RVC election withdrawal

Due to distressing and unforeseen recent circumstances, I sincerely regret that I am now forced to withdraw from the RVC election race. However, I would also like to announce that Walter Wakefield has my complete and total support.
John McGondel

The Curse is Reversed!

So there it is. After 86 years, a lead-off Johnny Damon homerun, and they never looked back, on their way to another MLB record, 8 consecutive post-season victories! Masterful outings by Wake, Schill, Pede, and D-Lowe, shut-'em-down Foulke, clutch hitting by the likes of Damon, Belhorn, Ortiz and Manny (Hey! World Series MVP, just like in the commercial!), they never trailed, and the Cards are swept. It took over a year for me to get used to the idea of the Pats as Super Bowl Champs the first time (heh-heh-heh! "the first time!"). How long's it gonna take to get my mind around...

Boston Red Sox
2004 World Series Champions!

And the current "Quote of the Day" on the NH Mensa home page?
"History never looks like history when you are living through it."
-John W. Gardner-

Oh, my!

Has it occurred to anyone else that Nomar is kinda the Sox' Drew?
I'm so glad they voted him a share...

C'mon. Could it really be _this_ easy...?

Seven straight! Three down, one of four to go!
Shhh! Don't jinx it!

OK, prediction time (I know, I know: at this point, why don't I just wait 'til it's over). After sweeping the Angels, and following a brief, distressing interlude, the record-setting Red Sox juggernaut has rolled over 2 teams with a collective 219 wins this year, with 7 consecutive victories, a feat that's hard enough to accomplish in the regular season against the rank-and-file, let alone at crunch time against the 2 most accomplished teams in MLB this year. One might understand if the Cards are feeling just a bit like historical footnotes at this point.

Tonight's a toss-up. Needless to say, the Red Sox players are well aware of the ghosts. And being a first-person witness to history, they realize it's not impossible to come back from 0-3. They certainly won't be complacent, but they might take a breath. On the Cards' faces, you'll see a look of either resignation or grim resolve. Considering last night was their first home playoff defeat this year, sheer pride might carry them through Game 4: "Not a sweep. Not in my house." I suspect the most likely scenario is Sox in 5. But it could easily be 4. How's that for categorical equivocation? The first inning should tell the tale. Keep your rally cap handy...

Daddy's Home!

Oh, say..., taking Game 7, too? Oh, my! Stay tuned, Red Sox Nation...

That's Six of Eleven...

How much better can it get than embarrassing the
Yankees as the only major league baseball team
ever pushed to a 7th game after going up 3-0?

Abbey Road…

…on the River. Let's see here, let me try to put this into perspective. Grateful Dead concert (see below) on July 30. Our Place Too party the next day. Recuperation time overlapped with refinance closings on the two houses, over those next four days. Left Thursday with the Van Horns for Cleveland, for the "Abbey Road on the River" Beatles Convention. (Abbeyroadontheriver.com).

Then the real madness began. It's our fourth Beatles convention, and our best one yet. I couldn't count the many Beatles tribute bands who played over those next three days, but each one was superlative. People flew in from around the world, no arguments or confrontations. Many f the women reverted to their teenage years (Hi honey), and were completely able to suspend reality to the point that they were chasing the look-alikes as if they were the real thing.

A weekend of the best music I have ever witnessed (and this overgrown hippie has witnessed a lot). Judging from the commentary, I think I won the Garcia looks contest). Mayhem in the hallways of the Sheraton, all night long. Reminded me of a Mensa RG with crack in the punchbowl. Non-stop partying for three or four days. We saw some excellent tribute bands on the same stage the real Beatles played on in 1964. There was even a band from Japan called the "Beatrips", but whom I dubbed "The Japanese Beatles."

One particularly excellent band, whom we have seen before, was "British Export." I got overly playful one night and sent them up to our hotel room at 1:00 in the morning. I figured I'd give my wife a gift. Eileen awoke to their loud pounding on the door, and when she crawled out of bed to look through the peephole, she saw the band there, complete with a pizza, waiting for her to let them in. What a cute bunch of guys, they look 19 but are really in their mid to late 20's. (You're welcome, doll-baby).

I met two Mensans there, one was a member of a band, one was a groupie for another band. It was four days of orchestrated chaos, controlled mayhem, over-indulgence, drunken debauchery, hedonism, Epicureanism, musical genius, and was the epitome of a Beatles' fan's expectations. I have never met so many nice and likeable people in one spot since…never.

So far, it has been a Summer of almost constant spiritual, emotional, and physical experiences. A total sensory bombardment, and an almost emotional/psychological overload. I don't want it to end for another year, at least. More later, perhaps a recap in the Fall. Peace.

John McGondel

Our Place Too: "The Morning After" (Groan).

Well, Eileen and I would like to extend a special thanks to fellow Mensans whose presence made the party more enjoyable yesterday (July 31). The weather held out, and everyone seemed to have a good time. Some Mensans I had never met before attended, which was welcome.

It was a bit of a rough morning for me, as I and three others attended the Grateful Dead "Wave That Flag Tour" concert at the Tweeter Center, down in Mansfield, Mass., the night before. (Two hours sleep). Anyone who has ever gone to one of their shows knows what I mean when I say it was a positively spiritual experience, those who haven't can ask me about it in person sometime. It's kinda like being zapped back to the late sixties, which for me is a short trip anyway. (Thanks for coming with me, Colleen VanHorn, Bette Lewicke, and Julie D.). Between driving people home and getting lost, and being incredibly tired, I didn't roll in till the wee hours, so, technically, today is the morning after the morning after.

Anyway, for those who left early, the band played till about 1:00 A.M., but the cops refused to show up to stop them, so they stopped on their own. Special thanks to musicians John, Paul, Bill, Josh, Fred, and Ron, as well as to our neighbors. :) We have some video of the last couple of parties, complete with our esteemed LocSec "Rockin Johnny B." singing Beatles' tunes (thanks JB), and I will try to burn a couple of copies and bring 'em to Darlene's/Bill's for the August party.

Walter had us in stitches with his own particular brand of humor, thanks Walter!! (Barbara is a great dancer!!). Christine and Curry added some stimulating conversation. Six people sang with the band, off and on all night, more so as the trashcan of empties filled. :). Eileen sang like a songbird, side by side in a duet with Lynn Pina. One of my students sang, (thanks Olga!). There were people from Florida, New York, each New England State, Columbia, Mexico, and Romania, which made for an interestingly diverse mix: my students, some people from FSP (Dave Mincin sang "Gloria" (G-L-O-R-I-A)), Mensans, the Club Beatles of New England (VanHorn Chapter) crowd, some of my SNHU classmates (Hi Penny and Julie!!), and some unaffiliated personal friends of ours.

The next one will be in either September or October, and thanks to some more available space, as a result of recent landscaping, a general Mensan invitation is extended. Sorry we cannot make it to TL this coming Friday, but we and the VanHorns are leaving on Thursday for the "Abbey Road on The River Fest for The Beatles" in Cleveland (I know, going TO Cleveland for a vacation!!!??). More later, I'm going back to bed. :)

Peace, John McGondel.