Irate Pirate
Posted at 6:00 AM on February 16, 2010
by Dale Connelly
(29 Comments)
Filed under: Captain Billy
Radio Heartland has tickets to see John Hammond at the Dakota in Minneapolis at 7 pm on Sunday, February 28th.
Enter the drawing.
Obey the rules.
Good luck.
This morning I found an announcement lashed to my computer screen with a string of saltwater-stained Mardi Gras beads that were decorated with tiny skulls and crossbones ...
Ahoy, Landlubbers!Today is Mardi Gras, so ye may feel inclined t' wear feathers an' trade beads an' carry on a bit as befits a person without much in th' way of personal inhibitions regardin' th' habits of modesty an' decorum. So be it, I sez. Ye are free t' indulge in whatever kinds of strange behavior best suits ye.
However, I must caution ye - beware of over reachin' whilst in th' throes of fantasy an' engagin' in antics that may wind up castin' ye in th' role of some kinda un-authentic Mardi Gras Pirate.
Piracy of th' pirate identity ain't only redundant, it's repetitious.
An' ye would not find a true pirate at Mardi Gras. We pirates typically remains aloof from organized merriment of any kind, preferrin' t' create our own celebrations spontaneous-like. An pirates don't cotton much to hobnobbin' with tourists, tho' ye could make th' argument that we is the ultimate tourists ourselves, on account of the fact we never stops movin'.
But th' very thought of participatin' in a parade or shoulderin' our way down Bourbon Street an fightin' through throngs of pasty revelers what comes from places like Eden Prairie an' Owatonna simply t' acquire a overpriced glass o' rum in a festive atmosphere is a notion that is repugnant t' yer typical pirate - just as a typical pirate would be found repugnant by his very nature, were he t' land in Eden Prairie or Owatonna.
Th' Mardi Gras celebratin' landlubbers in th' photo here is a good example of un-authenticity. Th' one on th' right looks too happy to be a dead thing, an' the one on th' left appears too thoughtful t' be a true pirate.
A true pirate in a celebratory mood is quite unpleasant t' be around, an' "nasty" don't even begin t' describe th' sight, th' smell, an th' aftertaste of a buccaneer's soiree. Ye would not enjoy it. In fact, we pirates don't enjoy it, but we proceeds with our traditions on account of we has a reputation t' maintain.
A good rule t' follow is this one: Never Impersonate Anyone - especially not Pirates. We will hear of it, an' it will not go easy fer ye should we someday find ourselves face t' face.
That's assumin' of course, that the pirate is able t' stand, an' you ain't able t' run.
Yers in mutual respect,
Capt. Billy of th' Muskellunge
I suspect the good Captain is wasting his time by cautioning this group against piracy of the freewheeling pirate identity. You don't seem like the pirate impersonating type.
But it does make me wonder - what, in your opinion, makes for a good party?
Comments (29)
a warm summer evening, two to four of us in lawn chairs in the front yard, good beer, no rats.
Just had a good party on Sunday night... few good friends, great Chinese take-out, two kinds of Chinese beer, great conversation, ice cream.
Good Morning All,
I don't actually know what makes a good party. I like to talk, so I usually have a good time if I find a lot of people to talk to at a party. There seems to be a party atmosphere on this blog on some days when there is a lot of exchange of comments.
I recently had a party where everyone got involved with the pasta making, then eating, then singing...yup, I like that.
Flour and fun everywhere...
I love a party where guests stay afterward to wash up and the place is cleaner when they go home than it was before they came.
But, seriously, any party where people ask interesting questions, tell interesting stories and genuinely listen to each other is about as good as it gets. Add fine wine or beer and at least one dish so good everyone wants the recipe . . . that's a perfect evening.
One word - spinach artichoke dip. And yeah, no rats. Especially the negative type who bring you down at the very end.
Birthday greetings to a certain cowgirl in a certain southwestern location. (I know how heartlanders enjoy a good puzzle!)
Greetings! I really think Steve said it all for me -- just throw in a little goofiness to keep it fun and some music to dance to and it's my perfect party!
Dale, could we hear "I Am a Pirate King" from Pirates of Penzeance? I loved Kevin Kline in the 1983 movie version -- he's my image of a charming, lovable, ruffian pirate long before Johnny Depp's intriguing take on pirates.
