First Saturday

Believe it or not, the first Saturday of 2013 has arrived and after the frenzy of the holiday season I would say it is a welcomed arrival except that this day and this weekend promise to be as busy and harried as the season just completed.

The phrase that comes to mind is kick the tires and light the fires!

The last remnants of the holidays will likely be purged from the house--two Christmas trees need to be deconstructed and stored until later this year when they can reappear to assist in celebrating the demise of 2013. And then all of the remaining decorations need to be packed away and the house returned to its eleven-months-of-the-year condition.

Putting the period on the end of the seasonal decorations is somewhat sad. It causes me to reflect on how long we anticipate the season and then it seems to rocket by and we are thrust back into the routine of life. Anticipation gives way to celebration and then into a New Year and reestablishing the routine again.

Is it possible to change the routine?

I think my feeble attempt to encourage growth and change from the season is in my resolutions. I set one for myself and that was to be more sensitive of the blessings in my life--every day. Specifically, I resolved to recount at least three blessings in my life before I went to sleep at the end of every day. People who know me realize that I tend to group things into threes--hence, three blessings to find and consider.

Now four days complete into the New Year, I can report that I am running at an about 50 percent success rate. I am too tired some nights to remember anything before I my head hits the pillow.

But I think about the blessings in the morning--so maybe I need to tweak my resolution.

As for today's agenda? De-Christmasifying the house, attending a grandson's first basketball game of the season, Church in the afternoon, and squeezing in two NFL playoff games.

The blessings in these endeavors--I am not alone, my parents are still visiting and I can enjoy these activities with them, God has given me the means and the health to enjoy life and my family.

Definitely a good way to start the first weekend of the year.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Walter's Art Museum: Part Deux

I played hooky from work yesterday afternoon and took my parents to visit the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore.

Syria: The Night Watch
Brighton Riviere 

It was my second visit in a few months and it was every bit as enjoyable as my first.

I am really happy that such a world class art collection is available right here in Baltimore--and that I don't have to sojourn to D.C. every time I need an art fix.

One painting caught my imagination, Syria: The Night Watch by Brighton Riviere. I could not help but consider the current unrest and atrocities happening in that country and look at the lions in the painting patrolling the streets looking for people to devour. There was something very eerie about the painting and the reports in the news this week that 60,000 people have died in the civil war happening in Syria.

The Ideal City

I did, finally, get to view The Ideal City, which was traveling the last time I was there. I find this painting fascinating and extremely out of style for the period of paintings in which it is displayed. This is one of those very special enigmatic paintings.

It was a great afternoon and I will be visiting again, soon!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Talking Down from the Cliff--Well Almost

Congress and the President managed to avert disaster, barely.

But they did it! And the markets responded yesterday with the DOW raising over 300 points!  Yay, somebody made money, I just wish it were me.

I was happy to see that a compromise for the good of the Republic was reached before deadline put everything that had been achieved during the past over 200 years at risk of collapsing.

Am I happy with the final deal? No. But, that is a good thing I think. Everyone seems equally unhappy and that means that some form of middle ground was reached. Is the spending being cut enough? Probably not. Are taxes going up enough? Thankfully, no.

Are we going to be printing a lot more money? Probably yes.

I have been doing research on the numbers of people who do not pay income taxes. Too many. Most for very good reasons. But, it seems to me that if everyone is not invested in the country, then those who are not invested have a skewed sense of reality.

I believe it is time for a major tax overhaul and first and foremost we need to get rid of the personal income tax,

Yes, I just wrote that.

I noted that I am taxed twice on my income. First when I earn it and second when I spend it. That makes no sense and is really double dipping. We need a single fair tax--that would be some form of consumption tax on goods and services which everyone pays the same percent, but those who can afford to buy more--will therefore rightly pay more in taxes.

I looked at my pay statement. I am taxed by a thousand cuts it seems.

There is the Federal withholding and the State withholding. Then there is separate FICA and Medicare. In some places, thankfully not where I live, yet, there is also a locality tax. And then sales tax--in Maryland it is 6% on some things and 9% on others. How insane is that?

The governments have made it hard to determine the true tax rate being paid. A single consumption tax--call it VAT (value added tax or sales tax on steroids) and having it in one place and paid at one time would be considerably fairer. Everyone buying goods and services would be paying the tax.

That seems fairer than what we are doing now.

Thank you Congress and the President for forestalling the fiscal cliff--now get together and let's see some true tax and spending reform!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Cardinal in the Snow

During the snow storm the other day, a solitary cardinal perched himself on the tree outside my window and became a subject for numerous pictures.

I like to believe that  deep inside me there is an Ansel Adams like vision of the world waiting to be unleashed.

