Rebecca Simon, PhD, teaches at Oak Grove School and is the author of two popular books on the public's fascination with pirates. The first is "Why We Love Pirates: The Hunt for Captain Kidd and How it Changed Piracy Forever," and the second, just released this summer, is "The Pirate's Code: Life and Laws Aboard Ship."

She writes both for general audiences and as an academic, specializing in maritime law and how it has evolved and adapted, especially through the tumultuous period in the late 1600s and early 1700s, when popular conceptions of pirates, as seen in "Pirates of the Caribbean" were created.

We talk about the often-surprisingly egalitarian codes and laws under which pirates governed themselves, the differences between the reality and fantasy, the spark that pirates provided to oppressed people everywhere, including the American colonies, and much more. So strap on your flintlock pistol and cutlass and come onboard.

We did not talk about Shohei Ohtani's dream team, crayon color schemes, or competitive chess.

You can learn more about Dr. Simon on her website, rebecca-simon.com.