Travelling Time and Space

"No art, however minor, demands less than total dedication if you want to excel in it."

Leon Battista Alberti (February 18, 1404 – April 20, 1472) - Italian author, artist, architect, poet, priest, linguist, philosopher, cryptographer, and general Renaissance humanist polymath.

For a while now I have been studying the works of Nicholas Hilliard, namely his phenomenal miniature portraits, and collected book after book on this particular art form. Not too different from illumination in painting materials the size and topic of these tiny pieces of art is incredibly intriguing and so I have at least 2 projects of this kind on my to-do-list.

Yesterday  I received a miniature frame in the mail for a commission piece and I can't wait to get started. Luckily, the sciatic nerve episode seems to be subsiding and I can again sit at a table (rather than remaining motionless in a half-reclined position with a heating pad underneath) for short amounts of time. Maybe I will get some painting time in today!

Illuminators known for their achievements in the art of miniature portrait paintings are, of course, Nicholas Hilliard, Jean Fouquet, Hans Holbein the Younger, Lucas van Horenbout, Simon Bening and Bening's daughter Levina Teerlinc who even worked as court painter at the Royal English Court.

Sir Raymond the Quiet sells two types of miniatur frames at his store here http://quietpress.com/ but I have discovered a number of Christmas tree ornaments that work equally nice.Evolving from the art of book illumination miniature portraits were painted on vellum backed with either pasteboard or playing cards (gotta love this medieval idea of recycling). The most popular shape were oval and round with the occasional rectangular example in the early days and measured between 1" and 2 3/8" in diameter.

Portrait miniatures began to really flourish in 16th century Europe and continued well into the 17th century and 18th century. They were used to introduce people to each other over distances; a nobleman proposing the marriage of his daughter might send a messenger with her portrait to potential suitors. Soldiers and sailors might carry miniatures of their loved ones while traveling, or a wife might keep one of her husband while he was away.

I must admit that Facebook's instant gratification of one line status updates has me sucked in deep and well. Quite obviously as, as you can tell by the copious amounts of entries in this blog over the past two months.

We have been battling the endless summer break ennui with trips to the beach, hiking in the parks, visits to the zoo, explorations of local and not so local museums, studies of caterpillars morphing to butterflies and ensconcing ourselves in the many stories found at the library with good success. We have been gardening and learning more about pillbugs, earthworms and mosquitos. We have come home dirty and sunburned, the thin skin on our noses peeling like the calendar leaves as time passes by. Summer isn't endless and the first signs are there: Back to school sales, the first email from school, Finndragon's birthday looming on the horizon.

It's been a really good summer so far.

Scriptorium went really really well. We had a wonderful array of classes before the background of Middle Eastern delights and many lovely guests. I wish more people of the Shire had gotten involved but the handful that did were worth their weight in gold and then some. I'd do it again if they were by my side for another crazy adventure like this :o)

The next events on my list are Coronation (at which hubby plans to re-authorize) and then Village Fair. I'm really excited about Village Fair, not only because I will be teaching 2 classes and hubby will be fighting but more so because we will be camping as Terrenum Incantatus for a first ever in-persona encampment. I've been browsing for cast iron cooking equipment for my camp kitchen and can't wait to smell the aromatic scent of a wood fire (please let there be no burn ban) or at least a coal fire while camping again. Heaven!

What else, what else? I have a number of projects lined up like airplanes approaching LAX - one after the other, a shining row of shiny moments :o) from miniature portraits to scrolls to new outfits. A young lady approached me with questions in regards to mentoring and so far we have struck up a very amiable lively conversation- I'm looking forward to seeing how and where to it is going to progress.

This month we have one more meet-up scheduled for the German playgroup I organized at the beginning of the year and a bigger workshop next month with Finn's birthday party rounding out the month. Before that, though, there is going to be a family reunion in PA with hopefully a quick and crazy escape to NY city for hubby and I.

Hopefully I will have managed to unearth the camera cable until then ...*sigh*

 

 

My take on what are qualities in a Peer, especially a Laurel

• They shall be good at their primary Art.
• If they were to leave, they would leave a big hole in the fabric of their Kingdom
  
• They shall promote and encourage historical accuracy, not only in their Art but also in their dress and equipment
• They shall have solid knowledge of/about the Society.
• They shall be an active member, making an effort to help the Kingdom develop.
• They shall be an active member of the A&S community
  
• They shall teach as much as they are able and be helpful
• They shall show a courteous and chivalrous behaviour.
• They shall have some knowledge and/or skill in other areas than their primary.

And here's Corpora's take on the Peerages:

Candidates for any order conferring a Patent of Arms must meet the following minimum criteria. Additional requirements may be set by law and custom of the kingdoms as deemed appropriate and necessary by the Crown.

-They shall have been obedient to the governing documents of the Society and the laws of the Kingdom.

-They shall have consistently show respect for the Crown of the kingdom.

--They shall have set an example of courteous and noble behavior suitable to a peer of the realm.

-They shall have demonstrated support for the aims and ideals of the Society by being as authentic in dress, equipment and behavior as is within their power.

-They shall have shared their knowledge and skills with others.

-They shall have practiced hospitality according to their means and as appropriate to the circumstances.

-They shall have made every effort to learn and practice those skills desirable at and worthy of a civilized court. To this end they should have some knowledge of a wide range of period forms, including but not limited to literature, dancing, music, heraldry and chess, and they should have some familiarity with combat as practiced in the Society.

-They should participate in Society recreations of several aspects of the culture of the Middle Ages and Renaissance.

b. The Order of the Laurel: Members of the Order of the Laurel may choose to swear fealty, but are not required to do so.

The candidate must have attained the standard of excellence in skill and/or knowledge equal to that of his or her prospective Peers in some area of the Arts or Sciences. The candidate must have applied this skill and/or knowledge for the instruction of members and service to the kingdom to an extend above and beyond that normally expected of members of the Society.

To be a Peer is to hold a sacred trust and that the obligations will demand your efforts every moment of your life.

• A Peer must seek excellence in all endeavours, not for their own good, but for the good of others.
• A Peer must always seek Justice, truth tempered with mercy.
•  A Peer must remain Loyal to the people and the ideals she chooses to live by.
• A Peer must always defend their Kingdom, their family and those who depend upon them.
•  A Peer must have the courage to sacrifice for the precepts and people they value.
• A Peer must have faith in their beliefs, while never diminishing the beliefs of another.
• A Peer values the contributions of others and does not boast of their own accomplishments.
• A Peer must be generous as far as their resources allow.
• A Peer recognizes that true nobility arises from the journey, not the destination.

 

 

Oh! what a tangled web we weave

When first we practice to deceive!

It's fascinating how perception and misconception alter and influence our reality and how we all - sometimes knowingly, sometimes obliviously - carefully or not so carefully manipulate perception and choose how we perceive people and events around us to achieve our own brand of reality.

Nothing has ever brought this so much to my attention than life after my elevation :o)

-Before- my elevation everything I did was, of course, "because I wanted to be a Laurel". Every workshop I hosted, events I worked, every class I taught, the people I talked to and hung out with, the way I dressed - all I did was so very obviously for one purpose alone: to win The Cookie (tm). No way I could have done anything of that because I simply enjoyed it. Nope, not possible.

-After- my elevation everything I did was, of course, "because now I was a Laurel and the power had gone to my head". All the workshops I'd been hosting since I started, all the classes I continued to teach, the people I continued to hang out with - all I did was because now I wore The Cookie (tm) and  knew better now how things should be done and want everybody to march to my commando. Doing the same things I did before my elevation was now "too much"nd when I had to cut back a bit due to mundane responsibilities I am very obviously "resting on my laurels", now that I had The Cookie (tm).

Take my attendance at Shire meetings, for example. I haven't been able to attend the weekly meetings since the beginning of the school year in August 2008 because they coincide with my son's bedtime who has to get up at  6:30am to get ready for school every morning and I don't have anybody to watch him so I could possibly go to a meeting. Obviously people feel I don't think it's necessary to attend these anymore since I received my Laurel ...  wha ?Bueler?

That also means, of course, that I cannot be possibly in touch with my local group anymore, nevermind that I have continued to host workshops, teach classes and attend weekend workshops/classes in my local group.

Really, this makes life a little difficult at times, people :o) You've got to make up your minds somehow.Too much, too little - can you find something to agree on, pretty please?

How about you try entertaining the thought that I do things because I'm having fun doing them and I'm usually looking for partners in crime because fun shared is twice the fun? I don't care about your alphabet soup nor do I care about mine. I'm delighted about receiving them and get excited about writing letters of recommendation for others but my main hope is that each time I do something I make this game a better game for everybody and that each time I can ut forward somebody for doing an excetional service to our hobby I can help impart encouragement to keep them going.

Besides, my opinion is just that, my opinion. It's not the Borg way of life. I'm entitled to it just like anybody else is entitled to their own. If all you want from me is to agree with you, don't ask for my -opinion- but get the blackmail envelope ready and nicely stuffed (I can be bought - it's just pretty expensive *G*). You are welcome to disagree with me. I'm fine with that, really! I even enjoy a good argument.

You're welcome to question my perception of or opinion on aspects of life, our game, whatever you please anytime, but please understand that if you question my personal integrity rather than countering with an actual argument I might get a little touchy...

 

 

Today was the second time I helped a literature teacher at a school for students with learning differences and/or ADHD bring a book set in the Middle Ages to live for a fuller, more complex learning experience for her students. No, this was not an official SCA demo, in case you were wondering; I'm a Duval County School Volunteer, complete with tag and background check, and it's something that makes my heart beat faster :o)

While last year I was only able to provide a basket packed with medieval goodies from various walks of life in the Middle Ages and short explanations to help understand these items, this year we managed to find a date that worked for both of us so that I could be there in person and in persona. 

I had the greatest time!

We enjoyed a proper commoner's picnic in the shade of trees and a medieval tourney gallery sitting on a picnic blanket in the grass after everybody had had a try at sitting on one of my gothic benches. We munched on bread, cheese, grapes, turnips and dried fruit, washed it down with apple juice and all the while poked through the various medieval items I had brought along from the tools of the trade of a scribe to a medieval glass, tableware and spices.

The boys asked intelligent questions, were curious and very comfortable with our novel set-up which I enjoyed very much. The 45 minutes went by all too fast; I think we could have easily spent another hour or two just trying to grind more cinnamon, write with a quill and maybe, maybe I could have talked them into dancing a Bransle or two after all :o)

 

Weeding through my SCA stuff and turning my feastgear, camp gear and toiletry bag has turned my to-pack-gear into smaller,more manageable piles. Funny that, hm?

Medieval toiletry basket - check

White linen wash cloths, natural sponge, wooden handle nailbrush, pumice stone, shampoo and tooth paste in glass bottle and jar, handmade soap in lined linen sachet, linen sachet for toothbrushes, linen hand-towel, wooden handle hair brush

Feastgear basket - check!

I weeded out all the odds and ends of mismatched feast gear and trimmed it down to 3 wooden plates, 3 painted ceramic plates for which I sewed a wool fabric cozy to keep them safe, a couple of nice mugs, my beautiful 15th century glass, cut the big linen table cloth down into 2 smaller ones to better fit our small table (which gives us a spare one in case one gets dirty), my beautiful 15th century table cloth from Historic Enterprise and a roll-up holder for the various cutlery items we own. Too bad I couldn't find a little eating dagger like I already own yesterday at the fleamarket - I'll need to keep my eyes open.

Kitchen equipment - check!

So far I have a small chest filled with assorted glass jars and flasks to house spices, oils and vinegar, a basket with bigger platters and bowls, an iron pan, a cast-iron waffle iron and an assortment of wooden tools. I need a wooden ladle and a pot/cauldron to hang from the kitchen rack ... I guess I'll have to poke through the antique mall. Maybe I can even find something to use as a 'sink' that won't look as aggravatingly modern as the plastic pan I've been using until now.

Next thing on the list are a medieval scribal box which should be easy enough as I have all of the various bits and bops floating around the house and then it's on to bedding. I'll finally tackle the quilt I've been wanting to make and just need to order some linen for it.

After that I might be able to fix some furniture issues and find some time to give the tent a scrubbing.

That should take care of my available spare time in summer ;o)

Ever since I joined the SCA I have never had a lack of outlet for my creativity and desire to craft. Far from it. The opportunities and reasons to have fun and make stuff are plenty, and in the course of it I have discovered not only how much I enjoy and need it but also how much talent and skill slumbers in every one of us.

Today I finally sat down and started assembling my own medieval sewing kit. I have always wanted one because I think they fall into the "Neat!" category of things to have and after creating 4 and giving them away as presents and giftbasket/prize donations I decided it is about time I make my own. So far it holds:

- small bentwood box, currently stained and about to be painted

- 3 wooden threadwinders

- 1 wool needlebook lined with linen 

- bone awl

- linen pouch with beeswax

 

Somewhere in the house is a pair of tiny sheep shears aka snips and I have leather to make a sheath for thesnips as well as a thimble if need be. Maybe I'll fire up the torch tonight and make a few glasshead pins to go into the box as well ...

