[Bards] some Notes!

[Michael Silverhands]

Ivo wrote:

>> ... after the last few days of posting, I really
>> would like to know >why in the heck I would even want this  
>> college. (note:
>> answers like "to promote bardic" don't fly well with me. I would  
>> really
>> like some concrete "this is what the >college will do that is not  
>> being
>> done" statements)
>>
>> Ivo
>
>

*grinning* My brother, if you will indulge me, please go back and re- 
read my posts for the past week or so. And those of Gerald and  
Finnacan, while you're at it. You may find that we voiced that very,  
very question at the outset of the discussion, and repeatedly  
throughout (when we didn't feel that it had been answered to our  
satisfaction).

Darius replied:

> <snip>
> Do we need to build this house at all?
>
> IMHO we are a community and college now irrelevant of a formal  
> structure. We
> have a flag to fly at gatherings and many fine people dedicated to  
> advancing
> performance in Ansteorra. I for one intend fly that flag and do  
> what I can
> whatever the outcome of this experiment. I certainly hope this is the
> thought of my brother and sister bards as well for if we are not  
> willing to
> each put forth an effort for our community they this incarnation of  
> the
> college is as doomed as any that came before it.
>

That, too, has been my position from the start. Even in my message  
posting the "proposed rough draft outline" of what a college might  
be, I began with:

> I put this to you: we now, at this moment, have a college of
> Ansteorran bards. Every bard in Ansteorra who will go out there and
> encourage the bardic arts is a member.

and I concluded with:

> I personally don't feel the need for a great deal of structure or
> formality. ... what would make *me* happy is what we've all been
> already talking about: getting off our collective duffs and actively
> working in this kingdom to promote bardcraft.

Ivo, you asked for more concrete examples of benefit other than "just  
promote bardcraft". There are plenty in the recent dialogs, but I  
think the main one is: to give the bards of the kingdom a common  
rallying point. Everything else -- this e-list, the web site, us  
communicating with each other to see that bardic circles happen, and  
workshops happen, and competitions happen and have judges -- *all* of  
that could be done (in fact, is *being* done) without a college.

But Robin made a very convincing argument that with a fraternal bond  
-- a college, guild, fraternity, grove, or whatever name makes you  
happy -- we would be stronger. The sense of community would be  
deeper. And all of those things in the preceding paragraph that are  
getting done now, would be done better. I'm not saying that I know  
that to be true, but Robin is -- and I'm willing to give it a try and  
find out. If nothing else, we will grow closer and stronger just for  
trying.

Michael