Embracing Midweek Serenity: Finding Balance in the Bustle

Welcome to Wednesday. Today let's explore ways to navigate the middle of the week and find moments of serenity amidst the daily hustle. Let's embrace the midweek blues and transform them into a positive, balanced experience. So, let's dive in!

1. Start Your Day Mindfully: Wednesday mornings can often feel like a blur as we rush to tackle our to-do lists. Instead, prioritize starting the day with mindfulness. Dedicate a few minutes to meditate, journal, or simply sit in silence and set positive intentions for the day ahead. By cultivating a calm mindset, we can approach the challenges of the week with greater clarity and peace.

   
   

2. Find Your Midweek Motivation: Midweek slumps can sometimes zap our motivation, making it harder to stay focused and productive. Combat this by identifying your sources of inspiration. Whether it's listening to uplifting podcasts, reading motivational quotes, or connecting with like-minded individuals, seek out the fuel that ignites your passion and reminds you why you started this journey in the first place.

   
   

3. Take Active Breaks: We all know the feeling of hitting a productivity wall in the middle of the day. Instead of pushing through without a break, give yourself permission to pause and recharge. Step away from your desk and engage in a physical activity that rejuvenates you, such as taking a walk, practicing yoga, or enjoying a quick workout. These moments of movement will boost your energy levels and provide a fresh perspective when you return to your tasks.

   
   

4. Express Gratitude: Amidst the busyness, it's essential to pause and acknowledge the things we are grateful for. Use Wednesdays as an opportunity to reflect on the blessings in your life. Consider starting a gratitude journal, where you can jot down three things you're grateful for each Wednesday. This practice will shift your mindset towards appreciation and positivity, helping you maintain a balanced outlook.

   
   

5. Connect and Collaborate: Wednesday is the perfect day to reach out and connect with others. Initiate conversations with colleagues, friends, or even strangers who share similar interests or aspirations. Engaging in meaningful conversations and collaboration not only provides fresh perspectives but also fosters a sense of camaraderie and support. Remember, we're all in this journey together!

   
   

6. Embrace Mini Self-Care Rituals: A midweek self-care routine can work wonders in maintaining equilibrium. Incorporate small self-care rituals into your Wednesday schedule, such as enjoying a bubble bath, indulging in a favorite treat, reading a book, or engaging in a creative hobby. These moments of self-nurturing will help recharge your spirit and infuse your day with a sense of tranquility.

Wednesdays are not just about getting through the week; they're about finding joy and balance along the way. By implementing these practices, we can transform midweek blues into opportunities for growth, connection, and self-care.

Wishing you all a fulfilling Wednesday! Stay balanced embrace the journey.

Oh yeah, Happy Hump Day!

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Note: written with the help of ChatGPT, an AI language model trained by OpenAI

What did you do?

 

Geese on the 17th Fairway
Timbers at Troy, Elkridge, MD
May 29, 2023

Memorial Day 2023 has come and gone. It used to be that the next holiday up was Independence Day, but now there is Juneteenth!

Yes, another holiday. Wait, everyday is a holiday for me!

I did enjoy a long round of golf yesterday. And I mean long. Holidays make for full courses and long rounds. We played Timbers at Troy yesterday, or rather it played me! We spend 4 hours 51 minutes whacking at the little white ball and pushing it around the course. 

Honeysuckle
Timbers at Troy
Elkridge, MD
May 29, 2023

I had looked at the weather earlier in the week and decided on a mid-morning tee time. The problem is that a mid-morning tee time runs over lunch and one can get hungry and thirsty. Fortunately, I picked a good time because the rain started as Chris and I were driving away from the course.

As we played the course we were treated to wildlife and sweet smells. The honeysuckle remains in bloom and provides a sweet fragrance across parts of the course. We were also treated to an over anxious Marshall who encouraged us to speed up play while we were on the third hole, which upset me since we had been waiting for the group in front of us at the previous two holes and continued to wait at nearly every successive hole. We may have appeared slow, but we remained in contact with the foursome in front for the whole round. It is all part of golfing on a holiday, I guess.

It is amazing how an almost five-hour round of golf can eat up a day!

But, it was a great holiday spent with Chris and Jeremy.

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Monday Musings - May 29, 2023

 

Memorial Day 

1. Remember those who gave their last full measure of devotion for this country. Thank a vet or active duty service member for their service.

Virginia Mountains
Afton, VA
May 25, 2023

2. It is the last Monday, of 5, in May 2023. It is also Memorial Day. There are 30 Mondays remaining in the year.

3. I realized that as a retired person I really don't take vacations anymore. I am on vacation every day. When I leave home I am simply traveling as part of my retirement, like a business trip. 

4. The weather in Maryland has been unseasonably cold since our arrival here. Today we are attempting golf with forecasts for continued cool temperatures and a threat of rain.

5. It is a Monday holiday. I made have erred in getting a tee time. The course likely will be extremely crowded resulting in a 5-hour round of golf.

6. Today in History. At 11:30 a.m. on May 29, 1953, Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay, a Sherpa of Nepal, become the first explorers to reach the summit of Mount Everest, which at 29,035 feet above sea level is the highest point on earth. The two, part of a British expedition, made their final assault on the summit after spending a fitful night at 27,900 feet. News of their achievement broke around the world on June 2, the day of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, and Britons hailed it as a good omen for their country’s future.

Mount Everest sits on the crest of the Great Himalayas in Asia, lying on the border between Nepal and Tibet. Called Chomo-Lungma, or “Mother Goddess of the Land,” by the Tibetans, the English named the mountain after Sir George Everest, a 19th-century British surveyor of South Asia. The summit of Everest reaches two-thirds of the way through the air of the earth’s atmosphere—at about the cruising altitude of jet airliners—and oxygen levels there are very low, temperatures are extremely cold, and weather is unpredictable and dangerous.

4 great white sharks detected in waters off New York and New Jersey - CNN

Police: 7 children found in home with padlocked fridge, caged rats, never attended school and lacked basic knowledge - CNN

Iran will face consequences after Kyiv was targeted with Iranian drones, Ukrainian official warns - CNN

Biden says final US debt ceiling deal ready to move to Congress for vote - Reuters

North Korea to hold key ruling party meeting in early June - Reuters

Nigeria's Tinubu gets his turn as president, familiar problems await - Reuters

Explosions rock Kyiv as Russia launches new attack - Air Force - Reuters

Japan puts missile defences on alert as North Korea warns of satellite launch - Reuters

Disney’s Orlando Campus Cancellation Is a Blow to Neighboring Projects - The Wall Street Journal

Texas Republicans pass bills changing election policies for large Democratic county - The Washington Post

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Free Fallin

Free Fallin
Big Cork Vineyards
Rhorersville, MD
May 28, 2023

 Saturday was concert night. Last evening we went with friends to Big Cork Vineyards for the Summer Concert Series. The featured band was Free Fallin, a Tom Petty tribute band. It was a beautiful evening for an outdoors concert. As the concert progressed, the sky began to become a visual experience of its own. Combined with the music of Tom Petty, the evening became a visual and auditory experience to enjoy.

The band hails from Minnesota and has been together for 17 years playing Tom Petty music. I have to admit, I am not a huge Tom Petty musical fan, however, the music on the lawn of the winery last evening was enjoyable and during the second set the band played the greatest hits of Tom Petty. I admit, I knew the tunes, but not all of the words so I used my phone to access the lyrics so that I could sing along.

The band has an authentic Tom Petty sound and look. They connected very well with the assembled masses on the lawn. Big Cork is a beautiful venue for concerts and, being a vineyard, the wine flows freely. There were food trucks for those who desired some food and I enjoyed the ice cream truck which I sampled during the intermission.

It was a great evening with friends in the Maryland Mountains under a stunning late-Spring sky. It was also the perfect way to begin a holiday weekend.

I recommend the band and the music. If they play at a venue near you, go see them if you like even one Tom Petty song! You will come away appreciating the music even more. It was a great evening.

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Debt and Rights

Flamingos stand in a pond in Navi Mumbai, India,
on Sunday, May 22.
Punit Paranjpe/AFP/Getty Images

Like a bunch of flamingos.

That is what I feel our Congressional leadership is like, sometimes.

The debt crisis has been looming for months and they find out they may have five more days and they immediately plan to take five more days.

And what has the Democratic-controlled Senate been doing the past few weeks? They should have passed a debt ceiling bill and be negotiating with the House. Seriously, things apparently have become broken.

And the whole process is being held hostage by a few outliers.

I feel that the majority of the Congress just want to raise the debt ceiling and get on with business. Yes, the looming budget battle is going to be wild, but allowing a small minority to hold the whole country hostage and threaten not only our economy but the world's? Really?

Sadly that is where we are headed. In Florida, for instance, one parent can decide which books the majority of children cannot be exposed to in schools, whether the majority agrees or not. My view, if parents object to a book, then don't let their kids read the books. The idea that librarians can be held liable for obscene material in the collection, as a law in Arkansas is proposing, is preposterous. The definition of obscene is fairly amorphous and apparently changes with the wind. There is classical literature and art which certain people would feel is obscene. Look at the statues in Europe where portions have been broken off because someone felt it was obscene.

We have lost societal compass that made us what we are: an inclusive society that embraces individual freedoms and rights even if we, ourselves, don't agree with the practice of those rights. I believe that one can be Pro Life and yet support abortion rights. It is not that hard. There is no inherent right allowing someone to abridge the rights of others just because of a disagreement and especially when that disagreement is based upon a supposedly religious difference.

America is great because it is diverse and embraces differences. Wait, that, apparently is the liberal lie.

Well, I'm still waiting for Congress to raise the debt ceiling--a fairly simple task. I am not convinced they are capable of more complex problem solving.

Finally, I would never call members of congress flamingos, I like flamingos too much.

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Virginia Wineries

King Family Vineyards
Crozet, VA
May 25, 2023

 During the past two days, Chris and I have managed to visit 8 Virginia Wineries in the Charlottesville region. 

We have been treated to stunning vistas, varied wines, and great conversations with the friends who are accompanying us on our trek. 

One thing we are definitely enjoying are the varied wines. It is surprising that we have not purchased more than we have, but I think the idea of transporting them to Florida and hoping they arrive in good condition is a bit off-putting. 

View at Mount Ida Farm and Vineyard
Charlottesville, VA
May 24, 2023

We especially enjoyed returning to King Family Vineyards, where we are members. I believe the consensus of the group was that the wines were tasting best at King. I also purchased the most wine at that vineyards.

We enjoyed the stunning views from Mount Ida Farm and Vineyard and also from Hazy Mountain Vineyards and Brewery. These vineyards are designed for stunning views and hosting weddings. Their wines are coming along. But, I will say that the pizza at Hazy Mountain is excellent!

We have had some great fun and great food. 

I highly recommend Duner's out outside of Charlottesville for dinner! Excellent service, great menu, and a just a really nice place to enjoy conversation and dinner. 

And our visit is not yet over. 

-- Bob Doan, Earlysville, VA

National Wine Day

 

Chris and I are out celebrating National Wine Day by visiting Virginia Wineries. We are at our second stop of the day, Hazy Mountain Vineyards. We are atop a mountain with a 360 degree view of mountains. 

We were at King Family in Crozet, VA, earlier. 

Drink wine and have a dog to live longer. 

— Bob Doan, Afton, VA

Geese on the Move

Geese and Dog
Purcellville, VA
May 21, 2023

Goose and Gosling
Odenton, MD
May 23, 2023

Chris and I continue to enjoy the geese in Nicole and Mike's side yard pond. The goslings are growing so quickly. It is instructive to watch the adults protect and herd their brood from place to place. The goslings line up generally between the adults and move together. 

On Sunday, while we were at Maggie Malick Wine Cellars, we observed adult geese protecting their goslings from the occasional dog that wanted to play in their pond. One of the geese, we believed it was the gander, moved between the dog and the goslings to divert the dog. One enterprising dog actually swam around threw pond twice with the gander always just out of reach before the dogs owner finally managed to get the dog under control. 

