Ahoy, there, matey!

So once again we reach September 19th, "International Talk Like a Pirate Day."

It is a stupid idea.  Real pirates raped and pillaged and, in their present day incarnations, continue to threaten ships and seamen, primarily off the coast of Africa.  They are not by any stretch of the imagination worthy of celebrating or emulating.

Except, that's not really what ITLAP Day is about, as far as I can tell --- and certainly not for me.  It is a celebration of the caricature of the pirate as it has moved into popular culture.  Paging Jack Sparrow.

At it's heart, it's about doing something supremely silly.... just because we can.  Because every once in a while you need to have a holiday which is not in the least solemn and which has no religious significance or redeeming social value whatsoever, other than giving someone a chance to throw a really good party.*

So, let's party.  If only in our small way.  Here's hopin' the Buccaneers, Raiders and Pirates** win their games today (as of this writing, both the Bucs and Pirates had).  And a great ahoy and huzzah there! to the extremely hard-working ITLAP web-wench.  We be met the lady, and a winsome wench she be, too.

So maties, here's hopin your seas and grog both be smooth.  Save any storm clouds on the horizons for the morrow.



* One of my other favorite holidays is Bloomsday, June 16th.
**But not the Vikings.  Vikings are not pirates.