What part of being Baron/ess do you expect to be, for you, the most distasteful part(s) of the job? What tactics have you thought of to deal with them?

Master Aleksandr Ruslanovich and Lady Morwenna Westerne (other question responses)
Mistress Caitlin Davies and Master Justin du Coeur (other question responses)
Lady Emmanuelle de Chenonceaux and Master Seamus Donn (other question responses)
Mistress Gwendolyn of Middlemarch and Lord Kali Harlansson of Gotland (other question responses)
Seigneur Jehan du Lac (other question responses)
Master John McGuire (other question responses)
Shi Hua Fu and Lady Yelizaveta Medvedeva (other question responses)

I prefer to get things done, rather than sit in long discussions. This sometimes comes across as abrupt or rude. As a private citizen, I'm entitled to make up my mind about things quickly, or decide when I have heard too much on a topic. As baron, I don't have that luxury. As baron I have a responsibility to gather as much information and as many opinions as possible, and would make every effort to do so.

Lady Morwenna Westerne :

I am actually quite shy, and sometimes find it hard to talk to people I do not know. However, I have found in the past that speaking 'ex-cathedra' overcomes a great deal of that. For example, when I worked for the Red Cross, I had to make a great number of cold calls. Ordinarily, this would have been something that made me quite uncomfortable. Since I was calling as a representative of the Red Cross, and not simply as me, I found it much easier to talk to those people I didn't know. I feel that being baroness is similar, in that I am not always speaking as a person, but as an office or a representative of a group (in this case, Carolingia).

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Mistress Caitlin Davies :

Distasteful? Probably hearing malicious gossip, especially when there's nothing I can do to mediate.

Hard? I expect that one of the hard parts for me will be the diminished privacy. There is an expectation that the Baron/ess will be receptive to meeting people, responding to questions, reaching out, being attended, and rarely alone, and for me that will be a change I will need to adapt to. I am naturally a private person, and taking a public role like Baroness means a compromise on that score.

Master Justin du Coeur :

Hard to say without actually having done the job, of course -- I suspect that you learn a lot about yourself and how things really work when you're actually in the chair.

But at a guess, I'd have to suspect that nasty politics will be the worst of it. Carolingia is blessedly less prone to stupid short-sighted politics than most groups; still, where there are people there are politics, and sometimes those will turn heated.

There's not much for that but to take it when it comes, and try to handle it as best we can. IMO, while the B/B aren't solely responsible for dealing with this sort of thing, they can and should try to act as mediators and peacemakers where possible. That's never fun and rarely easy, but it's important.

(Fortunately, Caitlin and I have both already gotten some experience with this sort of thing, from other positions in the Society and other clubs that we've worked with. Things aren't likely to get as bad as some of the nastier politics I've had to work through on the LARP side of the world.)

Of course, that's (hopefully) the rare case. On a more day-to-day level, the main challenge for me personally will simply be the formality of the job. I am not, by instinct, a particularly formal sort of person, but I think the populace is quite reasonably going to expect *some* gravitas from the B/B. (The Baron doesn't get to sit on the floor during court.)

On that front, I think it'll be a matter of feeling out a balance. I have no desire to overcompensate here -- I think being a little light-handed is better than being too stuffy or severe. I'll just have to pay some attention to my own manner and style, and evolve it as seems necessary.

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Lady Emmanuelle de Chenonceaux :

I have thought carefully about the parts I think would be fun, and the parts that might be work. It has been brought to my attention that being Bartoness, while a ceremonial position, is also a seat of power, and people wioll seek out people percieved to be in power to USE for thier own ends. I will have to be vigilant in condiering motives of people who I do not aleady know well, and wiegh any request I get with care and diligent thought.

Master Seamus Donn :

Resisting the urge to spend all my free time at it! I enjoy the hobbies I participate in. Many of them to the extent that if I did not watch myself I would spend far too much time on them. But in the same way that you one must also balance one's work-home life, I feel one must balance the aspects of your home life. Although the temptation would be to spend all my free time playing Baron, I cannot let it preclude my friends, other hobbies, and that all important personal time.

But I have been very good so far at, for example, keeping my work day to a strict 8 hours. A hard job in my industry! I think I should be successful at balancing my hobby time, although with a bit more flexability. There are many great things to do in this wonderful hobby, but the best people in it are those who don't practice it to the exclusion of all else. I think this is good to practice in the population at large. If I am seen as being successful at doing it as Baron, I would serve as an example to others.

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Mistress Gwendolyn of Middlemarch :

I can see where many aspects of the position could be agreeable in moderation, but disagreeable in excess. Therefore, it will behoove me to practice self discipline and pace myself.

I do actually despise making phone calls. Obviously, I manage to do it. I certainly prefer email.

I'm sure it will be tiresome to constantly have more demands on my time than I could possibly meet. I certainly have difficulty *not* doing things I feel are my responsibility. So, again, I will have to pace myself and insure that I take time for myself. Being a parent has given me some experience at this.

Lord Kali Harlansson of Gotland :

Sitting through long dragging royal courts where I have no connection with any of the business being conducted. But keeping our own baronial courts active and interesting is a high priority for me, so I would try to turn the tedium into a learning experience. I would focus on the pageantry and presentation, paying attention to what works (see what engages the audience and keeps their attention) and what doesn't (see what makes eyes glaze over), looking for things to emulate and things to avoid in our own baronial courts. And of course, as I made more connections with people and groups outside the barony I would have more interest in the proceedings.

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Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

Long courts that are not your own! No squirming in the chair or passing out from exhaustion. The only tactic I can think of is to keep baronial courts concise, and to practice meditation in order to cultivate calmness of mind and detachment from pain...

Having to taste everyone's home brew. I would probably take a little sip for politeness sake, and then explain that I have to limit alcohol for medical reasons (which is true).

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Master John McGuire :

Sychophants. If they are crazed enough to think that buttering me up will help them with personal politics. I ahve not seen many in Carolingia over the years, but I have seen a number out Barony.

K.P. If the cooks can handle the extra volunteers.

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Shi Hua Fu and Lady Yelizaveta Medvedeva :

Any situation can be handled gracefully. The challenge will be to come up with an appropriately graceful response in realtime. Luckily, we are both quick on our feet and have experience with having unexpected situations dropped in our laps, but there are also many polite ways of postponing giving input or a decision until we're sure it's the right thing to do. There may be times when people try to involve us in personal disputes or political disagreements, and that's when it's all the more important to keep our personal opinions at home and either try to help work something out (Yeliz is known at work for creating win/win results) or politely refuse to be engaged, as is appropriate.

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