Sorry, Captain Billy - but our romanticized version of pirates is much more fun and interesting than the real thing!
ditto on the happy birthday to the mystery cowgirl!
there are good partys with friends where the conversation and the laughing around the kitchen table (did you ever notice that no matter how nice the living room dining room family room are everyone heads for the kitchen) is the key. we all talk about what is new where the world is going and how to fix it. the twins, the democrats, the economy the world in 20 yers when the polar bears are gone and florida is under water. ad then there is a party where you know no one and it is just to release the inner shackles. the presentation doesn't change much, the twins, climate change, the music but the reception is different. the drunk next to you doesn't care at all. or the dancing takes over the night, hot tubs are always a good addition and firepits. bucket of booze make it interesting and as long as there are designated drivers. that is fun to watch and participate in. i am a people watcher as well as an interacter and i enjoy one as much the other. each in its own time.
tell captain billy i don't wear the garb but i have been known to to slur like a pirate and i do wear aaaaargyles on occasion.
four people and a bottle of wine is not a party it is a social exchange. gotta be 10+ for a party. at 100 it becomes an extravaganza. happy fat tuesday all.
wow, this song..."how could she do this to me"
reminds me of my mother, not fondly
thanx for the great mardi gras songs
i don't really do parties, but i've had fun at the little boys' parties the last couple years; they got a bouncy house last year and all the kids were laughing and it was wonderful
Steve's party sounds like a lovely evening. I, however, would add some dancing. Not go-out-to-a-nightclub-where-it's-too-loud dancing, but dancing with your pals in the basement (or garage or living room). Music loud enough to dance to, but not so loud that those who aren't dancing can't enjoy good conversation.
We just heard Mavis Staples. I was in college when the Staples Singers (the family) came around on tour. I think they were shocked to find that a white (and it WAS white) college in the middle of Iowa knew all their material. Pops Staples was beside himself with joy. Back then, Mavis was a slim teenager. Pops was having so much fun he didn't want to end the concert, and he was still playing hard when one of his sons went back and pulled the chord on the old man's electric guitar. A nice memory.
hey, thanks for remembering my birthday! just remember, presents help make a party fun! ;-)
i agree re re help with the clean-up afterward, steve! also the hot tub and firepit ideas....but yea, good food, good friends, music, esp. if it's homemade...
i get a kick out of games at a party sometimes too, if everyone is into them--word games, esp.
and here in utah, lots of the parties are outside since the weather is so loverly---
dale, it's late, i know, but how about a michael johnson song for my birthday in the next half hour or so???
I agree with Steve, Ann, and Joanne. Good friends and dancing sound great. When we were in graduate school, my husband worked with a self-help group for individuals with schizophrenia, and we invited the members to a barbecue and sweet corn feed at our house. It was a blast, although the conversation was pretty interesting at times.
p.s. please send johnny depp dressed up as a pirate, but no rats
Thanks for "Pirate King", Dale -- there will always be a soft spot in my heart for musicals! And "Pirates" is a particularly charming (and silly) one.
Mysterious Cowgirl,
Happy Birthday! Michael Johnson coming up, and then Traffic if you can stick around!
thanks, dale! will do, while i try not to be late for school :-)
at the end of my "kidding list" - - a list of things i gather (starting now) and keep available for the events (things like antiseptic, clean old towels and sheets, sweaters for the kids, dipping cups for the umbilical cords, etc). - - is "martini, you'll need it!" and while i really don't like martinis, i have been known to have a beer at 7:30 a.m. with my able assistant Steve, to celebrate healthy kids and Mom. the new mom gets a bucket of warm water with a little molasses in it to celebrate and the kids get nice warm goat milk. it's a party
One of the theories of heaven and hell, plus purgatory if you are so theologically inclined, is that each is crafted for the individual. My personalized hell would be Mardi Gras, or the narthex of Bethlehem church here in Mankato when it is full of people talking. Of course, much of that is driven by my fm; lost of pain triggers in that array of noise, lights, odors (the smell of alcohol is a huge one). But I must admit, as Dale has just proven, it has given us great music. People who are all out for a party are seldom really having fun.
