Christmas 2015

In the quiet of the morning, before the day begins, I have been thinking about the blessings that I have.

Cooking in the Kitchen

They are many--fantastic family, great friends, and great prospects.

Yesterday we cooked, laughed, went to church, played games and enjoyed each other. 

Today? More of the same!



I saw some geese flying overhead as I was walking into church yesterday--their wings beating against the dark sky carrying my spirit with them above the ground. 

I will carry that vision with me today as I enjoy watching the family interact with each other and know that we are all soaring through life, with nothing to keep us down except ourselves. 

Merry Christmas. 

It is not over! It is just beginning.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Christmas Eve 2015

It arrived overnight. This most magical day of the year. The day before Christmas when it either gets done, or not.

The house is quiet now, it is still pre-dawn and I am the only one up--but the chaos will soon begin as the plans of the day come to fruition.

I remember as a kid thinking that Christmas Eve was the longest day of the year--now it is, in fact, one of the shortest.

I guess the activity helps me get through the day and prepared for the main events of tomorrow.


The first gift of Christmas was given over 2,000 years ago and arrived in a garage somewhere on the outskirts of the Roman Empire in Israel--and we still celebrate his arrival to the world and into our lives, even now.

May the blessings of the season be with you and your family. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Christmas without Snow

I've been thinking about Christmas. 

As I have been enjoying the non-stop onslaught of sappy Christmas music, I have noticed a definite connection between snow and the songs of the season. Recognizing that the date for Christmas was set by the church, some people have postulated that the date was chosen to coincide with a Roman mid-Winter holiday. 

I found an article which postulates that the date may have been set differently and that the confluence of the dates is a happy coincidence. 

In a National Geographic article about the Winter Solstice, it is postulated, 

For more than 2 billion Christians the solstice has long been overshadowed by Christmas. But to historian David Gwynn of the University of London, the proximity of the two events may not be an accident.

One theory holds that Christmas was set on December 25 to replace a Roman holiday, which had roots in a pagan cult of Sol Invictus (the unconquered sun), says Gwynn. A second theory surmises that early Christians arrived at December 25 by counting forwards nine months from March 25, the traditional date set for the Annunciation to Mary.

"It is also true that these explanations are not necessarily mutually exclusive,” says Gwynn.

Ayers Rock, Australia

Clearly, the December date is associated with winter and darkness--but south of the equator, it is summer! Do they sing summer Christmas songs in Australia and Chile, South Africa, and Argentina?


Perhaps they do--I have found a rendition of Jingle Bells adapted for Australia! Yup--adapted. It made me roll on the floor laughing.

Koala Santa

Check these out, and go to the website to translate some of the uniquely Aussie terms:

Lyrics: Aussie Jingle Bells

Dashing through the bush
In a rusty Holden Ute
Kicking up the dust
Esky in the boot
Kelpie by my side
Singing Christmas songs
It’s summer time and I am in
My singlet, shorts & thongs

OH, JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE BELLS
JINGLE ALL THE WAY
CHRISTMAS IN AUSTRALIA
ON A SCORCHING SUMMER’S DAY
JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE BELLS
CHRISTMAS TIME IS BEAUT
OH WHAT FUN IT IS TO RIDE
IN A RUSTY HOLDEN UTE

Engine’s getting hot
Dodge the kangaroos
Swaggy climbs aboard
He is welcome too
All the family is there
Sitting by the pool
Christmas day, the Aussie way
By the barbecue!

OH, JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE BELLS
JINGLE ALL THE WAY
CHRISTMAS IN AUSTRALIA
ON A SCORCHING SUMMER’S DAY
JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE BELLS
CHRISTMAS TIME IS BEAUT
OH WHAT FUN IT IS TO RIDE
IN A RUSTY HOLDEN UTE

Come the afternoon
Grandpa has a doze
The kids and uncle Bruce
Are swimming in their clothes
The time comes round to go
We take a family snap
Then pack the car and all shoot through
Before the washing up

Santa on the Beach

OH, JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE BELLS
JINGLE ALL THE WAY
CHRISTMAS IN AUSTRALIA
ON A SCORCHING SUMMER’S DAY
JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE BELLS
CHRISTMAS TIME IS BEAUT
OH WHAT FUN IT IS TO RIDE
IN A RUSTY HOLDEN UTE

Christmas does not have to be a snow event! And this year, right here in Maryland, it is going to be 74 balmy degrees.

So while some people are lamenting the lack of snow and frigid temperatures, I am relishing the warmth and wishing I was on a sandy beach somewhere.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Last Gifts of Christmas

Poinsettia Tree
Columbia Mall, Columbia, MD

It happened overnight; Autumn surrendered and Winter arrived. 

To celebrate the event, I sojourned to The Mall in Columbia to complete my Christmas shopping. I especially enjoy viewing the poinsettia tree that adorns the mall each year. I only needed a couple of items to finish my shopping.

As cashier handed me the bag containing the gifts that I had purchased, I told the her that I was going to do something crazy--and I did.

Santa announces the First Gift of Christmas
The Polar Express

I held the bag above my head and announced, "The last gifts of Christmas."  In my mind I was replaying a scene from The Polar Express, where Santa awards the first gift of Christmas--but I am sure the reference was lost on all of the startled shoppers except myself. They did give me a polite chuckle.

Unfortunately, my Mom had to witness the entire event. I'm sure she thought I was crazy.

But--as winter has finally arrived, I have completed my shopping and starting tomorrow, the days will begin getting progressively longer as the dark season wanes.

The celebration is underway!

I've already hauled out the holly, which is part of a classic Christmas song that was actually set in July. Maybe that is why I like it--the song is really about summer. More like how it would be to celebrate an Australian Christmas.

Let the holiday get underway--winter has arrived. Springtime cannot be more than about 90 days away!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - December 21, 2015

1. It is Christmas week. The craziness will be over by next week, but the celebration will continue.

Sunrise in Pennsylvania from the Moving Car

2. I love the sunrise, especially in new places like Saturday morning, in central Pennsylvania on the way to New York.

Snow Starting to Fall

3. Holiday parties are a lot of fun. It is too bad the holidays end.

4. This is a great time of year, there are four holidays in two months!

5. Snow, why did there have to be snow. Chris and I drove form Maryland and encountered snow in northern Pennsylvania. 

6. Is it baseball season yet? The Ravens are reduced to playing pre-season games to close out the season.

Snow out the Car Window

7. I have not been traveling much lately, hence, there have not been any "Out the hotel Window" posts. I miss traveling.

8. I was excited that Congress finally accomplished its Constitutionally-mandated business and funded the government. Yay!

9. Snow is a lot more palatable when I know that I get to leave it behind.

10. Uneventful car trips are the best kind!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Apple Tree in Snow

A few weeks ago, I snapped an image of this apple tree as autumn was ending.

I happened past the tree again yesterday and saw it again during a snow storm. The same tree, with apples on its branches still, standing against the onslaught of winter.

It was a cold day. The snow was falling, but not accumulating in any great amount. The sky was dark and gray. But the tree stood strong.

I liked the apples still clinging to the bare branches. Holding on against the dark season.

It certainly isn't a Christmas image. But it is life.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Ithaca, NY

Birthday season

It looks like a Christmas tree. But in reality, it is a birthday tree and the presents under the tree are not Christmas presents.

We celebrated another family birthday last night. Celebrating birthdays in the middle of the Christmas season helps restore normalcy to the frenetic pace life.

Did I mention that it was a surprise birthday celebration? That made it even more fun. At least for those of us who were in on the planning. I'm sure that Tina had other plans for her evening after a tough week.

Considering the pace of life for a moment, I am writing this morning from the car racing along route 15 somewhere in central Pennsylvania headed to Ithaca to retrieve mom and dad for the holidays.

The week ahead is already crammed with excitement and activity leading up to next Friday, when it all really begins. That being, I can take a deep breath and look forward to the ending of the year and doing it all over again.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Central Pennsylvania

Star Wars - Review

The wait is over, I saw Star Wars - The Force Awakens last evening. I will not divulge the plot and hopefully this review will focus on my reactions as a huge Star Wars fan to the movie without being a spoiler.

