Happy St. Crispin's Day

Once again, it's time for one of the best 'rouse the troops' speeches ever. Or, just an excuse to watch Kenneth Branagh. Happy St. Crispin's Day!

Shakespeares' Serenity: verse about the 'Verse!

Way back in the day, when I first started this blog, I considered many blog platforms. One of them was LiveJournal, which has a thriving community of brilliant geeks.

In evidence of that fact, I present to my readers a few lines from evilrooster:

Capt: There's more to flight than buttons, albatross,
More to the pilot's role than charts and maps.
You know the foremost rule of flying? Aye,
I know you do, since you know what I'll say
Before I part my lips.

Riv: I do, but yet I like to hear you say it nonetheless.

Capt: 'Tis love. Though you know all the math the 'verse
Contains, if in the sky you take a ship unloved
She'll shake you off as sure as worlds turn.
Love keeps her in the air when she should fall
And tells you that she hurts before she keens.
It makes her home.

Feast thy eyes upon the whole verse here. 'Tis short at present, but I hope the clamoring tribes of Browncoats will inspire this poetess to spill forth more magic from her pen...er...I mean keyboard. Surely, this will inspire others to similar words of art...because you know how crazy those Browncoats get.

Maybe I should rewrite "Hero of Canton" in the style of Beowulf? Thankfully I've just finished reading Wealtheow, so I'm in the mood for that. Aye, and there will be a book review sometime soon, it's just a matter of time.

Shakespeares' Who's on First?

At nearly nine minutes long, this clip is a bit of a time investment. But if you've ever wondered what that classic Abbot and Costello skit would sound like spoken with an Elizabethan flair, verily you are in for a treat!

Christopher Reeve as Hamlet on the Muppets

In this nearly ten minute video, the late Christopher Reeve is talked into playing Hamlet, due to Gonzo's sprained nose. The Hamlet bits start around 1:00 and end around 5:50, if you want to skip Miss Piggy swooning over Superman...

Shakespeare Quote Generator

Oh, thank you Per Omina Saecula and History Geek for alerting me to the joys of this fyne internet gadget.

O excellent! I love Anachronista better than figs.

Which work of Shakespeare was the original quote from?

Get your own quotes:

Medieval Office Space?

This video, called Blood Shall Clot as White Out, is brilliant. It is also not safe for children/work due to a few dirty words and concepts.

The talented guys at spurn ask the question: Cubicle wasteland or medieval fiefdom?



It's disturbing how well I identify with this. Really. You may not know this, but I work in a cubicle environment with another SCA person...

Oh, dear. I shouldn't have watched this.

This will not look good on my review...

Emergency Codpiece Substitutes

A great thanks to Dr. Nokes at Unlocked Wordhoard for finding this (maybe not quite safe for work) anachronistic public service announcement of what to do if you need an Emergency Codpiece Substitute.

Get ready for the innuendos, for they come fast and trippingly off the tongue...



HuzZAH! Bring back the codpiece!

Canadian Coolness - History Bites and AEMMA videos

I've never really watched much Canadian TV, but what I have seen is strange and funny. I managed to catch a few episodes of History Bites once on a local PBS membership drive, and I laughed through the whole thing. Canadians, like the British, enjoy a bit 'different' humor than Americans, which can seem pretty controversial to the more sensitive types. It's rare when jokes or subject matter shocks me, but I appreciate that in my entertainment.

It's really too bad that History Bites doesn't offer their collection on DVD yet. There are scant few clips on YouTube (none of which I'd seen yet) but this one shows that even in the 16th century, there was too much violence on TV.



Also from Canada is the Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts, here on YouTube with their great web-commercial. Now that's selling a lifestyle!




There is just too much coolness in Canada. I think we should invade and take their sense of humor.

St. Crispin's Day

Tomorrow is St. Crispins' Day!

This time last year I had only the dark ages technology of text to bring you this very famous speech from Shakespeares' Henry V.

But now there is the magic of video.



That always gives me goosebumps!

Glorious Glory and news of late

Well, Glory was, of course, Glorious! Though we experienced some rain and some wind, it was never really all that bad. There were deer, weasel and wild turkey sightings, but no bad encounters with the local wildlife.

As for official stuff, let's see...Cookie has been awarded his AoA, and Marcos was given his Silver Tyne. And I finally got to see the Drum Battle! All that grunting and heaving done by Donovan and Aleksy to get the war wagon on the trailer was well worth the results.

In Darbuka, we were one of the few camps allowed to have fire, which made things much, much more festive. We were THE party every night! Thankfully, an orange Duke gifted us with a plethora of libations for the Darbucket. Upon returning to my tent during one party, I was shocked to discover that 12 people can fit in it. That's a lot of people in one tent. Not as bad as the big Bedouin during the Henna party, though....

If I hadn't had to walk to the Smiling Bull for dinner and the White Rose for breakfast, I probably would never have left camp. Well, maybe once or twice to see the merchants.

I got to be one of the last privledged few to leave site. It was weird, on Tuesday morning, waking up to almost no one left. The day turned into a fun-filled breaking-down-the-camp day that was honestly the best time I've ever had while attempting to leave an SCA event. I think Aleksy finding the last two beers in our cooler had a bit to do with my perception though.

Yeah, go ahead and laugh. I'm a cheap date.

Anyways, the mundane world kept on moving while I was away. Here's some things I scraped off the underbelly of the internet for you.

Much ado about Google.
I swear, Google is really trying to take over the planet. I've already gotten completely hooked on Google Earth. Now I can google forsoothly with Google Shakespeare!

Caer Galen satirical history!
As if there were any other kind. But seriously, speaking of verses....The Sporadic Verses gives readers a glimpse into the minds of those early creative authors of the area, who obviously had waaaaay too much free time. The Verses have achieved nearly a cult status, as evidenced by there being a role-playing game created to support the fans.

There are other cool things in Wyoming besides Glory.
You may know of my love for gypsy wagons. Maybe not. Someday, when I'm rich and/or famous, I will own at least one of these awesome gypsy wagons. Make sure you click on 'interior photos'. Can you imagine that all tricked out SCA style? If I'm lucky enough to become very, very rich, I'll buy a bunch and rent them out at events.

Scrambled Ramblings

As I was not so gently reminded by one of my readers the other day, it has been WAAAY too long since I've posted anything of worth here, and I'm sorry for that.

Let's just say that working too much overtime, moving and settling into a new place will do that to you. Oh, and getting totally sucked in to HBO's Deadwood Seasons 1 & 2 DVDs. I've never liked westerns. Until now. It's Shakespeare with the most incredibly vulgar swearing. I'm totally hooked. But don't worry, I'm not going to run off and join another reenactment society! But to reenact the old west would be anachronistic indeed! Too bad I just can't get over the guns. I'd much rather fence.

Moving to Caerthe has lessened my commute to Caer Galen fencing practice to only 25 minutes! Not that I've been able to fence much lately, though. Oh, moving is SUCH a bother. Speaking of 'bother', did you know Winnie the Pooh got a star on the hollywood walk of fame? How cool is that?

I mostly feel like Eeyore right now, though.

Hopefully my mood will change with the coming weekend. I'm heading up to Unser Hafen for Luck of Heroes. I'll be bringing a couple of boxes of SCA stuff I want to sell. Not that I'm trying to compete with the auction.... OK, I am. But I'll give over an item or two for that. I'm not completely selfish.

On the horizon - I'm starting a couple of new and finishing up a few old sewing projects. So if you happen to be wandering around my new neighborhood and hear screaming, it's probably just me.

Other projects: An updated version of the Outlands Map by 20th year. Even though I can't make it to that event...but can I pull this one off? I sure hope they get cloning perfected soon. I'm going to need four of me this summer....

Speaking of summer, the camping event season officially opens for the summer at Grand Outlandish, and I really REALLY should go. The new site is apparently much better than the previous sand traps. And I've heard something about a ShadowStag party?

It's only SIX WEEKS AWAY. SIX.

Unless a bag of money falls out of the sky into my lap, I don't foresee this one working out. Maybe I'll get incredibly lucky and find a job in Denver. One that wouldn't mind me taking four days off right away. Sure.

And more time off for Glory. And that wedding that conflicts with 20th Year.

Yeah, and I'd like MORE time off for that free trip to Trimaris...I wonder if there's any good events to crash? Hmmm...Trimaris is the home of TheQuarter.org. Maybe a reconnaissance mission is in order??

George Lucas in Love

Another "Star Wars Fan Film" This one is about a young Lucas in college, who is having trouble with his college paper - an agricultural space tragedy. He meets (and falls for) a girl who tells him to write 'what he knows'. All over campus are the beginnings of characters and scenes for his first draft...what would later become "Star Wars."

**A very brief drug reference may make this movie not suitable for kids.

Headlines of late....

Having started a new job last week, I'm not having as much time to blog. I hate having to resort to link dumping, but here's a few interesting things I've found online recently.

Click on any of the headlines to go to the full article.

Tower of London Locks Up Legendary Ravens
Feb. 22, 2006— The Tower of London locked up its famous ravens on Monday to protect them from the threat of bird flu, with legend having it that the tower and the kingdom will fall if the ravens go.

Forensic experts claim to have proved a bust and a death mask are the exact likeness of William Shakespeare.
Feb. 23, 2006 - Scientists in Germany scanned the sculptures using computerised imaging techniques to show that they match up with portraits of the Bard.

Villagers claim church fresco is lost Michelangelo
Feb. 23, 2006 - Parishioner's confession leads to discovery of monogram behind altar

Older news:

Lady of Wells reveals her secrets
Feb. 6, 2006 - A mysterious medieval wall painting found beneath the floor of the Bishop of Bath and Wells' bedroom has given up its secrets. The painting, which shows a partly-clad woman wearing a transparent dress, dates from between 1460 and 1470.

Delight at Caravaggio discovery
Jan. 25, 2006 - Art historians have spoken of their shock and delight after two paintings discovered in a French church were found to be by old master Caravaggio.

Saint Crispin's day

Today is Saint Crispin's day. Celebrate by memorizing that famous, awe inspiring monologue from Henry V, Act 4, Scene 3:

If we are mark'd to die, we are enow To do our country loss; and if to live, The fewer men, the greater share of honour. God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more. By Jove, I am not covetous for gold, Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost; It yearns me not if men my garments wear; Such outward things dwell not in my desires: But if it be a sin to covet honour, I am the most offending soul alive. No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England: God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour As one man more, methinks, would share from me For the best hope I have.

O, do not wish one more! Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host, That he which hath no stomach to this fight, Let him depart; his passport shall be made And crowns for convoy put into his purse: We would not die in that man's company That fears his fellowship to die with us.

This day is called the feast of Crispian: He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named, And rouse him at the name of Crispian. He that shall live this day, and see old age, Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours, And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian:' Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars. And say 'These wounds I had on Crispin's day.'

Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot, But he'll remember with advantages What feats he did that day: then shall our names. Familiar in his mouth as household words Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester, Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd. This story shall the good man teach his son; And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by, From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be remember'd;

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition: And gentlemen in England now a-bed Shall think themselves accursed they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

Movie Review - The Merchant of Venice

This was supposed to go up last week, but I got distracted by Publicola about 30 minutes into it, so I had to start over.

Anyway, we are all so fortunate to have the Bard's works available to us at our whim. Unlike Elizabethan England, we don't have to stuff ourselves into ill-fitting corsets and mingle with the unwashed masses to get our entertainment fix.

I don't recall reading The Merchant of Venice in school. Apparently, next to Romeo and Juliet, this just didn't regard enough interest from the literary department. Ah, well, I guess we can't all be Henry V.

As far as the movie itself, I was pleasantly entertained for over two hours. It was a trifle slow in places, but picked up speed before I got too bored. I must say that Al Pacino makes a great Shylock. And I will always love Joseph Fiennes in anything Shakespearen. Anything.

And I just love the 'test of chests' that Portia requires of her potential suitors. Since I'm single, I'm thinking, hmmmmmmm........no. Nevermind. That would cause all kinds of sillyness.

So, the plot: Moneylending, romance, racism, greed, treachery, crossdressing, and of course the costumes are amazing! And not a single one of the main characters dies!? Pretty much everyone lives happily ever after. Except Shylock.

He works himself all up into a lather about a payment owed to him by Antonio (played by Jeremy Irons) and demands 'a pound of flesh.' Bet you've always wanted to know where that saying came from, eh?

At one point, Shylock is offered double his return on the loan, but apparently it's the principle of the thing. The courtroom scene is fabulous, with Antonio looking about as sick as I ever did see anyone who knew he was about to butchered. Shylock, sharpening his blade, is stubbornly refusing to hear pleas for mercy. He wants his pound of flesh, for vengeance, for his wounded pride. It's amazing what men will do to keep their pride propped up.

The gamut of emotions that Al Pacino runs just in that one scene is worth watching the whole movie.

Did I mention the costumes? I should do that again. Costumes!! Sigh...I really need to get some sewing done.

I'm going to go play with my Magnetic Poetry Shakespeare Edition now. Forsooth!