Cap'n Pete Straw

I cannot wrap my mind around the phrase "female frontman." Something doesn't sit right with that...

...Now considering going to a Bass Pro Shop (huge sports/huntin/fishing store that showcases and sells fishing boats) dressed as a pirate and price out their goods... Hmmm... gears turning...

Not me, but that brings up an anecdote... So, my wife purchased me a flintlock for Christmas, but because of the delivery timing, she had it shipped to her parents in Boston, where we were going to fly for the holidays. We ended up canceling the trip at the literally last minute (sick pet), and we ended up sending presents through the mail... a week (or so) after Christmas, the package with our presents arrived, and my wife had me open the one from her first. It was a gun! I was touched! Thrilled! Ecstatic! ... and confused. "Honey," I said, "If I was supposed to open this in Boston, how was I suppsoed to bring it back on the plane?" She admitted she had not thought it all the way through.

Most common methods: -- Rubbing wood together (not broke -- don't fix it) -- Flint and steel (absolutely most common method) -- Fire-starter pistol (Dixie Gunworks carries one -- it's a flintlock designed specifically to ignite an amount of tinder) -- Magnifying lens (the ability to concentrate the sun's rays and start fire is what makes this a truly indespensible tool) -- In the 1800s, the Promethean Match. This is such a cool invention, that I must quote part of "The Story of Matches" web page.... "In 1828 ...Samuel Jones, a chemist of London.... invented what he called the Promethean Match. This consisted of a tiny glass vessel, which had a minute portion of sulphuric acid inside, which was enclosed in a small quantity of chlorate of potash, the whole being sealed up in the end of a paper spill. When the head was crushed between the jaws of a small pair of pliers, which was sold with every box, the liberated acid immediately caused the potash to ignite." ...Stories have it that real tough guys would show off their cajones by BITING the match to break the glass phial, which was an extremely hazardous thing to do.

Fifteen times in a row? Yet I bet I logged more time in that ride on my one "ride," than you did in all your trips. I really want to go back and experience the ride a second time.... but I fear the ride may be cursed for me....

We must save the boobies. This is an important quest and a cause worth the time, money resources and talents of all of us. Boobies must be saved at all cost. I myself plan to do all within my power to see to it personally that boobies will be saved. All boobies. Thank you for bringing this important topic to our attention. When you have the opportunity, please let me know what the hell we're talking about. But if it has to do with saving boobies, then I am in.

There are plenty more classy (if the word can be used in this sense) places of this ilk hereabouts. The place really was a dive. This is only the second bar I recall ever having entered and walked back out without purchasing a drink. The single only thing I can recommend the Pirate's Cove for is a photo op in front of their sign (Jolly Roger and all)... However, placement of the sign would probably prohibit even this idea.

Whazzat? GOLD teeth are also an asset? Oh, I read that one a bit too fast, perhaps.

My daughter has a few packs. My son has a small fleet, and he and I have played several games. I remain UNDEFEATED (I have the most ships... but also have the largest income). Each fleet, according to the rules, can be made up of multiple countries... so we all have a mixture of Pirate, Spanish and English. I need more British ships and crew! Regarding the internet, it remains an excellent source of the rarest cards (and this goes for any CCG or CMG). Personally, I frown on people who "don’t look too kindly on internet buyers." These games are packaged and marketed to drain your pocketbook -- if I spend over $50 on packs and packs of these cards, and still need El Fantasma, well then, I am going to get it off of eBay if it will cost me less than two more dollars (it's the same as trading with someone else -- it's all barter). Skill and purchasing savvy on my part equalizes booster-pack-selection-luck on your part. I, too, have several duplicate ships, but I have been saving them to trade with my kids when they open a booster pack containing something I want.

Awesome! My wife is a HUGE No Doubt fan, and loves Gwen. (I got her the No Doubt collected music videos DVD for Xmas ... too bad this newest video is not in that colleaction!).

"Pirate's Life For Me" did ye say? Ye like that song? Ye think ye have even heard that song? Let me tell ye about it. I have wanted to share this somewhere in this BB, but have not found the best place. I hesitated to start a new thread, but perhaps this is as good a place as any. A million years ago (30? More?) when I was a kid, my parents took us to Disney World in Florida. Blah, blah, blah, a hundred stories.... but at one point, they gave my sister and I a handful of ride tickets, told us to go nuts for an hour, and meet us at a particular rendesvous point. I made a beeline for "The Pirates of the Carribean" which had just opened to the public for the very first time that morning. I was to be among the very first people to ever go on that ride! I was so excited! Skeleton pirates, animatronic fighting pirates, ships fighting stormy seas in the distance -- to this day, many of the images from the first half of the ride remain burned into my memory, even though you might think the average person would have forgotten them... because... ...the little boats in which we were riding came out of the tunnel, into a pirate town! Singing drunken pirates! Drunken pirates cuddling happy pigs! Drunks precariously balanced on top of casks! Singing! Everywhere singing "Yo, ho! Yo, ho! A pirate's life for me!" I was blown away by the majesty of the room. It was fantastic! I was even impressed when they stopped the boats, so that we were able to sit in the room and listen to the song -- the whole song, again and again. And again. And again. AND AGAIN And it repeated on a never-ending loop, over and over and over and over... And then the adults on the ride began to complain, and it was clear that we were not supposed to be stopped. After all, some of the boats were only a few feet ahead inside the next tunnel, with nothing to look at, which seemed boring to me.. at least we had something to listen to.... but that song gets REAL boring after awhile. And we were there for quite awhile. Anyway, we were stuck in that room for over an hour. On my watch I was able to monitor the deadline with my parents approach and pass. And still I listened to that song. That damned song. Eventually, a bunch of park workers waded into the ride and pulled the boats out, one at a time. The ones in the back they pulled backwards out the entrance, but we were just over the halfway point, I guess, because we were the last boat to be pulled out the exit. The ride was then closed down, and I do not know when they reopened it. Security had been alerted to my absence, my parents freaked out and everyone searched for me all afternoon. After not being able to find my family, I simply used up the rest of my tickets on other rides, and then simply went back to the hotel room, where they found me later. (My Dad was pissed! He checked my story, and apparently got a very hearthy apology from park staff, and I think a free family meal out of the deal) Many (many!) years later, when I started renting Disney Sing-A-Long videos for my kids, one had the "It's a Pirate's Life For Me" song on it, and I was amazed how many o f the lyrics I still had burned into the back of my brain.

Much-awaited review of The Pirate's Cove... As promised, I stopped in the Pirate's Cove yesterday while running errands... er, I mean, while plundering local shopkeepers... What can I say? The place looked promising, because on the marquee outside they announced "DANCERS WANTED". A good sign, no? That sounds like they would want a group like us, right? I mean anyone who encourages drunken singing and dancing... The place had only just opened up, it being noon and all, and there were already three people at the bar. We could easily overtake the place! Very small and quiet place, yet there were speakers set up for playing music and an array of overhead spotlights -- again, as if they supported, nay, encouraged people to dance. The best feature -- there were several table-like rails set up all encircling a small stage -- just perfect for a group of pirates to put one Captain at a time up front to address the others, or lead them in a rollicking song -- or dance! Yes! It seemed almost perfect for a single person at a time to dance! And while it did not exactly resemble the deck of a ship in any way, a pirate might feel at home, because the stage had a large, sturdy brass pole sticking out of the floor, running all the way up to the ceiling -- not unlike a ship's mast! It seemed sturdy enough to hang on, climb up, swing around, or even hang upside-down from! Why, that would be perfect for our group's orator to hold onto if they has not lost their sea legs! The front row of "tables" was close enough for those seated to reach the person on stage, to hand them drinks ... or even to slip them some doubloons or other currency to encourage their singing and dancing. In fact, the place seemed designed for such activity! In the corner of a small adjoining room was a curious feature -- a single chair was surrounded by a dark curtain. As if a person were to sit within and offer up confession of deeds dark, dirty and sinful. The curtain was wide enough to allow two people ... well not really -- one would have to be seated, and the other would need to be standing over the seated person -- or practically dancing in their lap. Another interesting feature -- while it was freezing outside, the place was kept well-heated. So warm, in fact, that a person might be able to shed all their clothing and dance on the stage without a great deal of discomfort. Too bad I got there so early, for there was a large calendar on the wall listing a bunch of performances. Apparently, later that evening, there was to be the showing of the Disney film "Bambi." But now that I think about it, there was no movie screen. Hmmmm... maybe people would be singing songs from the movie "Bambi." Whatever... "Bambi" was on the calendar for later that day. However, we would have to have a rather large crowd, because the door had a forboding sign warning "ONLY OVER 21 PERMITTED," or something to that effect. So I need to find 20 other people interested in going. Well, it sounds as if the Cap'n found the perfect place to bring the families to gather, don't ye think?

...You say "R" and yer not sayin' the alphabet. ...Someone mentions "a vast landscape" and you ask why they are hailing the landscape. ...When looking at Texas on the map, you begin to wonder if there is any significance as to where the large "X" was placed.

Mr. Hand... As a CW reenactor myself, I applaud your hangin' on to your Enfield (wouldn't trade mine for the world)... but if you're out of the 1860s biz, ye might be able to trade "up" for a good 18th century flintlock or musketoon. Just my 2 pistoles worth.

That Texas snowball auction (as well as another being sold on eBay) made the local news here in Chicago. Later that day, we had the heaviest snowfall in the past two years -- over a foot of snow fell. I have a backyard full of the stuff right now... want some? Send me $20, and I'll ship it out same day. Paypal preferred. Damn. Stepped in some gum. Wait a minute... (scrapes it off his shoe)... I'm gonna sell this for $50 on eBay. For all I know, this was chewed by Anna Nicole Smith... or George Clooney, and they spit it out, and here it is. AWESOME!

Thanks to all fer the kitty condolences. Our cat (a beautiful sleek jet black shorthair) was my wife's constant companion for the past 14 years. I cannot begin to recount the terrible loss we are feeling. Since the subject came up, back in the 70s I scratchbuilt a stormtrooper costume. Ended up selling it for $100 to a total fanatic. After a few years, I missed it terribly, so I built another. Sold it for another $100. Stopped building Stormtrooper costumes. Didn't make any more $100 deals. Someone mentioned the pirate boat tours. While I remember seeing a Jolly-Roger-bedecked tour boat a few summers back, I have found no more information. There is a website (uninformative) with a phone number, but I have been too lazy to make it to the phone (it's waaayy over there at the other side of the room...) The local hotel concierge stands do not have any brochures on the alleged (ghost?) boat, but it's off-season. The search for interesting places continues...

Isabella: Had dinner at Bahama Breeze again last night. There are several non-fish items on the menu (beef, pork, chicken), and they all look good. The whole menu looks good! They have several rum drinks on their menu: House specialties: Bahama Mama (3 types of rum, pineapple jouice, OJ and Banana Liqueur), and the Bahamarita (not so much a margerita as a marguerita-flavored Slurpee, with italian ice in the center and a side car of extra marguerita mix). Tried both, and they are delicious... But they have Guinness on tap! Whether this becomes the location for an invasion or not, I strongly recommend this restaurant. Update: Very unpleasant morning here (details omitted), but we had to put our terminally-ill kitty to sleep.

Again, someone summed up in a sentence what took me a few paragraphs to say.

