A Proper Pirate and Parrot

If you want to catch the attention of the ladies on Hallowe'en, nothing is better than a pirate costume. Here you see me demonstrating this in my new pirate captain costume. How do you know yo no soy marinaro, soy capitan? It's the epaulette on one shoulder and the parrot on the other.

I made the epaulette from two blue and gold curtain rod tassles from the Dollar-It glued to foam core board.

The parrot is Carlos, one of the puppet members of Astronaut Love Triangle. He didn't mind being sewn to an old blazer and having the name on his hat covered with a skull.

A hole in the jacket underneath him allowed him to talk freely. He said quite a bit more than "aawwk, pieces of eight, pieces of eight" and got asked to dance more than I did.

p.s. For a Halloween Party treat, check out my most famous post ever, Tasty Dessert: Toxic Waste.

You are what you wear

feelings6
Originally uploaded by Frauenfelder.

Today I came across this timely reminder about why I might want to do some clothes shopping soon.
[Via BoingBoing]

Purchased Treasures: Such is the outlook this cool character provides!

I have a confession to make. I often take a morally self-righteous stand against consumerism, but the fact is that I am as much of a greedy materialist as the rest of you. Today I engaged in a virtual orgy of shopping.

It started at the used book store associated with the public library in Nepean at Ben Franklin Place. I found two old books for six dollars each. One by Captain Marryat, who, as you know, was a distinguished British Naval officer in the Napoleonic Wars and later a novelist. The other a small copy of THE TRAVELS AND SURPRISING ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN.

I have no idea when this copy was printed but it starts with a page that says:

TO THE PUBLIC

HAVING heard, for the first time, that my adventures have been doubted, and looked on as jokes, I feel bound to come forth and vindicate my character for veracity, by paying three shillings at the Mansion House of this great city for the affidavits hereto appended.

This I have been forced into in regard of my own or, although I have retired for many years from, public and Private life; and I hope that this, my last edition will place me in a proper light with my readers.

How could I not get excited by a book that starts with affidavits of its veracity? There are a number of things I want in the book I hope to publish one day. Affidavits of veracity have now been added to the list.

On my way home from work, I took a different route from usual and realized I would be passing Dollar It, the wonderful store that has replaced Big Buds and taught us that change is not always bad. Dollar It sells the Mars Bar 2-pack for $1.00. This is $0.50 less than any other store in Centretown, and $0.75 less than many. This means that I have to go in when I am on that part of Bank Street. While I am there, I thought, I must have a look at the latest marvels of Chinese manufacturing.

And marvels I found. I won't share them all with you, but look at the excellent colours in the modelling clay package ($1.00)! I believe this will make a young lad happy on the weekend.

And how about this adorable notebook?

Dachikuma

A character that reminds you of the value of friends! It's fun to be with friends. Being with friends boosts your power

Friends bring you joy

Such is the outlook this cool character provides!

Dave's Excuses

It is Wednesday night. I stopped working before 7pm tonight and I did not stop at the Manx on my way home. No, I cycled right here. I put some clothes in the washer. I ate some leftovers. I checked my emails. I looked at the TV listings and determined that nothing is on that I need to watch. I played Mumu (a disappointing 435). And now I am creating a Blog Posting.

Yesterday, the organizing book review had the lead in the poll with 5 votes, but since then there have been two votes for "An explanation of why Dave hasn't posted in so long".

This is fine with me because I haven't had time to give the book the attention it deserves.

I haven't posted in so long because:

1. I have 67 unanswered emails that should be dealt with before posting here because every one of those emails could be from one of you readers of my blog who is right now thinking, look he has time for this nonsense, but no time to reply to my thoughtful email.
2. At the end of every year for many years now, I have done a review of major areas of my life and thoughtfully crafted attainable and measurable goals and resolutions for the new year. I have not done that yet this year and should do it before posting here.
3. There is a new computer game in my life. It would be too embarrassing for me to reveal anything else about it.
4. I have been working very hard. Lots of trials and settlement conferences this month to prepare for and conduct, no time off over the holidays. [Milestones: (a) Completed an entire trial, didn't get everything I asked for, but it mostly went the way I argued it should even though the justice of the peace found me confusing. (b) Successfully opposed a lawyer's motion to dismiss one of my cases and won - tip: "that would be a try-able issue" is a magic phrase in this situation. (c) Successfully moved for an adjournment of an appeal while a local lawyer who is often in the news opposed the adjournment - tip: being completely ignorant of the case is extremely helpful in this situation.]
5. I had a cold this past weekend.
6. Phil loaned me two tapes with Battlestar Galactica episodes. Plus Space TV showed the opening mini-series.
7. I discovered Carl Schroeder. He is a terrific sci-fi writer who has written one book with bona fide space pirates (Sun of Suns), and two others that are close enough to count (Permanence and Vesta).
8. I've actually spent some time with other human beings since the holidays started.
9. Among last year's resolutions was: "Clean out the basement" This was the second or third year it was on the list without being performed. I should be working on that instead of blogging here.

How was your Talking Like a Pirate Day?

My Talk Like a Pirate Day started slower then an overloaded scow, but then Zoom presented me me very own custom-made button.

"What's that?" some lubber'd be askin'.

"Arrr, 'tis Talk Like a Pirate Day, y' scurvy dog!" I'd be replyin'.

T' prepare yerself fer next year here be a middlin' instructional video. [Actually, tis better'n middlin' but they do be usin' avast as a greetin', rather than to be tellin' some seahands t' stop what they be doin', as in avast heaving.]