Bards - a newcomer

[Rendell Skaggs]

Greetings to the list, I feel a desire to share with you my first
experience in the SCA, almost a year ago.
I was introduced to the SCA through a friend and classmate who had
played but had slacked due moving to a new area for school. He told me
many things about the Society, the fighting, the drinking, the wen...
you get the idea. We put together some simple garb and I attended my
first event. A small, local one to choose our groups Guardian. The day
was going well. I had met many people, most have become good friends.
The fighting wasn't quite up to my expectations, but I sometimes let my
imagination raise my hopes and I've never been a good spectator. Court
was more interesting, there was a little more of the atmosphere that I
had imagined. The best was still yet to come, a part that my friend had
somehow neglected to mention. That night, after the sun set, a fire
circle was made with tiki torches and the Bardic competition began. I
sat enthralled. This was what I wanted. To hear the stories and songs of
medieval times and events in the Society. More than the fighting, more
than the drinking, more than the... no, but close... This I felt was
what I wanted to be a part of. I've never been a person to face a crowd
but that night I sang. Probably didn't sing well and even thought it was
after the audience had dwindled I was still nervous as hell. I haven't
performed since but I still have the desire. I help out in other ways
and have been working on becoming a fighter. I do not expect to be a
good fighter however, but I feel a need to be a good Bard. I have been
looking for advice and encouragement wherever I can find it. This truly
is where the MAGIC lies. I want to help keep these traditions alive. Now
if I can just find someone to teach me how to play a bodhran....

Senán, a bard hopeful
I wrote this mainly to help encourage those who feel they have not made
a difference. I believe that if it were not for the bards, the SCA would
not hold the attration it does for me and many others...
-- 
     ___     Well Met, and merry meet again,
    / .''>   -Rendell Skaggs         -Senán mac Tighearnáin
   /* \      -Web Design             -virtual scribe
  /  ( \     -rendells @ eaze.net
 (______)    The best way to travel is by means of imagination.
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