Do not ignore that most excellent of resources: spray paint. While professional costume designers will rely on airbrushes to make their magic (and if you own an airbrush, by all means ignore spray paint!), you can easily add a swatch of grime (brown / black) or mud to the hem (tan), or dried salt spray to accent the wrinkles (white / light grey) with some carefully applied matte-finish spray lacquer. WARNING: Spray paint cans do not come with precise application tips. ALWAYS practice on a spare swatch of fabric to be sure of obtaining the desired effect. A little goes a long way. A gentle sweep of tan paint along the hem of a coat will imply a muddy excursion ashore. Alternately, you can used water-based modeling lacquer (personal reccomendation: Citadel Paints available from Games Workshop). Thinned out and applied with a brush, this can allow you the same effect with more precision. Once dried, this stuff will NOT wash out, but can wear off as the garment ages (but then you are not worried about aging it anymore, right?)

For my Civil War reenacting gear, I made a linen haversack. It was completely authentic in every way, but of course looked brand new. All my other gear was nicely weathered to reflect a long campaign, except my pristine haversack which -- if it had actually contained all my food and had never been laundered -- should look utterly filthy "by now." And the oven had not been cleaned in a while... Hmmm.. what to do? I made a solution of soapy water and scrubbed out the interior of my oven with the haversack (I found the broiler to be the best resource). I had to use other scouring brushes and the like to remove the real crud, but this process infused the linen haversack with an excellent quantity of grime, and permitted application in the precise locations that I wanted it to be. I then handwashed the haversack several times in grease-cutting soap, and machine washed it several times, and soaked it several times (repeat, repeat, repeat). The residual stains can never be removed, and in one weekend, I aged it several months. WARNING: I cannot recommend this technique on clothing that cannot withstand repeated washings (i.e.: wool).

If it be line dancin' ye want... That's be how I met Mrs. Straw! Sadly, the number of line dancing locations in Chicago has seriously dwindled in the past 10 years. A few that would have supported a pirate invasion no longer exist.... The Cadillac Ranch was on my original list of places to suggest (Hidden agenda: it's less that 3 miles from my front door!). They have an excellent Southwestern restaurant (Carmalita's), with a bar that supports karaoke (this still remains a possibility). On Friday nights they have line dancing (with lessons early in the evening - I cannot recall the cover charge). Downside: The country/western line dancing crowd is NOT likely to support a bunch of rowdy pirates showing up (perhaps not as rowdy as in "Blues Brothers", but equally unsupportive). It's more of a single's meat market kind of thing ... highly supportive of bachelorette parties. And the music is loud. I mention Charlie's Chicago only before someone else naively discovers and suggests it. Line dancing, yes. Cowboy hats, yes. Drinks, yes. Assless chaps? Welcome in! Men dancing with women? Not so much. Big burly men with big bushy mustaches Two-Stepping with other also-mustachoed men? Of course! (Have I painted the picture yet?) Groups of people coming in and doing their own thing? No. Find somewhere else. Although I drove past it just yeaterday, I have not yet been to the Sundance Saloon. There's a live country music radio show broadcast from it on -- I recall -- Friday nights. Sound like fun, but cannot personally recommend a place I haven't visited. I therefore do NOT recommend a line dancing place. Plus... er... the pirate thing doesn't feel like such a "fit" for me in a C/W place as it would in an Irish pub or a Carribean theme restaurant. .. but that be my two doubloons worth.

Is this what you're looking for? I swear Dixie Gun Works had these, but their on-line catalog does not support the page-browsing of their print catalog -- I could not find them using their search function (and I cannot find my old copy of their print catalog). Eyes are kept peeled...

These look exactly like ones that I considered purchasing from JoAnn Fabrics for my son's pirate coat. But I needed 30 buttons, and each store only has about 6 or 8 in stock at any one time. As I recall, they were available in 1" and also 3/4" sizes, not larger. But I was only looking for 1" buttons. I will keep an eye out the next time I go.

Okay ... two posts were added to this topic while I was typing. One echoed a lot of what I was trying to say (in far less words) and the other person admitted to being a Stitch Counter, without my having said it yet ... I am so embarrassed... Hawkyns, as I said, I support stitch counting. I simply cannot abide by those who use stitch counting as a means to belittle the efforts of others. (And I make no claims that this is being done here by you or anyone else. I was trying to say that I have seen it done, and the damage it has done, at Civil War Reenactments). So here's what I was going to say -- which I admit is WAY off topic, but I feel it emphasizes my point (although you may disagree). Among the many things that I do (much to the chagrin of my eternally loving, patient and supportive wife) is Klingon pre-enacting (I made up that term just now). Yes: I have a full bumpy-head-to-metal-spiked-toe Klingon costume. It looks exactly like the costumes in the TV series and movies, and most people think it is a Hollywood cast-off -- it is difficult convincing anyone that I made it myself. So... When we have Klingon Invasions, I wear my costume -- complete with the two-hour make-up job and foamed latex prosthetic forehead. And there are a few others who do a damned good Hollywood-would-be-proud job. There are some who wear substandard latex foreheads, or don't attempt to blend their makeup to look like it's part of their face, but still do their best to get in the spirit of things and try for an authentic impression. But there are others who Don't Give A Damn. Some show up as half-Klingons in Dr. Suess hats, bouncy antenna hair thingies or Dr. Who scarves. Or all manner of silliness. Okay, so I admit we are not being historical reenactors, and perhaps I suddenly sound like a Klingon Stitch Counter (no, there is no such thing)... but suddenly, the activity no longer feels even slightly "real," but rather stupid. While I do not even wish to begin defending the point of Klingon Invasions (too far off topic) or the perhaps perceived inherent stupidity of going out in public dressed up in a science-fiction costume (IAKTYWU), my point is, if you are going to try, at least TRY. ("Do. Or Do not. There is no try.") And I applaud those who try. If your heart is in it, I support your efforts to make it so. But if you show up as a Pirate in a Dr. Suess hat, I don't have to talk to you. ... I apologize for the off-topic thread. I felt it was related so far as making my point for me.

*(Pulls up Soap Box, and climbs on top)* Excuse my long post, but I want to log in on this topic. And I don't mean to step on any toes, so forgive me if my carefully selected words are not careful enough, for I do not mean to Offend or Label. In Civil War reenacting circles, this (ongoing recent thread) is known as a "Stitch Counting" argument. Stitch Counters (for those unfamiliar with the term) actually argue about the number, size and frequency of the hand-sewn stitches in your shirt (kepi, tunic, trowsers, what have you) when they are not exactly accurate from a historical standpoint. While I fully respect and appreciate historical authenticity to the smallest detail, this degree of anal-retentiveness (outside of museum replicas) rarely adds to the enjoyment of the activity. Such a careful scrutiny has educational value, but I have sadly witnessed it used all-too-often to belittle those who are simply not up to speed with the hobby. Don't get me wrong -- I personally strive for authenticity in all my areas of reenacting. Historical reenacting is usually (FIRST) for education of oneself and the public, and (SECOND) for Fun and/or Love of Theatre. Myself? I have several costume (but historical) pirate props in my sea chest. And I am not trading them. And the cops won't hassle me for carrying them (and I live in the single U.S. State where the firearm edicts were patterned specifically after those established in Nazi Germany -- I kid you not, and don't get me started on THAT discussion). They look mighty fine for what they are: theatrical props. The black powder weapons stay locked up at home, unless an event calls for them and supports their use. Historical clothing is not a costume -- it is clothing. If made authentic to the period in question, it is clothing. A costume is a costume, whether for Hallowe'en, theatre, or photo ops. Having said that, I will confess here and now that most of my pirate clothing is, by definition, clothing -- but some of it is costume. Finances and time dictate these decisions for me; when factors allow, costume will be traded off for clothing. I support "stitch-counters" in all their authenticity. And I support those that try very hard to improve their authentic swag as their finances, knowledge and experience increase. And I applaud those who discard the more "Fantasy" items for the "Historic" ones when they become available. My personal pet peeve is those who Don't Give A Damn. For this I will post a new Reply... to follow...