Well, I've been in the SCA for about 25 years now, and you're all right in your assessments. But there are some folk who can accurately do all the period stuff without obsessing or being prigs about it. Myself, I've always found SCAdians to be rather dull and predictable when compared with folkies, but there have always been those treasured few who were worth my time, and I hope I'm worth theirs. I was fairly inactive until my three urchins decided that the SCA was the Best Thing Going, and after considering what today's teenagers *could* be interested in , I let myself be dragged back in, kicking (not too hard) and screaming (not too loud).
I wish I'd seen this episode. Since the SCA has so many varied martial arts as part of the general makeup, I find the idea of enrolling that family in a self defence course rather amusing.

By the way, GregF, one of the things I like about the SCA is the idea that the negative aspects of that millenium, while acknowledged, are not part of the mix. Sanitary facilities, medical care for participants, obeying the laws of the 21st century, all these are a good thing in my book. People whose personas would be at each others' throats, if they were even living at the same time, don't have to squabble in the name of authinticity.
Oh, the other thing I like? Since the time period covers 1,000 years, it's not tied to one narrow time period, usually to a war. That gives a lot more options to half the membership - the women. For the 18th and 19th century re-enactors, I'd be a camp follower or somesuch (translation: paying admission to a camping event so I could dress up funny and do the cooking.)

Say, Windsinger (or any other SCAdian Mudcatters), if you come down to any of the events at Cooper's Lake (Pennsic War, Aethelmarc War Practice), maybe we could link up, as I live nearby.