[Ansteorra] History and the like

[melissa vonaschen]

Eleanor Cleavely said
  "The same could be said for the Arts & Sciences not only in Ansteorra, but in
many other kingdoms as well. I cannot tell you how many Bardic and A&S
competitions I've been to where the goal is to WIN WIN WIN. People forget
WHY we do all this insane research, practice and performance - for the love
of the art. For a time, I too forgot why I was a Bard. It became another
notch on my belt or title added to my name. But, as I began to take a
serious look at why I was doing all this, I realized I had lost sight of my
"raison d'etre" in the SCA - to have fun and to learn about the things I
love. Once I got that back, the game became more fun for me.
   
  Maybe that's what we need to do - take a serious, hard look at why we are
here and why we get all dressed up. Perhaps then the old and the new can
combine and make this Dream something worth fighting for."

So this post got me thinking about what I do and why and how I feel about it at times.  I'm a weaver and there are those who say I'm a really good weaver.  Then come all the comments about how I should enter in this competition or that one, or how I should do this thing or that, and I find that when I start to do many of those things, I enjoy the task less and less.  However, when I weave just for the sake of weaving without all these plans or goals in mind for it, then I am happier with it and I think the end result of the piece is better for it as well.  I don't mind receiving general complements or even commissions usually, but when I'm focusing more on something that will happen as a result of my work and not just on the finished product being the result in and of itself, it just doesn't work for me.  In my case, I'm better off trying a new and interesting pattern and donating the final piece to a gift basket than putting it in an A&S competition somewhere.  I
 understand that this is not the case for everyone, but I also understand what Eleanor is saying above and I agree whole-heartedly.
   
  Ayla
  a weaver from Mooneschadowe

       
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