Comments on: A response to Graydancer’s “Rant”

By: Margo Eve

Margo Eve — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:58:49 +0000

@Dov It’s very easy when you live in a very “blue” area to say an “red” area should start organizing their own GRUE. With things like Fetlife, this may be easier as time goes on.

But I can tell you this, having lived in a very conservative, small (less than 100 people), scene area this is easier said than done. And I wasn’t even in the MOST conservative area of the south. It’s a completely different mindset than NY, DC, Chicago, San Fran. The entire FEEL of the communities are different. More closed. More secretive. MUCH more xenophobic (both to people and ideas). You can’t just “show up” to things, you have to be brought in.

So, it’s great to say “Go organize this” – but it has to come from within those areas. And things change much slower outside the cities. MUCH slower.

By: Dov

Dov — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:33:59 +0000

You miss the point its not only a grue its a simple matter to create a rope event period.
While setting up a serious space and time for teaching said class is a great idea, the issue wasn’t that it was that venues like BR or TES-FEST are generally bad for this.

Most events will not set aside that much class time unless you happen to be a TOP TOP name. They are more interested in doing many small classes. As a presenter I’ve actually told events what some of my classes require and been told to pare them down to fit the arbitrary slot they have decided on.

Well time for people to organize them in the less blue areas.

By: V.

V. — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:05:33 +0000

I agree about a Preparing for Suspension class (and, as Mollena said, I’d love to see this covered from the bottom as well). I also think it could be made really clear in the description for those four-hour suspension classes that they’re for people experienced with rope who are ready for an advanced technique — and if that’s not true of you, or you showed up without bothering to read the class description, you get kicked out in the first five minutes (or are allowed to stay but have to watch, not participate). Ditto showing up for the second part of a two-part class if you skipped the first. I know not everyone reads class descriptions at events, but frankly I think they should, and that you’re covered if you put the requirements in them.

By: Margo Eve

Margo Eve — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:17:09 +0000

Ok, but is a GRUE a GRUE without YOU?

If not, well, then there’s an issue. A big event in a metropolitan city on it’s best day is like herding cats. In a middle of nowhere place without a major transportation hub, it’s like herding badgers. Rabid badgers.

I like the Un-conference idea. I like that it’s gaining steam in forms of GRUEs and KFAs and Sex2.0s. But they are still mostly happening near major metropolitan hubs where the politics are, frankly, a little more “blue”.

Having a GRUE concept for areas, like the South East and Deep South, is a nice idea but unfortunately, those localities by there nature lend themselves to a LOT of paranoia and secrecy in their scenes. So again, the people who live there go to events like BR when they can to bring back their knowledge to the group.

By: Graydancer

Graydancer — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:48:25 +0000

I think you bring up some really good points here – and a class on “the mindset of suspension” is a good idea, maybe as a precursor. And attendance/roll call would work for enforcement.

That being said, I disagree on the “Only have money for one event” part. Simply because I have proven, almost 10 times, that ANY locale can create a rope event for as little as $10/person, in the form of a GRUE. The MOST expensive GRUE has been $50/person, and since they’re local, costs for travel and lodging are negligible.

So if you WANT suspension classes, have a GRUE.

By: Twitted by Ropecast

Twitted by Ropecast — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:47:27 +0000

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