Day Off

It is the Christmas season after all and I decided that I was way behind on a number of critical things--like shopping. So, I took the day off! A brave thing to do. I also looked at my use-or-lose leave balance and couldn't figure out how else I was going to get the rest of it used this year!

Yay.

It is going to be busy as I attack the shopping arenas with vigor! Hopefully they will be mostly empty.

I have a few, too many, gifts to finish up. I admit though, I could get used to enjoying multiple cups of coffee in the solitude of my living room before starting the day.

I, frankly though, have put too many things off and although I was doing most of my shopping on line, there were/are a few things that I just need to see, handle, and look at in more depth to ensure they are just right. It is funny how some things just need to be seen.

And so, I'm off to shop.

Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho!

There, I feel better already!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Did He Eat an Elf?

Having a donut with Lucas after church on Sunday was a lot of fun. The had these really cool star shaped, cream-filled green frosted donuts.  Mmmm, they looked good. Lucas had one.

By the time he was done, he had a green mustache and it looked like he had eaten an elf!

But he had a lot of fun with the donut.

Fortunately, I didn't get caught in the spray pattern. I was not covered with  the green frosting.

But I did enjoy the thought that I would send him home with his parents to be cleaned up.

Green.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - December 17, 2012

1. Terrible things happen in the world and try as I might, there is not way to make sense of them. By definition they just do not make sense.

2. What a weird sport football is, a team that plays extremely poorly three weeks in a row and looses by a blow out can make the playoffs because because another team just barely lost. Go Ravens! Time to turn the team bus around.

3. Less than two months until the first full Spring Training workout for the Orioles position players--February 16th.

4. One week to go until the huge celebrations begin. And then, peace because it is over for another eleven months.

5. If you want to have some fun, do a search for the worst Christmas songs of all time. There is little consensus for the worst song of all time. I have seen The First Noel, Feliz Navidad, Please Daddy Don't Get Drunk this Christmas (John Denver), Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer, and Santa Claus is Coming to Town all listed as the worst Christmas Song of all time. I guess it depends upon your personal view.

6. Saturday, Santa visited our neighborhood by firetruck. By the time he was done visiting all of the neighborhoods around us (which took most of the afternoon) I was composing a song parody titled Santa got run over by a Firetruck.

7. My vote for the worst Christmas song of all time is I'll be Home for Christmas. Just saying.

8. I was crushed to learn that the bengal tiger used in the boat scenes during the movie Life of Pi was computer generated. I was going to support him for an Oscar. He was the best actor I've seen in a movie all year.

9. If the world ends Friday, the whole Mayan calendar thing, and no one is left alive will anyone care?

10. Two weeks from today is New Year's Eve--I wonder of we will be falling off the fiscal cliff at midnight?

Watching the Grandsons

There I was yesterday morning. Alone, unarmed, and without a clue as to how to keep three grandsons under the age of 8 busy for a couple of hours. I was at the mercy of Lucas, Jax, and Ethan with no help.

Something possessed me to say yes when asked if I'd watch the boys for an hour (or so) as Chris and Nicole headed off shopping for those final Christmas presents. Lucas was already at the house to allow his parents the opportunity to attend an early movie. Ethan and Jax had arrived for a scheduled playdate.

Recognizing the impending arrival of the grandsons, during the morning I had completed the conversion of the nursery into a playroom equipped with wall mounted TV and a Wii. Just in time to check it all out.

Watching Star Wars on a Saturday

The Wii kept their interest for a while. I even got involved and won a bowling game but was utterly crushed by Ethan playing tennis. Seems he has been playing Wii tennis and this was my first attempt. I at least managed a few points in one game.

Then it was outside to play on the swings, pass the soccer ball around and practice some basketball bounce passes.

It is amazing how slowly time passes when  the clock is watched. Even so--an hour (or so) turned into two and was headed for three.

Somewhere in there I was able to provide snacks and drinks to keep the boys wired and happy.

The stroke of genius came from Ethan when he asked to watch Star Wars Episode 3.

As we all settled in to watch the movie, I realized that this wasn't so bad. The boys were awesome and we actually had a real good time tougher. Surprisingly, there was no blood, no tears, and only a minor incident when Jax walked into my backswing while playing Wii Tennis.

