Places not to Vacation in the world

Bonaire: Exotic Vacation Location

Vacations, especially international ones, are exciting but require planning.

Next year Chris and I  are thinking of heading off an exotic place to jointly celebrate birthdays and our anniversary. I was informed that Key West is not exotic!

But where to go? We thought of the Holy Land--but there is a scary war going on there. Nothing like vacationing on the front lines of a  conflict that has been in progress for millenniums. Probably not for us.

Then we thought of all of the other places currently embroiled in war and conflict: 

1. Ukraine-Russia, fortunately not one of our desired destinations. 

2. Syria-Iraq: Again, not on the vacation list

3. Afghanistan: Definitely not going there for a vacation. 

And there are a lot more. I ran across an interesting website: Wars in Progress which follows the strife around the world. The site lists 32 countries engaged in wars or armed conflict. Who knew that Uganda and Turkey were on the list?

An observation--with the exception of the United States being listed for the War on Terrorism, none of the countries listed were in the Western Hemisphere. I think someone must have missed the War on Drugs and the deaths associated with it in Mexico.

After looking at the list, some great destinations still remain free of war an conflict: Australia, Italy, Greece, the Caribbean, Belize, and Costa Rica. I have also heard the Croatia is nice this time of year. 

Well at least the list is narrowed. Now let the planning begin. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Baseball, Rain and Late Nights

Boog's Barbecue at Orioles Park

I had tickets for the Orioles baseball game last evening against the Cincinnati Reds. And I went, despite the dire weather forecast for thunderstorms and rain.

It rained! A lot. 

The game was delayed because of the rain and lightening. 

I enjoyed going to the park and eating dinner at Boog's. Even the walk to and from the stadium was enjoyable. But, because I work and get up early, I could not stay for the restart of the game--I saw two batters, but I enjoyed the experience.

I was reminded that during the 1970's two of the best teams in baseball were the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles defeated the Reds in 1970 to win the World Series, but during the decade it seems that either the Reds or the Orioles were consistently in the World Series when the season ended.

Sun from Behind a Cloud

I wish that baseball could be played earlier in the day. I love mid-day baseball. With the two hour rain delay, the game ended somewhere after midnight--which is just too late on a weeknight. 

While I was waiting for the game to begin, I saw a bright beam of light coming out from behind a cloud--it was unique and I snapped a quick image of it to share. 

A bright spot in an otherwise dark and rainy evening.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Back to Work after the Holiday

Sunrise over the Atlantic from Ocean City

The holiday weekend is over, but the memories remain of getting away and enjoying time at the beach and even getting in 18 holes of golf.

Sometimes I wonder why weekends have to end. I guess it is so that I appreciate them more when they come around again.

Looking out over the Atlantic Ocean on a the first morning of September yesterday was a great way to begin the new month. Even if the month is the last month of summer, I have learned how to appreciate being where I am at the time. 

I have to be careful not to be the kid who is unhappy riding a roller coaster at the amusement park because the day is coming to an end.

Every day is like the roller coaster ride and tomorrow will come soon enough without hastening its arrival.

Today is full enough of joys or sorrows that need to be experienced. 

Carpe Diem.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - September 1, 2014

1. Happy Labor Day! Wow, it's early this year. 

2. Summer is not over--it is just a that Labor Day is today, summer does not end until much later in September.

3. Holiday weekends are the best.

Life on the Beach

4. I have played golf three Sunday's in a row--I'm not sure what that means. I certainly am not that good. But, I know a lot about what I am doing wrong--like even being on the course most of the time.

5. Four days at the beach. What could be better? Oh, yea, living at the beach. 

6. I have not flown a kite in years. It is a lot of fun to fly kites at the beach where the wind is constant. But, as I remember from long ago, reeling in a kite is not nearly as much fun as letting it out to fly on the breeze. 

7. Enjoy your day. Drive safe from wherever you are, and if you are home--be happy.

--Bob Doan, writing from Ocean City, Maryland

Boy Eating Chair

Jax Folded in the Chair

I heard the weak cry for help across the room and out on the balcony. There was no panic, just a recurring call for, "Help."

I quickly scanned the area and didn't find anything too seriously out of place--until I realized that the chair folded against the balcony railing had moments before contained Jackson.

It was then that I realized that Jax was trapped in the boy eating chair with no hope of escape.

Jax in the Chair

Fortunately he was pretty good natured about it and allow a few pictures to be taken before he was released. After all, it was pretty funny. 

No panic, just frustration at being the unwelcome center of attention was setting in. 

But it made for a few laughs and some good natured ribbing. 

And then--he was freed.

I don't think he sat in the chair again.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Ocean City, Maryland

Birds on the Beach

Birds on Ocean City, MD Beach

Watching birds on the beach provides a great diversion. And the birds at Ocean City, Maryland, certainly deserve watching.  Close watching!

I had a great time watching the birds on the beach yesterday. They were everywhere and they were keeping a close watch on us as we were relaxing in the sunshine and listening to the waves crash onto the beach. 

One seagull in particular, deserved to be watched carefully. He had a unique personality and was not afraid to be relatively close to where we had set up on the beach.

He was fun to watch. So much fun, in fact, that I took a video of his efforts to arrange our sunbathing blanket for his own purposes. 

He provided a great diversion and was one of the most interesting things to watch until the beach got so crowded that the birds relocated elsewhere.

Beware the Ocean City seagulls!

-- Bob Doan, writing from Ocean City, Maryland

Labor Day Weekend a Day Early

View from the Balcony at the Condo

This has truly been a weird summer for me. Until last night, I had not had my toes in an ocean on a beach. That is rare for me, I think of myself as the original beach bum and love being on a beach.

I had stood on a mountain overlooking the Pacific Ocean during July--but never made it to the beach to put my toes in the water. 

Yes, I am thinking of the Zach Brown Band song Toes.  

I got my toes in the water, ass in the sand

Not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand

Life is good today. Life is good today.

Starting a holiday weekend a day early is something that I have not done in a long while.  Beating the traffic and arriving a day early was a good move because this morning, instead of waking up an going to work waiting for the day to end early and then heading out on the too narrow ribbon of highway to the ocean with thousands of my new best friends, I am already here sitting on the balcony of the condo looking at the ocean. 

And--well, my toes have already been in the water and they have been in the sand too.

Life is good today!

-- Bob Doan, writing from Ocean City, MD

Today? Tomorrow? December?

Last Winter

I have to admit--I have been a little low lately thinking about the impending end to summer and the on set of the dark days.

These thoughts have been keeping me from enjoying the final days of summer and the resurgence of the warmth that has mostly been lacking.

I saw a weather report for this summer that indicated that while the normal number of days with temperatures 90 degrees or more to this date on average are 22, this summer there have been only 10 and none since July 23rd. 

Bring on the summer. I need to be in the moment and not thinking about the rotten, cold, dark, snowy weather that is looming on the horizon.

Jax on a Floatie

Last evening, I was on a floatie in the pool! Yes the pool. Enjoying the warmth of the afternoon thinking how great it was that summer was still in control of the weather. 

Today and tomorrow I will enjoy the summer. I will enjoy each day for what it is and when December comes, all too soon, I will smile as I face the snow and cold and think about July and fireworks, heat, and the pool. It is all a big circle.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

59 Years to Retirement

Yesterday, we celebrated the career of one of senior members of the organization for which I work. He has posted 59 years of Federal service and 55 years of working for the agency.

I can hardly imagine working for 59 years in the same profession.

Think about it. 59 years ago ballistic missiles were still much like the German V-2 rockets. Space was still not explored--it was about 57 years ago (October 1957) that the Russians orbited Sputnik.

Consider some things about 1955.

Cell phones? They were imaginary items in the Dick Tracey cartoons.

Microwaves? Really? HF was the best for radios. Nobody was cooking with them.

Man on the moon was a Flash Gordon Saturday afternoon movie. 

Color TV? Was a dream.

Computers? Very rudimentary room sized mechanical and vacuum tube affairs.

I was thinking of all of the things we use routinely today that didn't exist in 1955 when he joined the Air Force. Wow. 

I guess the biggest fear of retirement is missing all of the exciting things that have happened since he has been working. 

And now--he is on to the next chapter of life. I hope to be there in the not too distant future. Writing the next chapter of life day-by-day, but still remembering and amazed by all that has happened since I have been a working-age adult.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

As Evening Falls

Watching the home improvement shows on HGTV always provides ideas for creating improved living spaces. Around the the house, Chris and I have created an outdoor living space that we truly enjoy being in when the weather allows. 

This summer, the weather has really allowed us to enjoy being outside for not only cooking and eating, but relaxing together around the pool. Now, as evening comes more quickly each evening, we are still spending time outside in the space we have created. 

It is amazing what lights--when creatively applied can do to drive off the impending darkness and help us hold onto the last bit of summer as the autumn breezes begin to foreshadow the dark days ahead.

At least for a couple more months, we will continue to enjoy our haven before the temperatures finally drive us back inside to weather the storms of winter.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD