Bilgewater Browne

I'm 52 as well and this is the first time I've had job security when the economy took a nose dive. I know your pain-- I've had to work at jobs that were hell-on-earth to support my family. There were a lot of infrastructure provisions in the recovery bill Obama just signed, so I hope some of that money goes to re-hiring you in the job you loved. Best of luck to you.

I got a bodhran for Christmas. Anyone got suggestions and how ai can learn to play it?

Captain Blood (1935) The Sea Hawk Return to Treasure Island All 3 "Pirates of the Caribbean" And "Long John Silver's Christmas Special"

Just want to add my best wishes for you also, Rumba. Get well!

Sorry for offending you hearty Californians who know what snow is. But knowing what snow is and enduring it from November to March is quite another thing. Besides, we're talking about San Franciscans from the late seventies: San Francisco is one of my favorite places on earth, but there were a lot of idiots in that city at that time. Patrick, I empathize with your roof problems. I had to climb up on mine with a hatchet to break an ice dam that was causing water to leak into my closet and living room. I now need a new roof, new sub flooring, new wall board and new carpet. Insurance will pay for most of it, but it's still a pain in the poop deck.

Thanks for bringing this to my attention. We should go to a local premiere at the very least. I'll forward the link to Ryan as well.

wax

Snow is OK with me prior to December 26. After that, get rid of it all. When I lived in San Francisco, I worked for the company that owns the Alaskan pipeline. Idiot Californians would go up to the Arctic Ocean for two weeks and gush about how beautiful the snow was. I wanted to shove their faces in a March plow drift and ask them if they still thought it was beautiful.

Ah, Stranger in a Strange Land. Number 3 or 4 on my top five favorite books list. Get the unabridged version if you can find it. It contains a few scenes the make a great book excellent. I once read some, if not all, of Foucault's Pendulum. I found it quite frustrating to read, Although it's been quite a long time, I seem to remember not being quite able to follow the logic of his narrative. It seems to me that he wandered off on tangents that made the story rather diffuse. (Which kind of reminds me of the Rings trilogy, although I'm not sure that's an apt comparison.) I agree, the unabridged version of Stranger in a Strange Land. When I read the edited version I found it a bit confusing-- Important things had been cut out. Have you ever read Gateway? Excellent book! Don't read ahead, the last line will blow your mind.

I once made some plum wine in my college days. I made the mistake of leaving a bottle where my room mates could find it. Vengeance was mine, though. Besides being tasty, it was a very effective laxative.

I have Defoe's "A General History of the Pyrates," on the back of my toilet these days.

I know they're going to try and draft me to be the nature counselor, so I'll offer our services when they do.

Huzzah for grog! Lat summer I volunteered at Camp Nooteeming, a cub scout camp in Salt Point. This summer, the camp is going to have a pirate theme. I know they'd love to have us do something for their evening program one night. Alas, I'll probably be teaching a night class, but the rest of you could invade.

I don't know about GAOP, but when I wore a pocket watch with my three piece suit, the fob was the chain that attached the watch to a button hole in my vest.

At the moment my saber is my favorite toy, but I'm in the market for an English short sword... if I ever have enough disposable income to buy one.

There was a new guy at my fencing practice last night. When he Googled local fencing groups to find a place to learn, Half Moon Marauders popped up. Our name is out there.

Patriot Ale. Tremont brewery is as good as Sam Adams and a couple of bucks cheaper.

Being a school teacher, I'm pretty well acquainted with fair-use rules. Parody is definitely protected by fair use, especially if you credit the writer of the original song. However, if you end up making lots of money off of it, it's professional courtesy to give the writer a cut. If a song is brand new, you can use it for educational purposes for a short period of time-- Reason being that you would not be able to obtain rights in time for the lesson.

Re-enactor group starting in the mid-Hudson valley. We have members talented in ship building, fencing, music and costuming. Visit us at Half Moon Marauders or e-mail me at halfmooncapn@yahoo.com Come aboard!