Friday, September 18, 2009

Mateys, It's That Time Again...

I know you're expecting a Disney post, but I've got something new in store for you. In case you've forgotten (and I'm pretty sure you have) tomorrow is one of my (and Honorary Playfriend Kathy's) favorite holidays...

National Talk Like A Pirate Day

Since its tomorrow, we won't do any pirate chatter here today, but feel free to come back tomorrow and holler "shiver me timbers" if you feel the need. This year, for educational purposes, I thought I'd share a bit of the story behind the holiday and how two guys with an idea can gain notoriety with the right promotional push. According to the website (http://www.talklikeapirate.com) it was founded by Mark Summers (not the Food Network guy) and John Baur in 1995. Apparently during a rowdy game of racketball, one of them yelled "arrgh" and from there they slipped into pirate speak as they taunted each other. They decided to make it an annual event and eventually got Dave Barry to write about it in his nationally syndicated column. It took off and the rest is history.

Their site is amusing and I encourage you to check it out. It even has pirate vocabulary to help you expand your pirate speak, pirate lingo for kids, and suggestions on how to speak pirate in the workplace. But I have to say my favorite part is the Top 10 Pirate Pick Up Lines © ...

10 . Avast, me proud beauty! Wanna know why my Roger is so Jolly?
9. Have ya ever met a man with a real yardarm?
8. Come on up and see me urchins.
7. Yes, that is a hornpipe in my pocket and I am happy to see you.
6. I'd love to drop anchor in your lagoon.
5. Pardon me, but would ya mind if fired me cannon through your porthole?
4. How'd you like to scrape the barnacles off of me rudder?
3. Ya know, darlin’, I’m 97 percent chum free.
2. Well blow me down?

And the number one pickup line for use on International Talk Like a Pirate Day is...

1. Prepare to be boarded!

So, got any good pirate pick up lines? There's a "booty" joke just waiting to be had out there. Will you be celebrating the holiday at all? Even just a little bit? Did you know you could set your language in Facebook to "pirate?" Give it a try and let us know how it goes. :)

SP

PS. Don't forget to keep PM company this week! One commenter from today's thread will win a book and a goodie I buy in Disney World. Perhaps a pirate themed gift to go with today's post... hmm...

18 comments:

Jane said...

I never heard of National Talk Like A Pirate Day until last year. I probably won't be celebrating. I don't really know how I should celebrate. Maybe I'll spend the day watching the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

Laurie G said...

I will not be celebrating BUT it does sound like alot of fun!

Walk or ride the plank lady?

Darlin, Would you help me raise m' flag?

Playground Monitor said...

I'm going to Tennessee tomorrow to see "My Fair Lady" starring Lane Davies of soap opera fame. We saw him in the Tennessee Shakespeare Festival back in June and have become a mini fan club. I love live theater so any old excuse to go...

catslady said...

Just a funny comment about pirates I thought you guys would enjoy. My new son-in-law cannot see out of one eye (not the funny part) lol. He has a fantastic sense of humor about it. (when he was a child his family put a patch on his good eye thinking it was just lazy eye) We took a family vacation this year and while on the road we stopped at a restaurant with one of those machines that gives prizes. He chose a pirate eye patch and he can arghhh you matey's with the best of them. He wore the patch on and off the whole trip and we had such fun with other people too. He was just missing the parrot on his shoulder.

Minna said...

Hmm. Maybe I should watch some pirate movies today.

gigi said...

Thank you so much for reminding me of Talk Like a Pirate . I feel a Pirates of the Caribbean marathon coming on Saturday night.

I don't know of any Pirate speak except for 'arrr ye mattes' and shiver me timbers.

But thank you so much for enlightening me today.

Angel said...

We've had our fill of pirates here at Disney , but were disappointed to find pirates ride closed today. :( luckily we got to ride it earlier this week. Home tomorrow!

Angel

Anonymous said...

Well, I'm not big on pirates, but I might use the day to belatedly celebrate a day from earlier in the week that I couldn't -- P&P95 for Colin Firth's birthday! :) So, maybe not a pirate, but lots of water from a lake is good! :)

Lois

Katherine Bone said...

Arrrrrr!!! SP, ye old dog. Ye be in fine form rememberin' THE day of ALL days. Why, even Cap'n Jack is apt to bestow his gratitude on ye ol' playground for yer sharp wit. Jack has probably used a line or 2 of yer post with the tarts.

Ah, we be needin' a toast for this day o' days and here's one I've heard Jack recant behind the palms at playground parties. "Here's to a good, hot fight... and the best dog on top."

Upon risin' on the morrow, let us all raise a drab of rum and gaze into the sunrise to say, "Here's you and me agin world and damn all, says I."

vord verif: matiest
"Arrr! Ye be the matiest of all frinds, playfriends."

Fedora said...

LOL! OK, not participating, and yes, I'd heard of it before, but didn't realize it was an actual real holiday/thing--I thought it was kind of a joke ;) Plus, I can't seem to get the hang of the pirate lingo... avast ye mateys, or something like that :D

Pat L. said...

Anything for a celebration. LOL.

Have fun at Disneyworld.

Unknown said...

Hi Matteys, I am not like a pirate but I have heard of the day before. Sounds like it could be a lot of fun! So I guess Blue Beard will await us. I do know there is a place on line where you type your name in and it will give you your pirate name.

Dina said...

Arrr, I like t' hear others talk like a pirate, Gar, Where can I find a bottle o'rum? Arrr, cool about the Fb thin', AYE will do it tomorrow then, lol.

Katherine Bone said...

Arrrrr!!! Rip me jib if it isn't THE day of ALL days and what a good day it be. Scupper, sink, and burn the rest of the year, 'tis a pirate's life fer me.

Dina! Split my skull! What a delightful wench, ye are. Making the Cap'n proud, ye be.

Sheets and tacks! The day lay ahead. There be plenty of mayhem afoot fer the hearty soul willing to tempt the Kraken.

Playfriends, ye swabs! Hasten sail homeward. (dabs good eye) We be missin' ye.

Dina said...

Aye, Kathy tis is a fine day it be. Always tryin t' be a good wench me am. Ahoy now, host up the anchor and lets set t' sail for an new ad'enture.

Jennifer Mathis said...

when will it be dress like a pirate day?

Katherine Bone said...

Every day be dress like a pirate day, Jennifer. Ahar, no one need ever know. ;)

traveler said...

I love this post. At a job I had a short time ago every morning when we walked in bleary-eyed our supervisor would wake us all up with Pirate Speak. He would go on with his Arg maties etc. and this would put us in a fine frame of m ind for the day. We laughed about it and thought he was a good guy.