Life Without Blockbuster

The stores slipped from the landscape almost unnoticed, until last week when the remaining 300 shuttered their doors and an era officially ended. With the closing of Blockbuster, the era of the movie rental store on every corner has concluded.

I remember driving to the local Blockbuster and wandering the aisles looking for a video to rent. Remember at first they were VHS tapes? And every store had the funky acrid video smell? I even remember the sign that reminded everyone to rewind their tapes before returning them. 

Patrick's first job was at the local Blockbuster--he wanted money to buy a computer and we told him to either share the family computer or get a job. In an exhibition of his entrepreneurial spirit, he talked the local blockbuster manager into hiring him.

Inside of a Blockbuster Store

The people at the local stores became almost like family. The managers knew our family and even when we moved, one of the assistant managers wound up managing our new local store and so it was like old times again. The stores upgraded from VHS tapes to DVDs and then to Blue Rays and they added an impressive array of games for every imaginable gaming system--but it was not enough. Our local store closed over five years ago and is not my our local liquor store. I had even forgotten that it used to be a Blockbuster until writing this article. 

As I think back to the local business landscape, I remember many of the other video and game  rental stores which no longer exist. There may be a few dinosaurs remaining, but I would not invest too deeply in their future. On demand rentals via satellite and cable and even the Red Box videos have effectively terminated a once thriving segment of the market. 

Good-bye Blockbuster, and thanks for the memories.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Philippines Typhoon: A Chance to Come Together for Good

The countries of the world have another opportunity to lay aside their differences for a period and come together to render aid to the devastated Philippine people. The images of the devastation left by the typhoon leave no doubt that aid is needed, and now. It makes me feel good that even with a congress in disarray, the US is in the forefront of the efforts to assist survivors. 

I was appalled to read that the aid convoys are coming under attack even while they are attempting to help the people who have lost everything. But, no matter the location, there are always people who are only looking out for themselves or trying to get ahead at the expense of their neighbors.

Everything I read indicates the situation is dire and getting worse. An article from Aljazeera describes the early stages of the relief effort. It describes the aid efforts of the UN, US, Australia, Britain, Japan, the European Community, and even China. I read another item which indicated that Taiwan also had people on the ground providing assistance. 

The Philippine people are in desperate need and I am glad to see the world mobilizing to help.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Boys, Leaves, and Fun

Jax and Ethan in the Leaves

Proof that fun doesn't have to involve a ball, puck, or electronic device was the joy that Ethan and Jax had in a pile of leaves on Sunday afternoon. 

The leaves have been piling up in the yard and with the help of a blower Chris made a gigantic pile, which still remains, for the boys to play in. 

It is amazing how much fun kids can have in leaves. A number of the local kids joined in for a while. 

Jax watches E disappear into the leaves

And it was wholesome. No electronics were harmed in the making of the fun.

I remember raking leaves into a pile to enjoy when I was a kid. I never was able to get a pile as large as this one. I'm not sure I ever had this much fun in a pile of leaves wither. This was truly a huge leaf pile!

Fun on an autumn afternoon consists of sun, blue skies, kids, and leaves. What could be better?

Oh yeah, a glass of wine.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - November 11, 2013

1. It is Remembrance Day throughout much of Europe. The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month during 1918 marked the end of hostilities during WW1.

2. It is Veterans Day in the US. Kiss a Veteran!

3. The typhoon in Asia represents another opportunity for Americans to care for our brothers and sisters around the world who are facing devastation and destruction.

4. Here's one for the nightmares: Horrific flesh eating platypus once stalked Australia. 

5. The elections are over for this year and already starting for next year. We don't even get time off for Christmas.

6. What happened to Thanksgiving? The stores are already converted to Christmas. I admit, I am putting up Christmas lights today, but only because I have a day off and the weather is supposed to be nice. OK, I do it every Veterans Day to get it out of the way. 

7. I am disturbed by how many Maryland school districts do not celebrate Veterans Day. I tried to get it on the calendar for next year, but it was just too hard to overcome the inertia.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Doolittle Raiders Honored

I read this morning that a ceremony commemorating the Doolittle Raid conducted during World War II was conducted on November 9th in advance of Veterans Day at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. Three of the four surviving raiders were present at the wreath laying ceremony. That caused me to pause and remember the heroic actions of those brave men who raised the sagging spirits of a nation that had just suffered through Pearl Harbor and been thrust into the middle of the World War. 

It was April 18, 1942, just four short months after Pearl Harbor, when 16 B-25 bombers launched in heavy seas from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet to lead the US back from defeat and into the war. There is a great website, The Doolittle Raid, which provides a lot of history about the mission. But I also found another website which shows the actual video footage of the bombers launching from the deck of the carrier in rough seas and provides a better view that this mission was no cake walk. The bombers launching from the deck of the USS Hornet look like they are only slowly gaining speed and altitude and could fall form the sky at any moment.

As we cruise into Veteran's Day 2013, it is important to remember the sacrifices of our military members who struggled and died to secure the freedoms that many take for granted.

Thank you Doolittle Raiders, and every veteran as we honor you tomorrow!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Heavy Frost this Morning

It is cold but clear and bright as dawn breaks this morning. My sister noted my unpreparedness for winter in a Facebook post yesterday which made me laugh. 

The cartoon was even more true as I was looking to find some shoes to put on to take Makayla for a walk this morning because of the heavy frost which was coating the grass.

And now another fantastic piece of news--there is snow in the forecast for the coming week.

Just laugh--summer is coming again, of that I am sure.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Loss of a mini-ecosystem

I helped my son tear down his salt water fish tank last evening. He is moving and possibly taking a new position in his company and there just isn't time for the salt water tank anymore. There were only three fish remaining, two clown fish and one yellow tang.

We took 110 pounds of live rock and the three fish to a local fish store to be resold and recycled. That made me happy, although I did consider that the home that these fish have known for the past over five years was being destroyed. 

But then I got thinking about the rest of the mini-ecosystem that we were destroying. All of the microbes and smaller bugs, plants, and animals living in the water, on the rocks, and in the sand. 

Wow--in less than a couple of hours we destroyed the habitat of millions of creatures. And when the day started thay had no idea how their lives would end.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, Md

Things I Saw On TV That I wish I Hadn't

Television brings a lot of things into our homes. Some of it funny. Some sad. Some interesting and newsworthy and some of it useless.  

Sometimes it brings in seemingly important things with an incredible "ick factor." I find items of this nature are usually associated with gender specific commercials. We have seen and gotten used to the many gender specific commercials for women oriented items, but now they are beginning to focus on the men and some of our unique issues and problems. 

Frankly, I wish they would stop trying to make a buck by airing ads for gender specific stuff, the ads are really disingenuous and often paint an unreal expectation of life and relationships. 

But one commercial on Sunday really caught my attention and ire. I have it below. 

A commercial for prostrate exams. Seriously! Sure these exams are important, but, or is that butt, on TV? Yes it is an important topic, but really?

How could I possibly top that? Well consider the commercials for ED aired during football games. It isn't funny that they run so many of those commercials  during sports events, especially NFL games which is a slap in the face to the guys they are trying to sell the products to? Just think about what the commercials are telling us guys: "look at these big studs, how about you?"

Maybe some of this stuff should be better left unaired. Or better yet--maybe we should just be turning the TV off more to keep this junk out of our homes.

Just saying. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Dinner on The Porch

November Dinner--An Autumn Offering

I was reflecting upon the beginning of the month, and I remembered that on last Friday, November 1st, the temperatures were so mild that Chris and I celebrated the beginning of the weekend by eating dinner on the deck. Yes, it was that warm and clear. A great day.

At that time we noticed that the trees had really dropped most of their leaves in two short days. From peak color to no color in 24 hours. Autumn is progressing at an incredibly rapid pace. 

The seasons, in general, seem to be flying by at an ever increasing pace. It is almost hard to keep up with them. The food we are eating has also begin to transition. More creamy soups and harvest dishes like apples and squash. 

I guess we are hunkering down for the winter season which is too rapidly approaching. 

Dinner on the back deck was a treat--the moderate temperatures and the fire pit provided a special atmosphere to reflect upon the week that flew by too fast.

I am going to work in darkness and now coming home with the darkness as well as the daylight winds down towards the winter solstice. I wish it would come and be over.

But a nice dinner on the deck was a reminder of the good times past and the adventures yet to come. Maybe it helped that we were discussing our summer plans.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD 

Season of the turkey

House Turkey

It is here. That short season of relative sanity between Halloween and Christmas--the Season of the Turkey. 

The season of Thanksgiving. The season of joy and realizing the gifts and blessings that we have been given. 

We have decorated our house with the mascot of the season--Elmer, the Turkey!

Elmer is the name my family has always given to our Thanksgiving bird. Tradition has it that it is the name of an old boyfriend from long ago--and that the relationship didn't work out because, well, he was a turkey. I really don't know if that is a true story or not, but it sure sounds like a keeper.

The topper over our entryway says it all about this season: "Let us give Thanks."

This is a good time of the year to pause and remember all of the things for which we should be thankful.

Thanksgiving Door Topper

I'm not going to tell you all of them here, but I urge you to pause, whatever your situation, and realize that there are things for which you should be thankful. Basic things like a warm bed in a dry room to sleep in to the extravagant things like three wild grandsons who always make me smile and laugh at their exuberance for life. 

And so, the season of the turkey precedes the season of the excess. Enjoy the respite before life gets out of control.

BTW--did I say that I love turkeys? 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD