Red Bess

Lady B, thank Mr. Breza for the info. We are planning to make a mini family vacation out of the event, so I'm thinking we'll plan to stay Friday and Saturday nights. I'll check out the places listed and let you know what we think. We want to stay where there's a pool for the kids and it would be great if there was a good bar/pub/meetin' place right in the hotel. Harrrr! I'm getting really excited about this event!

I was playing around on one of those "Get Your Pirate Name" websites, and it came up with Red Bess Bonney. I don't use the Bonney part, but I liked the sound of Red Bess. When I first logged on the Pub, I was sure it would tell me that the name was taken. But it wasn't, so I've claimed to be Red Bess ever since. I've been working on a persona to go with the nickname (Elizabeth Mary Rose McManus - the simple shepherdess who becomes an infamous she-pirate) and now I even have friends who call me Bess.

music

I talk like a pirate quite often at home (the whole family does). At work I do from time to time (I say things like "me desk" instead of "my desk" a lot) and I do get some ribbing for it. Captain Ciaran is right -- it gets to be habit-forming.

Well said, Jack. I feel much the same way. :) Rumba, I sensed that you were asking these questions with your moderator tricorn on. It must be a very difficult thing to decide if you should squelch someone right away, before things get ugly, or just let the discussion run it's course. I know you don't want to have to "censor" us unless absolutely necessary. We are a unique group since there are so many people who do role-play. Plus, I'm sure moderating Plunder or Captain Twill is a little more structured than Rabble Rousing. (After all, the name implies some rowdiness.) You do a great job, and I don't envy you a bit. You are the one we complain to, and if we get deleted, the one we complain about. Follow your gut and do what you think is right. :) And yes, the nature of e-mail and Internet communication makes it ripe for misunderstanding. But the benefits (getting to chat with people you would otherwise never meet) outweighs the risks. So I'll take my chances. I think the idea here is to have fun, and maybe learn something (about pirates, about each other, about ourselves)

I think I know what you mean. Sometimes, when someone posts in a particularly aggressive mode, or seems to be posting comments just to be contrary -- I always wonder "Does this person really mean this, or is this a 'mean old pirate' talking?" Of course, if their gruffness is written "in pirate" I chalk that up to just character talk. However, when someone seems to be angry and contrary all time, I think that they are just being a creep (and usually choose not to talk to them). Since we can't see each other or hear the inflection of their voice, we have to rely on the written word. I have known re-enactors at events that are so immersed in their character that they forget the purpose of being at an event, and alienate the public when they won't answer questions or mock visitors who are speaking to them in a RL way. I also know a couple of re-enactors that do live their personas so deeply that even outside of events they use their characters accent and mannerisms, and we address them by their character names. The latter -I think, based on what I know about them - are people whose RL is less than fulfilling, for whatever reason, and, while they know the difference, choose to stay in character in most of their social life. That might be getting a little off the topic, but I guess my point, too, is that we only know as much about each other as we are each willing to share. So I say, if you are joking and you want us to know it, use a " " otherwise, we might take you seriously.

Plunder... Shopping!

I'm sorta glad to hear so many people say that the person they are at the Pub is as real (or even more real) than the person they are in the day-to-day world. Here I say what I feel, tease a bit when I can, talk like a pirate (frowned upon at my place of employment ) and hang out with a whole bunch of scallywags as nutty as myself. In the "real world" (interesting that we so often put quotes around that phrase), when I need the inner strength to do something beyond my comfort level, I just remember that I'm Red Bess the pirate lass. It's amazing how much confidence I get from that. So the short answer to your question, Rumba, for me is: Red Bess isn't my persona -- it's the better side of me.

Lady B, I think I can give you at least a 95% commitment from Sjoroveren, myself, and the powder monkeys (ages 12 & 9) for June 18 & 19th in Oshkosh. Just give us some idea what you want us to do, besides just show up in costume. I'm sure Sjoroveren would bring some medical equipment, if you want, and play the ship surgeon. Just let us know. I think it's a grand opportunity!

swimmin' pools, movie stars...

I did spend most of the 70's and a good share of the 80's with my ears glued to Top 40 radio. What's scary is that I remember it. Sorry, Capt, ye stumped me...

gummy...

*jumping in* "Don't Fear The Reaper" - Blue Oyster Cult, right? How about this: "She comes out of the sun in a silk dress running like a watercolor in the rain..."

rolling stone...

Aye, Mad Jack - where do ye make berth? Sjöröveren and I are in Minneapolis (northwest suburb, actually). Duluth MN would make a great place for a Minnesota meetup. The only real "coast" I ever get to. A bit of a hike for the Iowa pirates -- the Chicago pirates could just sail up Lake Michigan....

Good. Ye had me worried, too, mate. Don't wanna take a chance on losin' ye again. I've been following the thread, and I'm countin' on meeting my Midwest mates sometime this year, but I doubt we (meaning the SeaRover and I) can take any trips until summer. Money is tight, school is in session and sitters are scarce this time of year. So even ye all get together in April, hopefully there can be a summer meetup, too? And let's start Merry's party now - time's a wastin'!

Nice poem, Captain. Beautiful images.

Arrrgh! What's me mug doin' pasted here? Sjöröveren, Merry, ye be too kind. But what Sjöröveren says is true -- this is my "natural" haircolor, even if I have to keep replenishing it, every 4-6 weeks. My father had brownish-blonde hair and (no lie) a red beard. So I gots my original hair color from him. Hmmm, maybe if I let me beard grow....

Aztec coin... Cursed

Aye, that ye are. (of course, a bottle of rum improves anybody's looks )

How I feel: Physically - cold. The computer is in the basement family room and it's chilly down here. I tried plugging in a space heater, but it blew a fuse so I gave up. I have a blanket... Emotionally - calm. The house is quiet, this is my time. So overall, I agree with Rummy3 and Kalum - life is good. Chilly but good.

*after reading lists* Argh! I forgot about the Monty Python & Terry Gilliam movies! *grabs coat and heads for Blockbuster*

*deep breath* I'll try to do this off the top of my head (without reading everyone's list first.) Here goes: POTC LoTR Master and Commander the original Star Wars trilogy and Episode I Raiders of the Lost Ark Titanic Die Hard Midnight Run Goodfellows Planes, Trains and Automoblies Blood Simple Fargo Raising Arizona Ruthless People The Gods Must Be Crazy Diva Chocolat Muppet Treasure Island Muppet Christmas Carol Eraserhead The Elephant Man Wild At Heart Trading Places Groundhog Day It's A Wonderful Life Scrooged A Christmas Story Ghostbusters Return To Me The Sound of Music Gone With The Wind The General (Buster Keaton) Bull Durham Field of Dreams Glory Rebecca Ben Hur Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory The Little Vampire *sigh* OK, that's enough for now. Man, this makes me want to run out and rent some these.... now I'm going to go back and read everyone's list.

This is so true. I know I'm in good company here when I say things like this, but I wish my husband could wear period clothes all the time -- he looks so damn good in them! He's a big, hefty fellow, and the cut of the clothing fits his profile so much better than modern clothes (don't take that the wrong way if you read this, honey). Plus, I know he's more comfortable when he's wearing them. And, on the topic, we are more familiar with re-enacting than Ren Faires, but we love both. It's fun to embellish the costumes a little for Faires, and wear some of the stuff that might not be strictly authentic but more fitting to our pirate roles (remember, in the Midwest, there's not much pirate 're-enactment' -- when we're at re-enactments, it's usually Fur Trade or 19th century settlers)

A co-worker of mine just got back from a week in Belize. She travels a lot, and she said this was the best vacation ever -- beautiful beaches, no crime. So she bought a time share here:Captain Morgan's Retreat Nothing particularily piratey about the place, but ya gotta love the name. Maybe she'll take me along sometime....