When the Evening Begins

The day is over and Chris is on her way back from the bus station. The wine


is poured and we are ready to catch up after a weekend apart.

Let's rock.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

End of the Season--Start of the Season

Yesterday was the last of the eight game youth basketball season. Ethan's team showed incredible improvement during the season and it was fun to watch them learn the game and grow as players.

I admit, at times it was really humorous (or frustrating) to watch the kids learning the game and doing some really funny things--like guarding their man while the ball is rolling free behind them.

But that is how we learn, isn't it?

Sometimes I could hear the frustration in the parents voices as children failed to put together seemingly simple concepts of the game--but the difference in experience was decades versus weeks.

In a few years (all too short years) some of these kids will be stars on their high school basketball squads--after they have gained experience, grown, and learned skills.

We aren't born with all of the knowledge and skills we need to do everything in life. Living is a day-by-day process of learning and acquiring skills to be successful.

OK--so basketball is over, now on to another new sport, lacrosse. Somehow I feel like Ethan will look a bit like an armadillo in his gear as he learns a whole new set of skills. At least I can take Makayla with me to the games.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Traffic Gripes, Part 2

I received a couple of additions in a comment on my Traffic Gripes blog from the other day and wanted to share them:

People who speed up as you turn left in front of them or as you are passing them on the highway.

And then the combo, people you nicely allow onto the highway by moving into the left lane but then who speed up so you can't get back into the right lane.

I also want to add---

Road hogs. People who drive in the right lane of a local four lane road precluding people from entering the road from the intersecting side streets.

Toll booth crazies. If you live in an area where there are no toll booths, you won't see this, but I just fear for the undecided or impatient driver who changes toll booth lanes without looking.

Bumper rider. I know they are impatient, and I would get out of the lane if I could, but positioning their car like a NAASCAR driver drafting the leader doesn't help the situation.

Road rabbit. Speeding and lane changing at high rates of speed scaring everyone else on the road but somehow escaping unscathed.

I look forward any others that may be out there.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Litter, garbage, and respect

The other day, I saw a person throw a cup out their car window into a parking lot. I really could not believe that they felt that the world was their waste basket. What kind of people have so little respect for the environment and other people that they throw their garbage out of the car window?

Was it an accident? Did the cup accidentally fall out of the car? I think not. As it was cold outside, they had to roll the window down before ejecting the offending cup from the car.

And since then, I've witnessed at least three cigarette butts being tossed out of vehicles. Except at night, I had never noticed that before. What is the mindset of people who toss garbage out of moving vehicles and into traffic?

Why do we as a society have so little respect for things and places that are not ours. For instance the movie theater--people leave their garbage at their seats. And I saw the local flea market lot on Saturday after the market closed--garbage strewn everywhere.

Have we become a society where we believe that we are the only ones who matter? Do we no longer respect ourselves or others?

If we do not care for the shared spaces, soon we will be sharing them with rats. Rats love garbage.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Looking for Glory, Finding the Cross

I had some time last evening as I was driving home to hit the play button on my phone and listen to some music I hadn't listened to some of the music in a long time.

I guess it had been almost four years--right when the miracle baby Jackson came into the world to amaze me with God's grace and showed me that we needed to make changes in our lives and worship. And we did something incredibly hard by severing ties with our church and our friends in search of grace and truth.

And I started listening to the Rich Mullins song that started playing. It is off the 1998 The Jesus Record which was done after his untimely death. The song is All the Way to Kingdom Come

The chorus really hit me as I was driving. It was Ash Wednesday, after all.

We didn't know what love was 'til he came
And He gave love a face and He gave love a name
And He gave love away like the sky gives the rain and sun
We were looking for heroes, He came looking for the lost
We were searching for glory, and He showed us a cross
Now we know what love is 'cause He loves us
All the way to kingdom come

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/r/rich_mullins/#share

And I realized that sometimes I spend too much time looking for heroes (or trying to be a hero) and searching for glory when the only thing I need to be doing is searching for Jesus and getting closer to him.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Traffic Gripes

Turning wide--drivers who cannot make a simple right hand turn into the closest lane are either lazy or need to have their licenses revoked. There is no reason to wait at the end of a street until both lanes of traffic are clear before turning right into the clear outside lane.

Not signaling--still one of my pet peeves. I spend a lot of time when driving trying to discern whether a driver is intending to change lanes because the lack of turn signal etiquette is so rampant.

Not allowing the "on" ramp room to enter--I love being stuck on the on-ramp, running our of road real estate attempting to merge. Everyone else on the road had to merge at some point. Why can't they provide a window of access for others?

Talking on the phone--Head down, gabbing and not paying attention. Dangerous and scary a lot of the time.

Frosted windows--on those cold mornings, it is really scary to see the number of vehicles impaired by lack of vision. They have become an accident looking for a place to happen. Scrape the ice!

I wonder if we become too complacent the longer we drive and begin to forget the things that make us safe drivers?

Time to do a driving inventory.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

A Stallion among the Nags

It apeared suddenly in my rearview mirror the other day. A red-orange, very low to the ground car speeding towards me in the outside lane.

I knew it was Italian. And fast.



It was a Lamborghini.

Not ever really thinking that I would see one on the highway, I really don't know which model or even year.

The driver slowed as the car passed me so that I could get a good look at the beauty in the lane next to me.

And drool.

The whine of its engine was inspiring as it began to accelerate.

I watched it speed off into the distance, effortlessly, probably at speeds easily topping 100 mpg on a road that police patrol very heavily. I felt the driver knew the road and where the county police routinely place their speed traps.

I was dreaming of power and horses and then I realized that as that car made its way past the other cars on the road, it was much like the thoroughbred stallion running in the pasture with a bunch of nags.

And I saw it turn onto the ramp to go out to play with the cars and trucks on I-95. I'm sure that many other people derived some pleasure from being on the same highway with such a fine piece of machinery as I had.

It was just fun to watch.

And dream.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - February 20, 2012

1. Happy President's Day. Enjoy the continued drama of the election process.


2. I ran across two British Shows this weekend, Sherlock and Downton Abby. Good drama. Too bad US producers can't do shows like these anymore.

3. Why does my dog whine? All of the time it seems.

4. I have discovered a store that I actually look forward to shopping in--Corridor Wine Store. It joins Lowe's and Home Depot as my favorite stores.

5. I saw daffodils blooming during our walk on Saturday.

6. I highly recommend the article in Time magazine this week about North Korea's new ruler Kim Jong Un.

7. I've been watching the presidential sweepstakes--I am still hoping our next president isn't in the race yet.

8. We were watching the weather closely this weekend and we missed by a big storm. That is good news again. I hate shoveling snow.

9. Writing of the weather, I am looking forward to the last morning where the temperatures are below freezing. It should happen soon. The average low for March is 34 and March 13th is where the average low progresses up to 33 degrees!

10. Lacrosse--pads, sticks, helmets, and gloves. Another sign that spring is upon us.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Springtime At Last--Return of the Birds

You probably looked at the calendar and are preparing to respond that it is February and therefore still winter. Ah, but the calendar lies.

Baseball season has begun as pitchers and catchers have arrived for "spring" training. Therefore, despite the confusion with the calendar, it is officially spring.



Bring on the flowers, I saw daffodils in bloom yesterday, and cue the warmer temperatures.

The boys of summer are preparing to return to baseball diamonds around the country and bring the joy of baseball back into our hearts.

OK--so I do have a bit of an issue with ESPN rating the Orioles as the 30th best team in MLB. Even below the Astros. For those of you who don't fully get it, there are only 30 teams in MLB.

Nothing like being at the very bottom of the bottom five. At least the opportunity for success has the bar set low. Too low!

So despite the pundits, I have my hat with the new logo, I have my tickets to two spring training games in Sarasota, my tickets for opening day, and my partial season ticket plan.

Who wants to argue about whether it is spring?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

A Week Ago

I was in Fulshear, Texas, attending a wedding and enjoying time with my extended family.



It is amazing to think about how much things can change in a week.

We all looked so good together, ready to celebrate. Maybe I look a little stiff. I do so hate to have my picture taken. But at least I am standing with two beautiful women and two stunningly handsome boys.



In reflecting on the wedding, I have to admit the groom's cake was one of the most creative that I have ever seen. It looked like a cigar box. But it was edible.

And all of this was just a week ago. I wonder about next week.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD