Sea or Career Change

The Skiffy channel reports:

Hollywood Seeks Pirates

About 7,000 pirate hopefuls answered a call for extras to appear in Disney's back-to-back Pirates of the Caribbean sequels, which are scheduled to start shooting in February and running into early 2006, Variety reported. Shooting will take place in Los Angeles and the Caribbean island of St. Vincent, the trade paper reported. "

There is probably time for Gus and Co. to make it to St. Vincent and sign up for an exciting career in the moving pictures. It does specify long hair and "thin builds," but I should think that salty seagoing authenticity, plus a well-honed harpoon aimed right at an A.D.'s innards would go far. After, all, some of them actually WERE pirates, and they've all had experience fighting them. As the casting call also specifies "serial-killer looks" their relative hairlessness (if you recall, Thesaurus and Flarq bring down the curve on the crew average, head-of-hairwise) ought to be less of a concern for the casting Johnnies.

Also there ought to be some consideration given Bob, who is now a highly trained maritime rat (and has his master's papers, on account of his breadfruit-crate solo voyage). Perhaps little Bob could even do amusing stunts or at least have a scurry-on part!

It's just a thought, noble Gus. Life has handed you a reprieve from your need for revenge and hatred of all things Blubbery, and since even Moses seems destined for a career as a motivational speaker at AA meetings, perhaps it's time to think about a career change in the new year. After all, it's an odd tide that lifts no boats.

My dears, what a perfectly wonderful holiday it was here at the Shoppe. My good Sir (brevet male) snuggs was in her element as she toddled around topping up drinks and tossing out drunks.

In the meantimes the Roast Beast Feast went over rather well, and everyone ate and drank most enthusiastically. We provided the classic groaning board, absolutely covered with dishes, sweetmeats, biscuits, fruits, Beast, and 'Merrikan style hotcakes and tree-sap (it's very odd that anyone would make such a wonderful sweet treat out of sap, but quite tasty). All and sundry were agreed that it was good to be able to gather together, and after a certain amount of boisterous roistering (complete with quite superior crackers) the old Shoppe was again relatively quiet (except for old Snuffy McFinster, a rather fragrant uncle who was left behind accidently on purpose due to an excess of V.S.O.P & B.O.)

It's a terrible shame to think that anyone might be cold or hungry or ill or suddenly homeless or bereaved at this season. So as we celebrate the end of the old year and the beginning of the new we could perhaps spare a thought for those less fortunate, as suddenly it seems there are rather a lot of them, the poor dears.