INTERVIEW WITH THE PIRATE HOOKER: 

If you were to be taken captive by the evil pirates of doom – but they were nice enough to give you one last meal – what would that meal consist of? This is hard because I have to fit it ALL in! As an appetizer I’d like a cup of she-crab soup from Frenchy’s and a piece of a crab pretzel from The Brass Monkey. As the meal I’d like a small plate of New Orleans blackened style shrimp and fish with a side of lobster mac & cheese. And, of course, Coca Cola to drink!

What’s usually on the boob tube? I’m a sucker for reality TV, court shows and comedy. Pitchmen was (&still is!) my most favorite show before it went off air. I pretty much watch all of the reality TV shows currently on Netflix.  Arrested Development, Mad Men, United States of Tara and The Office are my most recent favorite other shows. I Love Lucy and Golden Girls are my favorite to-heart past shows. My current obsession is investigation discovery. I love a good real life mystery.

Favorite books to read? I love diaries, bio/auto biographies, old vintage books, poetry, the classics and anything non-fiction.

Do you collect anything? Oh yes. I collect plenty and my husband sometimes (often) wishes I had two things instead of 2 million things. Red Queen merch, anything with pirates or skulls, Yoda merch, keychains, shot glasses, era items (boxes, frames, pins, etc), items with LOVE on it… and it seems like I collect pens and notebooks because I find more of those around the house than I should!

Addictions? Coca cola. Peanut M&Ms. Sometimes seasonings and special ingredients like cilantro. Yes, I know it’s weird. Also, playing Bejeweled on the iPhone, some other games, and board games when I do play. Winning is an addiction in itself.

Favorite songs? ‘A Pirate Looks at 40’ by Jimmy Buffett, indefinitely. But also, Bette Davis Eyes speaks to me a whole lot. I have a lot of favorites from all genres.

Besides Jimmy Buffett, who are your favorite musicians? Lady Gaga, Mozart, Infinite Third, Nellie McKay, Shawn Mullins. I don’t fancy but I listen to all top 40 on the radio… as well as loving on oldies.

What is your religion? My religion is weird. I find random signs and items in my every day life that I somehow spin into religion and meaning for my life. I’d like to think of myself as a tree-hugging hippie Pagan/Wiccan. Trees, ocean and the Earth speak to me a lot – the feelings I have while viewing these items.. is sometimes quite amazing. Writing and practicing photography are often “religious” outlets for me. Above all, everything happens for a reason… no matter how long it takes to figure it out.

Who are some of your heroes or people you look up to? Among the living: Sullivan Productions as a whole & all other direct response industry friends, Betsey Johnson, Jimmy Buffett, Lady Gaga, Jerry Springer, The Bloggess (Jenny Lawson), Kat Von D, Simon Cowell, Gordon Ramsay, Betty White, Roseanne Barr. Heroes who have died: Billy Mays Jr, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur, Estelle Getty, Grandma Applegate, Sherrie Lince, Elaine Hunt, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln.

What is your favorite city? Philadelphia! I call it my heart city. The history is just fantastic, the buildings are gorgeous, the arts from there are just amazing.. not to mention they have Christ Church which has a special place in my heart, as does Market Street and tons of other places around there. I love watching Parking Wars just to be able to see a glimpse of Philly.

What do you love learning about? On my free time I love learning about vintage items, eras (specifically hundreds of years ago), England, business, marketing, direct response industry, business math, almost anything art, music history and theory, lives of older stars, Mark Twain, George Washington, pirates, city of Philly, state of Florida, the Salem Witchcraft Trials and just so much more!

If you were to start a revolution, what would it be? I kind of already started it but it died a year or so ago… It was the Bedclothes Revolution accidentally caused by me mentioning one night that I was going to go put on my bedclothes… my Twitter friends thought I meant I wore 1700s night clothes with a night cap. After that night, we would all get online at the same time and have the most amazingly funny conversations. I really miss those days. I had hoped to spread the revolution to others that were like us but alas…

ELEVEN RANDOM FACTS ABOUT YOU. 

All of my life, I have gotten along with people older than me than folks my age.

When I go to the store for work purposes or for personal items or even gas at the gas station, I always end up with a Snickers bar in my cart.

I see characteristics of Rue McClanahan (as Blanche in the Golden Girls) sometimes in people, it makes me sad she’s passed on. I feel like that’s some way of saying I need to come up with a character in a story or something that resembles her. That’s also weird because I’ve always related more to Betty White’s character, Rose.

Fish and I have this pact: As long as I adore the shit out of them in person and love fish while they’re alive, they will make themselves taste as delicious as ever for me when I eat them. This is a true dream I woke up to one day. It really seems that way..and if I do say myself, it was/is really weird.

I love all animals and I want to own an aquarium full of sea animals one day…and my love for lizards is almost unbelievable.

I really want to find a true pirated-sailor-soul to talk to about his adventures and happenings. Ocean and sea life is fantastic and I have such a love for it.

I like the smell of cigars and the idea of a low-light but classy and “expensive looking” bar to go to – only for writing and hanging out (like Starbucks but with drinks)!

As much as I love computers and being able to have everything at the touch of a key, I would much rather use paper and pen.

Thrift and antique stores really appeal to me. I would much rather have something old and valuable than cheap and built nowadays. Back then, people really put time and effort into making items.. so everything is more slightly unique than the other.

I love graveyards: taking pictures, walking around them, seeing how old each grave is – everything.

There are often times where I come across old furniture or old items (like going to Gas Plant Antiques), I feel like I’ve transported back to those days. I know this feeling is more than just a “thought” that exists within me… I’ve had far too many chances like this to call it a random thing.. 1700s, 1920s, 1950s, 1970s, etc.

Last but not least, what do you plan on doing with is blog? I have hopes to share my life stories in such a way that people will want to read my blog. I hope to meet people who are more like me… and I hope to change the world some day by declaring pirate life for everyone, bedclothes for all involved and spread the urge to people to appreciate and connect with their past. Or, something like it. Here goes.