It was a good, full week for Belegarth here in Madison, starting on Thursday and ending today. Thursday night was regular practice, the larger of our two weekly practices. Now that the students are moved in again, we saw some familiar faces that we'd missed during the summer. It was a decent practice aside from the mosquitos and a couple of problem people - well, one problemperson who just refuses to take hits. It's more laughable when he sluffs one of Bo or Kayle's hits, hits you can hear across the field, but I get irritated all the same when I have a solid hit and he does nothing. When I called him on it, he merely shrugged and said, "I just don't feel those. I take what I feel." It took a lot to not point out that people question him like this two or three times a practice or for that matter not to scream. I'll miss the outdoor practices, as nice as our indoor space is, just because we get so many passersby at the park. Sure there are jerks who feel the need to heckle and judge, but it's been worth it for the truly solid members we've recruited this way. Thoughts like this keep me from strangling those fighters who literally think they are too cool and badass in their flailing (as in arms akimbo, not as in "using a flail") and twirling to be bothered by taking hits. ('K, I'm done now, I swear.)
Friday night saw the end of a long and awful week at work and a build night at Bo's shop. A fledgling realm (Azeroth, if you can believe it - I withhold judgement because they're cool kids) to the south of us came to learn how to build. I worked on a sign for recruitment and tried not to get distracted by other things at build night. I don't build weapons because I frankly don't trust myself with it. I'm cool buying weapons and paying realm members to help me out with that. I loved seeing all the new people though. Azeroth is made of largely of young'uns who may not be eligible for nat'l events but they, and a couple adults who supervise, are just so darn excited it's hard to avoid that rubbing off. Not being a kid person, I was skeptical, but they are very, very respectful, eager, and willing to learn. I look forward to watching them grow.
Saturday (I personally was out of town visiting family) was yet more Belegarth productive in Madison as Bo and Kayle took the new signs out in front of the dorms where students were moving in and demo'd to people. It already brought us a new member!
Today Bo and Kayle went down to visit Bruder - a very cool guy whom I hope to get to know better - and see the good works he's doing. As they put it, "Bruder is everything Clan of the Hydra works to be." From what I've seen, I couldn't agree more. Then, our very, very tired leaders came back for our practice tonight. It was just the three of us plus the new recruit, but I relished the opportunity to learn some more. While I've resigned myself to suckitude, it doesn't mean I'm not going to try. I learned some new shots and listened as Bo instructed the newbie because it's allllllways good to bear in mind the basics. God knows I forget them alllll the time. It helped that the guys were so tired, but it was a good practice for me. I hope I keep improving like this, or at least keep finding opportunities to really work on it/creating said opportunities.
I am so fond of our group of fighters (jerks excluded - ;) ). From Rhun to Clan of the Hydra there is by and large such a warm feeling of brotherhood, I guess, corny as that sounds. We may not be the oldest or most advanced groups out there, and usually less organized than I'd like but our leaders are always so ready and willing to lend a hand to growing groups it overshadows any and all shortcomings in my mind. It's also a testament to the people who did the same for us when we were starting four years ago. We had to have learned it somewhere. :)
Yay growth, personal and otherwise. May it continue.
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