Optimistic is . . .

Tractors in the Evening Light at Lowe's
February 13, 2015

Walking into Lowe's last evening to get some supplies to assist in fighting the impending arctic conditions, I saw something that Chris called, "optimistic." 

It was a line of brand, spanking new riding tractors ready for the upcoming Spring sales. There was not a snow blower in sight, despite the threatening prediction of snow in the forecast.

The line-up of tractors was almost as optimistic as I am when looking at the seven-day forecast and seeing 3-5 inches of snow. I am pretty sure it isn't going to happen this year. So far, there have been four forecasts for our area of heavy snow which has resulted in almost no precipitation. 

Another optimistic view was when I looked at the current weather on my phone yesterday while I was headed out for a medical appointment and saw that the temperature was 23 degrees. I started counting the days until Spring starts and determined that it was a short 35 days until March 20th. And the sun was shining!

Optimistic is knowing that Orioles pitchers and catchers report in five short days and that despite the calendar, Spring will begin in Sarasota, Florida!

Optimistic is looking at the calendar and seeing that daylight savings time begins again on March 8th.

Optimistic is knowing that the weather will be warm somewhere, despite the temperature at my house.

Optimistic is watching golf on the Golf Channel and realizing that warmer weather is not far off despite what is happening outside my window.

Optimistic is looking at a Valentines Day bouquet and feeling warm despite the freezing temperatures.

Happy Valentines Day--be an optimist!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Legislators Out of Touch

Woman in Yoga Pants

I read an article about a legislator in Montana who is apparently abusing his elected authority by submitting a new law to outlaw yoga pants and speedos in public.

As reported by Fox News, The proposal would expand indecent exposure law to include any nipple exposure, including men’s, and any garment that “gives the appearance or simulates” a person’s buttocks, genitals, pelvic area or female nipple.

The Republican from Missoula said tight-fitting beige clothing could be considered indecent exposure under his proposal.

“Yoga pants should be illegal in public anyway,” Moore said after the hearing.

Moore said he wouldn’t have a problem with people being arrested for wearing provocative clothing but that he’d trust law enforcement officials to use their discretion. He couldn’t be sure whether police would act on that provision or if Montana residents would challenge it.

Interestingly enough, the law outlaws shirtless men in public. How would this affect public pools and swimming teams? I wonder what the definition of public would be under the law?

This is clearly a case of misguided morality and using a publicly elected position to push a personal agenda. The ramifications of this kind of law would be far reaching well beyond their intended impact. Why do I believe he is misusing his elected authority? Because he is forcing a narrow personal belief upon the electorate. 

Why can't legislators review laws and get rid of old ones that make no sense anymore rather than writing new ones that needlessly restrict personal freedoms?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Dog who Loves Cat Treats

Cat Treat Toy

Makayla, my Keeshond, is a funny dog and everyone who knows her understands that this is true. I know why she is so different, she learned to be a dog from an old Yorkie and I can see many of Zachary's traits in how she reacts to many things.

Makayla is not a huge fan of dog toys. She doesn't fetch and she only rarely plays. But, she is mine and she is a great, intelligent dog. 

Well, until I saw her yesterday morning working over the cat toy that dispenses cat treats. She was totally into the treats--and she had already consumed breakfast and her morning cookies for doing her business outside.

Yesterday, however, it was all about the cat treats. Riordin was unceremoniously pushed aside and Makayla took control. I made a short movie of her antics.

The dog who loves cat treats. Something to enjoy.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Pharmacies Problems and Prescriptions

It only took three trips and one phone call back to the doctor's office to get the three medicines that had been prescribed.

Fortunately, I live only two miles from the neighborhood Rite Aid--but the level of insanity associated with the process was incredible.

Leaving the doctor's office after the procedure, three prescriptions were provided. One had to be taken in paper form and the other two were phoned/faxed into the pharmacy. Upon arriving at the pharmacy--the two that had been sent ahead had not arrived. Ugh!

Elkridge, MD, Rite Aid

It happens all of the time, I know that. I should just get paper prescriptions from the doctors for all of the medications.

