Red-Handed Jill

Just found out that the Bedlam encampment is not a pirate encampment but a 16th century insane asylum. We were told to not wear our pirate gear. From Captain Woody of the Crew of the Dirty Rotten Oar: "The idea behind Bedlam at Kearney is to portray the “dark side” of England, and for guilds to come together as a community. We will try not to have “perimeters” per say. I don’t know how much backyard space we will have as we are backing up to the road and I’d kind of like to have a decent appearance, not a bunch of screens. The year is still 1547, Edward is going to be crowned King (at fair on the main stage). We will be located at the customary place but Joyce has given me free reign (pardon the pun) over the area. She has let me expand out to the road. What we are trying to accomplish is to make Bedlam a community of “rustlers, cut throats, murderers, bounty hunters, desperados, mugs, pugs, thugs, nitwits, halfwits, dimwits, vipers, snipers, con men, Indian agents, Mexican bandits, muggers, buggerers, bushwhackers, hornswogglers, horse thieves, bull dykes, train robbers, bank robbers, a$$-kickers, sh**-kickers and Methodists” in period garb and attitude (apologies to Mel Brooks). This area is not meant as Pirate’s Row. We have Bakersfield for that. This is a renaissance fair. And since the fair nazis (bloody elitists!) are out in force, try to keep it period. (Emphasis added by Woody) I don’t want this to reflect badly on Joyce. It is an experiment in the mega-guild concept. Last year COTDRO was asked to attend as Pirates by the event organizer, we were frowned at mightily by the PTB (Powers That Be). I think what Diane is saying here is that this IS an Edwardian faire. The time period is very specific (between Henry VIII and Elizabeth I) and they want to keep things period appropriate. She sent this email to all of St. Gregs noting for them not to dress as pirates." FYI

North Pole

drool

Yeah - gotta wonder what makes folks pick fights. All the fights I've been in have been defensive on my part; I can't imagine being in a state of mind where I want to pick a fight with someone just to do it or to intimidate or bully.

Between my brother and I being Jack and Jill and growing up in a rather rough neighborhood, I was a fairly scrappy kid and was probably in more than my share of fights (none of them started by me.) Then I took up karate (mainly for the discipline) and had to deal with yahoos who wanted to pick fights and prove that they were better fighters than someone who studied a martial art - all that did was pretty much confirm that they were jerks. There were also a few sexual assaults where I had to, shall we say, discourage the perpetrator.

Diego and Rummy - it was great to see you. I'm glad you had a good time up here. We're still recovering... And Ace - I have to say that I had to look twice before I knew it was you. And then I couldn't stop laughing - you were too funny!

Tired, but exhilarated. Spent yesterday at a pirate invasion of the Seawolf Trading Company (an excellent piratical store in Fremont, CA owned by one of my pirate buddies.) Got in some sword practice and played the bodhran off and on all day. Then we went south for Jack's gig with Skip Henderson. They asked me to join in, so I did. On one of the reels, Skip decided to speed it up near the end and he turned to face me and saw that I was laboring to keep up (we were going pretty damn fast by that time.) He got an evil look on his face and said, "Faster!!" I nearly killed myself keeping up. I'm getting ready to head out again for another day at Seawolf, then a gathering at a friend's house. Rest - who needs it?

egg

Huzzah! We'll see ya's up here tomorrow then!

Whipped cream

My best bosses have been women who have endeavored to make of the most of women's strengths (as in their own.) They didn't attempt to become men in order to compete. They were respected by their employees and the divisions or companies they ran were extremely productive. My current boss is one of these. So it definitely works to play to your strengths. :) My worst bosses were two men and one woman. The men both had what has become recognised as disfunctional (to me at least) male behavior (used to being the patriarch and being able to do whatever they wanted within their "kingdom", reality and the law be damned.) One retired and the other one nearly ran the company into the ground before the parent company got rid of him. The woman was very good at playing politics and sucking up to upper management, but treated her employees badly and refused to protect them. At times, she did try to go the act-like-her-perceived-notions-about-men route, but for the most part, her failings were neither male nor female.

I've heard occasional showers from some sources, dry but cooler weather from others. Actually, last year during the Northern California Ren Faire Pirate Invasion it did rain, but it didn't stop us from having fun in the least. There were lots of places to step under during the showers and we used that time to sing chanteys and place our tattoos on visitors.

Looks like Bedlam is shaping up to be a fine pyrate encampment. The plan is to set it up as a big warren, rather than a bunch of separate encampments, so the more the merrier sez I! Because there are so many folks in our camp, I think we're going to step out for dinner and come back for the festivities. We'll have the usual sea chantey sing along (with table dancing ) and our special pirate pinata!

Excellent!! Scarlet, there are a plethora of hotels in the area, but the best priced ones are right next to the railroad tracks. Unless you are a very heavy sleeper, trains nearby = no sleep. And the hotels further from the train tracks are over $100/night. However, I was able to find an EconoLodge not by the tracks for about $70 per night and AAA gave it three diamonds. It appears to be the only three diamond hotel in the area for under $100. Here's the info: EconoLodge

Mustang

We'd love to see ya scaliwags up thisaway! Not ta mention, Seawolf is a pirate store - a great spot for getting all those piratical things ya never knew ya wanted.

or the highway

No way!

Feeling very elated - my better half Jack was asked to perform with Skip Henderson and the Starboard watch at their gig this weekend. Skip's main singer couldn't be there, so he asked Jack. We have jammed informally with Skip on occasion and he has said that he was really impressed with Jack's rendition of the Pirate Song (the ballad, not the "yo ho ho and a bottle of rum" song.") There are a lot of chantey singers in the SF Bay Area, so it's a hell of a compliment to his talent that he was asked.

Rummy - that sounds really good. I had an egg salad sandwich. Forgot to add seasonings, so it was a tad bland.

...of the fittest

habanero

Rock Lobster!

Love Shack

Hmmm... sounds like he is in need of some punishment... :)