Happy Bard day. Well. That’s kinda what it is round here. Officially, according to the reckoning of my youth, the weekday is Ti, but I like Bard Day. Maybe that’s what I’ll call it. Let me explain.
Over here, after sundown, the elder bard occasionally performs. He’s elder in both years and prominence, and once in awhile (but always on the same day) he works his craft. When he does, he brings the goods. Stories, instruments, and beautiful languages, spanning from across the many worlds we have traveled together. A few of the languages in his repertoire still elude me, but then, I get to hear the beauty of the music by itself, and when the lyrics are explained, I love it all over again. Simple idioms taken for granted by their peoples can be so mind-blowing beautiful. Especially the elves. Snobs for sure, some of them, but with music like that, the slip into snobbery could be easy.
Sometimes the elder bard's songs are spiritually revitalizing. Sometimes they are particularly profound, not just in their truth but in the places they take you to explore. Still other times they’re simply playful and whimsical and the best part is the children laughing and singing along. I like the Fuppy one. (Fuppies are what I call the simple play pets of local fairies.) (Non-terrans don’t really get the joke, but it stuck anyway.)
One walks away from the elder bard experience encouraged, cheered, enriched, edified, humored, dazzled… entertained. And the music comes from the heart of a truly wise man. Somehow, it’s like his wisdom adds flavor to the words as he sings. (Bards take note.)
Now I say he is wise, and I say that heartily despite the fact that he is not open to free-will. (I know right!) Someone talked him out of it long before we met. Now, that domino stuff is nonsense, but he more than makes up for it… You know, it’s actually fun that his favorites among the songs he’s collected assume free-will! He appreciates them regardless, and good for him. That's how it should be. In art we try to enjoy the good regardless of the rest. Same goes with people, I suppose. Otherwise, we rob ourselves.
Eh, this is getting mushy or something. Look, I was excited for tonight. I even considered live-tweeting it for you all, but that would probably involve some seriously extended portalry, and you know how I feel about that (or have I mentioned it?). Anyway, it’s just as well. I just finished a huge addition to a longstanding project West of Naptown, so figuring out that portal stuff would be way too much work today. Instead, I’m chipping away at the ol’ Libertarian Anarchy book. Casey’s talking about “conditions for the emergence of law” or something, and I’m not sure I’ll completely agree, but there’s plenty to appreciate.
To the good,
PenTi Bardday 77, 7381