[Bards] Hello everyone!!!

[Ulf Gunnarsson]

Then Ryn gave everyone a straight-line with:
> When you begin to prepare for a bardic session, how do you go about
> getting ready?  Where do you go for you verbal art?  Why do you choose
> the things you do?

Tongue-in-cheek answers:
--------------------------
1.) Tully's
2.) The comic book store
3.) The voices in my head...

Laurel answers:
--------------------------
1.) Zen meditation
2.) University Library, for starts
3.) Because they're period

The real answers:
--------------------------
1.) How? Zen Tully's... No, wait!  I run through the pieces in my head, in
front of an hypothetical audience.  I try to picture different types of
audiences and how each will react to particular parts of the piece.  And I
drink a cup of black coffee, as it picks me up and cuts any phlegm in the
throat.

2.) Where? I write most of my stuff, and that comes from reading other
people's stuff.  The library really is the best starting place, even for
vocal.  Don't look just for the source material, though, but look at things
that will talk about it.  I read a really interesting book once on why jokes
don't work across all cultures, and found great insight into what different
cultures consider funny.

3.) Why? The voices in my head... at least when I'm writing.  That's the
catharsis, the poetic blitzkrieg of the soul, the... oh, you get the point.
As for any particular performance,  it's all about the audience.  The piece
is for them.  Now, some pieces are for their education and some for changing
the mood of a circle, but in the end the pieces are ones that this
particular crowd will listen to willingly and even enthusiastically.
Enthusiastic listeners?  Of course, if you are paying attention to the
audience's needs.  That doesn't mean just give them the funny modern stuff
just because it gets the biggest laugh.  These people joined the SCA looking
for something...  give them that.

Ulfie
...looking for that Zen Tully's...