Spoiler Alert--it is almost impossible to discuss the plot without being a spoiler. I'm going to avoid discussing the plot.

What I Liked:

Unlike the prequels, the movie is true to the character and style of the original trilogy. 

It felt like a Star Wars movie.

Yes, there is the obligatory club scene with the assorted characters from around the galaxy--it just wouldn't be Star Wars without a scene like that.

The movie answers the question: "So what happened next!" The Force Awakens is set about 30 years after Return of the Jedi, (1983) during which the Empire was soundly defeated and the was Republic firmly established. The main characters have aged, and a new generation is taking control of the galaxy. The never ending struggle of good against evil continues and is at the core of the movie.

The original characters are more than cameos in the movie, but are integral to the plot and the action.

Chewbacca is--Chewbacca, the lovable, but scary Wookie.

The character development was good. The questions were answered, in most cases, about what has been happening during the past 30 years.

The new characters, as seen in the image on the left, as believable. The new droid, BB-8, is fun.

The trailers and all of the pre-movie releases DID NOT give away ANYTHING!

I liked the ending! 

I wasn't fully satisfied and I want more! 

What I didn't Like:

At times, the movie felt too much like A New Hope, (1977) which was the first movie to be released, but titled Episode IV because of the prequels.

There are a couple of critical unanswered questions--but, these are what sequels are made to answer.

The movie has slow spots. 

I didn't like one particular plot twist--I'm not going to write about it, because it would be a spoiler--but suffice it to say, I understand it, but that doesn't mean that I like it. 

Recommendation:

Drop whatever it is you are doing, take a day off form work and go see this movie. EVERYONE is going to be talking doubt it and if you don't see it soon, there won't be any surprises left.

May the Force be with you!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

A Long Time Ago . . .

. . . in a galaxy far, far away--it began.

Well, maybe it was only 38 years ago on a few movie screens across America. It only seemed to be far, far away and that, of course, was the magic of the movie Star Wars. 

Tonight, the saga continues as the early opening-night showings begin and billions of dollars are spent by movie goers to finally answer the question that was left hanging in 1983 at the end of Return of the Jedi--"so what happened next?"

The epic battle between good and evil continues, finally. The detour through the prequels has been completed and the main story continues.

I have tickets for an evening showing and it will be an incredibly long day as I wait to stand in line to see the movie. 

The hype and the anticipation have given way into reality and I am looking forward to being transported into another place and time. At least for a few hours.

May the Force be with you!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

My Take: Be Afraid!

Be very afraid.

I admit that I did not watch the debates last evening, but I have been reading the accounts of the proceedings.

One of the common themes was a continuing assault on our Constitutional rights.

Between keeping people out of the country on religious grounds and the discussions of what the government should know about us, from the New York Times article, our Constitutional protections are under attack:

“I promise you, the next time there is an attack on this country, the first thing people are going to want to know is, why didn’t we know about it and why didn’t we stop it?” Mr. Rubio said. “And the answer better not be, ‘Because we didn’t have access to records or information that would have allowed us to identify these killers before they attack.’ ”

Enforcing something like this would strip Americans of privacy.

In a related issue, the ACLU is looking into the use of the No Fly List. In an article titled, Until the No Fly List is Fixed, It Shouldn't be used to Restrict People's Freedoms. 

I understand that many people scratch their heads and ask, why not? But the simple answer is that placing people on the No Fly list is arbitrary and incomplete. There is also no due process! All Constitutional violations. I urge you to read the ACLU article to understand the Constitutional implications associated with the No Fly list. Denying people access to protected freedoms based upon an arbitrary list compounds the offense.

Even more frightening, the government uses the phrase "predictive judgement" in determining whether to place people on the No Fly list. That sounds like a movie called, The Minority Report. I am not against the No Fly list, just the lack of oversight and due process associated with placing people on it.

My Take: Fear must not overtake our guaranteed freedoms or we will soon become a totalitarian society with no freedom.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD