Chaos in Germany. WB Meet & Greet. Oh, my word...

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Mario Desgronte
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Post by Mario Desgronte »

Hello friends, the WB Meet & Greet was beautiful and it was over so fast.
It was beautiful to spend a great time with Jessie, Robert, Ben, Stefan and Ralph.
Many thanks to "Master" Robby, your way to teach is awesome.
And many thanks to Claudia for the delicious dinner after the WB-Training.

And now friends I will show you some pictures of the WB Meet & Greet 2016.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

... there was a Master...



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...and his Apprentice...


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...but the Force was strong with this one...


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...and the adventure continues...


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Robert Gage
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Post by Robert Gage »

Mario, these photos are absolutely perfect: they capture the spirit of the day very well indeed - a combination of serious learning and huge fun! Many thanks! :)
'Less is often more!'
David Cross

 

Post by David Cross »

I have got to attend one of these meet and greets, some day. First, saving money.
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Robert Gage
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Post by Robert Gage »

David, it's an investment you would never regret!
'Less is often more!'
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Rachel McCollough
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Post by Rachel McCollough »

One day.....

Thank you, Mario, for the fantastic pictures! It's really great to see!
Inch by inch.
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Ron May
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Post by Ron May »

Thank you for sharing Mario! :)
That much fun is probably illegal somewhere.

Ron
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I can't force you to be right.
Sir Roger Tuson

 

Post by Sir Roger Tuson »

Great pictures Mario. Looks like so much fun!
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Robby Amper
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Post by Robby Amper »

I loooove those pictures. To know a bit of background... The t shirts were Jessie's idea. Initially she planned one for herself (Apprentice), one for me and one for Robert (The Force). But it didn't made it in time for Robert. So it was only Jessie and me. So - please - I still don't call myself a "whip master", okay? The t shirt was fun. I still see myself as a groundschool teacher for whip cracking. First up to third grade. Not more. I just wanted to mention that.

And - yes - the mount of fun we had is illegal in some places. Even here in Germany. And - the farmer gave me already the go for next year to use his field. WB is not only a name for good people. Mostly... It is also for farmers, who can't find even the smllest piece of garbage on their fields after we were there the whole day. Usually the people leave a whole lot of garbage.

We don't.

Thank you for the pictures, Mario. You bring back all the great (and some funny!) moments :)

Robby
I have a screwdriver. I am Legend...
David Cross

 

Post by David Cross »

I'm certain those farmers appreciate the rare level of respect. Most American events leave the place trashed (literally) and no one helps. Only the SCA is respectful enough to clean up. In fact, the events I've been to require it. But no one else.
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Robby Amper
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Post by Robby Amper »

I may be a bit nitpicky. Ask the others. But at the end of every WB Meeting you will see me running around, searching for anything that does not belong there. I don't care what others do. I want all the people to know that - if a Whip Basics group is in town - everything will be as clean as it was before. Perhaps even better.

That is my my philosophy on this forum, too. I don't care if it's okay for them that everybody does what they want - or not. Here we have rules. We have manners. We respect others. There may be a whole lot of people with standards, far below ours. But not very much with higher standards than ours.

To illustrate that - in the last five month I had 43 requests from people to join the Whip Basics. You have seen, how much new members we have. Who thinks, we are like a Facebook group, where we show off and applaud to each other, no matter how bad the quality and the craftsmanship may be, is wrong. And all those folks who take it for granted that they are here, without doing anything for the community, are free to join a Facebook group. In straight words that means that I will close their accounts. Just watch the user list.

And I am preparing a new video. "Electrical tape in Nylon Whips is Bullshit. Chapter II" But more on that in the video section, then :)


Robby
I have a screwdriver. I am Legend...
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Robert Gage
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Post by Robert Gage »

Robby and Jessie met me at Munich airport on August 30th. We went straight to Lochausen, on the western fringe of Munich, where Robby lives in an old farmhouse next to the church. (The bells drive him mad!) Robby and Claudia’s hospitality was absolutely fantastic: both Jessie and I felt totally at home, and were wonderfully comfortable.

