I figure, if my ancestors are gonna be all scandalous, I should at least get a best-seller out of it.

Hey, I've got the son of a Dutchman-Turned-Pirate/Moorish-Nobleman marrying a barmaid who was fired for being too lewd, and they scandalised New Amsterdam and were thrown out of the colony for being too vexatious.

And people say family history is boring.

Conception stories: I am so clearly a "whoops!" I was conceived 3 months after my sister was born. My mom probably didn't even realize she was fertile again. Although whenever I called myself an accident, my mom would correct me to say that I was planned but the timing was a bit of a surprise.

Hey, I've got the son of a Dutchman-Turned-Pirate/Moorish-Nobleman marrying a barmaid who was fired for being too lewd, and they scandalised New Amsterdam and were thrown out of the colony for being too vexatious.

That is fabulous

So apparently I'm getting an Outstanding Alumni Award from my grad school in March.

Right on! Will you be in town, or accepting in absentia?

My mother never used the word "accident" but she did point to my brother as an example of why the sponge was not a reliable birth control method.

Wow, Drew, congratulations!

I am proof the rhythm method isn't extremely reliable.

Antony Jansen van Salee, which is Salee in Morocco, home of the Salee Rovers, pirates who harassed Europe in the early 1600s. Antony's dad, Jan Jansen van Harleem was captured by Moorish pirates (possibly grabbing Antony as well, timing is iffy), and Jan famously said "Better Moorish than a Papist," converted to Islam, changed his name to Murat Reis, and commanded pirate raids against Spain. However, when he was low on targets, he had no problems expanding his horizons. He raided the small Irish town of Baltimore, sacked it, and hauled the inhabitants off to the slave markets. I've always felt like I should apologize if I ever find myself in Ireland.

Antony decided to go to the New World when he became a man and set off with a fair amount of money to set himself up in New Amsterdam. On the boat over, he met Grietje Reyniers, who had been sacked from her job as a barmaid for being too fresh with the clientele. They were married on ship--I wonder if she dazzled a possibly sheltered young man--and set themselves up as prosperous traders. Antony was known to have a good, deep-water dock at his Long Island estate, and I've always imagined he maintained ties with his pirate kin.

Happy birthday -t!

Congrats on the new job, Jessica!

And congrats Drew on being so Outstanding!

All this stuff!

I know where I was conceived. My dad was working out of town in Batavia, NY and mom apparently visited him since she told me that was where I was conceived. She wanted a dozen kids so none of us were accidents. Silly woman.

Happy birthday, -t!

Congrats on the new job, Jess!

Drew! That's a wonderful honor, and you deserve it.

Sometimes I just don't leave the house because getting dressed is too stressful on the decision-making.

Yet another reason we need teleporters - I would happily appear in Buffista houses, help people pick out clothes, and then whoosh back home. Or to another Buffista's place.