The Emerald Rose

      That’s kind of the level of frustration I seem to have seething in my mind. Like the kid who was the bully that did something mean to you or a friend, or even a stranger then just stands there and glares down with that “So what are you gonna do about it?” look.

      This election process is so divisive, and so emotional it is scary! Am I missing something that the rest of the world sees as clear as a bell? Or are they the hapless lemmings marching off the cliff out of pure ignorance and charmed charissma of a Pied Piper of Hamlin personality? I am getting very conflicting signals as well as comments. I’ve tried to talk to some Obama folks, and they are just mesmerized, they don’t have answers, they are like Rodney King zombies on LSD! “Oh he has the answers, the plan, the hope we need to overcome everything, we need to let him take charge and all will be wonderful, trust me, he knows how to do it,what a leader, what a humanitarian, what an American!” That’s the kind of drivel I get! When I ask “Ok, but HOW?” all you get is some platitudes about faith in “Barry” (a/k/a Barrack), and he will show us. Show us what, which way to turn to Mecca, how to do a peaceful and meaningful surrender of our country, how to take the last steps into total Socialism?

      Now I am smart enough to know a President just can not ride into town and make the rules. We have checks and balances in the form of our Congress , Senate, and Juduciary to prevent it. We appear to be strong enough to not become a 4th Reich, or a Stalinistic socialism, but what truly worries me are those who do not even want to think things through! I honestly feel like going to bed until November 6th so I don’t have to endure any more of this crap. Then I can get up and see , Can I breath easier and relax?, ….or do I have to start thinking about protecting myself, my family, my Grand children, and turn into an activist and protester to try and join with other true Americans and get our country back, one way or the other, to the vision our forefathers had that used to work so well. 

      But on to more happy subjects. Today is “sorta Columbus Day” the day set aside to celebrate the discovery of North America by Christopher Columbus, itinerant sailor who talked Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand into bankrolling a voyage to the “end of the world and past to see what’s there” as one story goes, or “to find faster trade routes for passage to the far east”. (Today you would call FEDEX or UPS, they already got it figured with costs and all, and can get stuff there tomorrow, for the right price.)

      A while back, maybe twenty years or so ago, some one got a brilliant idea to change all these “date specific” holidays and make them all a “Monday nearest the specific date” Holidays, thus increasing the number of three day weekends we had. Good idea, wrong implementation policies. Some areas like the Stock Markets, banking, and some Federal areas are closed, but the “business world” for the most part said “screw it, you get to much time off as it is already, so be here on time for work on Monday!” Guess that idea backfired, huh?

     Bought a new book over the weekend on “Forensics, a Guide for Writers” cool book, now I know what CSI and NCIS, and the “Lab results” are all about. I still want to be a successful novel writer, but just haven’t latched on to the “bombs bursting in air” super best seller concept yet. But now with this book I can write believable Coroner scenes, accurate “lab results” and have the lingo down correctly for the best seller book.

      Went and saw a movie called “Ember City” this weekend as well, I thought it was a very good, fast moving, quasi-believable Sci-Fi (complete with giant human devouring mole) flick. At times it was 20th Century-ish, and at times mid 1500’s. What I found most interesting about it was that  it totally fit my concept of going backwards as a country and a people, and what scares me about this election (Sorry, I’m trying to be “upbeat”.) I’d reccomend the movie, even my wife liked it.

          Afterwards we went to the Pub, Buster’s, for a bite to eat, catch the football scores, a little “meet ‘n greet” and the usual quiet evening before heading home to watch the Boston Red Sox take on the Tampa Bay Rays in the play-off series. My loyal staff of bartenders all know my wife’s ,…ah,…trepidation, with regard me having a pint, so it goes like this. Open the door walk in grab the last two seats at the bar, Bartender Glen comes over and says, “Hey where have you been we haven’t seen you in a while.” To which my wife looks at him and says, “Bull shit, he’s here every day isn’t he?” True to his loyalty Glenn side steps with “I don’t know Ma’m I don’t work every day, do you still drink Guinness , Tom? And Soda water with a lime for you Miss Barbara?” (Boy’s gonna get a good tip tonight 🙂 . The big thing is I’m not even driving,…she is! But she still counts my beers, an hour later she leans over and says, “That’s your second, no more.” To which I as the male of the species, the king of my castle, and the master of my realm, push my pint glass forward, look to the Bartender, and say, “Glen, another when you get a chance, please.” (Some things are sacred, you want to count beers go take inventory in a 7-11 market. I don;t say it, but trust me after 43 years she knows it, but continues crusading.)

      Yesterday our Church had an Octoberfest, German band, German food, German Beer, games for the kiddies, a raffle for a weekend get-a-way about two miles away (WOO-Woo, sign me up!) at a condo that is really slow in being rented. Me? I’m going to the Pub, as you all know I don’t play well with others. The majority of the folks that show up are the local parishioners who are catagorized into one of three groups, “Old Farts” who are thrilled just to be breathing and can’t wait to discuss thier last test results and prognosis and treatment schedule with anyone. They are the “Well, maybe a half a glass of Beer, but if I get silly take it away from me and don’t let me drive!” Ok here you go a half glass of beer, (with a shot of Jagermeister, and Red Bull now you can really get “silly”!)

      then there are the cheapskates “FOOD is included in my $8.00 ticket, well God love you. Do you have a “To-Go” box, oh nevermind, I think I have one in the car. Bob, would you go back to the car get that set of Tupperware containers from the car, I’m too full from breakfast and I just want to take a little home for supper” (Hmmm, a “little”, that would be enough to feed ten neighbors for three days.) And do you have to go cups for the Beer? “No Ma’m the State won’t allow open containers or to go beer.” Oh, well I think we still have a bottle in the refrigerator from when we moved in in ’04.”)  Remember I do not play well with others, do you understand why now?

      And then there is the third catagory, the “Church folk” who hate German food, hate beer, can’t stand little kids running around and making noise, have that false smile tatoo’ed on thier faces, and are attending because it is a church event and they know they are going to eventually die and are diligently trying to buy thier way into heaven and forgiveness for screwing so may other folks in so many other ways all the previous sixty years of thier life, all so the Padre can stand up on that day and say “John and Mary were here at every event we had and dedicated to thier church, The Lord will take care of them and carry them to a better place, AMEN.”  Ok, so I don’t play well with other AND I’m a cynic too! Get over it!

       Well the wife is home from physio-therapy for her knee and hip, so I gotta get dressed for work. (Unenlightened Management who does’t give Columbus Day as a holiday! (Once I buy him out I will!, and maybe retroactively just to buy a few loyalty points.)

      As Garrison Keeler (Lake Wobegon and Prairie home Companion host) says, “Be well, and do good work.”

     That’s it for today.

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