The next day Robby had to work, so Jessie and I went into Munich. As I piloted her around, she kept saying how ‘grand’ and ‘formal’ everything seemed. But in the Peterskirche, she suddenly saw that a lot of the stucco putti are actually giggling. That won her heart! We stopped for a glass of beer in the Marienplatz, hoping to see the Rathaus clock do its thing at 4 pm – which it didn’t :(. (At certain hours, bells play tunes and figures come out and dance about.) But Jessie’s first taste of Hacker-Pschorr Münchener Hell made a big impression: she found the half-lire glass huge, and the taste very different from anything she’s used to. And the effect was immediate: she started looking for her glasses, but I quietly pointed out that she was wearing them! :)

On the way back to the station, we walked through the Old Botanical Garden, where Jessie saw an earthworm struggling on the cement path. She picked it up, scraped up some earth in the flower bed at the side, planted the worm, and poured water over the spot ‘to make him happy’. That’s Jessie all over! :)

On Thursday, Robby took us to the Deutsches Museum, which charts the industrial history of the area. In the mining section, Robby wanted a photo of me ‘driving’ a lift-shaft machine. We waited ‘til the coast was clear. I climbed over the chain, leapt onto the seat and grabbed the controls. Robby clicked, and I leapt off again before the next visitors arrived. Such fun!

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On Friday, Robby had to work again and Jessie wanted some quiet time, so I went into Munich by myself. It was wonderful just to be back in my favourite city, and I had lunch at the Andechser am Dom, where I first ate on Easter Sunday in 1971. It was just as good as I remembered! I went back for a nap before the others arrived. First came Ben – clearly a young whip-maker of great promise. Then Mario arrived, closely followed by Ralph – and finally Stefan. With Claudia as well, we all went off to an excellent Chinese restaurant.

There was great excitement on Saturday at breakfast in Robby’s kitchen. The weather was hot but overcast: just right! Robby had devised a programme that challenged everyone, both advanced and less advanced, and I think we all learned a great deal. I certainly did! But there were moments of great silliness, too. Robby’s demonstration of ‘the right way to crack a whip’ has to be seen to be believed! It could not be more wrong, and he looks like he’s going to strangle himself! But after more than six hours of genuinely hard work, we were all tired, so we returned to base for a rest, and then the barbecue Claudia had prepared. Alas, it started to rain – not hard, but enough prevent us eating outside; but it was great!

On Sunday, we reviewed what we’d learned the day before in Robby’s garden – and for Jessie, Ralph and me there were more lessons on Monday morning. But then, it was off to the airport for me. An utterly fabulous few days. My huge thanks to Robby and Claudia – and to all the others, too! One couldn’t imagine a better group of people, and I feel I’m building some great new friendships. Robby says Jessie will return to Wisconsin a different person. I know I’m a different person thanks to Whip Basics in all its aspects. Shall I tell you that Jessie has given me a nickname? ‘Skull-hammer’! (Robby even let me try his authentic Book of Eli sunglasses, to fit the role. Ha!)

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And three more photos. First, Jessie and Ralph in Robby's kitchen:

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The World Command Centre for Whip Basics:

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And finally, Mr Whip Basics himself, at breakfast:

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'Less is often more!'
Sir Roger Tuson

 

Post by Sir Roger Tuson »

I love that pic of you on that lift shaft machine. So much fun!
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Rachel McCollough
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Post by Rachel McCollough »

That's not nitpicky- that's good manners and respect!

Mr Robert that's some wonderful photos of great fun, I'm glad y'all were able to gather there :)
Inch by inch.
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Robby Amper
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Post by Robby Amper »

A wonderful description, Robert! Now the others can feel at least a little bit as they would've been with us all.
Thank you, Skull Hammer :) :) :)

Robby
I have a screwdriver. I am Legend...
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Robert Gage
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Post by Robert Gage »

Heh! :)
'Less is often more!'
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Ron May
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Post by Ron May »

Mr. Robert, thank you so much for the wonderful story line and the photos.
It looks like so much fun and the hospitality and friendship was overflowing.
I think that Claudia should get a tip of the hat as well for being a welcoming hostess with the mostest.

Ron
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I can't force you to be right.
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Robert Gage
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Post by Robert Gage »

Ron May wrote:I think that Claudia should get a tip of the hat as well for being a welcoming hostess with the mostest.
Absolutely right, Ron!
'Less is often more!'
Philbert Lim

 

Post by Philbert Lim »

Love the pic of Robert sitting on the lift shaft machine and the master and apprentice shirts.
David Cross

 

Post by David Cross »

Those interior shots of your house reveal so much, Robby. I don't know anyone else with Mjolnir hanging on their wall. ^_^

Robert, you naughty naughty man. You crossed the rope! Museums can be fun. I visited one in Chicago which had plenty of things to look at; even a flight simulator! Their medieval armor exhibit was disappointing, though, which would be my main draw for visiting any museums in the UK.

On the subject of new members...they must not have made a very good impression, then. There seems to be a great deal of confusion centered around the idea of being genuine and respectful.
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Robert Gage
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Post by Robert Gage »

David, I assume you know all about the Royal Armoury at Leeds. If not, google it quickly! :)
'Less is often more!'
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