I just couldn't resist it: September 19th is "Talk Like A Pirate Day" and so what else was I supposed to do? I just had to have a backgammon party. And what a party it was. I sent the following followup note around and as you can see from the pictures, we had some who dressed the part:

"Avast! Someone asked if I be serious about dressing in somethin' what looks like pirate gear for this here Saturday's backgammon party. I be serious as being broadsided by a rogue wave, I be. So if ye be comin' to this 'ere get t'gether, ye better have SOMETHIN' that looks like ye are a pirate or I'll be stringin' ya up by yer heels on the yardarm I will... Yours in peace and death on the board, Captain Mean"

And what a party we had! Everyone was trash talking and the dice were flying so hard that I can't count the number of times someone was crawling around on the floor to find their die after flinging them against the board. Oh yeah, baby! Now, we're playing some combat backgammon.

By the way, I switched cameras about half way through the evening and still haven't quite figured out the lensing because some of the later shots are fuzzy. It's Marissa's camera and she told me later that she had the focal point set on close up so that's why some of the distance shots seem a little blurred. Better next time...

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Here come early arrivals Marissa, followed by Courtney and Gary. They were "bored" and so came early to harass me. No... pro-blame-ah... except for the fact that they were all to lazy (or embarassed) to come in costume.

Of course, as soon as Marissa saw my get-up, she was mortified. But, hey: what the hell...

Ah yes, here's Tim and Rick going at it almost as soon as they walked through the door. They battled it out so many games that they lost count. The bad talk was intense.

Were it not for the fact that they were in the middle of a game, this posed demonstration could very well have carried out into the parking lot... That would actually have been pretty neat...

Rick brought this pirate flag for the party. Had to hang it on the door... you know, to make sure everyone could find the place...

Gary was just learning backgammon and Courtney has only played a few times, so Marissa was acting as coach. Courtney has to work on her trash talking, but Gary was picking that up pretty good; it was just the moves that were confusing him...

Linda hoping the beer will confuse me so she can get her checker off the bar.

Brian practicing his "bad" look. Nice try... Throw and move. Spare us the theatrics...

Rick throwing the evil eye at someone.

Colin and Brian going quietly at it - well, for awhile, and then Colin trash talked his way through from there.

Even Tim can't believe how quiet they are. "Did they forget how to play?"

Marissa and Rick eyeball to eyeball over the board.

These guys played a lot of backgammon...

Droping the view down to check out one of the games between Gary and Courtney.

Tim trying to bullshit Linda, and Marissa showing no fear to Rick - who should be afraid...

Marissa and Gary in a lighter moment between games.

Why are these two smiling? They never smile... particularly with or at each other!

Brian with a smug look as he fills in his board. The doubles are coming, Brian. Be sure of that... And pretty soon, he's going to start getting tired of laying off the heat because you're just learning and then you'll be in a twist.

Brian and Tim lining 'em up!

Gary and Colin exchanging checkers as Marissa looks on.

Linda and Courtney giving it a try.

Colin and Gary still at it as the night winds down.