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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=807362403-13062008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Well said, Paedric. And a fine
observation.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=807362403-13062008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=807362403-13062008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Gerald of Leesville</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=807362403-13062008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>A minstrel of Stargate.</FONT></SPAN></DIV><BR>
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<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> bards-bounces@lists.ansteorra.org
[mailto:bards-bounces@lists.ansteorra.org] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Pat
Mullins<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, June 12, 2008 7:18 PM<BR><B>To:</B> Ansteorran
Bardic list<BR><B>Subject:</B> [Bards] Off on a tangent<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>As someone who has entered both static A&S and Bardic
competitions, I have<BR>often wondered about the major differences in the way
the two venues work. <BR><BR>In a baronial A&S competition, documentation is
usually required. You can enter<BR>the competition without documentation, but
with no real expectation of winning.<BR>You enter to show your work, to get an
assessment of its quality, and to get<BR>constructive criticism on how to
improve.<BR>You get points for having documentation, and if your documentation
is done right, it should gain you points in nearly every other category.<BR>You
can see and learn from the documentation of all the other entrants, and gain an
appreciation and understanding of the work of others.<BR>After the competition
you come back to collect your piece and judging sheet, and often, a small pile
of beads, trinkets, and baubles. In and of themselves, these items have little
value. But they are tangible proof that your effort has been seen and
appreciated.<BR><BR>In a bardic competition, documentation is "requested" or
"encouraged", seldom required. <BR>To borrow HL Mea's example, it is worth "1-3
points". Presumably this is one point for turning something in, and one or two
points if it actually contains useful information. <BR>The information
contained, from what I have seen, is not considered when awarding points in
other categories.<BR>When a performance is done, everybody claps. If it were
well done, the applause may be long and loud. If it were dreadful, everybody
still claps. Out of politeness or relief that it ended. Applause is often the
only recognition anybody in the competition gets, aside from the winner.<BR>It
can be very difficult to get judging sheets, or even feedback, after the
competition. On at least a few occasions, I have been told by bardic judges, "I
don't give back judging sheets." I have never heard this from a static arts
judge. <BR><BR>Imagine somebody, I'll call him "Lord Fred", travels to an event,
then comes home to tell his friend about it. The conversation might sound like
this:<BR><BR>friend: "So, how was the event?"<BR>Fred: "It was good. I entered
the A&S and bardic competitions."<BR>friend: "How was the A&S
competition?"<BR>Fred: "Well, I didn't win."<BR>friend: "But how did you
do?"<BR>Fred: "I got a 27 out of 50. But the judges said if I change this and
this in my documentation, I could add a few more
points. And if I do that and that differently next time, I could do even
better."<BR>friend: "Who won?"<BR>Fred: "Lady Thusandsew. She entered the most
amazing item. It was a perfect reproduction of a period piece, made using only
period materials and methods. I learned a lot, just from reading her
documentation."<BR>friend: "Did anybody like your entry?"<BR>Fred: "Yeah, lots
of people. Look at all the stuff I got! It makes me feel
appreciated."<BR>friend: "How was the bardic competition?"<BR>Fred: "I didn't
win that either."<BR>friend: "How did you do?"<BR>Fred: "I did a period piece
with documentation. I think I did pretty well. My pacing and diction were good.
I remembered it all. People listened. Some cried in the right
places."<BR>friend: "What did the judges think?"<BR>Fred: "All I know is they
didn't think I was best."<BR>friend: "Who won?" <BR>Fred: "Lord Goodsinger. He
sang really well."<BR>friend: "What did he sing?"<BR>Fred: "An Irish song about
English oppression."<BR>friend: "Did he have documentation?"<BR>Fred: "I don't
know."<BR>friend: "Did anybody like your entry?"<BR>Fred: "Everybody
clapped."<BR><BR><B><I></I></B>Thanks for listening to my answer, even if it
wasn't to the question you asked,<BR>Paedric<BR>
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