Monday Musings - December 7, 2015

1. It is Pearl Harbor Day.

2. I listened to the President last evening, I was encouraged when he said that "freedom overcomes fear."

3. The news media is over-hyping the mood in the country, I do not think that Americans are afraid in their homes.

4. I watched NFL referees get it wrong a number of times yesterday. An every Sunday occurrence. Their incompetence probably cost the Ravens the football game.

5. I saw the wine glass at the right in a store over the weekend. I feel that way. But then, who doesn't?

6. December seems to be flying by.

7. Is there anything that a glass of wine doesn't improve?

8. The dark days are upon us! I'm looking forward to April. I went outside yesterday and hit 50 golf balls into my net, just because.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Christmas Letter

I read a touching article about a Christmas letter the other day. 

The article, on ABC News, was titled, Man Finds Little Brother's Note to Santa 50 Years After His Death. 

The synopsis is that Paul, the 9-year old little brother of Ray, wrote a letter to Santa during the 1966 Christmas season. Paul died during February 1967. The letter was placed in an encyclopedia and not discovered again until this year by Ray.  

I read the article and was touched by the simplicity of the letter. 

The note reads: My Santa List

A Subbuteo Game

England v Argentina only

A torch

and some buses

and cars

thats all

Santa

I believe that the notes to Santa today are such more complex and detailed. Just to remind everyone, a torch is a flashlight. Life was simpler in 1966.

Maybe we needed to be reminded about simple things. True joy does not come from things--it comes from within.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Midnight Madness in Ellicott City

Ellicott City Midnight Madness 2015

How do I know the Christmas season has really arrived? Midnight Madness in Ellicott City, that is how I know. 

Last evening Chris, Patrick, Tina, and I headed down to the city to experience this annual event. The weather was awesome and we arrived early enough to obtain some prime on-street parking. We noted as we were leaving, after 11 PM, that some people were parking over a mile away! We parked in the middle of everything.

Ellicott City Midnight Madness 2015

The shops are all open and the throngs of people move en masse from shop to shop. There are goodies, too. We have gone almost every year, in recent memory, but this year at least two places were providing wine. But cookies and cider were everywhere. I admit, there is something pleasant about shopping with a glass of wine in your hand. It makes it all seem a little bit better.

As most people know, I am not a big fan of shopping, but a glass of wine or champagne really makes it more palatable. It was hard last evening, however, because it got a bit too cold outside, but the stores were a bit too crowded and hot to hang around inside them for long.

I guess I failed at midnight madness shopping since we left shortly after 11 PM instead of after midnight.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

170,000 miles

As I got into my truck yesterday morning to head off and play racquetball, my eye caught the odometer.

It read 170,000 miles!

I was shocked. How did my truck get that many miles on it?

2000 GMC Sonoma
Showing a bit of wear

I admit, I have put only about 62,000 of those miles on the truck. I bought it used to replace my stolen truck. I can't even remember what year it was when I bought the truck.

It has ben a good truck and has been borrowed by many of my family and friends.

I think every family needs a truck!  I know ours does.

I wonder when I should consider another one?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

My Take: Media Double Standard

I have been amazed at the media derived double standard that is apparently employed in covering the current political races in our country.

One particular candidate receives more coverage for making wildly outlandish statements and then gets even more coverage as the media debunks the statements. The media continues to cover these statements at the expense of serious candidates who have real plans.

Consider the statement that "terrorist's families should be targets." What rational person makes statements like that? Or that millions were cheering when the Twin Towers were attacked? Or that Muslims should register! Really? Let's give them a red crescent to wear as well while we are at it.

The more I hear these statements and notice that the national media has not relegated the person making them to crackpot status, the more concerned I become about our country.

There are disturbing historical similarities to another people and another time.

The following is scary: “When Mexico sends its people … they are bringing drugs and they are bringing crime and their rapists.”

This statement represents a mass stereotype made without any concern for facts or reality.

My Take: This is not the person we want to lead the most powerful military on the planet. 

Just saying!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Old Guy Down

I had a scary experience while leaving work yesterday afternoon in the rain. Crossing one of the streets, the crosswalk ends with a slight incline that I know is slippery even when dry. Yesterday in the rain, it was even more slippery.

Elbow Damage from Fall

Even though I was being careful, I slipped and fell landing on my left hand, left elbow, and left hip. It is amazing how quickly it happened and how the actual event occurred is slow motion.

Ouch!

Another person came over and immediately asked if I was OK. I got up and said that I was fine, even though my hand, elbow and hip were banged up. I was surprised how much the pavement hurt my hand even though there was no obvious damage.

My pride was hurt the most.

The voice in my head was screaming, "Old guy down in the parking lot!"

Fortunately, I am mostly OK. I skinned my elbow, but I played racquetball last evening and don't seem to have any lingering pains this morning except for the usual ones I wake to every day.

Note to self--be MORE careful! Actually I think I slipped because I was being careful.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

December Arrives

It is with some trepidation that I acknowledge the arrival of December. 

2015 has entered the final act of the 12 month performance. The cold weather has effectively arrived across the country and the darkness is creeping and becoming more prevalent.

I struggle against the darkness. Today will have 10 hours and 36 minutes of daylight filtered by the clouds. It will be gray and gloomy, but thankfully no snow here.

Yes, it is the Christmas season and the bright colored lights do fight against the darkness in the same way that I do.

And by the end of the month we will have turned the corner on the darkness and will just have to make it through the frigid weather.

Warm weather is coming, I only wish that I had a Caribbean vacation planned for late-January or February.

158 days, approximately, until pool opening day!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - November 30, 2015

1. It is the last day of November. December begins tomorrow. 2016 is one short month away!

Axis and Allies in Progress

2. The annual family Axis and Allies tournament was a huge success. I wish that we could have changed history and that the Axis powers had won since I was playing Italy and Germany--but, it was not to be.

3. I have been enjoying my four day weekend. Why can't every weekend be four days long?

4. The NFL must work on its product--the referees are killing the game.

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie Dessert

5. It is weird that Thanksgiving is over. It was a feast and I still remember it. I am going to pay heavily for my eating this morning on the racquetball court.


6. While shopping last week, we discovered hummus from Ithaca for sale in our local Wegman's. Turns out it is really made in Groton, but it carries Ithaca on its label.

7. Is anyone seriously supporting Donald Trump? He is an uninformed, opinionated, thug. I do not like the personal attacks he makes on people.

8. Why do cats like to eat the tinsel off Christmas trees?

9. I remember that when I was a kid, December was the longest month of the year.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Decorating Day--Done!

Christmas 2015 Decoration

It is mostly complete. A day long event dedicated to transforming the house from Thanksgiving into Christmas.

It took most all of the day. Two Christmas trees were erected, decorated, and even redecorated. We did have remove the icicles because the cats thought they were candy--and that is a bad thing.

Snow Village Wonderland Under Construction

During the day, Chris and I listened to Christmas music, watched a campy Santa Claus movie and consumed a bottle of wine. We kept the pace slow and the mess, associated with redecorating

Mountain Snow Village
Nearing Completion

As we were preparing to do dinner and nestle down together for the evening,  we got a call from Patrick and Tina to come visit with them and lend assistance in creating their Snow Village wonderland. That was a lot of fun. They were in the middle of a mountain scene that took an incredible amount of planning and construction. That, and it also has a voice activated computer controlled light system. Pretty cool!

It was a full decorating day! The Christmas season is in full swing and the best part was, with the exception of running out to a pharmacy to pick up a prescription, I didn't grace a store or shopping mall. A nearly perfect day.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Most Wonderful Time?

Outdoor Decorations are Installed

I'm sitting here listening to Andy Williams sing about "the most wonderful time of the year" as the season of the turkey gives way to four weeks of 24/7 Christmas.

It can be stifling. 

I do admit, the weather outside is fantastic and the sunrise is stunning. I'd rather be golfing, but today is decorating day. The transformation of our home into a winter wonderland. The word I use for it is, Christmasfication. 

It can be stressful, if I let it get that way.

There are 10 boxes, or more, of decorations in the attic waiting to be hauled down and installed. It is a process.

And the lists and the shopping? We have already begun the shopping process--which is a good thing. Unfortunately, no matter how early shopping begins it never seems to end. And then there are the returns.

It is still November! I cannot believe how quickly 2015 is drawing to a close.

Brace yourselves--the New Year is in sight!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD