Treasure Island Sword-Fighting Swahbucklers!

AAAARRRR, ye scurvy sea dogs, 'tis I, Eyepatch Carl, the scourge of the seven seas, and I'm here to tell ye about a very fun program for boys in a couple of weeks. It's the Treasure Island Sword-Fighting Swashbucklers. What is it, ye ask? It's for boys (boys only!)10-12 years old. In honor of the Children's Theatre of Charlotte's upcoming production of Treasure Island, we're going to learn the basics of stage sword combat from Andrea King, one of the Children's Theatre crew, and then improvise a pirate sword-fighting scene of our own. AARRR, that sounds like fun!! The program will be on Saturday, March 6 at 3:30 pm in the Round here at Imaginon. Registration starts at 9:00 am on Saturday, the 19th. Call 704-416-4630 to register. We're limiting it to only 20 boys, so don't delay!

Ye want more reason to come? All participants get a $5.00 discount on general admission tickets to the Treasure Isalnd play (March 12-28) AARRR, there's some plunder for ye!

And if ye get the chance, be sure to read the original Treasure Island. It's the greatest pirate story of all time! We've even got a graphic novel version. If that's not enough, click on the labels under this post and find out what pirate books we've talked about. AARRR, ye're sure to find something ye'd like. The library has more good books about pirates than a Spanish galleon has gold doubloons!!!

Adventures in Time and Space with a side of Marriage!

A great deal of people that follow this blog are probably wondering where I have been of late? Well I have not been hiding from pumpkin headed aliens as "The Carlman" so dastardly implied, but on an adventure unlike any other!!!!



I know many of you know me as the formidable Sith Lord Darth Bill, but I must reveal another character, or side of my personality, you may not be aware of: "Luke (Skywalker that is) I am also Pirate Captain Bootstrap Bill, Scourge of the Seven Seas. Arrrrrhhhhhh!!!!!!" See below for a picture of a scallywag so fearsome it promises to at the very least make you sigh and scratch your head (he's not quite right me thinks?????).







Okay, okay here is the truth as best I can do - Sith and Pirates are very bad at telling the truth at times; it's an occupational hazard/requirement. I married me bonnie lass, Valerie, that I have been madly in love with for some time. I checked the rule books and they indeed said that for both Sith and Pirates marriage is perfectly fine and even encouraged!!! I will still be as evil as ever just married also. My bride does not need to know about me blowing up the occasional planet with my Death Star. I'm afraid to report that she definitely shows some of those darn loving and "Can't We All Get Along" Jedi teachings. Oh well the heart does not chose who we will love and I will try to overlook some of her faults and she mine (I hope).

Here is a picture of my lovely bride and me swearing my eternal love to her upon my sword (I will give a free book to the first person to identify the back of the head in the forefront. This is not a joke. Identify "The Mystery Head" and win a free book.). She is indeed the greatest treasure I have or will ever find!!!!!! I love you now and forever Valerie!!!!!

Well enough talk of love and marriage, let me tell you about a really great book I recently finished:

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card - If you like Science Fiction, you will love this book. This book is set in an Earth future where humanity is recovering from a massive invasion, which was repulsed by Earth Forces, from an alien species that are called Buggers because of there insect like looks and manners. Because of reasons that are eventually revealed in the book, children are looked to as the military commanders who will ultimately defeat the alien Buggers. In this not so cherry future Ender Wiggins is born. Ender is special, among many other reasons, in that he is a third child. In this Earth's future parents are only allowed to have two children. Because of the brilliance of his two older siblings and due to their short comings, Ender is allowed to be born. The Earth's International Fleet, made up of military personal from many different Earth Nations, takes in children who are exceptional in some manner to train them to lead armies to defeat the Buggers. Children are taken as early as six years old to begin this training in an outer space station known as Battle School. Ender is a brilliant military mind and recognized for it by all, which is both a blessing and a curse. Ender is set up in a no win situation by the adult officers of the International Fleet. They harass, push, and take Ender to the breaking point to make him the commander who will defeat the Bugger Forces once and for all. No one asks Ender how he feels about all this and if they did they would not like the answer. Ender wants only peace and certainly not to hurt anyone ever. A fascinating read about the duality of human nature; To strike out and crush that we do not understand or to seek to understand others so that peace can rule the day. I highly recommend this book and hope some of you out there in the Land of Blog give it a go.

Until next time me harteys!!!!!!

Peace,

Bill

Turkeys, Pirates and Heroes

Hi, everybody, and happy post-Gobble-Gobble Day. Take a gander (get it, gander? Hahaha, I kill myself) at my new ride and look below. It was kinda an accident but the flame is really cool and helps me see in the dark. On the bad side, setting my pillows on fire every night when I try to go to bed really stinks--along with the no flesh on the face. Oh well, lets talk about some really good books I've read lately:



Pirates of the Caribbean, Jack Sparrow: The Coming Storm by Rob Kidd - This is the first in a really great series of books about a much younger Jack Sparrow and his early adventures before the "Black Pearl." In this first book, Jack begins his quest for the famed magical Sword of Cortes. To accomplish this goal he must recruit a crew to man his ship, the Barnacle, which he does very haphazardly, with his first two recruits being a young barmaid named Arabella and a wealthy adventure enthusiast named Fitzwilliam. He also unwittingly makes a very dangerous enemy in the person of the pirate Captain Torrents (a most bloodthirsty pirate by anyone's account), who also wants the Sword of Cortes, and pursues Jack and his crew--and not because he wants to be their friend! Well, I've given you the set up so give this series a chance. You won't regret it; pirate's honor!


Spider-Girl Presents The Buzz and Dark Devil by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz - This Graphic Novel presents the first three issues of these new characters to the world of the Marvel Universe. The Buzz is about the orphaned grandson, Jimmy Jameson (JJ), of a certain Spider-Man hating newspaper giant J. Jonah Jameson. When the older Jameson finances the making of a Human Fly Super suit to protect the citizens of New York City, he recruits ex-Navy Seal Buzz Bannon. Buzz and the young JJ become good friends and when Buzz get killed by some very bad people, JJ decides to take the Human Fly Suit and become the hero he saw in Buzz. He even names his new superhuman identity "The Buzz" after Bannon. Action and adventure follow as this new superhero learns what it takes to be a true hero. Darkdevil is also the story of a new young superhero named Reilly Tyne. Darkdevil is given powers by the demon Zarathos who hopes to inhabit the boy's body for his own evil purposes. Fortunately for Reilly, Daredevil and reformed enforcer Kaine step in the picture to save the boy. They do defeat Zarthos and force him out of the boys body but at the price of Daredevils life. Reilly decides to take up Daredevil's role as a superhero, with the new found powers gained from Zarthos, and under the tutelage of Kaine begins his path to becoming a true hero.

Well, that's all for me guys. Until next time, take it easy,

Bill

Aaaarrrr!!!

Hey guys, it's Carl. Last week was Talk Like a Pirate Day, so I'm going to tell you about a couple of pirate books. (Bill is going to do the same; wait until you see his post--and his cool pictures!) The first is What If You Met a Pirate by Jan Adkins. What was it really like to be a pirate? I can tell you that you didn't live like Captain Jack! You'll get answers to questions such as: What Did a Pirate Do All Day? How Did Pirates Attack? Did The Freebooters Wear Shoes? Where Could You Find a Pirate If You Needed One? This is a really interesting book with great illustrations, plus lots of facts about pirates that you never knew---like the real reason they wore gold earings.

The other book is the graphic novel version of Treasure Isaland by Robert Louis Stevenson, adapted by Tim Hamilton. (Sorry, no picture available) It'll grab you right from the beginning. Young Jim Hawkins and his family run the Admiral Benbow Inn on a distant English coast when an old brown seaman with a saber cut on his face asks for a room. He promises Jim a silver penny if Jim will tell if he ever sees a "seafaring man with a wooden leg." Who is this strange man and why is he afraid of the sailor with the wooden leg? You'll find out when you read this action-packed adventure. (If you want to read my review of the original Treasure Island, click here. Beware--it was published in 1883, so the language is a bit old, but don't let that scare you off. This is still the greatest pirate book ever written!)

Don't forget---October 1---my challenge to all you readers!