Barsoomian Adventures: the Tenth Ray of Mars, Session 1

Fellow role-players, here are Jason’s and my notes for Session 1 of his latest game, which Brian W. hosted in Newton, Mass., on Monday, 21 January 2013:

Player Character roster for Jason E.R.‘s “Barsoomian Adventures: the Tenth Ray of Mars” (Tē-sis ē Bâr-süm) pulp planetary romance miniseries, using “Savage Worlds,” as of spring 2013:

“Sgt. Joe ‘Knack’ Kanaki” [Gene D.]-male Nisei Jasoomian (Japanese-American Terran human) tail gunner; two-fisted patriot who’s smarter than he looks
“Beauregard ‘Bo’ Jennings” [Beruk A.]-male African-American Jasoomian, USO trumpet player, expatriate (NYC), former professional boxer and member of the French Foreign Legion
“Kar Dalan (Kâr Dé-lan)” [Brian W.]-male aysismad (red Martian), an independent panthan (sellsword/scout) currently serving the nation of Raxar (Rax-âr)
“Olera Gala” [Sara F.]-female Barsoomian masena (Thurian/Martian), one-eyed feline hunter and scout
“Capt. Billy ‘Rip’ Rohrer” [Bruce K.]-male American Jasoomian pilot of the “Lucy Goosey,” a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber
“Betsy ‘Blaze’ Harper” [Rich C.G.]-female American Jasoomian, fiery redhead, former Olympic hopeful, and aspiring actress on USO tour for exposure and patriotic duty, along with Carla Rizena and Lucy McIntyre

[From the correspondence of Joseph Kanaki] “26 December 1943:” Dear Mother, I don’t know when and if you will get this note, but as I promised, I’m taking notes during my travels. Between the censors at the Air Force and those at your internment camp, who knows if you’ll ever get this? Still, there are moments when things make even less sense than usual.

The “Lucy Goosey,” our B-17F bomber, was assigned to Pavia, Italy, on the Adriatic Sea. It has been a hard slog up the peninsula, but the infantry has it even worse, between the mud, the cold, and having a tough time telling friend from foe.

My commanding officer, Capt. William “Rip” Rohrer, is a standup guy. He always tells it straight to the men and understands our frequent need to blow off steam. Unfortunately, not every member of the brass is so relaxed. We got called into the strategy room at the air base. Tarps had been thrown over the maps so we wouldn’t see more than we needed to.

Col. Frank Allen explained that we were to conduct “Operation Neapolitan.” We were initially disappointed at doing a milk run rather than a combat mission, but since it would count toward leave and such, nobody complained too loudly.

Apparently, Brig.Gen. Lawrence had requested specific U.S.O. entertainers for his birthday in Tunisia. We’d have no fighter escort and no bombs aboard, but we shouldn’t need any, Col. Allen said. I offered to check out our passengers and scrounge any extra supplies. You know me; if the skipper wants something, he can count on “Knack” to get it.

As I left the command tent, I ran into Lt. Merlin Shields, he of the thin mustache, superior attitude, and the “Pistol Packin’ Mamas.” I call his unit the “Mama’s Boys.” I know it’s puerile, but every jibe is worth it. Shields was oh so interested in our assignment but couldn’t help but get in a dig at our expense.

Anyway, I found trumpet player Bo Jennings playing poker in the officer’s mess. He had wasted no time since his arrival. His companions were just as interesting: a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead. Lucy McIntyre [Sara/Non-Player Character] was bubbly, Carla Rienza seemed interested only in learning if the officers were wealthy, and Betsy “Blaze” Harper was a real pip, one of the boys in manner, if not in looks.

Sometime later, we took off, turning over the Mediterranean. I helped the already restless passengers get secure and then headed to my gun in the tail. Capt. Rip had already pointed out the uncanny resemblance between Lucy and our nose art, which featured a famous duck pinching a pretty girl.

Up in the cockpit were Capt. Rohrer, newbie co-pilot Lt. Milton Dunlap Jr. [Brian/N.P.C.], and navigator Lt. Victor Frisbie. They were joined by bombardier Lt. Harvey Kramer, flight engineer Lt. Conrad Zufall, and radio operator Sgt. Eugene “Pick” Lydic. All good guys, but I think you can already guess why I’m noting all of them here.