Happy Birthday Utahianite.
Shelly—kids parties, yes. There is a world of fm triggers but for the right kids, worth it.
Steve, I love your memory of the Staples; what college? At the U of Chi in 1965 there was a bar advertising an open mike for amateur entertainers, down towards Calumet Harbor. The address indicated a non-ghetto neighborhood, as we said then. So away we went, six very white guys from rural white Iowa, MN, WI, MI, and IN. In our lead were three very talented guitar, banjo player, singers who were a semi-pro folk trio. From the outside it looked good. We walked in and looked at an all Black crowd, who today would look like a bunch of bikers. Duh. To back out? Stay? What? Six hours later we had a hard time stopping and getting home. What a night, like you speak if Steve, a cross-cultural moment where music was a common bond.
The above post took almost an hour to get done. About the fifth line my son called from CA during his early morning workout for advice on a professional and on a personal issue. I posted this awhile back, how unsettled I am to suddenly have them doing this. Wonderful, but so contrary to the norm I am disarmed by it.
As I think about my post I was thinking about 1965, the year of the race riots in Chi and in almost all major cities. Steve made me remember this event by his post. Any younger people reading this probably wonder about our fear; but it was a real fear in 1965, very much a fear. Three months later a member of our larger group of friends was killed out jogging when some teenagers threw rocks at him and a companion while yelling racial insults. One large rock hit his head; he made it home but the hematoma killed him. Alas, have not thought of Jay in years—married with two kids and a very promising future. But I will remember instead that night in the bar, where we all sang very loudly and somewhat drunkenly several times “This Little Light of Mine,” the Kingston Trio version.
We have made some strides, have we not?
I am certainly late to visit today! Today is my Monday, and a busy one it is.
I've been to the Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans a few times, and standing body to body in a crowd like drunk sardines in a can, waiting for beads to be thrown at one, is not not a particularly pleasant idea for a party in my opinion. You can get New Orleans drinks and cuisine year round after all! I will take a summer evening outdoors with good friends, wine, and beer anytime. Music need be present, of course. Even better, the attendees are making the music together.
Happy Fat Tuesday!
(P.S. The Mobile Mardi Gras is a little more family friendly, and the people on the floats throw Moonpies, which, unlike beads, can be eaten.)
Thanks, Dale...for the Runaway Horse and the gorgeous Leandra song that follows.
Elinor--but how many Moon Pies can you eat before you get sick? And do they throw the Pepsis too because in the South you cannot separate Moon Pies from Pepsi? Did I tell you we used to have a dog named Eleanor (Samoyed, Cockapoo cross--beautiful gentle pure white fluff ball) and a cat named Franklyn.
Cly de Mysterio
Sorry to ignore your question. I been away.
Grinnell College. Near the middle of Iowa. If we wanted to see an African American, we pretty much had to import them.
I enjoyed your story. Music has magical powers. When the Mormons came through Iowa on their way to a new home by a salty lake, they were feared as a weird cult with subversive ideas about marriage. But the Mormon wagon trains held several musicians and singers. By singing in little towns as they migrated, the musicians caused a sort of parting of the waters of hate and fear and they moved through safely.
Well, I know what DOESN'T make a good party: Pants
ha, steve, your post reminded me of a humorous moment from yesterday--
i stopped in at the Kaibab Mobile station on the nearby Paiute reservation and happened to coincide with the arrival of 4 big vans of polygamist families from nearby Colorado City...now there's some diversity for ya.
there were so many kids in the store from these families that the rest of us were practically having to swim through them to get to the counter--in order to leave, i said to the whole bunch, "Okay, can we get a parting of the red sea here so i can get back to my car?!" and i made all the polygamists laugh and also the kids moved out of the way.
only in Utah!
Hi All,
Some times good company, food, pleasant conversation and laughter is a party for the soul. But the best alt-Mardi Gras party is Jazzfest in New Orleans. If music is your thing then jazzfest is the most and best bang for the buck. Nothing beats that concentrated combination of music, food and happy folk.
Cly de fest avec merde, they do not fortunately throw pepsi's. The festival is BYOP. Bring or buy your own Pepsi. ;-)
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