That the prescriptions failed to arrive at the pharmacy meant that I had to call to the doctor's office--now closed, and then via the after hours number have the the prescribing physician contacted to get them retransmitted.

This stuff is not rocket science! Why can't simple prescriptions transit cyber space and arrive promptly at the pharmacy for processing? Sadly, this is not an isolated instance, because it has been this way for years at this pharmacy. 

I am stuck with using this pharmacy as my insurance only uses Rite Aid to fill prescriptions in my area. Fortunately it is close--but, three trips for prescriptions? How inefficient is that? 

The must be a better way.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Verizon's Dark Side

This following represents my personal opinion based upon fact.

Four years ago I allowed Verizon to convert my copper-based telephone line to a VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) line. 

In looking back on the conversion, Verizon misrepresented to me what they were doing. I went from having a fully reliable, storm-proof system to a VOIP system that requires a battery back-up to function when the power goes out. The battery is not permanent and needs to be replaced periodically.

The battery lasted less than four years. 


Guess who has to pay for the new battery?

Yup--me!

Is it particularly expensive? No--but here's the rub, with my copper everything to keep the system running was provided. Now, with modern technology, I have to buy a battery and support an additional industry. 

The Verizon installers did not disclose that I was responsible or replacing the short-lived battery, I thought it was part of the system and would be maintained by Verizon as had my previous system.

UPDATE:

It has been suggested that taking the battery out and cycling the power on the unit may revive the battery. Give it a try!

Can I get my good old reliable copper-wire line back?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - February 9, 2015

1. Wine weekends are a lot of fun--especially in Charlottesville, VA where the wine flows freely.

2. I figured out the name for my first wine--Smug Bastard, that is how the winemaker at Keswick referred to me during the blending this past weekend.

3. Sitting in a noisy restaurant where it was hard to hear resulted in some funny situations the other evening. When the waitress asked if we needed bread, I  responded, "and white, too." It was a red, white and bread moment.

Sunrise on the Blue Ridge Mountains
February 7, 2015

4. Later that same evening we were talking about tapas, but some at the table felt that they have been left out by never going to a topless bar.  Funny evenings.

5. Sunrise on the Blue Ridge Mountains can be fabulous! With the mountains facing the rising sun that reflect red in the dawn light.

6. I wish grocery stores in Maryland could sell wine. It is really weird that they can't. 

7. Gas prices bounced up about 20 cents per gallon this weekend. I guess the ultra low, sub $2 per gallon prices are gone.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Let the Blending Begin

Spending a day at a winery is one of the things that I truly enjoy. Spending a day with some raw materials and creating a nice wine just adds to the joy of being at the winery.

That was yesterday. We gathered with friends to try our amateur hands at wine blending. We were provided four 2014 vintage Virginia wines and given the charge to create our best wine. This is the annual Keswick Vineyards Consensus Blending.

The wines were Touriga, Chambourcin, Syrah, and Norton. Each had some very nice qualities but was not a complete drinkable or salable wine. By the end of the day we blended a great wine that had everything the wine drinkers look for in a wine. We have need down this path before. Last year we did not place well in the blending with out entry. This year we were much happier. In fact, I like our wine.

The results? We finished as the runner-up less just over a half point behind the winners of the day. I even rated their wine ahead of ours.

A great day and great fun. We will do even better next year.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Earlysville, VA

Virginia Weekend

It is consensus blending weekend and I am making my annual trek to Keswick Vineyards for the fun and education of hands on wine blending.

Last year's team is reassembled and ready for the competition. Ok. It really isn't a competition it is just fun. And we will have fun because wine blending is just plain fun.

It all begins in a few short hours. I learn more and more about wine and blending every time I participate and this is perhaps my sixth trip to Keswick for the blending.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Earlysville, VA

Travel Horror Story

It's Gonna Be a Good Travel Day
When the Jet Arrives on Time

Traveling can be as much fun as it can be frustrating. When the jet arrives at the gate on time--it is generally a good travel day, but sometimes we may not be at the gate to take our jet.  The real challenge in traveling is successfully clearing airport security and the TSA checks which are done to ensure our safety as we board and travel to our destination. The TSA agents wield a lot of power and I respect them and the job they do to keep me safe. But as with every profession, there are some bad apples out there who can make a good day go bad very quickly.

The story, as told by Ronnie Polaneczky a Daily News Columnist in his article titled, Innocent frequent flier detained after run-in with TSA, is about what happened to frequent flier Roger Vanderklok, a Philadelphia architect and marathoner, who was detained, arrested, and arraigned on false charges after requesting a form to file a complaint regarding his treatment during a prolonged investigation of his carryon baggage during January 2013 in Philadelphia.

I have known for a very long time that TSA agents have a minimal sense of humor, but I always wish them a nice day when I travel for  a couple of reasons. First, I appreciate what they do and frankly, I'm not sure I could do that jobs every single day. Second, I truly hope they have a good day because if they are having a good day, then most likely I will also have a good day of flying. 

Vanderklok was in a difficult situation.

On this day, he was headed to Miami. In his carry-on bag was a packet of PowerBars and a heart-monitoring watch. When the bag went through the X-ray scanner, the items looked suspicious to a TSA agent whom Kieser supervises.

For the next 30 minutes, screeners checked the bag several times. Vanderklok told them that a tube-shaped case in the bag contained his watch. Then he was asked if his bag contained "organic matter." Vanderklok said no, as he thought "organic matter" meant fruits or vegetables.

PowerBars, which contain milk, grain and sugar, are considered "organic matter" and can resemble a common explosive. Terrorists often use a small electronic device, like a watch, to detonate the explosive. Hence the agent's concern.

Sometimes, when I travel simple things do not make sense. I think it is because I am out of my normal routine and struggling to retain a sense of normalcy. I remember being in Chicago returning from an overseas trip having been awake for the better part of 20 hours and the security agent asked me to "step up." There were no stairs and I was operating in a total literal mode at that point and just could not understand what he meant by asking me to "step up." Fortunately, he probably saw I was exhausted and through his patient repeating of the command I finally understood he meant to "move forward."

Vanderklok had a similar problem when the agents asked him about organic matter and he didn't realize the complete definition of organic matter includes, believe it or not, power bars. 

It was at this point that the situation got serious with Vanderklok missing his plane, being arrested, detained, and charged with a crime. There is also the part where one of the TSA agents is allegedly less than truthful in the situation when his story is compared against the videotape of the incident. It might be easy to suggest the story has a happy ending--but in reality the lost time and money spent on attorney's fees can never really be recovered.

My take away from the story is that when traveling, always be nice to the TSA agents and if I want to file a complaint--I will do it afterwards via an online resource.

So far I have been fortunate and all of my TSA interactions have been professional and positive. I hope to keep it that way.

Happy Flying!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Teasing with my Affections

Miami at Dawn from the Disney Wonder
January 28, 2015

The thermometer at my house recorded 51 degrees yesterday. Call it a mid-winter respite as today the temperatures return to too cold to do anything meaningful outside. I remembered that Wednesday morning last week I woke up on a cruise ship tied-up in Miami, Florida.

Normally, a 50 plus degree day during the winter season would have me scheming to get to a golf course to whack at the little white ball, or to a driving range to do the same thing and try to improve my inconsistent golf swing, or at a minimum swinging at balls on my home driving range. I truly need all of the work that I can get.

But alas, I was unable to do any of those things do to a too busy work schedule that saw me working late and recognizing that I am still recovering from a nasty cold that I picked up somewhere and just won't let go. I haven't even played racquetball this week because I just do not want to sap my strength.

At least I was smart enough to drive my remaining Jaguar, named affectionately Cat, to help keep the battery charged. Yes, I did for a passing moment think about putting the top down to drive home from work but the temperature was already falling and I just didn't need to get a chill.

Today the temperatures return to mid-winter reality. Fortunately, there is no snow to speak of either on the ground or in the forecast. Maybe, unlike last year and in defiance of the rodent's, Punxsutawney Phil,  prediction, spring will grace us with an early arrival.

I can dream, right?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD