Brown, why does it have to be Brown?

Brown Fields in Central Pennsylvania
February 18, 2017

I am tired of winter's brown garb. It is boring. Brown is everywhere and I keep trying to imagine green fields.

But the brown is ubiquitous.

I believe that spring is close. The temperatures are rising. I have dusted off my golf clubs and hit a bucket into my new net yesterday.

The groundhog was apparently wrong. Thankfully. We might escape winter's grasp without and more major weather events.

I can dream.

The green is coming. And I will soon be on the greens.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Presidents' Day Weekend

It is time to celebrate the men (so far, yes, they are all men) who have served our country by being elected President!

Portrait of George Washington in the White House

So is it President's Day, celebrating only George Washington, or is it Presidents' Day celebrating all of them?

Turns out that depending upon the state, both may be correct.

Of course, two of the greatest have birthdays during this time of year--Washington and Lincoln. But of the now 45 Presidents, which one or ones are your favorites and why? Did you ever wonder?

Ronald and Nancy Reagan
Reagan Presidential Library and Museum

Some interesting facts about the Presidents can be found at the website containing Fun Facts about the Presidents. 

Presidential Facts:



Four presidents were born during February including George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, William Harrison and Ronald Reagan.

I cannot find any portrait of George Washington smiling. He is always so serious.

Calvin Coolidge was the only President born on the 4th of July. 

Three Presidents have died on the 4th of July: Adams, Jefferson, and Monroe. Adams and Jefferson both died in 1826 while Monroe lived until 1831. 

Truly great Presidents give us words of wisdom to live by. George Washington set the tone with his Farewell Address, which to this day is read on his birthday in the Senate. 

Ronald Reagan made the following observation:

"We live in perilous times, my fellow Americans, but also times of great hope and opportunity. The future is up to us."

Radio Address to the Nation on Drug Abuse and Aid to the Nicaraguan Democratic Resistance, February 6, 1988

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Late for Summer

Here I am, in the deep mid-winter, just past Ground Hog Day, and I found out that I am already behind in planning my summer vacation! Ugh!

Some people I know are already planning 2018! I guess they are true planners. Ready for almost anything. I don't even have a date set to open my pool this year and they are planning a vacation for next year.

I have trouble getting excited about vacation planning in the middle of the winter. I have planned a Spring-break get away, but the thought of trying to find a warm sandy beach with palm trees somewhere in the Caribbean was almost paralyzing. 

Some Beach, Somewhere

As I got into the process I was appalled by the costs! The price of escapism is truly rising at an astronomic rate.

Ideally, I would find a quiet Caribbean island somewhere and stay there for three weeks. Not gonna happen. So then a land/sea vacation was considered. Probably, that is the final solution. Some time on the water sitting on the balcony outside my stateroom on some cruise ship and then a week or more on a sunny (Florida) beach. 

So much for a Caribbean get away. But a get away is still a distinct possibility.

Here's hoping for a frozen drink in my hand under a palm tree on a sunny and warm beach somewhere. Soon!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

After the Valentine, Eat the Strawberries!

Valentine's Day Happy Hour

It was another year with a different twist for Valentine's Day. I had a racquetball match after work and didn't get home until later, but Chris took care of the preparations and we had a marvelous Happy Hour followed by a great surf (salmon) and turf (steak) dinner at home.

Chris and I have become fans of Valentine's Dinner at home. 

The Happy Hour was especially nice because of the fresh chocolate covered strawberries that I had delivered for Chris along with some roses. The strawberries were, and still are, fantastic.

The Happy Hour wine was an Americana Vineyards Riesling and the dinner wine was a 2006 Lindaflor Malbec from Argentina. While the wine notes indicate that the wine can be cellared for 20+ years, I think 11 was enough. It was the kind of wine that would make a dinner out in a restaurant cost as much as a car payment. 

It is fun to cook a special diner and then to enjoy it at home without the crush of trying to eat out with all of the other revelers. 

Truth-be-told, we actually enjoyed our Valentine's dinner out on Monday night in a nearly empty restaurant with friends. Call it the Valentine's Eve celebration!

I hope you enjoyed your own special Valentine's celebration wherever or whatever it was.

And we still have strawberries!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Who Said That?

Trying to quote famous people can become difficult especially when the words being quoted were never uttered by the person to which they are being credited.

It has happened twice in recent memory, most recently to the Republican National Committee when trying to quote Lincoln on his birthday. The New York Times reports that Republicans Tweet, Then Delete, a Fake Lincoln Quote. I actually found an image online with their particular quote written across an image of Lincoln, so it is an easy trap to fall into.

Previously there was a quote about the liberal democrats that was erroneously attributed to Patton. 

It is important to check sources when making attribution. It is easy to say, "Oh yea, (insert famous person here) definitely said that" because it sounds like something we wish they would have said. 

I think we are beginning to understand the pervasiveness of fake news in our society. It has always been there, it is just now being uncovered for what it really is--an attempt to deceive the masses. Just because something is written or on the internet does not make it true.  

Ronald Reagan kept notecards in his office with quotes by famous people on them. He used them as sources for his speeches and in dealing with the trials of daily life. 

In the book published with the quotes he kept on his notecards, there are many quotes that Reagan attributed to Lincoln, one of them is: "A man may be loyal to his government and still opposed to the particular principles and practices of the administration in power."

I think this is an especially important thought in these trying times.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - February 13, 2017

Spring Flowers Peaking up

1. Unbelievably, it is the second Monday of February 2017. It is already 44 days into the new year! I guess it isn't so new anymore.

2. Why does the new administration in Washington seem to enjoy watching everything play out on the news media. Wouldn't it be nice to have a quiet news day?

Louis on the Dining Room Table

3. Two dogs were talking one day about their poop. One dog says to the other, "our poop must be really valuable, my owner keeps picking it up and putting it into little bags."

4. Spring flowers are poking up through the ground in my garden. The sprigs of green are reassuring. Spring is coming.

5. Sometimes I think that cats just want to take over the world. Like Louis sitting on the dining room table the other evening. 

6. Support for First Amendment rights is growing among high school students according to an article published in the New York Times. 

7. It was a great weekend without NFL football. I guess I am getting over my Super Bowl hang-over.

Headlines

8. Turmoil at the National Security Council, From the Top Down - New York Times

9. Domino's shares fall on wage fraud allegations - Sydney Morning Herald

10. North Korea missile test prompts UN Security Council meeting today - CBC News

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Best Way to Shop

Saturday, almost by definition due to our work schedule, is a shopping day. 

Lucas Enjoying Furniture Shopping

Yesterday was no different except that we had a grandson with us, Lucas. And it was a different kind of shopping as we were looking for furniture. Lucas was a trooper. We visited a couple of furniture stores and also stopped into the largest Lowe's in the region to look for carpets.

Lucas on the Shag

Lucas enjoyed looking at the furniture--we were specifically looking for chairs to make changes in the living room. Turns out, we opted to change the carpet for about a third of the price. 

Lucas was priceless. We found a wide variety of chairs and I noticed that the 60's are returning to the styles being offered, like the shaggy lounge Lucas is enjoying with a bag of popcorn. 

It was a fun portion of the day and because he was such a trooper, we treated him to Chick-fil-A for lunch.

Later during the day, we actually found a carpet for the room and just kept our chairs.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Dawn through the Windshield

Day Breaks February 10, 2017

Yesterday morning as I made my way to work, the scene of the breaking dawn outside my windshield was spectacular.

I am a dawn person. I love sitting on a beach watching the sunrise over the ocean. When on a long trip that begins during the wee hours of the morning, I love being behind the wheel as dawn breaks across the the landscape and the darkness gives way to the light.

Yesterday was no exception. I had just finished playing a disappointing match of racquetball at the club and was on my way to work when the sight of the breaking dawn met my eyes. It was fabulous. The reflection of the red colors from the still-below-the-horizon sun off the clouds was stunning. I just had to record the moment and I did. I was able to snap a quick image to help etch the scene in my mind. The headlights of the oncoming cars can be see stretched out as if running from the breaking light. 

Sadly, there is a streak on my windshield that mars the image--but it was a spur of the moment shot.

And now, that day has passed and another dawn has arrived.

But, I have the memory and the image to help me remember.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

A Separate Judiciary

The United States is blessed with a separate judiciary which can control the rash and sometimes unfathomable actions, when compared to the Constitution, of the other branches of the government. 

According to Washington Post reporting, Federal appeals court maintains suspension of Trump’s immigration order. Depending upon your personal point of view, that is a victory or a defeat. But whether victory or defeat, that is not the real and most important issue.

Here's the important part, every decision made by the Congress or the President is subject to review for Constitutionality if questions arise. 

Just because the President signs an Executive Order or Congress passes legislation is not the end of the story. There is the provision for review and reversal or placing a policy on hold until a more complete and informed decision can be made.

That is the beauty and resilience of our government. One party or one man cannot implement ill-advised or even illegal laws.

Congrats 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals--you have provided renewed confidence in the value of a separate judiciary.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Moon, Eclipse, Comet

Friday could be a big night!

There will be a full moon, a partial lunar eclipse AND the possibility of seeing a pale green comet all in one night. And that is Friday.

Check out the article form the Washington Post which describes the astronomic events which may soon occur. 

Where to find the comet

The mid-eclipse is about 7:44 PM EST. It is not a total eclipse. 

But wait, there's more!

From the Washington Post article:

Comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusáková (don’t ask us how to pronounce all those names) makes its closest approach to Earth at 10:30 p.m. Eastern. The greenish comet will be visible by telescope and binoculars, but not to the naked eye.

We need to hope for clear skies!!!!

It could be a wild evening. If these were ancient times all of the signs in the sky would foretell something significant to happen. But, we educated people know that this is not how things work.

I'm pretty sure.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD