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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=514114918-21042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>A) I will garb up for officer's meeting this evening.
New people may be around and perhaps my garb will strike their interest. I
will make sure that I'm not *too busy* to explain why I'm dressed funny and what
fun we have.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=514114918-21042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=514114918-21042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>B) I will start a knitting class at our fighter
practice. I will offer it to both children and adults. This will help
to keep hands and minds busy on period crafts. (Yes, I know, knitting was
man's work in period times, but then so was fighting and well, if I can armor
up, surely I can wield a knitting needle or 5).</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=514114918-21042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=514114918-21042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>C) And perhaps the hardest of all for me. I will
take a break from Titled Bardic competitions. I will focus my energy on
teaching and entertaining instead of competing all the time.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=514114918-21042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=514114918-21042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>These are simply the top three on my list. There are
lots more things that I (and my family) can do to make a difference. We will
have a family meeting to discuss them and put as many of them into action as
possible.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=514114918-21042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=514114918-21042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>As always,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=514114918-21042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Yours, In Service,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=514114918-21042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Lady Adalia VonderBerg</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=514114918-21042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Titled Bard of Namron</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=514114918-21042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Titled Bard of Eldern Hills</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=514114918-21042008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Apprentice to Sir Finn Kelley
O'Donnell</FONT></SPAN></DIV><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left>
<HR tabIndex=-1>
<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> bards-bounces@lists.ansteorra.org
[mailto:bards-bounces@lists.ansteorra.org] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Jay
Rudin<BR><B>Sent:</B> Monday, April 21, 2008 10:26 AM<BR><B>To:</B> Ansteorran
Bardic list<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Bards] Dream? What Dream? Did you see a
Dream? I know I didn't!<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Anyone can complain that the roses have
thorns. Take a moment to notice that the thorns have roses.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>At my last three events:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Glaslyn: all the fighters came together to get
into the spirit of the tourney, a weird mixture of increasing heroc
challenge and increasing silliness. In both the chivalric and the
rapier lists, I had fun, tried some unusual moves, and tested myself against
great odds. I fought for a lady I rarely get to fight for, who came to
the field for each fight and showed me honor throughout the day. I told
my first opponent to find somebody who knew how to kill me, and pointed out a
couple of people. (It worked for him, too. He got the first
kill. But it was double-elim, and I adjusted to what he was
doing.) I'm sure I talked to more than half the people
present.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>In the tourneys and the archery competition, the
winners were awarded, but also, the ladies' pavilion rewarded the person who
impressed them the most. The ladies watched all the fighting, and showed
both knowledge and excitement.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>It had a really fun bardic compeition, with a
wide mix of joy, tragedy, song, story, poetry, and homiletics. Two
people told us the tale of where they found their dream -- Lord Fiacca, a
burly fighter, told us how he found it in duty and loyalty, while Violante, a
fairly new young lady, described how she was inspired by the fierce heavy
melees she watched at Gulf War.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Crown: I was only there for a few hours, and took
part in no fighting, fencing or bardcraft. But did get to watch a
great final round, guard the new Prince, admire some weaving, walk around the
field and speak to people from all the regions. I also did some
important work, talking to people about solving a political issue (which I'm
sure some people will dismiss as politics).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Home-school demo: Yes, I'm actually listing
a demo. Just a few hours in a city park. But I served my baroness,
saluted my lady and the Queen, fought in both styles, performed and listened
to other performers, attended court -- in short, I was able to be Robin of
Gilwell. I loved it. The dream was there -- and we all shared
it.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>-----------------------</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>In my first Black Star, in summer 1979, there was
a letter from a baroness who was resigning her barony and leaving forever,
because the dream was dead -- people were being too mundane, politics was
taking over, nobody would talk to anyone who wasn't a close friend, etc.
I asked Master Lloyd about it, and he said that people were always saying
that, but the truth is thatboth the joys and the frustration have always been
there, and will always be there.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Since then, I've never gone three months without
hearing the the dream was dying.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>OF COURSE the dream is dying. The dream is
*always* dying. This is, after all, an organization founded on the
desire to do things that died away over four centuries ago.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>In the Renaissance, their tournament pageantry
was intended to hold onto the dying embers of the medieval ideal. A
great hero was Don Quixote, a madman trying to keep to the ideals of
knighthood. In the Middle Ages, they wanted to hold onto the ideals of
Rome, and the great hero was Arthur, a king who wanted to build a knightly
order to defend the dying ideals against an encroaching barbarism. In
Rome, they all pined for the lost glories of Greece, and the Greeks were
mourning the lost Golden Age.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The dream is always and forever on the brink of
death, and will always and forever need emergency first aid. From
you. From me.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Go sing of your dream at a bardic circle.
Offer your favor to someone you normally wouldn't (or carry a favor
you've never carried before). Go up to somebody you don't know and
introduce yourself. Help some strangers put up their pavilion.
Hold a revel. Help somebody sew a costume, research a name, or learn a
new combat move.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>And hurry. The dream is dying.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Robin of Gilwell / Jay Rudin</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>P.S. DON'T nod thoughtfully and agree with
me. Instead, nod thoughtfully, agree with me and MAKE AN ACTION
PLAN. What will **you** do in the next couple of weeks to make
things better?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>My plan:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>A. On Tuesday, I will teach a period move
to everyone at fencing practice, and focus on the joys of combat in every
bout. I will deem it a successful practice if some of them start using
the move, and all my opponents walk off the field laughing or smiling. I
will fence with *every* newer fencer.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>B. I will finish the last lines in a praise
piece of Elfsea warriors, to be fully memorized for performance at Elfsea
Spring Fair.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>C. One more, but I won't announce it until Elfsea
Spring Faire.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>What's your plan?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>RoG / JR</FONT></DIV>
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