Posted by Katherine (207.121.233.3) on August 01, 2001 at 13:22:59:
Hi all,
This message is for two purposes.
Purpose 1) To let you know that I am going on vacation for two weeks on Friday. Won't be back on the board until the 20th, or so, so don't worry about me, I'm fine. I am going to Pennsic War, the big 10,000 person medieval reenactment festival put on by the Society for Creative Anacronism (SCA) in Pennsylvania. At Pennsic I will get the chance to strap on 40 lbs of armor, pick up my polearm and wade into battle. Although the 'shroom treatment appears to have worked for me very well, I am not an idiot, I am bringing my O2 tanks and my leftover Zomig with me. I will need to keep them handy on the sidelines so that if I get a headache in the middle of a fight I can pull myself and get relief. Allthough 02 tanks were not used in the middle ages, I have disguised mine with a canvas bag, and hopefully I won't look too out of place.
Purpose 2) The second reason is actually more important. In the popular conception of the middle ages when a knight went into battle or tournament he often carried a favor or a token of affection from a lady. In a very real sense he carried her honor into battle with him, it was inspire him to fight better and to treat his opponents with honor. Now... I am not a knight. I am a J. Random Grunt Fighter. However, I would like to know if you would allow me to carry YOUR honor into battle.
The support and the love that this group has given me and others, family members of sufferers and sufferers themselves has truly inspired me. The almost universal willingness not to give up and submit to the pain is what has made me decide to choose to fight at Pennsic this year. I could have just chosen not to fight, to just show up and dress funny and hang out and take drumming classes, or whatever. But your collective example has given me the backbone I needed to just do it.
And every time I ring my polearm off the helm of one of my opponents I will think, "Take that, Beast! You won't keep me down! You won't keep NancyC down. You won't keep MikeB down. You won't keep any of us down. We will fight you and fight you and we won't ever give up. PFDAN are a right, not a privlidge. We WILL be able to lead normal lives again. You will NOT be able to keep us down forever!
With your permission, I would write your names (those who give permission) on a piece of paper, or even better a printout of the welcome page of this board if most everyone is ameanable, enfold it in a pouch and wear it around my neck when I go into battle.
I know that may sound wierd or strange to you, but it would mean a lot to me if I could fight for your honor this year.
Katherine
Known in the SCA as Meggie of Lochleven