Monday, October 12, 2009

Columbus Day 2009 (My head still hurts.)

Well, last year I celebrated Columbus Day by blogging about how much I've always liked this quasi little holiday. I like it even better this year, given that the Monday holiday actually falls on true Columbus Day - October 12th. (Yes, the long weekends are nice, but I'm a bit of a purist. We don't celebrate our birthdays on the nearest Monday, do we?)

But my last year C-Day post was not just a paean to the day. It was also a catalog of the things that at that point in time were making my head hurt.

Well, the good news is that Sarah Palin is no longer making my head hurt, although she still retains enormous potential to do so once again. (See-ya in 2012.) And Comcast isn't making my head hurt either. In fact, given the smarmy guy taking on the Comcast doofus in the Verizon FIOS ads, I'm even feeling a bit bad for them these days.

From last year's list, however, the economy continues to make my head hurt. As does Manny Ramirez, damn him. (I won't know what to do if the World Series ends up being the LA Dodgers vs. the NY Yankees, although I'll have to go with the Dodgers, and just hope that they win even though Manny hits .152.)

What else is giving me a headache this year?

The Red Sox, who were eliminated from the play-offs yesterday, even though they were up by 2 runs with 2 outs in the 9th. Best, perhaps, to go sooner rather than later. Overall, this has been a fairly lack-luster season. Sure, there have been thrills, but mostly - at least since the All Star break - it's been more a matter of chills. The team's dispiriting decision to play for the wild-card spot, rather than go balls to the Green Monster was the semi-final downer. Yesterday's 9th inning blow-up by closer Jon Papelbon was the final. The boys of this summer didn't cowboy up and become the Men of Autumn. Come to think of it, this means that this particular head hurt is over. Wait until next year! Maybe the pink-hat bandwagon-ers will jump off the bandwagon. Maybe it will be possible to, once again, decide on game day that you want to see a game. And just walk out the park and by a ticket to sit in the bleachers. Play ball.

If the Yankees win the World Series, my head will hurt big time.

Right-wing talk radio/TV (even though I don't listen to it ) makes my head hurt. Criticize away, my friends. This is America that Christopher Columbus discovered for us, and everyone's entitled to their opinion. But what's going on out there - and, if I don't listen to it, I do read about it in the dreaded MSM, and watch the embedded videos on Huff Po -   is vicious, vitriolic, and absolutely and scarily capable of fomenting mayhem and insurrection. I fear that some unhinged lunatic will be pushed over the edge by their ranting, and go after the President or his family. This makes my head hurt. A lot.

So do Skype spammers, although maybe not quite so much. Truly, who wants to get in any kind of a phone conversation with a complete weird ball stranger. Okay, so there are plenty of people who do this - but they're paying for that 900-WHAT-EVA call, and, if they don't know who exactly they're calling, they do know what exactly they're calling (and what for).

Speaking of phone calls. Any charitable organization - no matter how worthy - that calls me looking for a donation. Phooey on yooey. The only exception is educational institution that I have graduated from. I can't say that I like their calls. It's just that I'm willing to take one (and make a pledge while they have me on the line). The other day, I explained to one gentlemen, from a museum that I have supported in the past, but drifted away from, that I did not want to be solicited via phone. He got a little snitty - not the way to my heart or checkbook, bub.

All this head hurtin' hurts my head.

But the weekend was glorious, and Columbus Day promises to deliver more of October's bright blue weather.

Happy Columbus Day!

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