ANST - Coronation

[Vicki Marsh]

You know, that heat was awfully intense this weekend.

While I enjoy seeing my friends receive well-deserved awards, I would have enjoyed it even more in the shade.

I figure I was brain-fried by the time that my cousin Drake received his Centurion cloak.

My Lord Baron and myself have discussed at great length with our friends and heralds on the best ways to conduct court and this is what we have come up with:

1) All presentations that can be, should be given out of court, either during feast, between bouts of the tournament, or during a private moment.  Not everyone needs to see hourds of people stand in front of the throne and mumble for 5 minutes.

2) Court should be reserved for business. Entertainment should be done at other times that are more appropriate.

3) KISS - Keep it simple, stupid.

4) Don't mumble or bore your audience - after all, court should be a show.

5) Keep things moving.  A slow pace will make your audience either fall asleep or hate you. Private jokes and local humour are best reserved for small, intimate area events, where everyone is in on the joke.  I have watched some things at court and just felt totally confused while everyone else just laughed.

6) Your audience's comfort should come first.  If you have to move the thrones and tables so the audience can be in the shade, then do it.  If your audience is starving, feed them first or make it the fastest court on record. Or do part of the court before feast, and part after - break it up somehow.

7) Prepare, prepare, prepare. Have the scrolls ready, have the regalia ready, make sure you and your heralds are on the same channel.

Sometimes it can be a real balancing act - trying to get through things quickly while still creating the proper atmosphere.  Any nobles who can achieve all these things deserve sainthood.  These are goals that even Llywelyn and I aim for, but do not always succeed in.

There is a lot of business that must be conducted at some events, so sometimes long courts are just inevitable, but they can be made more pleasant with a little forethought and preparation.

In service to the Kingdom of Ansteorra,

Baroness Zara Zina Theanos

"Go Byzantine."
"Keep your kids off artificial colors."
"Life is Good in Elfsea."

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