Probably not.

It is just, after all, a bird in a tree. How many birds have been imaged in trees.

But the white snow blanketing the back ground really set him off as he sat there seemingly unconcerned with the snow. Of course, the bird feeder was only a few feet away from the tree in which he was perched.

For me? It was too cold and snowy. I would prefer living somewhere that people have to travel to see snow and not have it just fall on them at the worst possible time.

But, this image is a good way to start off the new year.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

2013 Arrives with a Whimper

Happy New Year!

As the morning dawned on the new year, I looked out of my window to see the world much as I left it last evening when I charged off to a New Year's Eve party.

I had a marvelous time welcoming in the new year with friends and watching, for the first time, the ball drop in New York City without Dick Clark.

In the news department, many of our elected representatives were busy at work into and through the dawning of the New Year. Just before midnight, it appeared that the country was spared the scourge of falling off the fiscal cliff. But, as I read the news this morning it is hard to tell where we are in relationship to the fiscal cliff. The Senate and the President are clapping themselves on the back and declaring success while the House of Representatives still has to weigh in. A definite wild card in the process.

Chaos could still reign.

So we drove off the cliff but there may be a trampoline at the bottom kind of like a Road Runner cartoon.

Resolutions for the New Year?

I resolve that I am going to appreciate the blessings in my life more. Instead of focusing on the I wants, I am going to appreciate the thank you because I have. Every day!

Vacation Plans?

I guess the page is kind of blank right now, I haven't thought about going anywhere yet. Well, except to Sarasota during March for Spring Training. Then maybe Florida in July. And a cruise would be nice . .

A New Year with so many opportunities--Bring it on!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - December 31, 2012

1. This is it--the year is too rapidly drawing to a close.

2. With the ending of the NFL regular season yesterday and without the NHL to keep me sane, I am about to enter sports purgatory: The time between football and Spring Training for baseball.

3. I'm still writing my New Years resolutions, but I did note how empty the fitness club was on Friday. I expect it to be very full on Wednesday morning as everyone attempts to improve their overall fitness which is a laudable goal.

4. I've decided to stop receiving emails from a company which began its recent email to me as follows: "According to recent reports we’re worse off now than we were 30 years ago." It may be true, but I know I'm better off now than I was 30 years ago.

5. Congress still has not been able to overcome petty partisanism to solve the fiscal crisis and keep the country moving. I know the elections were just last month, but can we recall our representatives and do it over again? Something needs to change.

6. I am concerned--the pursuit of special interests had apparently destroyed our ability as a people and a society to reach compromise.

7. Partiers tonight should remember that drinking and driving does not reflect a mature decision.

8. Happy New Year everyone. May the year ahead be full of promise and blessing.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Blog Favorites of 2012

I enjoy taking some time near the end of every year to review the posts I've made during the year. It reminds me where I've been and some of the things that I've been writing about.

This year has been a great year for my blog. The number of page views per month, one measure of readership, has continued to increase. The readers set a record in November by crossing the 2,000 pages viewed during the month for the first time. December is close and may beat out November, as there are still two days to go-but it was nice to cross over the 2,000 threshold for the first time.

Thank you to my readers for that.

The increase in pages comes as I have posted fewer articles this year. It appears that I will finish the with 390 posts, well off the over 400 posts for the past two years (2010: 434, 2011: 430).

In terms of popularity one post stands out this year, Famous Airplanes and their Names. I enjoyed my day at the Air and Space Museum seeing the airplanes and being inspired to research famous airplanes of history.

I was surprised at the popularity of my post about Follow the Instructions--There may be an Important Reason for Them which was a rant that I wrote in response to the girl being bitten by the dolphin at Sea World Orlando.

The third most popular post of 2012 was Orioles Magic--Pushed to the Brink. What an exciting season the Orioles had and I am looking forward to the 2013 version of the Orioles with great anticipation.

One of my favorites was Flags and Ships which recounted my day at the Sailabrathon in Baltimore during June. The images of the flags flying in the breeze against the blue sky reminds me of that fabulous day.

My favorite poem for 2012, I seem to write poems during September, was titled Two Roads and a Field.

My favorite image posted in the blog this year was taken by Chris while we were on vacation in Florida. It is of an osprey just after catching dinner. It was published in the post Unraveling Days--Nearing Vacation's End.

These are my favorites for the year. I am looking forward to the year ahead and where it will take me through my blog.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Movies of 2012

During 2012,  I saw a number of movies. I did not see every movie released-but I saw a fair number. Here is my list of the best and worst of the year, based solely on what I saw.

As nearly as I can tell, I saw 14 movies that were released during 2012. Yes, there are some significantly popular movies that are  missing from my list--but life is busy and since I am not a professional reviewer I cannot make it to every movie that is released.

Bob's Best Movie of 2012: Les Miserables - Not to be missed

2. Skyfall - Probably the best James Bond movie ever
3. Avengers - fun, action, and my favorite heroes.
4. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - deep examination and thoughtful.
5. Argo - Great history lesson, although a bit flawed
6. The Life of Pi - I really liked this movie, it is deep
7. MIB 3 (Men in Black) - fun continuation of the MIB series
8. Red Tails - Good history
9. Battleship - just plain fun, I watched it again last evening
10. Trouble with the Curve - A surprisingly good movie
11. Hunger Games - I don't like the premise, the acting, or the story
12. Hope Springs - Good acting but a bit plodding

The Worst Movie of the Year is a tie between
13. (Tie) Red Dawn and
13. The Odd Life of Timothy Green.

I really can't explain why I saw either movie--but they are probably both in the ten worst movies of all time with no socially redeeming value to either.

Some movies that I still want to see:
Lincoln
The Hobbit (maybe today or tomorrow)


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Les Miserables - Review

Despite some of the early reviews which indicated that the movie was less than spectacular, I went to see it for myself. I admit, I have never seen the staged production and I read the book by Victor Hugo so long ago that I have forgotten the intimate details of the story.

I loved the movie. I loved the music. I enjoyed the cinematography and the acting and the character development.

The movie is real and gritty.  The characters are caked with the reality of life during the early 19th century. I could almost smell the streets of France as the movie progressed.

The movie spans 1815-1832 during periods of rebellion and revolution in France; beginning with the final defeat of Napoleon and ending with the June Rebellion. The story revolves around a man, Jean Valjean, played by Hugh Jackman. He was imprisoned for minor thievery for 19 years and is pursued through the rest of his life for breaking parole by the chief policeman, Javert, played by Russell Crowe. Along the way, Jean adopts the daughter of Fantine, played by Anne Hathaway, who had fallen on very hard times and was striving to provide for her daughter, Cosette, played by Amanda Seyfried.

The music is spectacular and real. The character development is well done and effective. Did I say the music is fabulous?

Isabelle Allen is stunning and effective as the young Cosette. It is her face that forms the poster for the movie.

Th movie is long, listed at 165 minutes, but it is a fast movie. There are few places where it drags and the depth of the acting, the story, and the richness of the sets and characters make it a very engrossing movie.

I found the make-up to age the characters through the years to be especially intriguing. I also know that many of the actors starved themselves to give the realistic appearance of being destitute during the period of the movie.

In my humble opinion, this movie ought to have a lot of Oscar nominations: Best picture, Best actor: Hugh Jackman, Best supporting actress: Anne Hathaway, make-up, costumes, set design, and a few others.

RECOMMENDATION: See this movie!  Bring tissues for the ending.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Off the Fiscal Cliff

Not to be a bearer of really bad New Years news, but has any one noticed that Congress is still unable to fix the fiscal cliff?

It is still there and it appears the Republicans have taken their ball and headed off the playing field.

Pronouncements of doom and gloom abound.

Here is the part I can't figure out. If the tax rates go up to incredible levels and the salaries used to pay the taxes actually effectively go down, where do our leaders thing the money is going to come from to fuel the economic recovery?

I have seen it myself. My prescription plan is planning to raise my per prescription costs by $19 per prescription this year. My expected pay raise is currently set to 0%. My taxes are going to rise an untold percentage both for Maryland and the Federal government. That money is going to come from somewhere, because we all know that the tax man get's his cut first.  It is going to come from the money I might spend fueling the economy.

Can someone in Washington figure out that this doesn't add up?

Hello--First grade math needs to be applied there.

What we have here are leaders who cannot seem to understand that compromise is required for the greater good of the good of the country. We have elected a representatives who think that playing the game Chicken is good for the country.

Some people are talking that federal workers may face 20-50 furlough days this year. An item from PBS describes it this way:

In the event that no deal is made and we do have the automatic cuts known as sequestration starting in January, federal employees face job loss and in some situations, certainly in the Department of Defense, but throughout the federal government, people will be furloughed, forced to take unpaid days off, anywhere from 20 to 50 days. We really don't know.

So you want government services? Try getting anything with these kinds of cuts. And this does not begin to address the drastic cuts expected to be taken by the contractor workforce.

We are living in a time of multiple single points of failure. With all of those people forced to take time off, something is surely going to break.

As the dram continues, all we can do is watch--Oh yes, I urge you to write to your elected representatives to tell them your concerns about the situation.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD