Web Design

I've been contacted by a few people now about doing web design for them. I have no clue what to charge out. The site I have done the most work on most recently is http://www.paragonjousting.com

As an artist, my skills are lacking. As a webmaster, I'm pretty good.

So what the hell should I charge out?

Post Faire Thoughts

Every year I read through the comments from other staff members from CTRF and am amazed that each and every year they write, for the most part, the same crap. They spew forth the "best cast I've ever worked with" sentiment as though it was rehearsed time and time again. I hear people say it at the end of the run and it loses all meaning after a while.

I have never said any of that because it always sounds so insincere, no matter how honest it may be.

The 2006 Fight Cast was, hands down, the best fight cast I have ever worked with. I asked something of them I've never seen asked of a fight cast before and that was to have fight call from the beginning of the rehearsal process. This was as much to accommodate MY schedule as anything. And they did it. People were warned in advance and only one person hedged from the early start to the day. It sucked for me as much as it did for everyone else but they did it. But that wasn't the thing that impressed me most. I watched as people came out of their shells, learned new things, pushed themselves beyond what I thought they were capable of and I think what they thought they were capable of. And it's nice to know that CTRF has girls that can bring the fight to the guys. It's also nice to know CTRF has a monarch who can fight.

The fight cast of this faire made it a difficult decision to step away from bring fight director for the coming years. It was a decision I did not take lightly but with my real life, my plans to joust and a lot of other factors, it seems the best decision for all. I have faith that the current cast members who make up my fight staff will prove that they have developed to the point that they can now take the lead and create fantastic fights for CTRF. After all, in the beginning, that was the goal. To build a quality staff from the cast. That's been done within the ranks of the music staff, and now we can see it in the fight staff. Congrats to all.

As for the rest of the cast, I simply don't know most of them as well. But I could see the exuberance from certain people in the cast and I while I would be lying through my teeth to claim there were no weak links, I would also like to note that even those weak links would be strong in any other cast. In any sort of performance, there will be weaker performers but in this case, the difference between the weakest performers and those above them does not create the giant gap I've seen within casts of this faire and others in the past. Congrats to the strongest ensemble I've seen in a long time. There were several losses of major characters and performers this year and everyone stepped up.

What I wish for the cast of CTRF is a scenario in 2007 that does not tax them emotionally. I hope they get to have a good time and laugh. They should get to be funny when they want to be. Being serious all the time can take a toll on you. I've played a variety of characters. In a cast, I never played the same character twice. But I did play the same character for four years. One can easily feel stagnant playing the same character, especially when one feels no room to grow. It's important to let people know how you feel, even if it means getting away from that character for a year or two to try something different, and then maybe coming back to it.

I wish everyone in the CTRF cast the best of luck in future endeavors and I am looking forward to seeing people grow with the faire. I've seen so many performers grow from shy, timid teenagers to outgoing young adults. I expect to see many more. (You all should have seen me my first year performing in 2000.)

For the owners of CTRF, I say congrats and I look forward to returning in 2007 on the back of a horse. I feel as though I am leaving the violence in good, safe hands. MERF may have been where I got my start, but CTRF is the first place I performed outside a cast and it's always felt like home... despite the distance. Each year I look forward to the start of CTRF, even though it marks the end of a long and arduous faire season.

I have made many a friend at CTRF and I look forward to seeing everyone again in 2007.