welcome, and as he's a curator based in Edinburgh there was talk of holding a session outside of London(! shock! there will be mutterings I'm sure).
A total first: during the AGM, someone asked Robert, who was speaking into a microphone (doing his report on as programme secretary) to speak up and stop mumbling, she couldn't understand him. Being heard isn't usually one of Robert's problems!
To date I've fought off temptation to take on a volunteer role in this group (Ynes commented in the past that she could see me struggling in meetings to fight the inclination). The likely commitment is modest compared to my investment in the SCA. But it may yet come; TD wants to get out of the newsletter editor's role (whose main perk includes first pick of the books to review). We'll see...
Six of us had a very yummy lunch at the Korean noodle house on Museum Street, which has very cheap takeaway. The sit-down prices are a bit higher, but thanks to a recent dinner with Francois Estencele, when he was in the UK last, I knew what bibimbap the main dish of noodles served in a hot stone bowl was, and could recommend it all round.
We wrapped up at the Holborn Whippet for a post-conference pint, where we toasted an excellent day, and I took my all-conferenced-out sweetie home for careful unwinding.
It still surprises me (though it shouldn't) that the Central line is sardine-packed both morning and night on a Saturday. Though it takes me to some favourite places, I sitll haven't recovered my affection for it, after it was my only means of transport to a crap temp job for almost 2 years.
