Because when I find out about a really cool historical figure, I get excited.

Meet William Augustus Bowles

He is one awesome dude. 

I found out about him from a really good book called...

"The Lost States: True stories of Texlahoma, Transylvania and Other States That Never Made It"

by Michael J. Trinklein

You see, Mr. Bowles tried to establish the state of Muskogee

(hence, earning him a place in the lost states book)

(By the way, it is a really awesome book that is very educational, fun to read and tends to lead to many other rabbit trails of learning. Such as William Augustus Bowles and other little known facts(like the fact that Alaska was bought for 1.9 cents an acre) ) 

Back to William.

The reason I am posting about him is because his life, much like Robert Boyle's (whom I should post about sometime in the near future), was filled with things that interest me. 

Examples:

1) He was a pirate.

2) He was a comic actor.

3) He was a portrait painter. 

(I do not know if he painted the above portrait of himself)

4) He was married to the daughter of an Indian Chief 

5) He fought for the Creeks and Seminoles to get the Spanish out of Florida

6) His Wikipedia page calls him an "adventurer" which he really had nothing to do with, but I thought it was pretty awesome.

7) The Spanish offered 6,000 dollars and 1,500 kegs of rum for his capture, so he had to have done some epic stuff.

This link has a good synopsis of his life. 

(I really would love to read that book) 

Obviously, he wasn't perfect.

He had short-comings. 

Like marrying two wives and starving himself to death in a jail in Havana. 

(That last part may sound heroic, and, I don't know, it kinda is. For the most part it just sounds like pouting to me.)

But, you have to admit...

There really should be a movie made about this guy.

(Please read the "Muskogee" page of the lost states book)

If you would like to know more about William Augustus Bowles, start here.

(Just so you know, Robert Boyle still trumps William by a long shot.)

So, what do you think? 

This is the end of the eighth post of Me.

Lessons of a bridesmaid

So, I learned alot this weekend.

(I was in a wedding, just so you know)

(Also, just so you know, I'm skipping all the sentimental stuff I could say because I am not in a sentimental mood........Actually, I am rarely in a sentimental mood....Welll....nevermind. Either be satisfied that this will not be a sentimental post or stop reading now.)

Here is a list of things I learned and what I will do differently:

1) My groomsmen (or my husband-to-be's groomsmen--whatever) will be ninjas. 

There are several reasons for this:

a) They will look really cool coming down the aisle 

(if you can see them, that is)

b) They can do a crazy amount of work in a tiny amount of time. 

c) It's original

d) I like it

2) If I don't wear Converse, I will be going barefoot, even if it is an eight o'clock wedding at St. Paul's Cathedral.

I do not care.

3) The groomsmen and bridesmaids will  at least meet each other even before the rehearsal.

Reasons for this:

a) it may make it slightly less awkward when they have to hand you a tissue in the middle of the service

b) it may make it slightly less awkward if you fall over on them going down the aisle 

(note: no, this did not happen, but it very well could have)

c) the groomsmen will be ninjas and who wouldn't want to hang out with ninjas??? 

(besides my sister...)

4) I will eat food and drink water. 'Nuff said.

So, what will you do at your wedding?

I'd love to hear.

Seriously, if you just read this whole post, you must be bored so tell me about your dream wedding

(or spit out some goofy ideas like I just did!)

**DISCLAIMER** 

I may or may not have ninjas in my wedding... or will I? You don't know!

I will have a meaningful wedding. This post was meant to be humorous and doesn't accurately depict exactly how I want my wedding to be. Maybe someday I'll post about my "real wedding"...if enough people ask....if anyone reads this blog...  

This is the end of the seventh post of Me.