We never feared for the geese, although we wondered if at some point the dog would come under direct attack from the gander.

And so goes nature. Oh yes, we do have to avoid stepping in goose poop!

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Return to the BWI Loop

 Patrick and I enjoyed a "boys night out" last evening and started by riding the BWI Loop again.

We worked hard, lowering our actual workout time from 55 minutes to 48 minutes to complete the 10.6 mile loop around the airport. That raised our average speed from 11.6 to 13.2 mph. 

That was a fun way to begin an evening together that then moved to his basement where we talked for a couple hours and enjoyed some adult beverages together. 

I am beginning to appreciate my Bikemap App more since its recent upgrade. The mapping is better and the stats are easier to access and are more complete. One of the upgrades added 10ths of a mile for distances over 10 miles. In the previous version once I pedaled over 10 miles, the app only showed miles and not miles and tenths. The app recorded the tenths, but did not display them. I generally ride using Bikemap and the Apple fitness bike app together. It has happened that one of them failed during the ride, like because I forgot to charge my watch or I hit a button and killed the Bikemap, and so I get a record of the ride regardless of my inattention to detail.

Before riding yesterday, I had to work on my rear brake. For some reason one of the disc pads had become loose and I was not getting braking power on the rear. That is a bad and dangerous thing since using the front brake only on hills could be hazardous. I stopped by a bike shop, but they could not see my bike until the 31st. So I did "Bob doing Bob things" and took a look at the brake myself. With the help of the internet, I was able to adjust the brake and fixed the issue in about 10 minutes--the hardest part being finding the correct sized Allen wrench.

Another day dawns.

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Monday Musings - May 22, 2023

 

1. Monday Musings is back after a week off due to travel! Say "good morning" to the fourth Monday of May. There are 31 Mondays remaining in the year.

2. Chris and I had a sad experience at a Loudoun County, Virginia, winery yesterday. It was their last day. Everything was discounted and while a great celebration was underway, there was a sense of sadness. The winery, Maggie Malick Wine Caves near Purcellville, has been sold and the new owners want to make the house into a B&B, close the winery and possibly build a microbrewery on the property. At least that was the plan as reported to us by one of the employees.

3. It has been relatively cool in the region since our arrival one week ago. Some weather reporters advise that it is running about 10 degrees below normal! Morning temps in the 50s are a shock to my Florida lifestyle! I had to wear jeans instead of shorts yesterday. I still wore my sandals, without socks, however.

4. The biking has been fun. The honeysuckle blossoms are providing a sweet smell across the Mid-Atlantic forests right now. Riding is multiple sensory treat.

5. Today in History. On May 22, 1843, the first major wagon train to the northwest departs from Elm Grove, Missouri, on the Oregon Trail.

Although U.S. sovereignty over the Oregon Territory was not clearly established until 1846, American fur trappers and missionary groups had been living in the region for decades, to say nothing of the Native Americans who had settled the land centuries earlier. Dozens of books and lectures proclaimed Oregon’s agricultural potential, piquing the interest of white American farmers. The first overland immigrants to Oregon, intending primarily to farm, came in 1841 when a small band of 70 pioneers left Independence, Missouri. They followed a route blazed by fur traders, which took them west along the Platte River through the Rocky Mountains via the easy South Pass in Wyoming and then northwest to the Columbia River. In the years to come, pioneers came to call the route the Oregon Trail.

China reacts to Zelensky's participation in G7 - CNN

US economy heads closer to the brink as Biden and McCarthy meet today on debt limit - CNN

‘Uncle Roger’ jokes about China, and censors don’t see the funny side - CNN

Ukraine says it advances on Bakhmut's flanks to entrap Russians - Reuters

Meta hit with record $1.3 bln fine over data transfers - Reuters

Beijing rebukes Japan, Britain over 'anti-China' G7 summit - Reuters

Could Biden use the 14th Amendment to raise the debt ceiling? - Reuters

As Preteens Ignore Social-Media Limits, Governments Push for Better Checks - The Wall Street Journal

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD