Amberbized Morale Boost

I’m still trying to come to terms with the fact the People’s Republic of Taxxachusetts elected a republican governor.  I know it’s happened in the past but given the current stranglehold the democratic party has on the political process in this state, it’s astounding.  The Activist in Chief may try to shift blame but the bluest of blue states electing a red governor speaks volumes about the level of discontent.  The republicans have an opportunity to build on this success if they don’t take the revenge path – figure out a way to work together.  The governing is infinitely more important than the electing.  Something both sides seem to forgot after the ballots are counted.

Son and I Yesterday

Lunch with my favorite son yesterday; he wanted to know how the Cantankerous One was dealing with the midterm election results.  I opined that he is probably hard at work in his laboratory trying to figure out how to blame it on George W. Bush.  We also solved all the Red Sox problems and opined about the difficulty of seeing certain movies with two very selective wives.  The lunch accomplished the intended effect by providing a serious morale boost on a cold rainy day.  We also did some loin girding for next week’s second annual birthday pub crawl in Keene.

I forgot to mention yesterday that I had finished yet another of the Travis McGee novels, Darker than Amber.  This is the first book that McGee’s stalwart buddy Meyer plays a substantial role and the interplay between the two brought with it some great memories.  They are fishing under a bridge when a young lady tied to a cement block is hurled from an overhead bridge.  The subsequent rescue launches McGee on the trail of the hoodlums running a deadly con game.

MacDonald was at the top of his craft when he penned this.  It’s one of the few McGee’s that was ever made into a movie with Rod Taylor inappropriately trying to portray my hero.  I’ve heard someone is currently trying to make some McGee movies with Leonardo Dicaprio as Trav.  I think I would have to seriously consider homicide if that pansy ever gets near McGee.  Stranger things have happened though – who knew Tom Cruise could carry off Jack Reacher without embarrassing himself?

As with all MacDonald’s work the best part is just letting his prose wash over you.  Here’s McGee taking himself to task for feeling sorry for himself:  “Suddenly I felt disgusted with myself.  What the hell was the use of taking my retirement in segments whenever I could afford one if I was going to slop around and groan and finger the sad textures of my immortal soul?  As opposed to the psychotic, the neurotic knows two and two make four, but he can’t stand it”