Bostonian Dreams: Boston, I Have A Dream...

Oh, the plight of he who loves from afar... Do you only know what it's like? Can you even begin to imagine? Aye, perhaps, now, more than ever before in the history of North American activity and activism, it can be and it is being understood. For this plight that I speak of is not only mine but it is that of thousands upon thousands, millions upon millions around the globe: we, all of us who love Boston but have been there so sporadically throughout the years, even these last 13 or so, when it has officiously and officially become the regally-crowned and uncontested City of Champions...!

Hence the Boston Globe - so that we, particularly the folk that resides in the northern hemisphere (yes, even further north than Boston itself!) can partake of that wondrous Boston mystique, even from as far off as we happen to be. Aye, even entrenched in a bog that froze over: we can be, in our minds at least, in Boston! No matter where we are, verily, we can discover anew, use and apply that time-honoured Bostonian wisdom, readily made available to us by the fine folks from bdc wire, too - and such wisdom is so sorely needed in times like these... Oh yes, it is! How else to find a way, how else can you find it in yourself, for instance, to remain sane while being snowed in? (That 'puppy on the computer' pic, headlining the article there, is simply priceless! Here's hoping it's still there, once you click on that link...! Tumblr willing... Alas, RADIOBDC may not be playing for us, like, ever, either: but we understand and do not complain. For we are, indeed, outside the immediate area, the blessed zone of Boston bliss and comfort: we are only grateful to be able to get notified of what tunes are playing for those blessed ears that can hear them, back *home* in Boston, up to the second too, on boston.com! Thank you, thank you a million times, for that - at least that!)

Peeking at the Owl here,

and reading up the titles of tunes,

as they change with clockwork regularity,

while we try to read one or two articles

on boston.com,

makes us all able to carry on

with our Bostonian Dreams... at least!

We are grateful for all these snippets of Bostonian life that we, who are on the outside, looking in, can get from time to time, on a fairly regular basis. We are grateful to share in the triumphs, even from afar, all throughout the year: as we share the pain, the agony, the disappointment of defeat, too. After all, ''Red Sox Nation'' transcends all man-made boundaries, all ethnic separations, all logic even and, some might say, even all of time and space, as it unites one and all in their 'joy of sox' or Fenway fanaticism or love of Boston all throughout the wringer somehow! And this culminates as it did once again, last year, when it was all rewarded once more with a World Series championship. Thanks, again, Papi: you're like a Pope, for Boston... (And Boston is exactly like the Holy See, right now. On top of sporting these clerical bragging rights of having at their head one of the most charismatic archbishops and cardinals there is, in North America (one who was a leading candidate to head the church, too, as the Conclave was deciding who would be the next Pope) Boston is blessed with two such fatherly figures in Major League Baseball, at the same time: John Farrell being ''our Benedict XVI'' of sorts... Now if only Papi called for a fundamental revolution in regards to our priorities and principles in regards to sharing wealth around, as Francis does... But that is another story...)

Aye, we are grateful, UBUNTU-style, even though Paul has left for Brooklyn: he, too, still loves Boston - he loves it as we do, from afar... We are grateful that the all-encompassing, undefinable Boston Spirit is all around us, too: as we share that indomitable spirit each time we face adversity.

Just like all of Boston does - Boston Strong.

We are legions of Bruins fans *outside* of Boston: most of us can count the times we've been in the venerable, historical and quite fabled now, Boston Garden... Causeway is our turf, too.

We are nearly as many ''real futebol fanatics'' inspired by the New England Revolution in the face of overwhelming odds. Aye, indeed, and infinitely moreso than the punchless 'impact' up north, *we* are the valiant, defiant and courageous crusaders that spring forth into action, embarking upon campaign after campaign, regardless of the daunting task that lies ahead...

On-par with this, of all people, Hulk Hogan proves that there is such a thing as larger-than-life New England Patriots fans far away from Gillette Stadium... (We suspect he only came out as a fan, at this time, because of the growing tryst between the Carolina Panthers and 'Nature Boy' Ric Flair, though: and since Venice Beach has no football team... But that is most definitely another story...)

All this to say...

In 2014, let it be the year where, we, the Bostonian Dreamers, Bostonians-in-our-hearts but physically absent from it, rectify so many of those incongruous things, once and for all. For instance, when those Duck Boats are parading, *we* should be there. Next time there is a Papi ball soaring out of the park, over the Green Monster, we should all be so fortunate to be among those vying to catch it, in the nearby parking lot... Next time some creeps try to mess with Boston, we should all be in the mob stopping them before they commit their nefarious deed...

On a more personal level, I could lament that, though I've listened to them hundreds of thousands of times over a lifetime, I have never seen a 4th of July Boston Pops concert *live*...

Likewise, I have never seen Boston, Extreme, the Pixies, the Dropkick Murphys, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, the Cars, the Barbarians, Aimée Mann, James Taylor, NKOTB even... performing *live* on stage, either... (And I am shocked, outraged and unsettled, even, by the way, of the complete and total omission of Extreme from this Boston.com list - but that is an umpteenth other story...)

In all those years, loving Boston from afar, I have yet to spend an entire day in Boston Harbor, eating out in those nice restaurants part of North Boston, stopping by Cheers for a cappuccino with former mayor Menino, meu irmão português, before dressing up for a night at the opera, theater or ballet...! Boston deserves better devoted attention than what we have given it: we love it, therefore we should visit it more often and, when we visit it, we must prolong our stay in Beantown, at all costs. Isn't it logical, after all, since we all wish we were there all throughout the year...?