Red-Handed Jill

Really? Today's your birthday? Did you do anything suitably piratical? At any rate, hope it was a good one!!

The Bloody Scupper Plunder Club is back! We'll be performing at Ye Olde Royal Oak on Thursday, January 29th. So if you want enjoy some British food (I can't believe I just said that...), throw down a few and sing along to some old favourites, stop by. Ye Olde Royal Oak is at 1240 Coleman Ave in Santa Clara (kind of near the SJ Airport.) We'll be performing between 7:00 and 10:00 pm. Ye Olde Royal Oak website

There has been a number of national studies done on why people become parents. Contrary to Mission's motivations, most of the assorted reasons from the parents were selfish. (Conversely, in studies of folks who decided not to procreate, almost all of their answers were selfless rather than selfish.) But the most given answer - by a WIDE margin - was "I don't know." Apparently, more than 50% of the parents out there gave no thought to whether or not they should have kids - they just had 'em. And, when asked if they'd do it again if they had a choice, 72% of them said "No". And from what I've observed, many people don't consider the fact that they actually DO have a choice in the matter. It's just expected that they will have kids and if they don't, well gosh - they must be defective or something. Or they'll change their mind (as if it were just a phase...) Or they get a lot of pressure from their family and not all of them are willing to stand their ground about their own lives and their right to choose how they live them. So in a lot of cases, it's not a matter of them actually choosing to have kids.

We look. We're just more discrete when looking...

I've coats with both historic patterns and that Simplicity pattern. The sleeves are a bit klugy but it's a simple enough pattern that you can modify it fairly easily.

Our soon-to-be president Obama has asked that we make today a day of volunteer service. However, a lot of us pirates don't get the Martin Luther King holiday off from work to do volunteer projects. But there are lots of ways we can help our communities even if we're at our desks or out at lunch, such as: *Make an on-line donation to your favorite charity *Give the homeless guy on the corner a doubloon or two *Drop off canned food at your local food bank *Donate pet food to your local animal shelter Even the smallest efforts add up, so anything you can do will make a difference!

I can attest that he does good work. He did a stellar job on our sign!

Crikey! Any accident you can walk away from is a victory of sorts. Glad to hear you're still here and well enough to tell us about it!

Listen, strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.

Yeah, Jayne does get some of the best lines... "Mal - imminent violence!" (love that line!) Blackjohn - love the avatar! (This is - excuse me - a damn fine cup of coffee.)

Hey Patt - I stumbled across these pants. These could work fairly well...

This new learning amazes me, Sir Bedevere. Explain again how sheep's bladders can be employed to prevent earthquakes?...

Just remember that you're standing on a planet that's evolving And revolving at nine hundred miles an hour, That's orbiting at nineteen miles a second, so it's reckoned, A sun that is the source of all our power. The sun and you and me and all the stars that we can see Are moving at a million miles a day In an outer spiral arm, at forty thousand miles an hour, Of the galaxy we call the 'Milky Way'. Our galaxy itself contains a hundred billion stars. It's a hundred thousand light years side to side. It bulges in the middle, sixteen thousand light years thick, But out by us, it's just three thousand light years wide. We're thirty thousand light years from galactic central point. We go 'round every two hundred million years, And our galaxy is only one of millions of billions In this amazing and expanding universe. The universe itself keeps on expanding and expanding In all of the directions it can whizz As fast as it can go, at the speed of light, you know, Twelve million miles a minute, and that's the fastest speed there is. So remember, when you're feeling very small and insecure, How amazingly unlikely is your birth, And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space, 'Cause there's bugger all down here on Earth.

A friend of mine just posted this pic on his blog - he's trying to find out who took it: I want a puppy! Jack's going to have to talk me down tonight. (Our kitty Captain Morgan has made it quite clear that no other kitties - or dogs - will be permitted in our household.)

Glad to hear you're okay, even with the craziness that has been swirling around!

Hey, if I could take Jack and Captain Kitty along I'd do it in a second!

I'm partial to "Our Mrs. Reynolds" - it has some of the funniest lines EVER. And if you want to see a whole new side of Jewel Staite (Kaylee), check out Wonderfalls (a terrific series that was cut short due to network mismanagement. You can find it on Netflix.)

Pattt - not all men are as secure in their masculinity as you are...

And I received Callenish's book today.

Yep - they have a plethora of great stuff. My garb is a combination of purchased and sewn - I'll eventually make a long duster but in the meantime I also bought this coat and this hat.

These pants and these are part of my gear. This company also does great frock coats and dusters as well. Jack and I have been getting into Western reenacting and that has sort of shoehorned its way into Steampunk, particularly since we love building things.

Just started Angel of Darkness by Caleb Carr, which was recommended to me.

I have Cassandra's, which will go out to Sophia tomorrow.

Bring on the hedgehogs - I could use some chocolate!

Aye - happy birthday to our favourite moonshiner ! Here's to fifty more successful trips around the sun!