Finneran: That Early Morning Run

Friday, May 11, 2018

Tom Finneran, GoLocalWorcester MINDSETTER™

My most serious running days are over. No more pounding the pavement while pounding my cartilage to slivers and shreds. No more Marathons. These days I’m on the elliptical. It’s a great workout and a great way to start the day.

I was never a truly serious runner. I was more of a plodder, with marathon times ranging from 3:45 to 4:15. That pace was fine for maintaining a conversation with friends. And the New England winter training added some true grit to the effort and to the sense of accomplishment. Every now and then I’ll muse aloud about running one more Patriots Day Boston Marathon and my wife will look at me like I’m crazy. Her skepticism cures my juvenile instincts.

The ellipticals at the local gym face a long bank of television sets allowing me to watch the news, weather, and sports. Thus, I can admire Lebron James as he completely takes over a game. Or as Chris Sale demonstrates what an ace pitcher can do. Or as the Bruins’ season comes to an early close. Or as the Celtics continue to impress. Celtics vs. Cavs? That will be worth watching............

Other thoughts while banging on the elliptical and pondering the world:

DAWN’S EARLY LIGHT: What a joy to see the early morning light. Long gone are those deep dark pitch- black December, January, and February mornings. They are now replaced by mauve, rose, purple, and vermilion Northern and Eastern skies. It’s enough to make a person sing. And to dream of the beach days ahead.

IMAGES FROM THE MET “FASHION” GALA: What a bunch of goofballs. Does anyone take these people seriously? If you dress like an idiot, you are an idiot. This parade of fools is as bad as the Oscar parade of fools. And what about Tom Brady? That outfit he wore was absolutely hideous. He looked like the head waiter in a crappy restaurant. Actually, I shouldn’t insult waiters. No self-respecting waiter would don such a bizarre get-up. I’m blaming Gisele. His outfit reeked of her world—a world of runway glitz, aka garbage. By the way, how is society supposed to move away from objectifying women when events like this objectify women? The beautiful people in attendance apparently major in hypocrisy. There’s cleavage in abundance, dresses slit right up to the hip bone, and enough bare midriff for the Sports illustrated Swimsuit issue.

While we’re on the subject of tony hypocrisy, many of the attendees at the Met Gala flew into town on their private jets. No doubt these carbon-spewing frauds will soon hector the rest of us on our evil habit of driving to the Cape, or, heaven forbid, of going to Disney World once in a while with the kids. Apparently, our fate is such that we must simply accept that their carbon footprint is good and that our carbon footprint is bad.........because of course their various causes are so great and noble. Just remember that all these fools admired Harvey Weinstein.

THE IRAN DEAL: The Globe and the N.Y. Times are having a meltdown over President Trump’s decision to end the “Iran deal” of the Obama administration. In their pontification about Mr. Trump’s diplomacy they express concern about America’s loss of credibility on the world stage as if we’ve broken our word.

Pardon the interruption, but we never gave our word. Basic civics informs us that “deals” or “side agreements” are not treaties. Treaties are important, so much so that they require ratification by a two-thirds vote of the U.S. Senate. Treaties are where we give our word. Might the Globe and the Times have considered an urgent editorial or two nudging President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry to take their off-the-books “deal” to the Senate rather than to seek the approval of some obscure body in the increasingly irrelevant United Nations? The whole mess is a perfect example of Barack Obama’s discomfort with people and politics. His eight-year preference for reverential companions cost him and the Democrats dearly. And now his famous “deal” is dead.

Tom Finneran is the former Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, served as the head the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, and was a longstanding radio voice in Boston radio

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Finneran: That Early Morning Run

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