Talk like a pirate you scurvy dog! Arr!!

It is September 19th, 2009.  And for those of you that don't know, it is:

International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

And hence, you land lubbers, I be talkin' like a Pirate, arrr!

I actually attempted to type a little, as though I were talking like a pirate, but that proved to be a little tougher than I thought.  It also looked as though I am  completely uneducated.  Which is something I can't live with, as I have worked hard for the little education that I have. 

The following this "Holiday" actually has is quite astounding.  Were a person to google International Talk Like a Pirate Day, you would get about 18 million results.   Sadly, I doubt there are 18 million web sites actually dedicated to the trivial pursuit of talking like a pirate, but there are plenty, thats for sure.

Talk Like a Pirate.com appears to be the official web site.  Here you can find plenty of information on the subject of being a Pirate.  For example, there are translators for converting the English language into Piratese.  There are engines for generating your ships name, glossaries, and quizzes to determine what kind of swashbuckler you are.  Its all there.  Wikipedia also has a rather lengthy section, detailing the history of Talk Like a Pirate Day.  I have taken a couple of these, just for the entertainment factor.  Here are the results:

My given Pirate name:

Dirty Sam Vane!! 

I am feared on the seven seas, the kind of Pirate others want to throw overboard (not because of silly ideas like mutiny, but because of the smell I produce). 

Yeah, Dirty Sam Vane.  Heck, if this name weren't attached to Pirate Quiz I would have thought it was more like a porn star name.  Of course, I could never be in a porn movie (much to my mothers relief, I'm sure), for multiple reasons which I won't be getting into here. 

Hmm, I appear to be digressing here.  Lets get back on topic.

So, talk like a pirate day.  Now lets get back to the amount of people who follow this crazy tradition.  Based on the available links that are attached to Talk Like a Pirate Day, I would assume there is quite the following.  I would assume there are are those like me, who make a few jokes, make use of the Pirate Name Generator and then blog about it to their friends.  There are those who might even go so far as to be able to hold an entire conversation in Piratese without a second thought (much like those who know Klingon).  Then there are those who take ti to extremes.

Costumes, home decorations, party games, books, pictures, the list could go on and on.

For example, look at this guy.  He has really gone the distance to look the part.  Not only has he gone the distance, he clearly has a lot of free time on his hands.  

We have all seen these types.  This is the type of guy who goes to conventions, and has different costumes to compliment the given themes for the event.  This is way beyond me.  I can't even put on this type of garb on Halloween, let alone to parade myself up down the street in front of spectators and fans of the Pirate genre. 

So this begs the question, can I start my own day?  Is there an application system for this?  Or is it as simple as finding a niche, getting the word out?  Somehow, I doubt there would be any interest in a day like "Adam is a fine cook" day, or maybe "Lets take it easy and watch TV" day.  Perhaps this could use some more thought.

So, in the end I say this, "Avast ye land lubbers!  And prepare the meats in the galley, the crew is hungry!"