But in the end it always makes me happy.

al-Barran's Baronial Arts and Science Competition

This weekend I attended al-Barrans Baronial Arts and Sciences Competition.  I got a chance to do the one thing that gives me the most pleasure.  I got to judge.  Now most everyone I know in the SCA hates judging.  It's always viewed as a necessary evil.  I like to look at it as an opportunity for me to learn and interact with someone.  If it's a new piece to me and my skill set sometimes I will feel a little trepidation.  I mean really what do I know about Scientific Instruments?   But in the end it always makes me happy. 

There were five pieces in my folder.  A very nice collection of Origami that was amassed as a "Life's Work". A Rice in Almond Milk dish and a spinning project both by the same lovely lady. A Carving of wood which turned out to be a piece of a loom.  And a lovely Hip Quiver of worked leather.  Each of these pieces was so very special in its own right.  I was excited by all of them.  I so hope that each of my competitors goes on to continue their research and mastery.  I hope that they each take to heart the small comments I made with them.  It makes me feel so very good when I have past judged competitors come up to me and tell me how much my comments helped them better their craft. 

The one thing I did note was that each competitor could have benefited from the guidance of a Documentation Class.  I think that I will put together a small collegian of classes for persons entering the Kingdom A&S competition this next year.  I firmly believe that there is no  single right way to write documentation.  Get six judges in a room and you will have seven differing styles of documentation.  Towards that beliefs I think several classes on how to write documentation is the best method.  A brief description of each method or philosophy of documentation will be in the class description and from there the competitors can choose their preferred method.  Maybe a brief class on Primary and Secondary sources.  A class on Visual documentation.  And how about footnoting and bibliography?  There are several differing styles of that as well.  Anyway off to consult my calendar about dates.