What have I been doing?

I have to admit that for the past month I have been hung up on a computer game. Not a shoot 'em up or go for the highest score type of game but a strategy game. Let me say I am not an avid gamer but I got caught up in this game called Civilization. Essentially you have to conquer everyone. It occupied much of my free time and I admit I enjoyed it. Well that has passed. Apart from that I have been working, looking forward to the not to distant future when I can finally get out.

I've watched all the debates, including the Vice Presidential version. To me Joe Biden looked like the joker from Batman when he smiled. He interrupted his opponent many times, but I have to say he was more convincing than his opponent who really reminded me of a beady eyed weasel. The first Presidential debate I give to Romney. Not so much because I'm a supporter because I'm not. In truth he wasn't a bad Governor. He had to be very flexible being a Republican in a heavily democratic state. Interestingly half of the states voters are independent the rest are divided up between the democrats and republicans. Obama looked disinterested and asleep in the first encounter.

He did much better in the second. There was one point where both candidates were almost circling each other and pointing. I was so hoping for one to shove the other and having it break out in a brawl. Just like professional wrestling. It would have been highly entertaining if one of the candidates hit the other with a folding chair. This would have been a perfect vehicle for Vince McMahon and his World Wrestling Entertainment Company. Here's a little picture I came up with as a promotion for this heavyweight event.

 
In other news, last week, the Dali Lama was in town. Yes he was in Boston, but he also was in my city. Why? If you are coming to Massachusetts and you are a world figure it seems perfectly natural that you would go to the largest city. After he left Boston he came to my city, 5 miles north. Again why? Well it seems on the street that runs perpendicular to mine, some Buddhists bought a house and turned it into a temple. In the back yard they built, what I guess would be a some sort of shrine. Shame on me for not researching this further. Anyway many years ago there was a train station and tracks (Duh!) that ran along the backs of these houses. The station is now some kind of rehab center, not for drugs, but physical rehabilitation and where the tracks were have become the back yards of four houses including the Buddhist temple house. What's a bit unusual is that nobody put up any fences or walls so it's a fairly large open area. It's a two minute walk from my house. I should go down and grab a couple of shots soon. I had noticed one day last week, as I drove down Washington St., that in that long stretch of yards with the shrine at one end, a set of bleachers was at the other and what looked like a tarp on poles, spanning the four back yards. This tarp ended up being part of a tent that ran the width of the four yards and held around 1800+ people on the actual day. There were large crowds, street dancers, local police, state police, secret service and FBI. I really do wish I was home that day. I wouldn't have had a chance to hear him speak. I might have caught a glimpse of him getting out of his vehicle. When I first moved to my present location in 2007, I had noticed the unusual yard formation and this object that's about 8 feet high and very hard to explain. It's colorful and quite beautiful. The yard is open to anyone.

The top picture is of that object I see in that yard every time I come up Washington St.
There was a lot of excitement in the area. I had to work that day so I missed it all though some of the streets were still blocked off when I arrived home near 6 o'clock. I also learned that this had happened in 2003 as well. I didn't live here then but I was only a half mile away from here and I was completely unaware.

 photo.This next photo (not mine) was the only one I could find of the Dali Lama's actual arrival here. In some respects it's a rather unfortunate photo. When I first found it I just saved it and thought nothing of it. Then I put it in the blog and looked at it again and started to laugh. No this is not some local greeting custom.

Apart from that local excitement and me conquering the world on my computer all I've done is work. I can't wait for the day when I don't have to work anymore. This feels more like a letter home than a blog entry. I guess I do miss it. My last blog was October 3. I am writing this on Saturday night so I'm praying that I can stay awake and watch Saturday Night Live. I'm betting they do something on the Presidential Debate. I'm curious to see if they had the same idea I had. I need some coffee.

I'm outta here 

The Debate

I just finished watching the debate. I have to say I enjoyed it. I thought it was pretty lively and entertaining. Both men aquitted themselves well though I thought Romney  finally showed some life. Up until then, though I liked him, he really had a problem relating to the average person. After all he's a rich man who owns a dancing horse. As for the President, though I thought, he did a good job as well, but he really didn't go after Romney on his comment about not being able to relate to 47% of the people. I would have thought that this was a fastball right over the plate. I am an independent voter. I used to be strictly Democratic as is the vast majority of my state. Yet we still elect Republican governors, save for our present governor. Politics are quite popular here. It's right up there with our love for pro sports, save for the dismal performance of the Red Sox. Ugh how quickly the mighty have fallen. At least we still have the Patriots and Celtics. Massachusetts was mentioned several times and I will admit that I was pretty proud of my state. We are always involved politically nationally in one way or another for good or bad. I was curious how the presidents health care program,  based on ours here, which Romney signed into law, would be handeled. Curiously I really can't remember how Romney dealt with it other to say that he worked with Democrats to get it done. Then he went on to say he would repeal "Obama care". Huh? So which way is it Mitt. And while I'm on the subject, is the name Mitt short for something?  Mittley? Mitterwald? Mittens? Or is he just plain Mitt. He's the only person I have ever known to be named such. And I also have to say he looks pretty damn good for a 65 year old man. That's probably due to good genes, a clean lifestyle and millions of dollars. 

I am looking forward to next couple of debates. I'm going to keep it short and sweet with this blog because it's about 11:45 pm and I have to be at work at 7 am. Well I don't know how sweet it is but it's one of my shorter ones.

Time for sleep.
I'm outta here.

   

I'm not some world traveler but I have been to a few different places in my life. The last time, 2006, I flew anywhere was to California to see a very dear lady friend. With Massachusetts roots. The time before that was 1986 to the Baltimore/Washington area. Loved Washington Baltimore, similar to Boston. Then back to the 70's. In 1979 I went to California to visit a friend who went into the Air force right after high school some 10 years before. I forget the name of the base he and his wife were living on but I do remember it was in the Mojave desert. This trip also included a drive through Death Valley to Las Vegas. He liked living in the desert or so he said. As for me I don't think I would like that kind of heat all the time. Call me crazy but at some point I probably wouldn't mind some cold. You can only take so many clothes off. You can always add another layer when it's cold. In 1977-76 I went to Ft. Lauderdale for a week each year. Spring break kind of stuff though I was a little older than most of the people there. Maybe I'll dredge some of those pictures up. Then back in 1965 my dad took my sister and I to Italy. We went to Rome then to Sicily. Jump back to 1956, when I was quite young, we made, as a family, the first trip to Italy. We were there 3 months. I was sick for for almost 2 with scarlet fever.

The upshot of all this is I'm not getting any younger. I'm positive about this. I just checked yesterday. I have been working for the same company for 40 years, through many different owners, and I am still in good health. I do like to travel every now and then but I am not really up for nor could I afford a 3000 mile plane flight plus spending money. On the other hand I almost completely ignored my own area until I got a camera. Then there's the entire New England area. I 've only been to Vermont once many years ago. It was not a good time and memorable for all the wrong reasons. I've been to New Hampshire many times. It's very easy to get from where I live. You have to love the slogan on their license plates, "Live free or die." I've been to Maine twice, Rhode Island twice. And at this point I can't think of any reason to go to Connecticut except to go to New York City. No disrespect to Connecticut intended. Then there's my very own state. For the longest time I just ignored things that were a half an hours drive away. Even my very own city with It's early ship building to "Over the river and through the woods" and "Jingle Bells" being written here, had things to offer. Granted in the grand scheme of things the last two items are not high on a list of achievements.
Then there's Cape Cod. I've been there many times. And the Cape is a lovely place however in the summer it's crawling with people. This brings me back to Martha's Vineyard. Which has the same summertime crowds as the Cape. This is why, after I gave a thought to Martha's Vineyard, I decided I would go either in late Spring/early Summer or Late Summer/ early fall. The latter being my favorite. I'm still having a hard time putting into words why the place is so appealing to my lady friend and myself. I'm sure it's appeal is helped by having to board the ferry to travel 7 miles in 45 minutes. It's a tiny, mini, cruise, then you are on an island. Some of the architecture is similar to Cape Cod and the rest is pretty unique. Oak Bluffs, the city we stay in, has cottage style houses some more regular New England style houses, then there are the Gingerbread Houses. And there's a lot of them. As you walk around you half expect to hear munchkins giggling in the bushes.

There are much less tourists about and it is quite a relaxed atmosphere. There's a charm and a funkiness to the place. Then there are just simply beautiful places.


Strolling about Oak Bluffs one afternoon, we stopped for some liquid refreshment.

I have gone there 5 times in the last 2 and a half years. It's getting away without being all that much away. It's not real expensive and it's still my home state. I think I have at least one more trip in me before I break the cycle and choose some other destination preferably within a 3 hour drive of home. I have thought about Nantucket but that is a much more expensive place. But you never know. Mostly day trips but once again, you never know if I will find another special place.
Here's part two of the slide show I originally wanted to upload as one piece but it was not to be so I had to cut it in half. I think the problem is with my computer.

I am trying to enjoy my life before I'm too old to enjoy much of anything. I am lucky in many ways and I am slowly learning to appreciate what I have and not what I want.

Thanks for putting up with my Vineyard obsession. I am totally charmed by this place. I wish you could all spend some time there. It's good for the soul.

I'm outta here.