I know this is a little silly to decide whether or not to do Pentathlon in 2011 because it is less then a week after the last one, and was my 3rd one in a row. Mind you I find Pent immensely rewarding and I’ll still be involved as a judge if they need me. I’m just not sure that I want to do a 4th one in a row, I’m tired!

If I do it again I’ll do it the way my household was discussing: to choose entries as desired, do them during the 2 years just because I want to. Document them as I go because that’s just good practice. Then IF I choose to enter Pent again, I’ll have the majority of the entries done and their documentation completed. If I decide not to enter then that’s good too, since I’ll still have created all this cool stuff.

If I DID do it again then I would stretch myself into new areas. Which of course is the point anyway. I’m taking a page from Eilidh’s book (blog) and listing possibilities that interest me:

Visual Arts

• Period models. I swear that I’m not just inspired by the famous Bog entry, although that was GREAT. I entered a roombox in a previous Pentathlon and want to do it again, but this time model the exterior of it to fit a real-life exterior more than I did before. This would be the firehall of my persona’s Anglo Saxon farmhouse.
• Heraldic display. This will be the entry I MEANT to do for this last Pentathlon and ran out of time. A peacetime gonfalon.

Culinary Arts

• Preserves and/or Wine (fruit). The common theme would be to use my own apples. I have 5 gorgeous apple trees and have thought for a long time that it would be cool to use them in a Pentathlon entry. I do not cook in general  but I can do this. Apple butter is another thought… would that be a condiment? Not sure. Anyway, using my own apples would be the deal. Otherwise I’m not that interested in culinary other than eating!

Performance Arts

• Performance Arts, Other. Storytelling, which is arguably my best performance type.
• Vocal performance. I sing but I don’t play an instrument, so I want to learn the harp to accompany myself. This is a long-held goal  anyway for me.

Fibre Arts

• Needlework: Counted Thread Work. I will finish a half-done project that I love, a copy of a piece by Mary Queen of Scots.
• Surface Embroidery. This will be embroidery on garb, most likely a gown for me.

Functional Arts

• Leather: Shoes. Another project I didn’t get to on time. This one would be 12th century lady’s slippers with embroidery. BTW, if you hear shrieks of anguish coming from my way don’t worry — it’s just me figuring out how to make a turnshoe.
• Book Arts. Not sure here — I’m thinking a portable writing book. I can’t remember what it’s called —  it attaches to the belt in its own pouch. It’ll come to me.

Compositional Arts

• Poetry. Anglo-Saxon poetry is full of the richest images and metaphors imaginable, I love it.
• Research or How-To Paper. I’m a professional writer so I should be able to get this straight. ;>

So there you are. As I said earlier, IF I enter Pent again it will be because I already have all of this cool stuff done. (I hasten to add that none of it is finished or mostly started, so I am staying within the 2-year rule.)