Creating a society/order?

[Sir Matthew]

I would tend to agree that the time limit doesn't need to be hard and fast. Since we require two members of the Order to sponsor someone, I think when you can convince two members you are ready and they agree, you have met the requirement. More important for me in terms of time is not limiting how long someone has to assemble a kit. Gathering everything needed is expensive and time consuming. Not everyone who has a real interest and has something worthy of contributing will be able to meet kit requirements within a year, some make take several and if they are anything like me, will continue to change, add to and develope entirely new kits as time passes. These members should not be excluded from participating because they are having to assemble kit slowly, although I do not think they should be elivated to Knight until they have a least a passable "soft" kit. Some discussion of what this entails may be needed, too.

[Sir Edward]

Oh yes, I agree that we shouldn't have a time limit at the other end, a maximum time so to speak. If people had one year to get their kit together, or they're out, I don't think that's fair at all. That's why whenever appropriate, I wrote in the bylaws that you can remain there (such as being an Initiate) for as long as you want or need. From my point of view, it makes you a member, even if not a voting one, and it's OK for people to stay there. In fact, we could consider renaming it to something "nicer" if we want to remove the association of it being only for newbies. Acolyte, Scholar, all sorts of possibilities.

About the video games, I agree completely. There's nothing wrong with playing them (I'm frequently finding one game or another I like too), it's just that today's youth often takes it to extremes and places too much importance on it. But really, we have some segment of the adult population that's just as bad. Someone at work recently was talking about someone he knew who lost his marriage over online games...   

[Sir William]

Well, I can't say I ever played THAT long...my longest was like 12 or 13 hours and that was a long time ago.  I don't have the stamina (or time lol) any longer.  At the very least, you'll never hear of ME dying from malnutrition and dehydration because of WoW.  lol

[Sir Edward]

...Or committing suicide, or alienating your wife, hopefully.

I've had some long gaming sessions, but I've never played straight through the night. I've lost a lot of sleep from not being able to turn my brain off afterward, on occasion though.

BTW, I received an email from the "International Heraldry and Heralds" website about exchanging links. I added a whole heraldry section on the links page. Here's their site (with some good info, I might add):

http://www.internationalheraldry.com/

It looks like they also have a page about William Marshal (I haven't read it yet):

http://www.medievalwarfare.info/marshal.htm

[Sir William]

Right.  Falling on my sword seems too ignominious an end for one such as myself.  And my wife likes the fact that I'm a gamer...since it keeps me indoors most nights I can see why.    So we're all good there.  Fully understand not being able to turn off the brain...especially when you're exploring tactical options for a given situation.

Great links, reading the Marshal one now.

[Sir Wolf]

hhehehe we will stand by to cut your head off if you falter

[Sir James (Fiat Lux)]

On the topic of younger/newer members, the Fiat Lux ensures that every new adult member goes through a minimum 90 day squiring period, with various objectives and goals that need to be accomplished within that timeframe. To be accepted as a squire, a candidate needs simply a sponsoring knight and someone to second their nomination. Maximum time limit is one calendar year - if life's getting in the way, let us know, but if one is just sitting around getting nothing done, then they have to go through the process again from scratch. A stalwart candidate can get through everything in 90 days, (it took me about 100, myself) and should ideally take no longer than 5-6 months.

The squiring process is, again, for all new adult members, from 21+, regardless of years of service in our youth program.

[SirNathanQ]

Divorces? Suicide? Man, and I thought the gaming-through the weekend (yes, with no breaks) parties were bad.
And nice pages.
And has anyone else noticed the cool little order plug under our names? Kudos Sir Ed on another great idea. 

[Sir Ancelyn]

I need to get cracking and come up with my COA already. Definitely going with colors from the Elliot tartan, just not all of them as 4 or 5 is a bit much. Progbably blue and burgundy/red. Perhaps blue tabby cats on burgundy. ;-)

This weekend is likely going to be a bust with parades and functions I am required to be at. It is good to be stepping down. Now I can skip all the masonic functions I want to and nobody can say boo.

[Sir Ancelyn]

Okay, let's try this, I will have to draw it up after work of course ;-),

Per cross Azure and Gules, 2 lions rampant contourney (I want my lions to look to the right) Or

How would I say lions only on the blue?

[Sir Edward]

Okay, let's try this, I will have to draw it up after work of course ;-),

Per cross Azure and Gules, 2 lions rampant contourney (I want my lions to look to the right) Or

How would I say lions only on the blue?

Like this?



I think you blazoned it correctly. If not specified, the first charge is in dexter or chief, or both, in the first field that allows the color (I think). Since "Or" can sit over either color, I think it's assumed the first charge will be in the upper left if there's only two of it on a "quarterly" division.

[Sir Ancelyn]

That looks about like what I envisioned. I'll see what I come up with from a couple of sites and send my favorite one late on Saturday.

Ah, red and blue, symbolizing all the blood spilling from the bodies of my slain enemies. Hahahahahahaha! ;-)

[Sir Wolf]

wow that is nice man!

[Sir William]

Yea, I like it too!

[Sir Gerard de Rodes]

Sir Ancelyn,
Really nice choice. Can I ask if there is a reason why you wish your Lion Rampants to face the sinister side?
Sometimes this was seen as a bad omen or a denotation of some dishonourable act somewhere in your family history. Very much like the reversed bendlet.Although you will probably not find this information in popular modern literary sources, it was a common way to interpret sinister facing devices at the time.

G