There are some days when all you can do is grit your teeth and hit the delete button on your emails even when you're a liberal ...

 

It's been a rather productive weekend even if the mini-pavilino was put on hold and is still waiting for its hub.

Finndragon always seems to go through growth spurts as soon as I'm done updating his SCA wardrobe. Thus, I appear to be always one season behind and constantly playing catch-up. Right now were good on winter items: cozy lined wool doublets, lined pants, toasty stockings - you get the idea.

While it's still fairly fresh for the time of the year here in Florida, a light-weight summer wardrobe with a couple of warmer things thrown in for cooler nights is absolutely essential and since Finndragon will be accompanying me to St George's this coming weekend, I had to buckle down and whip up some fitting clothes for the poor kid.

Saturday morning I tore into the fabric chest, a nice cedar trunk I bought from Baroness Kenet 2 or 3 years ago, pulling out various lengths of mostly linen. Making medieval clothes for Finn is refreshingly easy and fast since the seams are so pleasantly short and there aren't half a dozen yards that go into a skirt :o)

Some patterning and a few fittings later Finn has now several items that only need a few finishing touches ie buttons, button-holes, lacing holesand laces that need to be done by hand

- brown linen chaussee

- off-white cotton braies

- off-white cotton shirt

- orange linen Housebook kirtle

- cream wool hood with purple linen lining because it was "itchy", Finndragon declared

 

Of course -I- won't have anything new to wear ... meh *L*

 

 

Tblog just ate my entry!

Grrrr ....

 

Anyhow, if you're looking for a good vampire series for teenagers (or yourself and you enjoy young adult fiction),

then I can definitely recommend

"Vampire Academy" by Richelle Mead

She's now up to book 3 in her series and these books qualify as 24h reads: the story grabs you and dares you to lay it aside to run errands which you are as able to do as a Junky pass a free shot)

For the adult reader Richelle Mead also has a fun Urban Fantasy series about the love woes of a succubus working at a bookstore which is hilariously funny.

For more information and some book excerpts go here www.richellemead.com

 

Now, if you are into -real- evil vampires, the kind that leaves you locking doors and keeping the lights on at night, then you need to read David Wellington. His book "13 bullets" - the first in his vampire series - can be found online here

www.brokentype.com/thirteenbullets

Warning: Don't start to read it if it's already late and you have to get up early the next morning. Don't start to read it if you have important things to take care of - it won't let you go so easily :o)

Enjoy!

 

 

I did it.

Last night I watched "Twilight" on VideoOnDemand.

Hubby came home to his wife holding her sides and giggling breathlessly.

Oh, the drama! Oh the pain!

*sporfle*

It was ridiculously funny :o)

It's April.

I shouldn't have to run on the -heat- in the morning this time of the year in Florida.

Yet, this morning I had to.

Brrrr ....

... and we have been busy with life in general, school, work, our home and some activities with the German family group.

This past Saturday we me for our Easter Bunny workshop and crafted a bunch of really neat things with our munchkins :o) The most enjoyable thing is that -everybody- is excited and enthusiastic about doing things together and finding reasons to plan new and more meetings.

After all those pulling-teeth experiences in the SCA this is incredibly refreshing. No feeling of trudging through thick viscous mud with heavy over-sized bootstrying to get the cart to move. Yay for German playdates :o)

• The buttonholes on the cotte are still awaiting completion
• Thus, sanity has been preserved ... for now
• C&C was nice and everybody's company much enjoyed; bringing hubby and Finndragon along was definitely a plus
• We did catch the plague at the event, of course
  
• St Vals was a first for me but I had a great time and saw many faces I hardly ever get to see
• My first ever Persian Art was well received
• I've been creating frivolous girly things for my etsy store at kyoot.etsy.com and am having too much fun with the glue gun
• These frivolous things are fundraiser items for Finndragon's school - yet another desperate effort in light of the proposed ridiculous budget cuts for Florida education (Sure, to run around in flipflops selling boiled peanuts at fleamarkets you do not need an education ...)
  
