How do you motivate others or improve the hobby?

[jfeagin]

Re: Overweight?

Well, I have been morbidly obese and now am proud to say that I am just overweight :) Used to weigh in at 6'1" and 325lbs and a 52 inch waist (I'm talking modern waist line here). Now I am down to 227lbs and 40 inches and think realistically that I will probably lose about 10-15 more lbs and bottom out at about a 38 inch waist.

Anyway the reason to lose wieght isn't so that you'll look good for your impression but so that you'll be healthy. Looking good is just a side benefit.

As to endurance... My opinion is that it is both a mind and a body issue. That is why some older guys who aren't built like they are 20 can out-march much younger guys. They have the mental experience and stamina to ignore the discomfort and continue on. I also agree with previous posts as to preparation for an event. I excercise 6 nights a week on the bike and do some light weight lifting 4 times a week.... Makes all the difference in the world.

John Feagin

[Dale Beasley]

Re: Overweight?

John,

You are so right, it is mind over matter, or should I say Mind over Body. Your right older Soldiers and Marines know how to pace themselves, I believe that is one of the keys. Good Post.

[utahreenactor]

Re: Overweight?

Mr. Feagin,

It’s good to see a fellow reenactor who rides! In my opinion bike riding is one of the best ways to keep in shape. It is great to help build up endurance as well as the physical strength in your legs, and doesn’t beat the hell out of your body like running does. If you want to ride during the winter and weather conditions prevent you from doing so I highly recommend a spinning class at a local gym or fitness center to go along with walking for event preparation.

Chase Pinkham

[Michael Shea]

Re: Overweight?

Mr. Pinkham,

Or if a spinning class is not in the cards may I recommend a set of Kreitler rollers? You can exert yourself in a most healthful manner even during the worst weather. I find it more strenuous than riding a horse and more convenient than visiting a gymnasium.

And as far as excess weight has anyone mentioned that after recovering from the fever many men put on a great deal of weight? That valiant Marylander John Gill wrote:

"As is usual after typhoid fever, one grows fat; my weight reached 180 pounds, but after the Valley campaign, and marching some five or six hundred miles in forty days. I settled down to 136 pounds."

Michael Shea

[Dan Hadley]

Re: Overweight?

too funny- many of the responses to the original post are hilarious- if all the self-rationalizations that are applied to this "taboo" subject matter were foisted upon any other aspect of the hobby- uniforms, etc., folks would be howling how it doesn't belong on THIS forum... it's just a hobby... whatever.

Dan Hadley

[JacobReichwein]

Re: Overweight?

too funny- many of the responses to the original post are hilarious- if all the self-rationalizations that are applied to this "taboo" subject matter were foisted upon any other aspect of the hobby- uniforms, etc., folks would be howling how it doesn't belong on THIS forum... it's just a hobby... whatever.

Dan Hadley

Thank you :)

[dixiecowboy25550]

Re: Overweight?

too funny- many of the responses to the original post are hilarious- if all the self-rationalizations that are applied to this "taboo" subject matter were foisted upon any other aspect of the hobby- uniforms, etc., folks would be howling how it doesn't belong on THIS forum... it's just a hobby... whatever.

Dan Hadley

Mr. Hadley,

That is incredibly ironic and really funny.

[Dale Beasley]

Re: Overweight?

With the Server Crash and all...does this mean we can play on this thread again?

[JacobReichwein]

Re: Overweight?

Guess so ;) However, I believe that there is little more we have not previously covered.

[ElizabethClark]

Re: Overweight?

Or, not.

:)

[Belleof Dixie]

With Beginners in Mind

As a newcomer to the A-C and the hobby (2 years), I have been ardently trying to learn the rules and read all of the "Everyone Read This" threads and posts. I am a bit hurt by one particular quote:

The AC was not started with the beginner in mind. - Jim Kindred

I don't understand how a group of people so determined to uplift and promote the "correct" form of the living history hobby could believe themselves to be above the dignity of the "newcomers" or "beginner".

It has been my life experience that old habits die hard and the sooner one learns the "correct" method or standard for accomplishing any task, the better.

I myself would loathe anyone to believe of me that I was not willing to share my limited knowledge or point someone in the right direction for correct answers I cannot provide.

I would have benefitted greatly 2 years ago from knowledge of the existence of this website as "Googling" the hobby brings up myriad search results without benefit of any indication of authenticity.

Every living historian was a beginner at one time. Nothing worth knowing or achieving is gained overnight. I personally do not subscribe to the school of thought that "he/she can learn it the hard way, just like I did". I do not enjoy wasting my time, effort or hard earned cash on shoddy, inaccurate, and Farby equipment or clothing . I would loathe to see anyone else do the same, especially were I in a position to prevent the mistake.

[dusty27]

Re: With Beginners in Mind

Lori,

If I may address your concerns, it is my understanding that the A/C was begun as a place to collect well researched, well written articles on material culture and progressive reenacting. The forum was an after thought that has become the "highlight" of the site at this point.

Just like most things in life, there are levels of interest and abilities. Yes, I said abilities. While we all started at a "beginner" level, some have graduated to a higher level. Think of it as your education. We all start in kindergarten in this country. We learn the basics and move on through school based on our ability to comprehend increasingly difficult problems.

The same can be said of this site. Like your driver's license, membership here is a priviledge, not a right. With membership, you are asked to act in a particular way and to follow some simple rules. Repeated failure to do so gets you excluded.

So in simple terms:

Kindergarten = join a unit and ask members the basic questions
Grade school = become an NCO and/or an instructor/teacher
High school = learn research techniques and begin doing research
College = come on the forum and share research and/or discuss new topics

EVERY level requires reading of primary and secondary sources of the period.

Not many who are starting the hobby can skip a step above, no matter your age. New members should not come on here and ASK/DISCUSS things from the first three levels. Not until you can share useful information should you post anything.

I hope this clears things up for you and welcome.

[Spinster]

Re: With Beginners in Mind

And,to continue along Dusty's line of thought.....

Folks have only so much time to answer basic questions--and time spent answering basic questions is time taken away from substantive reading and research.

Moderators and contributors are in the midst of an extensive rebuild of this site, after a near to catastrophic data loss. Since we are starting from scratch, we are trying especially hard to teach folks to read extensively before they ask a thing.

In short, we're trying to avoid the 'who makes the best haversack/who makes the best bonnet' sort of question. For a beginner, that's a question you ask your unit or mentor.

And, for the long run, we are trying to teach that 'who makes the best ?" is NOT really the question to ask.

The question to ask is: Based on a reading of the ORs and civilian accounts of action in the area, I'll be portraying X unit, or a lower/middle/high class civilian , and I've found out Y about these people in my research, but I can't seem to find anything about Z. Have any of you seen anything in reference to Z, or have suggestions as to original source material available that may provide the answer?

One of the best things you can do for yourself on this site is to read it throughly. Since you will be doing a civilian portrayal, head over to the civilian forums on this board and start from the beginning page since the crash. Follow all the links out---especially references that send you to Elizabeth Stewart Clark's site--her publications ARE written with the beginner in mind, and will prove a vital starting point for your impression.

No site can be all things to all people. One cannot teach first grade and college in the same classroom and fit the students into the same desks and use the same books. Both types of students are valuable, and both deserve to learn---you just can't use the same material.

Welcome!

[Charles Heath]

Re: With Beginners in Mind

The AC was not started with the beginner in mind. - Jim Kindred

The above quote should be on a bronze plaque somewhere. The origin of this thread is way beyond the pale of farbism, however, Dusty and Terre have responded so well that their answers deserve to remain in the light of day. Thank you for smacking the alert button. It does work.

If you crave "Us vs. Them," then Szabo's awaits.

Yep, here comes the lock.

[paulcalloway]

Re: With Beginners in Mind

I'm actually glad this question was asked - it's been asked and answered a few times over the years but probably lost in one of the various crashes over the years. Might even be good FAQ fodder.

Here is a favorite quote of mine:
Look, mister, there's... two kinds of dumb, uh... guy that gets naked and runs out in the snow and barks at the moon, and, uh, guy who does the same thing in my living room. First one don't matter, the second one you're kinda forced to deal with.

Beginning reenactors are welcomed here, in fact I wrote an article just for them back in 2000. Yes they are welcomed to read anything and everything we have on the site but when they start posting here they'll need to leave the training wheels in the garage.

We can't have them here rationalizing mainstream and farb behavior - thats like running around naked in our living room. It drags the whole forum down and over the course of time its a tremendous burden on our moderators and on our established userbase.

We're here to help but we aren't here to wet-nurse.