Recent developments
Hi everybody! I'm sorry I've been so bad about replying to entries lately -- I'm mostly reading on my phone, which tends to dramatically cut down on my commenting. :(
And yes, things have been busy. In good ways, mostly. :)
This past weekend was particularly nice. On Friday, dulcinbradbury came down to lead a bardic workshop, which I thought was tremendously helpful. I saw immediate improvements in everyone who was participating, and while I can't exactly see myself, I do feel that the feedback I received was *very* constructive. Also, it's always, always funny and sad and enlightening to watch all of us expressing our utter conviction that everyone else is better and we'll never amount to anything compared to those fabulous performers around us... the never-ending circle of musician insecurity! Oh brains, why do you do this to us?
Saturday was my fourth Court of Love. I think this was definitely the most amusing and entertaining yet -- I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard at an event! Let's see... we had general harassing of our faithful clerk t_bard and his braies (or lack thereof); a discussion of darklilli's lord's having given offense by way of his response to an injudiciously aimed comment regarding tarts (we more or less let him off the hook because he grovelled so piteously, and because we were promised, um, tarts); a discussion, following a surprise ubiq31 beard-shaving, of whether the lady's sovereignty extends to her lord's follicular/grooming choices -- in which discussion the Ladies' Champion served as the proxy beard, because ubiq31 was busy in the kitchen; the ongoing saga of redshinma's Bower of Opulence, which somehow led to a debate over whether a crafter's concern about the appearance of a favor does or does not outweigh the sentiment attached to it... and I can't remember what all else. But it was funny. :)
We also had some stellar performances intermingled with the cases. Bea sang "A Chantar M'er" like an angel, momtoast her Spanish love song (with some translated English verses!) likewise, Friar W brought great feeling to a medieval Gaelic hymn, and Quynn blew everybody away with her original piece based on the lai of Eliduc -- not to mention her delightfully ribald second piece in praise of the boys of Bhakail! I'm also thrilled with momtoast's new army recruitment song, which highlights the virtues of our ale, our girls, and our bacon. :D We also heard a very funny and thematically appropriate story from minstrlmummr, who wasn't competing but entertained us anyway.
So, yeah, you should come to the next CoL, at Pennsic. :)
Sunday, my band Terra Serpentis played at Wicked Faire. I feel bad saying it, because my dear friends and former bandmates now playing as Rabbit Stampede more or less got hosed by the event and had a terrible time... but I do believe this was our best gig yet. This was our first time out with everyone on "good" instruments, plus Melissa on newly added vocals. We were in tune! We were relatively well miked (the vocals were a little low, but seriously, given how unprepared most sound people are to deal with our instruments, I'm not going to complain)! We had a good-sized crowd! And best of all, people seemed to enjoy the music. There are pictures up on Facebook -- holler if you want them here too!
And then yesterday my mother and I took the sprout to Chinatown, because her preschool class has been studying China and the Year of the Rabbit. As soon as she saw the gate, she said "Look, writing in Chinese characters! Just like Jill [her teacher] said!!!" She still likes the idea of Chinese food better than the reality, alas (how can a child of mine not appreciate shrimp wonton soup and lychee duck, huh?!?), but was very pleased with her new lucky monkey bobblehead-ish toy thingy and the red paper puppet dragons we bought for her to pass out to her class. My mom and I like the precious little red and black silk outfit we got her more than she does at the moment, but that's ok. :)
And yes, things have been busy. In good ways, mostly. :)
This past weekend was particularly nice. On Friday, dulcinbradbury came down to lead a bardic workshop, which I thought was tremendously helpful. I saw immediate improvements in everyone who was participating, and while I can't exactly see myself, I do feel that the feedback I received was *very* constructive. Also, it's always, always funny and sad and enlightening to watch all of us expressing our utter conviction that everyone else is better and we'll never amount to anything compared to those fabulous performers around us... the never-ending circle of musician insecurity! Oh brains, why do you do this to us?
Saturday was my fourth Court of Love. I think this was definitely the most amusing and entertaining yet -- I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard at an event! Let's see... we had general harassing of our faithful clerk t_bard and his braies (or lack thereof); a discussion of darklilli's lord's having given offense by way of his response to an injudiciously aimed comment regarding tarts (we more or less let him off the hook because he grovelled so piteously, and because we were promised, um, tarts); a discussion, following a surprise ubiq31 beard-shaving, of whether the lady's sovereignty extends to her lord's follicular/grooming choices -- in which discussion the Ladies' Champion served as the proxy beard, because ubiq31 was busy in the kitchen; the ongoing saga of redshinma's Bower of Opulence, which somehow led to a debate over whether a crafter's concern about the appearance of a favor does or does not outweigh the sentiment attached to it... and I can't remember what all else. But it was funny. :)
We also had some stellar performances intermingled with the cases. Bea sang "A Chantar M'er" like an angel, momtoast her Spanish love song (with some translated English verses!) likewise, Friar W brought great feeling to a medieval Gaelic hymn, and Quynn blew everybody away with her original piece based on the lai of Eliduc -- not to mention her delightfully ribald second piece in praise of the boys of Bhakail! I'm also thrilled with momtoast's new army recruitment song, which highlights the virtues of our ale, our girls, and our bacon. :D We also heard a very funny and thematically appropriate story from minstrlmummr, who wasn't competing but entertained us anyway.
So, yeah, you should come to the next CoL, at Pennsic. :)
Sunday, my band Terra Serpentis played at Wicked Faire. I feel bad saying it, because my dear friends and former bandmates now playing as Rabbit Stampede more or less got hosed by the event and had a terrible time... but I do believe this was our best gig yet. This was our first time out with everyone on "good" instruments, plus Melissa on newly added vocals. We were in tune! We were relatively well miked (the vocals were a little low, but seriously, given how unprepared most sound people are to deal with our instruments, I'm not going to complain)! We had a good-sized crowd! And best of all, people seemed to enjoy the music. There are pictures up on Facebook -- holler if you want them here too!
And then yesterday my mother and I took the sprout to Chinatown, because her preschool class has been studying China and the Year of the Rabbit. As soon as she saw the gate, she said "Look, writing in Chinese characters! Just like Jill [her teacher] said!!!" She still likes the idea of Chinese food better than the reality, alas (how can a child of mine not appreciate shrimp wonton soup and lychee duck, huh?!?), but was very pleased with her new lucky monkey bobblehead-ish toy thingy and the red paper puppet dragons we bought for her to pass out to her class. My mom and I like the precious little red and black silk outfit we got her more than she does at the moment, but that's ok. :)