MEL DEV VIOLATION OF FARS.

Narrative

AS CAPT OF ACFT; ON STARTING AND DURING NORMAL CHKLIST; I NOTICED #1 AC GENERATOR ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT ON. I HAD IN MY MIND THAT WE COULD DEPART WITH NO PROB; EVEN LOOKED UP IN THE MEL. WRONG ITEM ON THE MEL. WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT WAS THE LIGHT ITSELF; NOT THE GENERATOR BEING INOP. THE MOC GAVE US A NUMBER FOR THE DEFERRAL AND OFF WE WENT. AC GENERATOR INOP IS A NO-GO ITEM. ON THE BETTER SIDE; WX HAD IMPROVED; SO WE WERE ONLY IFR A VERY SHORT TIME ON THE CLBOUT. EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS WERE: MERGER PROBS 8 MONTHS PRIOR. A LOT OF MECHANICAL WRITE-UP BY OTHER CREW; UNFOUNDED. LOTS OF TIME OUT ON THE ROAD -- NOT LIKING IT. ALWAYS SCHEDULING PROBS -- ADDED 4 DAYS TO BID SCHEDULE. BOTH SIDES OF ELDERLY FAMILY IN VERY POOR HEALTH. TRYING TO DO MY BEST TO KEEP THINGS RUNNING -- MY NATURE. ON THAT DAY; FLT WAS DELAYED DUE TO WX/ATC FLOW CTL FOR MORE THAN AN HR. AS I LOOK BACK I HAD THE 'GO' SYNDROME. WHAT WAS IN THE MEL AND WHAT I WANTED TO SEE WERE 2 DIFFERENT THINGS. IT DIDN'T REGISTER THAT WAY UNTIL THE NEXT MORNING JUST AFTER I GOT UP FOR A FLT. YOU KNOW THE FEELING; WHEN YOU KNOW YOU HAVE DOME SOMETHING VERY WRONG. WE HAD A PHONE PATCH THROUGH BWI; THE RECEPTION WAS BROKEN UP TO THE POINT I HEARD ONLY ABOUT 2/3 OF WHAT THE MOC WAS SAYING. I AM SURE THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN OFF IF THE COMS WERE CLR. I AM NOT SURE IF THE MOC UNDERSTOOD THE MEL AS HE SHOULD; OR MAYBE I PERSUADED HIM TO THINK AS I WAS. THE NEXT TIME IF COM IS NOT CLR; I SHALL RETURN TO THE GATE AND NOT BE IN SUCH A HURRY. JUST ANOTHER GRAVE LESSON -- WELL LEARNED.