Now I have to wait.

I’m trying to get into a couple of new re-enactments this year. One of them is a pretty exclusive event. You have to be invited to get in. If you are not invited, then you can petition for an invitation. I have a couple of friends that have told me that I really should try to do this event. From everything, I hear it sounds like I would have a great time.

Last night I looked up the information and gave the contact a call. I explained who I am, what I portray and that I wanted to participate in the event. The contact asked me to send them a letter of intent along with my portfolio and the steering committee will review it. If they determine that I meet their criteria, they will extend an invitation to me. However, if they feel that I would be a detriment to there rendezvous they will send me a rejection letter.

My brain ground to a halt upon hearing that. This is my 8th season of re-enacting and my 6th season as the Secretary for Clan Chattan. I have jumped through many hoops and worked with quite a few steering committees, but I’ve never had to send in a portfolio before regarding my camp. I’m a re-enactor, not a model. I don’t have a stack of head-shots waiting to be distributed.

I told the contact that I don’t have a portfolio, but I do have a website, The Spoon and Blade, with many pictures, stories, backgrounds and reviews of the events I do, including my activities. Again, I was floored when she told me, “The committee does not have access to a computer to look up web pages.” I was sure everyone had access to a computer anymore, which was one of the main reasons I built a webpage. She told me I would need documentation, photos and details of my persona on paper.

It was at this point that the masochist in me became giddy! I have a challenge! An event that not only has standards, but also is fighting to keep them. I stepped up to the challenge and told her I would be more then happy to send in photos in hopes of meeting their esteemed expectations. My apercu of this event was that it was going to be the challenge I was looking for last year when I applied to another event. I had Ktreva go through all of our photo albums looking for good pictures of us that we could send. Unfortunately, the advent of the digital camera was the death of actual photography. Most of our photo’s are on a disk and I didn’t have time to go have them printed out. I could try to print them out on my home printer, it is “photo quality” Actually it is a really good photo printer, unfortunately most digital pictures look like crap when they are printed off of home printers. That and I didn’t have the right kind of photo paper.

I had to get the letter in the mail today. I could not wait. Why? The deadline for applications is today. They know mine is going to be late; being a new prospect gives me a little leeway. Moreover, I used the correct protocol in contacting them, a benefit of doing this for 6 years. I had a long, business style letter drafted up, spell checked, proof read, re-proof read and printed. I detailed every benefit of having my family and me in the camp. I sent with six of my best photos from last year.

Now I have to sit and wait for a response. I was told I would hear something by July 1st. That is a month away. I think the anticipation is going to kill me. I am not a patient man. I hope that they will accept my family and me on our merits. Just in case, I sent with a list of references of other established re-enactors that do their event. They all told me to use them if needed. I figured its better safe then sorry, and having someone else vouch for you cannot hurt our chances. What is the worst that is going to happen? They say no and you end up in the same place you were if you didn’t apply.