• I need to buckle down a bit more to finish filling up the Signet coffers until Coronation so I can hand over a goodly filled red trolley
• I've been struck by the Muse and been having fun painting art that is not a scroll
• I'm still a Laurel sans minion
• People think I'm joking when I'm suggesting I have an opening for a minion - wrong. I'm only half-joking ;o)
• The friends of the Jacksonville library book sale came and went and with it dear-brother-in-law
• We found a few nifty books
• We are out of book shelf space, really, and Finn needs a bigger one for his own books
• We are doomed
• I created a social network for German parents in Jacksonville and it's fun!
• We've been "shopping" for a new church andmight have found a decent fit
• In-laws came for a visit and we spent a wonderful weekend together
• I have a new job as a German language consultant and voice-over
• No, I'm not kidding :o) I'm loving it.
• Finndragon loves that he gets to be a car rider on his way home, now that Mami works near his school
• I love my dentist
  
• Life is good
  

Aside from painting Kingdom writs and adding calligraphy one of my major pastimes is costuming. There is always 'something' I'm adding to my family's wardrobe, no matter whether it's for hubby, Finndragon who always appears to be growing out of his garb before events and myself. At Pennsic I wore my 14th century outfit and - don't tell the Master - enjoyed the looks of it greatly. Ever since that occasion I've dabble with the thought of making another one - simple understated 14thcentury elegance. Well, I did embark on that project sometime last winter and have been working on it ever since.

This 14th century ensemble consists of a slate-grey wool-silk blend front-laced cotte and a fitted madder-red surcotte. I keep alternating between these two pieces which keeps my interest and excitement strong although I must admit that lately that theory has been tested quite a bit. The surcotte, you must understand, is buttoned on the front. The -entire- front. -All- the way from the neck to the bottom hem. 49 buttons, to be exact, and 49 buttonholes *sigh* I managed to get 45 of 49 buttonholes stitched up by hand over the past two days and frankly, I've had it. Up to here and then some ... bleargh, button holes. The buttonholes for the sleeves and the lacing holes on the cotte are next ...

So, if sometime during the next week I start babbling and drooling and cackling like a maniac you will know that I lost my sanity (or whatever remained of it) to the buttonholes of the dress ...

Sheesh, I have been notoriously lax about updating this blog now, haven't I? One entry a month is really not acceptable, especially since I tend to complain when my favorite reads do not update regularly. Sooo ... without further ado, here's an entry (while Finndragon is munching his oatmeal for breakfast). We'll simply begin with the weekend past :o) Friday we went to Finndragon's school for the annual Valentine Dance. A madhouse, I tell you! Some 150 elementary-school-aged kids, loud music and punch make for a crazy mixture :o) Finndragon had dressed up all nice in a white shirt with tie to look just like Papa and had a blast. Hubby and I had a great time watching him and his school buddies investing a sign language of our own making since normal conversation was impossible. We left 5 minutes before closing with a puckered-out Finndragon who mourned having to leave his favorite girl friend behind - that older kid with the dark hair and cool sweater was sure to make a move once he turned his back ;o) Saturday morning we went to a birthday party in the park. It was lovely! The weather was balmy, the Moms and few Dads very nice and welcoming and Finn ran himself almost ragged with the other kids. Afterwards we met hubby at the Summer Camp Expo at the Fairgrounds and collected bunches of summer camp programs. Finndragon is -almost- old enough to attend a day-camp; a lot of programs allow kids 5 years and older. My two favorites are a swimming camp so Finndragon can learn to swim properly and of course the Mad Scientists Camp. -Awesome- concept, I tell you, and the presentations at the expo were equally fascinating for adults and kids. Sunday I hosted a Scribal Tea at my house. We had a great turn out even though 3 of the regulars could not be there due to various health issues (some of which seem to transfer through mystic powers of the mind since some of us have been suffering from cold symptoms ever since). We even managed to get stuff done! This month's scribal tea was slated to be a workshop to finish the competition scrolls needed for our Shire's event "Cutlasses & Corsairs"and I'm pleased to report that not only did we create 6 nifty prize scrolls but worked on a couple of Kingdom scrolls also. Yay Castlemere Scribes! Our potluck dinner was delicious and everyone left stuff, I'm sure :o) Next month I'm thinking about hosting a beginning illumination class as well as a beginning calligraphy class. There are a bunch of people new to the topic and I cannot answer all their questions properly during another, more advanced class or even a workshop, not to mention that some just don't feel comfortable asking questions when everybody seems to be so much more knowledgeable already. Anyways, Finn's off to school and I'm starving and ready for breakfast. Time to grab another cup of tea! Tata!

... have to scrape ice off of your windshield in the morning when you live in Florida ... *grumble-grumble*

Still between jobs I find myself with some extra time on my hands. Most of that is spent battling those huge amounts of laundry piling up in the two hampers in the house and taking care of some of the less enjoyable household chores usually reserved for spring cleanings. Anything to keep me busy, really, and therefore out of trouble.

I've been painting diligently this past week working to finish a long overdue commission that received a harsh set back earlier this year when accidental spillage ruined the pretty piece of art *sigh* A new design, new wording and about 36 hours later it's almost done and I'm very happy with the progress so far. More later when it's framed and ready to be shown off ...

Last week our Shire celebrated 12th Night. We'd rented a beautiful 100+ year building for the festivities and lots of fun was had by all. Finndragon did a great Santa impression assisted beautifully by Milica's daughter Katiebug and both enjoyed their very important task a lot. The food was delicious and it was nice to just hang out with everybody. Pictures can be found here http://www.flickr.com/groups/...

Yesterday we tried a new church. Since Access church canceled the Sunday evening service in favor of two Sunday morning services we have been in the market for a new church again. Reluctantly, very reluctantly, I need to add, because we loved and enjoyed Access. However, it's quite a drive away from where we live and getting there in time for one of the early morning services would seriously mess with our sacred Sunday family morning and simply turn our peaceful loving cozy Sundays into hectic get-ready mornings like every weekday *sigh*

Well, woe aside, it looks like we found a replacement that is a bit closer, starts later (even if it doesn't have a Sunday evening service) and reminded us in many aspects of our old church. So far, so good. We'll be back for more on Sunday and see how things develop. Finndragon did enjoy his kids' church and declared he wanted to go again.

The smell of delicious Panettone is simply orgasmic

Tomorrow marks the beginning of the end of Battlestar Galactica. SciFi channel will finally begin sharing the remaining episodes of season 4, the final season of this incredible slick, sexy and rather noir show we have grown to love.

I did not reschedule the biweekly A&S night this time. Months of forced abstinence do not necessarily make the heart grow fonder. In my case it's a sure way to wean myself off of a certain attraction. I can wait until Saturday to wear my Caprica t-shirt and to curl up in front of the TV for a dose of Papadama and Co, and much more prefer for Friday the hapy chatter and laughter of arts and sciences nuts at work :o)

Finndragon has been fervently praying for snow for the past two weeks, ever since we arrived here in Germany.

God listened.

This morning we woke to the frosty white splendor of snow dusted like powdered sugar over every surface muting and muffling sounds to quiet mumbling except for the crunch of snow underfoot and the gleeful laughter of two boys pelting their grandpa with snowballs.

Life's greatest joys are simply and free.

[For the record: This is not my brain child. In fact it's something my husband found surfing the 'net for information on a topic entirely unrelated to the SCA but I thought it was too good food for thoughts to pass up posting it after all. Enjoy ...] 

10 ways to ruin a <...> club 

1.  Don't go to any meetings. 
2.  If you go - be late & leave early.
3.  If the weather is bad - don't even think of going.
4.  If you do go to a meeting, find fault with everything and keep a conversation going while the
     meeting is in progress. 
5.  Never accept an office.  It is easier to sit back and criticize
6.  Accept an office, but not the responsibility that comes with it.
7.  If appointed to a committee, don't go to the meetings.  If not appointed, get peeved about it.
8.  When asked for an opinion, reply that you have no comments, but after the meeting tell everyone how things should have been done.
9.  Do nothing more than absolutely necessary, but when others do the "lion's share" tell everyone how the Association is run by a CLIQUE*
10.  Use the club as an alibi for your non-club related activities.
 
Ten Ways to Wreck a <...> Club

If rumor has it that <...> club is run by a clique, it’s true because the clique is composed of the faithful members who are present at almost every meeting, who do all the work, who give willingly of their time, energies and efforts and who sincerely believe that the more they put into the club, the more they will get out of it.

There is no question that enthusiasm, responsibility and efforts of these members are of great value to the club. Therefore, it is suggested that you join this clique. It is very easy. Begin by attending meetings regularly, take a lively interest in the club’s activities, and accept responsibilities on its committees. Show a genuine interest in all affairs pertaining to your club’s activities. Before you realize it you will become a member of the clique and you will be surprised to know how glad they are to have you.