[Elfsea] Rumors of forthcoming bid for Baronial Hats

[Paul or Galen]

Galen here...

On Friday, December 14, 2001, at 01:07 PM, Lady Muriella wrote:

> --
> [ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
> Greetings all from Muriella:
> For those that do not know me I am Richard's wife...
>
> Recently it was brought to my attention the question of whether Richard
> in
> the near future (whenever time that Their Excellencies might choose to
> step
> down) will be proposing his name as a candidate in the Baronial race.
>
> As Nixon put it so well, "Let me make one thing perfectly clear."  While
> someday, way down the line, he might like to put in is name, it will
> not be
> to bid as a candidate for when The Current Baron and Baroness step
> down.  For crying out loud, I just got him back, and he has not had any
> opportunity to even get involved with the group on a local level.
>
> So, hopefully this will put all thoughts of this notion out of anyone's
> head...Thank you for your time and you may all return to your regularly
> scheduled programs... :o)
> Muriella

Well, since you bring it up...

First, I wouldn't have mentioned Nixon while talking about Richard.
People might draw comparisons, which would surely be unfair.  Don't get
me wrong, I like both Richard and Nixon, but not everyone does.

But seriously, I never believed this rumor, for just the reasons Lady
Muriella mentions.

But I do know that there are some people (including good friends of
ours) who are looking ahead to when Allessandra and I step down; and
that's a good thing.

During the term of our predecessors, I did everything I could to appear
a likely successor.  I was friendly to all, rendered as much service as
I could to individuals, the Baron & Baroness, and the barony as a whole,
tried to represent the barony and its leaders in a positive light in all
my travels and dealings, I offered leadership in appropriate matters
within the barony, shared my skills freely, and strove to support my
barony and its leaders in all their endeavors.  I think my plan worked
well.

Allessandra and I will step down -- some day.  Maybe next year, maybe
next decade (don't hold me to this, but it probably won't be next
decade).  We haven't decided.  If you hear occasionally that we're
considering stepping down, you can believe it.  We believe that it's
important for us to have an awareness of when it's time to leave off.
We constantly re-evaluate the political and cultural climate in Elfsea,
and in Ansteorra, and consider the readiness of potential successors.
We also get to pick which King & Queen will choose our successors, by
the timing of our resignation.

In the meantime, for those who think it would be fun to be the next
Baron & Baroness of Elfsea:
- First, you're right, it's a _lot_ of fun, and very rewarding.  This is
the best barony!
- Second, it's a _lot_ of work.  Even I, having been a noble and a peer
for well over a decade, didn't realize how much work it would be.
- Third, I highly recommend you prepare yourself -- and position
yourself -- by just the method I've described.  Every time this barony
has chosen a new Baron & Baroness, those chosen were at the center of
the barony's life, and were working very hard for the betterment of the
barony.  (If half a dozen couples decide that this is how they want to
prepare, that's gotta be good for Elfsea, too!)
- Fourth, sitting the baronial thrones is a good way to become
high-profile on a kingdom level, but not the best way to be recognized
with peerages or other high honors (Llywelyn & Xene notwithstanding),
simply because you'll be too busy doing your job to work on your
fighting technique, or your costuming documentation, or autocrat events
or hold other office.
- Finally, if you want to be next, start now.  The announcement, when it
comes, will be too late to start showing what a good baron you'd be.
And if you can't keep it up through the years until we decide to step
down, then you wouldn't have the endurance to hold this job anyway.

- Galen
(but I guess I'm being Frank today!)

"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but
shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."
       - C.S. Lewis
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