Without bombs, it was up to me, ball turret gunner Sgt. Benji Moon, and waist gunners Sgts. Harry Houchins and Billy McMillan to keep an eye out for German or Italian attackers. What we did see was something else entirely — a foo fighter!

A huge aircraft with the rising sun glinting off its dragonfly-like wings overtook us. I warned the cockpit via intercom, and we made evasive maneuvers. It passed us again, and numerous personnel stood on its ship-like decks. When I say “ship,” I mean a sea vessel like the one grandfather sailed. We gained altitude and came about.

The strange airship didn’t look like anything I’d seen before, but we tried to get closer, since it seemed to be struggling to stay in the air. Crazy Rip Rohrer tried to get himself killed as we lowered a cargo net to bring up evacuees. So of course, I had to go after him, but only after warning our crew and passengers to be ready for anything.

The men we brought aboard were underdressed, with reddish complexions and tattoos. They didn’t look or sound like Bedouin, but what did I know? An older man was trying to manipulate some device, which we grabbed. There was a blinding flash.

You’ll never believe this, but try to keep an open mind about what I write next. They say war does strange things to a man’s perceptions, but I don’t know any shell shock that can explain what I’ve seen, so here goes: We suddenly found ourselves flying over an unearthly desert.

The “Lucy Goosey” flew over some ruins. I thought it was too soon to see North Africa, but with all the fuss over the rescue operation, nobody had time to double-check our course. We clipped a white spire, and something heavy hit the top of our plane.

Rip and I managed to get the crew of the airship aboard our bomber, and we quickly cut the netting loose. Unfortunately, it was our turn to have difficulty, and we crashed into the sands outside the ancient city. We lost Milton, Harvey, Conrad, Victor, and Benji. Like I said, all good men.

After much pantomime, we learned that the old guy with the device was Thuran Gan, an isvar [is-vâr], which we later learned meant “chief ray scientist.” The red men (not to be confused with American Indians) passed around a flask, and we finally started to understand one another. Don’t ask me how; I sure didn’t make the rules out there.

Kar Dalan, a mercenary scout, joined us. He noted that there were four green men at the gates of the city. That sounded reasonable, except for the name of the place — Barsoom [Bâr-süm], or the Mars of Edgar Rice Burroughs‘ books. Blaze and I had read some of them, but pulp science fiction was now as real as the half-naked men and wrecked airship hanging above us!

The red men knew of John Carter of Virginia, whom we had assumed was a fictional character. They claimed that others from Jasoom [Ĵâ-süm], or Earth, had come to Mars around the time of the Great War — Vad Varo, now in Duhor [Dü-ōr]. I was either dead or going to have one hell of a headache in the morning. Blaze looked for javelins or spears.

A strange beast jumped from atop our downed bird. It looked like a large cat with a cyclopean eye. Kar introduced her as Olera Gala, a masena [mâ-sēn-â]. They had been sent to explore the dead city by Vora, the chief madvar [mad-vâr] of the Raxar [Rax-âr] Academy of Science.

Lucky for us, the city wasn’t entirely empty, as Olera reported seeing the yellow eyes of predatory banths [ban-iŧ] lurking in the dusty streets. Rip and Bo took advantage of the low Barsoomian gravity to jump great distances. The Olympics would sure be different here. The air was thin and cold, but it didn’t seem to bother us.

Four green men rode up on thoats [ŧōt]. I’m not sure which looked stranger, the 12-foot-tall, four-armed humanoids or their rhino-like steeds. They recommended that we seek shelter and said something about an ambassador between their tribe and Raxar, with whom they had a truce. Great, we’re in some other world or dimension, and it’s also at war.

Another airship arrived, bearing the purple banner of Raxar. Teedwar [Tē-dwr] (Col.) Kal Dan talked with Rip, Kar, and Thuran, and they agreed to take us back to their city. The Banzar [Ban-zâr], a huge vessel capable of holding 1,000 troops, towed the “Lucy Goosey,” with our surviving crew and passengers still inside. Rip and Bo jumped around for a while.

The city-state of Raxar was a sight to behold, with bustling streets, strangely beautiful red-skinned residents, and numerous flying craft. Everyone was on a war footing, with even children carrying short swords. We were taken to the academy, where we met the following people:

Orad Rel, aavar [â-vâr] or head of the institute
Kan Baniv, povar [pō-vâr] or theoretical physicist
Essa Naxa, soomvar [süm-vâr] or planetologist
Tan Orml, morvar [mōr-vâr] or biologist
Vora, the aforementioned madvar, or anthropologist

They all seemed happy to see us, since John Carter had once saved their city, leading to the treaty with the green men of Zarquad [Zâr-kwd]. The ambassador of Zarquad was one Torog, and the jed [ĵed] or king of Raxar was Daris Nar, related by marriage to other rulers, including Carter’s wife, Princess Deja Thoris.

Kan Baniv. the nephew of Vobia, the jeda [ĵed-â], arranged for us to have a royal audience. At the audience we were introduced to the royal family, including the jed’s two daughters, Daria and Teeza.

A wealthy noble (gem mines) named Emar Radtai was openly staring at Daria. We also caught Kal Dan stealing glances at Teeza. The jed’s two sons were killed in the last war. Apparently there is a middle daughter, Phainara, who is missing.

After initial conversations with the scientists, we Earthlings changed into Barsoomian harnesses and loincloths and debated what to do. Capt. Rip Rohrer wanted to offer our services to the jed, and Bo understandably wanted to stay, since he had little waiting for him back stateside. The red men called Bo a “First Born,” apparently from distant Kamtol, their own nation of black men.

I argued that we should look for a way home and maybe try to bring some Barsoomian stuff back with us to help the war effort. Imagine the look on Hitler’s face if he saw the Banzar with allied paratroopers! At least we agreed to keep our gear and people together for now. Me and the other gunners will take turns watching the “Lucy Goosey.”

We asked about Martian customs and learned the following four traditions:

Attar [ât-târ]: Literally “loyal sword”. To cast your sword at the feet of a fellow Barsoomian is the pledge your loyalty and trust to that person, even though it may cost you your life. If a man does this to a woman, it can be interpreted as a declaration of courtship. If the recipient is a man, he signals acceptance by reattaching the belt to the owner’s harness. A woman returns the sword, hilt first. To leave the sword where it lies is to refuse the offer. To return it point first is a rejection and insult. This means an immediate duel (if a woman, her closest male relative champions her.)
Dartos [dâr-tōs]: Literally “thousand bond.” The proposal of marriage among the red men, which symbolically is to last 1,000 years. A mate must be fought for and won.
Koak [kō-ak]: Literally “equal battle”. In private combat, you may not fight a fellow warrior in with any other than the weapon you were attacked. You may choose a weapon of lower status though. To draw a pistol on an enemy facing you with a sword is unpardonable.
Visha [vē-ša]: Literally “virgin forbidden”. Barsoomian men do not ask personal questions of women, except for his mother and the woman he has fought for and won (i.e. dartos). Royal women of the courts of Mars are deemed sacred — even touching them without permission has dire consequences for the transgressor.

Before the audience, Kar Dalan pulled a few of us aside to warn us to beware of making pacts too quickly. He was from a different nation of red men and had sold his services to Raxar. I agreed that it would be best for us to find out more and to share as little as possible about ourselves. I also asked him to help train us in swordplay, since blades were as common as rifles on Barsoom.

Of course, the best-laid plans of mice and men…. Not only did Rip offer his allegiance to Daris Nor, but we’ve also already got a mission! I sure hope the skipper knows what he’s doing….

I hope that Sara and Bruce had great birthdays, and I’ll try to post my notes for this past Monday’s “Vanished Lands: Vistel’s Circus” fantasy game soon. (Jason and Josh have my notes for the latest “Glassworks” and “Mystic Adventures in the ‘Big D.'”) I also hope that the weather doesn’t inconvenience everyone too much this coming weekend.

Assuming we have power and connectivity, I look forward to continuing the “Vortex: Terra’s Pride” telecom space opera on Sunday night! The current forecast for next Monday night is for freezing rain, which I hope doesn’t affect Jason’s next “Barsoomian Adventures” too much. Happy gaming!

Star Trek, Star Wars share skipper

One of the biggest items of genre entertainment news last week was the revelation that J.J. Abrams will direct Star Wars Episode VII, sometime soon after he finishes work on Star Trek: Into Darkness. It is surprising that one person will be helming the latest iterations of the two most popular and profitable space opera franchises.

Space opera franchises meet — Universes collide!

As I’ve noted elsewhere, Abrams does know how to handle ensemble casts and lots of action. On the other hand, I hope that his idiosyncrasies — such as lens flares and certain plot twists seen in Lost and the recently departed Fringe — don’t detract from what makes Star Trek and Star Wars great, each in its own way.

Any incarnation of Star Trek ought to have a future that we should strive for and want to live in, following Gene Roddenberry’s idealistic vision. The best Trek depicts diplomacy, scientific exploration, and social commentary, not just a Starfleet captain fighting the existential threat of the week (or movie, even if I enjoyed Abrams’ reboot).

For Star Wars, I expect big battles between good and evil, the hero’s journey, and exotic but lived-in settings. Lucas tried to make the mythic relatable through the Skywalker clan. In contrast to Trek‘s “for the good of all mankind,” Star Wars examines the heroic and villainous potential in each person. (The animated Clone Wars has been very good lately, while Trek has yet to return to television. Both have good comic book tie-ins.)

Fortunately, there’s room in both galaxies for lots of stories and interpretations, and both show the value of friendship, altruism, and wonder. There’s a lot of speculation and unrealistic expectations online, but I’m cautiously optimistic. May the Force be with Abrams, and may we all live long and prosper!

Django Unchained review

On Sunday, 13 January 2013, I met Thomas K.Y. & Kai-Yin H., who recently returned from Taiwan, for a good if quick lunch at Legal Sea Foods in Cambridge, Massachusetts. We then met Beruk A. at the Kendall Square Cinema to screen Django Unchained. We all enjoyed the Western flick.

Quentin Tarantino's bloody western — Leonardo DiCaprio and Jamie Foxx

If you like director Quentin Tarantino‘s other movies, you know what to expect: snappy dialogue, some satire, homages to multiple film genres, and over-the-top violence. There has been some controversy over the film’s depiction of slavery and shootouts, but I think it’s good that American audiences are queasy in the face of the “peculiar institution” and gunfights. The “N word” is used to both shock and remind modern audiences of the original sin of the U.S. and its pernicious justifications.

Django‘s story is simple — Dr. King Schultz, an itinerant German dentist and bounty hunter, frees slave Django, who helps him track down and kill wanted criminals in return for help finding his wife Brunhilde, so named by previous owners. It turns out that Brunhilde is being kept at the plantation of Calvin Candie, whose right-hand man Stephen is wary of Schultz and Django’s cover story as slave dealers.

As usual, Tarantino has an excellent cast to work with, including Golden Globe winner Christoph Waltz as Dr. Schultz, Jamie Foxx as Django, and Kerry Washington as Broomhilda. Waltz was also in Tarantino’s similar World War II vengeance fantasy Inglorious Basterds. Calvin Candie is played to slimy perfection by Inception‘s Leonardo DiCaprio, and Samuel L. Jackson shows how some people internalize oppression as the nasty Stephen.

Django Unchained‘s supporting actors are no less familiar, including almost unrecognizable appearances by Don Johnson, Franco Nero (the original Django), Tom Wopat, Russ and Amber Tamblyn, Bruce Dern, Johah Hill, and Zoe Bell. The director himself makes a cameo.

The cinematography and eclectic soundtrack show Taratino’s many influences, from classic and spaghetti westerns, to 1970s Blaxploitation, to postmodern westerns such as Unforgiven. The bloody battles and slayings have their roots in The Wild Bunch, and the scary hillbillies could have been in Deliverance or Pulp Fiction. Scenes mocking a lynch mob reminded me of Blazing Saddles and O Brother, Where Art Thou? (incidentally, two of my favorite movies).

Overall, I’d give Django Unchained, which is rated R for graphic violence, a B+, eight out of 10 stars, or three and a half out of five stars. It’s not for everyone, but those who like Tarantino’s oeuvre will find the movie satisfying. It did make me want to dust off RPGs Boot Hill or Sidewinder.

Gene’s favorite movies of 2012

Although I saw slightly fewer movies in 2012 than I had in previous years, I was predisposed to liking those I went to the theater to screen. Here are my top genre films of the past year, with honorable mentions (I couldn’t get up to a top 10 list).

6. Skyfall. James Bond made a triumphant return, melding modern grit and parkour with many small homages to 50 years of films. Skyfall also served as a “soft reboot,” restoring a status quo familiar to fans of the superspy. I haven’t yet seen female-led actioners Haywire or Underworld [4]: Awakening.

5. Looper. I was initially wary of this time-travel tale, but the world-building and seasoned actors won me over. To be fair, I didn’t see Men In Black III, which used a similar plot device for comedic effect, or the remake of mind-bender Total Recall. Dredd and Iron Sky were other speculative fiction flicks I missed.

4. ParaNorman. This heartfelt gothic Halloween story ended up being my favorite animated picture of the year, edging out Studio Ghibli’s Borrowers adaptation The Secret World of Arrietty, the funny The Pirates! A Band of Misfits, Disney’s beautiful Brave, and the syncretic Rise of the Guardians. I haven’t seen Hotel Transylvania, Frankenweenie, and Wreck-It Ralph, but I’m sure I’ll catch them eventually thanks to nieces and nephews.

3. John Carter. Several mainstream media critics have put this planetary romance on their “worst of 2012” lists, but I enjoyed the film, which combined the precursor to much space opera with modern visual effects and pacing. It was also less pretentious than Avatar or Prometheus. Speaking of retro sensibilities, I haven’t yet seen likely Oscar contenders Argo, Lincoln, or Django Unchained.

2. The Avengers. After years of buildup, Joss Whedon’s superhero teamup flick turned out to be perfect popcorn escapism. I preferred it to the dour Dark Knight Rises, which was well-done but less fun. I preferred the gonzo first Ghost Rider to its wan sequel Spirit of Vengeance. The Amazing Spider-Man was a decent comic book reboot, but the strong cast wasn’t enough to overcome the feelings of déjà vu.

1. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Peter Jackson’s fantasy prequel has garnered much criticism for stretching out J.R.R. Tolkien’s slender novel, but it was still satisfying to return to Middle Earth. The first part of another trilogy may not equal Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, but it was better than Snow White and the Huntsman or Mirror, Mirror. I’ve heard mixed reviews for the mythic Wrath of the Titans.

Boston-area moviegoers — At the movies in Boston

In 2013, I’m most looking forward to continued revival Star Trek: Into Darkness, kaiju vs. giant robots in Pacific Rim, a new Superman in Man of Steel, and The Hobbit: the Desolation of Smaug.

I don’t yet know whether fantasy flicks Jack the Giant Slayer or Oz: the Great and Powerful, the postapocalyptic After Earth or Elysium, or the superheroic sequels Iron Man 3, The Wolverine, or Thor 2 will be worth the hype. So much to see, so little time!

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey review

On Saturday, 15 December 2012, Janice and I met Beruk A., Thomas K.Y. & Kai-Yin H., Ken G., Josh C. & Sara F., and Robin H. at the AMC Loews Boston Common to see The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. We all enjoyed Peter Jackson’s latest adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic fantasy novels.

Boston showing of The Hobbit — The gang for An Unexpected Journey

I’ll try to avoid plot/script “spoilers,” but if you haven’t yet read the original book, do so! An Unexpected Journey follows eponymous Hobbit Bilbo Baggins as he evolves from a retiring country gentleman in the Shire to become an adventurer alongside 12 Dwarves and the wizard Gandalf. On the way to the Lonely Mountain, they encounter warg-riding Goblins, Elves, Trolls, and more, all harkening back to the Norse tales that Tolkien studied and loved.

Director Jackson and company fold in plot threads from the appendices of The Lord of the Rings, expanding many scenes and characters. Since Jackson filmed more than four hours’ worth of footage for each installment of the previous trilogy, it should come as no surprise that he expanded on The Hobbit. I have fond memories of a marathon screening of the first trilogy’s extended editions in New York City with cast members present, so I am perhaps the target audience.

Dinner for 14 — That’s what Bilbo Baggins hates!

The tone of the prequel is close to that of “LotR,” but with a bit more humor, as in the book, and slightly less violence — but maybe still too much for young children. I was pleased to hear much of Tolkien’s language in An Unexpected Journey, including a few songs and poems (some of us still remember the Rankin-Bass animated attempt). As a longtime Tolkien fan, this helped balance out the newer additions to the story.

One of the strongest components of An Unexpected Journey was the cast. It was nice to see familiar faces again, including Ian Holm as the older Bilbo and Elijah Wood as young Frodo in a framing scene. Of course, it’s now difficult to imagine mischievous Gandalf without picturing Ian McKellen, and Hugo Weaving and Cate Blanchett are back as regal Elves Elrond and Galadriel, respectively.

Fans of British genre television and movies should recognize many of the actors, at least by name. Martin Freeman is ever the befuddled Englishman, whether it’s in The Office, Shaun of the Dead, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Sherlock, and now as young Bilbo in The Hobbit. But as Gandalf notes, he’s more clever, hardy, and ethical than meets the eye.

Martin Freeman as young Bilbo Baggins — Bilbo Baggins, the bravest little Hobbit of them all

Even with a three-hour runtime, we get to know only a few of the Dwarves in The Hobbit, but Robin Hood‘s Richard Armitage stands out as honorable Thorin Oakenshield, and Being Human‘s hunky Aidan Turner as young Dwarf Kili might be a rival for the affections of fans of Orlando Bloom’s Legolas. Jekyll‘s James Nesbitt has some sympathetic moments as Bofur, and Ken Stott is sagacious as older Dwarf Balin.

Dozen Dwarves — Far over the Misty Mountains cold….

Doctor Who‘s Sylvester McCoy is the twitter-pated (literally) wizard Radagast the Brown. Those playing the villains are just as experienced. Andy Serkis, now also second-unit director for The Hobbit, is a delight as the nasty Gollum. Comedian Barry Humphries, best known as Dame Edna, is unrecognizable as the Great Goblin, while Spartacus‘ Manu Bennet is fearsome as Orc leader Azog.

It was also nice to see familiar Middle Earth locations, such as Bilbo’s comfy estate of Bag End in Hobbiton and Elrond’s Last Homely House in Rivendell. Jackson also shows us Dwarf cities in their full glory and violent decline, a Goblin town beneath the Misty Mountains, and the depths of Mirkwood. All of the architecture, costumes, and props are again excellent.

Many critics have taken issue with the movie’s length and editing, and I agree that they could have been tighter. Still, trimming a few sequences of Bilbo and company hiking or computer-enhanced battle scenes wouldn’t make An Unexpected Journey much shorter, and I’m glad that so many character moments and scenes from the book made it into the film. The flow of the story from scene to scene could have been smoother — reminding me of both tabletop and computer role-playing games — and I hope it will improve in later chapters of this new trilogy.

Unlike practical visual effects and makeup, the storm giants and the aforementioned Azog and Goblin king do look computer-generated, unlike the expressive but still realistic Gollum or Trolls. I think that comparisons to Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, even if they’re accurate, reflect “nerd rage” more than a fair critique. I didn’t see the movie in 3-D, IMAX, or high frame rate formats, so I’ll leave that to other reviewers to describe. Howard Shore’s latest soundtrack was also good, and it alluded to the soaring themes of Lord of the Rings.

Overall, I’d give The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, which is rated PG-13 for violence, an 8 out of 10, four out of five stars, or a B+/A-. For me, that’s about on par with The Two Towers, if not as satisfying as The Fellowship of the Ring or Return of the King. Compared with most other fantasy films, I’d still recommend the The Hobbit and remind moviegoers that it has been a generation since we’ve had so many to choose from.

Most of the trailers we saw before The Hobbit were for science fiction flicks rather than fantasies. Both Tom Cruise’s Oblivion and Will Smith’s After Earth post-apocalyptic visions had cool hardware but seemingly predictable plots. Romantic zombie comedy (when did you think you’d see those together?) Warm Bodies looked mildly amusing.

I’m most looking forward to kaiju vs. giant robots in Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim and to Star Trek: Into Darkness, even if I have reservations about how the latter again relies on a villain-driven story involving mass destruction and threats to the starship Enterprise. Man of Steel looked rather dark for a Superman film. Still, genre film fans have a lot to look forward to in 2013!

After the movie, we went to the Rock Bottom Brewery for a late lunch. On Sunday, Janice and I attended “A Celtic Christmas Sojourn” at the Cutler Majestic Theatre in Boston. I hope that all your holidays are happy!