What do long-time players do for new adventures? I have challenged myself to enter a competition in all the Arts and Sciences categories for which Calontir has Kingdom Criteria (see http://anvil.unl.edu/criteria). There are 68 categories (I excluded "Miscellaneous Sciences and Miscellaneous Arts"). I have never entered 60 of them. The entry need only be at the Novice level under Trilevels criteria. There are a few areas where I can do a credible project without instruction, but in most cases I need someone to teach me. The real goal of this is to travel around the Kingdom learning new arts and sciences. I hope to learn a new skill in each of Calontir's groups. I do not plan to learn from Laurels: it is too easy for me to find and meet then.

I do not know how long this will take. "Years" seems obvious. I plan to work hard at it for 27 months (the period of time I was not doing A&S due to Baronial duties) and evaluate where I am then.

That was the plan, but in fact I came to a halt due to becoming Chancellor of the Royal University and using most of my spare time working on that. I thought I'd restart the 27-month clock when I stepped (August 2005) but this project is still languishing. I don't know when I'll get a chance to pick it up again properly. The Kingdom Criteria have been changed since I started, so some major adjustments will be needed.

I don't think competing makes all that much Medieval sense, but for my purposes here, the requirement to compete will produce a higher quality project than if I just planned to take a class or "do a project"

What have I learned since I started this? That there is much more to most crafts than I ever knew about. Not just that I can't do the skills the first time, but that I don't speak the language (earthware, Merino wool, froe...)and that there are layers and layers of understanding. How clay handles (get the air out, allow for shrinkage); how wood handles (beware the knots, go with the grain); cloth rules (effects of the direction the cloth lies; how linen is different from wool); which wood is good for which purpose; which colors were available to 12th C painters; how the paints handled differently from modern ones...oh my goodness, so much to learn!

And I have learned so much about my time period--the shoes I made were pretty generic (I'll take a picture someday) but I did the documentation and when I get time to make the next pair, they'll be right for 1190. I started reading about music from 1190: sound patterns they used and ones that are first known from 200 years later; the Bayeux tapestry stitch and all its history, letting me look closely at the designs of animals and people, choice of colors...all of it enriching my experience

And while I was inactive, the Kingdom updated the Arts and Sciences Criteria, combining some, so I need to revise my status in light of the current criteria. I doubt it will change the fact that I still have many many to try.

Status as of October 21, AS XXXVIIII (2004):

Completed before April 7, AS XXXVI

Bardic Recitation

Brewing/Vintning

Embroidery (Counted Thread)

Herbalism

Knitting/Crochet/Macrame

Research Paper

Weaving (Tablet/Inkle)

Writing (NonFiction)

Completed between April 7, AS XXXVI and April 7, AS XXXVII

Calligraphy -- 12th Night, Lonely Tower Jan. 4

Dyeing -- July 28 at Kingdom A&S, Lonely Tower

Embroidery (Free Form) -- March 29 at Norman Law II, Mag Mor. I thank HL Henry of Grimfells for his help.

Leatherwork* -- March 29 at Norman Law II, Mag Mor. Many thanks to Countess Comyn and HL Gillie for their help!

Spinning -- September 7, at Cattle Raids, Mag Mor. I thank Mistress Rigela for her instructions, and all the others--Mistress Jenna, HL Cassandra, Ms Maerwynn, Lady Niahm--with whom I talked about spinning.

Weaving (Standard) -- July 28 at Kingdom A&S, Lonely Tower

Completed since April 7, AS XXXVII

Cooking, Single Dish--entered at Trilevels, Kingdom A&S July 26, Dun Ard

Thanks to HL Bran the Dark and HL Kateryn deDevelyn for advice and encouragement

Costume Accessory--entered in Trilevels at Kingdom A&S July 26.

Thanks to HL Ellien Chadwick for inspiration and instructions

Painting --entered in Trilevels, Kingdom A&S July 26

Poetry--entered in Trilevels, Kingdom A&S July 26

Current total: 18 completed

Areas I hope to complete in AS XXXX:

Costume, Early -- stalled due to competing activities. But soon... I thank Ms. Juliana Avenel and HL Ellien Chadwick for advice and instructions Musical Performance, Instrumental, Wind (recorder). Just have to settle down and practice! Thank you Ms. Conna for encouragement and advice. Pottery - I made a series of drop-spindle whorls at Lilies, now need to test them and enter them somewhere Thank you Ms. Christiaen and Ms. Genevieve for getting me started. Woodworking. Just need to make the time! Thank you to Master Edweard and Lord Charles of Westermark for instructions and for their patience.

Planning Stage:

Cartography Drawing Illumination Musical Composition

Questions? Comments? Advice? Contact me at kkeeler1@unl.edu

Can you help me with this? I'd love it!

I'm happy to come wherever to learn a new skill, and I'll be happy to teach what I know.