Populace in Focus - Brother Bobby!

Real Name: Robert Bajak

SCA Name and Title: Lord (Brother) Riobard Michel Padraig Timothy Seamus o'Suilleabhain, aka Bobby, aka “How did YOU get in here? Guards! Guards!” although I suppose that last part is really not a name.

Years in the SCA? All of them. Let's put it this way, Callidus and Brianna brought me into the SCA when the Hael was still part of the East Kingdom, and I got my AoA from Yngvar and Hodierna. Do the maths.

Persona? 10th century Irish monk, abbot of Saint Mago's-By-The-Bog (BINGO after vespers)

Group or Household affiliations if any: Lions Tower

Tell us a bit about your life outside the SCA:

I am happily married to the lovely and talented Lady Muirenn of Wintersedge, who is a saint in my eyes and has the voice of an angel. I've been an IT professional most of my adult life. Currently I work on the IT Service Desk for Moog. I'm also a worship leader at Gowanda Free Methodist Church. I have two rescued Pitbull mixes named Dobby and Ginger. My main hobbies are music, 3D printing, and robotics. 

What SCA activities do you participate in? 

Over the years, a little bit of this and that. I'm currently sidelined from heavy, but hope once my legs heal, I can condition and squeeze out one more season of sweating in armor.

Tell us a little bit about your SCA experience (offices, etc):

I've been a royal and baronial bard. I was herald for the former canton of Winter's Edge.  I've autocratted, cooked, trolled, field heralded, retained, entertained, fought heavy, and have made a ton of excellent friends across the Known World.

What are your goals in the SCA? 

To be infamous and legendary, and to be welcome in every Kingdom and camp.

If you could accomplish only one thing in the SCA in the year 2018 what would it be?

To learn calligraphy.

What advice would you give to a new person in the SCA, or if new yourself what question would you ask and who would you ask it of? 

Youngster, concentrate on having fun, making friends, helping others, and learning new things, and the SCA will be the best thing that ever happened to you.

If you magically woke up with an SCA talent you do not already have what would it be?

I would like to be able to forge blades.

Additional comments as you see fit:

I have many Favorite Quotes that are period. Here are my top three,

Hildegard von Bingen: “When the words come, they are merely empty shells without the music. They live as they are sung, for the words are the body and the music the spirit.”

The Saga of Grettir the Strong: “A tale is but half told when only one person tells it.”

`Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib, Caliph: “The nourishment of body is food, while the nourishment of the soul is feeding others.”