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<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 color=navy face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Courier New";color:navy'>Snip</span></font><font size=2 color=navy
face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New";
color:navy;mso-color-alt:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 color=navy face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Courier New";color:navy'>I do not think the issue is about the Estinfod...I
think the issue is</span></font><font size=2 color=navy face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New";color:navy;mso-color-alt:
windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 color=navy face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Courier New";color:navy'>What are we doing as bards to Particpate, show,
promote and encourage</span></font><font size=2 color=navy face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New";color:navy;mso-color-alt:
windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 color=navy face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Courier New";color:navy'>our craft</span></font><font size=2 color=navy
face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New";
color:navy;mso-color-alt:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 color=navy face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Courier New";color:navy'><![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]></span></font><font
size=2 color=navy face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Courier New";color:navy;mso-color-alt:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'><font
size=2 color=navy face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Courier New";color:navy'>Simone</span></font><font size=2 color=navy
face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New";
color:navy;mso-color-alt:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=EmailStyle20><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Snip<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=EmailStyle20><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=EmailStyle20><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Thank you
Simone, that sums up what I want to say too.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=EmailStyle20><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=EmailStyle20><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>I see,
from my less than shiny but still new members status, that Barding is more an overlooked
art now relegated to back rooms, out-of-the-way corners and campfires than the
prestigious position it once held both I n period and in Ansteorra.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>How to break out of this self-imposed
retirement the BARDIC community has settled for?<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>This is the question I was looking to answer when HL Gerald
of Leesville posted his “Are (we) performers satisfied …?” question.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When the responses were focusing on how
to get noticed thru Bard Targets, etc. I could hold back no longer.<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Now we have 172 responses that show we
are more the silent majority and not the dead rising.<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=EmailStyle20><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=EmailStyle20><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>I do not
believe we are creatures fit only for the night who huddle around pit-fires and
share tales or songs to pay for our dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>I believe WE EXIST, we even THRIVE, on giving away our best
efforts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Be it in a competition
pitting ourselves against the best and most respected of our craft, or around
the campfire speaking in earnest tones and sharing the Tale of the Father of
Farts (A tale told by Shahrazade on the 798<sup>th</sup>, 799<sup>th</sup>, and
800<sup>th</sup> nights of the Thousand Nights and One Night).<span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I AM NOT SATISFIED with a few poorly
advertised Bardic Events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Until
this thread, I thought the Bardic Competition at Twelfth Night was a part of
the festivities for that event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I
had no idea we even HAD a Kingdom Bard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Is this not a failing on OUR part?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>We have conquered the first law of quisience; we have begun to show life
AS A BODY and actually begun to move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Let us continue onward, until we also have a star to call our own.<o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=EmailStyle20><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=EmailStyle20><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=EmailStyle20><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><!--[if supportFields]><span class=EmailStyle20><font
size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><span style='mso-element:field-begin'></span><span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>AUTOTEXTLIST \s "E-mail
Signature" <span style='mso-element:field-separator'></span></span></font></span><![endif]--><b><font
size=5 color="#ffcc00" face="French Script MT"><span style='font-size:20.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"French Script MT";color:#FFCC00;
font-weight:bold'>Charles Flynn<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><!--[if supportFields]><span class=EmailStyle20><font
size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><span style='mso-element:field-end'></span></span></font></span><![endif]--><font
color=navy><span style='color:navy'><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span></span></font><font color=navy><span style='color:navy;
mso-color-alt:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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