Success.

It was almost anti-climactic when the women returned as we were really getting into the movie. But good things soon end. Or is it that they end too soon when they are good?

I survived. The house survived--and so did the boys!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Reflections of Monticello

Sitting in the garden pavilion placed among the gardens on the south side of Monticello provides a unique view of Jefferson's plantation. Looking over the hills of central Virginia and pondering what Jefferson thought about as he paused in this space.

Monticello's Garden Pavilion

The harvest was nearly complete on plantation and the views were stunning.

It is a beautiful spot to ponder life and enjoy the scenery.

Chris in the Monticello Garden Pavilion

I have been reading more about Jefferson and he was certainly a complex man working on many intellectual levels. I am currently reading Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power by Jon Meacham. I am fascinated by the unique view of Jefferson that he provides. One of the small things I discovered was that Jefferson was in Paris at the start of the French Revolution during the storming of the Bastille.

I enjoy wandering the grounds of Monticello and it seems that every visit brings a new discovery. I almost don't need the house tour anymore, however, I enjoy strolling through Jefferson's home and hearing the stories about his life. Most recently, I took a good look at the wine dumbwaiter alongside of the fireplace leading from the basement into the dining room. I noted the reconstructed side and was able to compare it with the original condition of the other side--huge difference and the clear evidence of the disrepair of the Monticello house during the past centuries. I'm glad they have not reconstructed both sides to provide a glimpse into the condition of the house without the restoration.

Right side of Monticello Wine Dumbwaiter

Left Side of the Monticello Wine Dumbwaiter

One other thing I have come to realize, in reflecting about the amount of thinking and reflection that Jefferson did on horseback is that it must have been nice that horses have brains, unlike cars. Daydreaming while driving a car is a recipe for disaster; at least the horse has a sense of preservation.

I will be back at Monticello again--and I look forward to the next discovery.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Christmas revisited

I find it interesting that there are two editorial pieces in the New York Times this morning about Christmas.

The first is titled, Hark the Herald Angels Didn't Sing. Written by T.M. Luhrmann the piece is about what the Pope wrote, using a pseudonym, to help educate Catholics about Christmas.

The second is titled, Holidays Without God written as a debate between two contributors about the need for God to be present in the celebration and even whether much of the basis for the holidays: Hanukkah and Christmas is valid. There is a deeper undertone of trying to bring together the two faith communities during this season and help the kids through the month.

It is so like us as a people to redefine the things we find difficult to make them understandable. Once, a long time ago, people thought the world was flat and that Earth was the center of the universe.

Do we need to redefine God and Christmas?

Golly, I hope not. But it seems that Christmas gets old, and it gets a year older every time it comes around. Maybe we get bored and forget the message.

I feel that way. I grow weary of the same old songs (some call them carols) played non-stop on the radio from Thanksgiving until Christmas. I worry that people believe we can boil the holiday down into a couple of tired songs, some traditions that we've forgotten the reasons for, and silver bells on the street corners.

We've become too familiar and comfortable with the basic concept.

One of the authors puts it this way:

"My children know the history and mythology behind each holiday, and we’ve even talked about the reasons for the timing — we observe Jesus’s birth at this time of year to counter the pagan celebration of the solstice, and we’ve elevated Hanukkah, a relatively minor holiday, to offer an alternative to Christmas for Jewish children. My kids pick up on some of this at school, too, along with a healthy dose of Kwanzaa. "

She goes on to write later:

"And we all know, as I said before, that Jesus isn't really the "reason for the season." The winter solstice is, and the darkness that closes in so early, and a very human desire that predates this whole discussion to light a candle against it."

So rational, historic, and human-focused. She takes the awe right out of Christmas. 

For me, it is the tired songs that bring me down. This season, I stumbled across a new Christmas song by Tobymac titled Christmas this Year that addresses the weariness and put spark and awe back into the holiday. Part of the bridge is:

It's all love

The season is a gift

When love came down to let us live

Let's open up and let our hearts embrace this moment

No matter when when or where we celebrate this season--we need to remain focused on the real reason--God deciding to come to live with people and provide a means to repair our relationship with Him. 

That is the first gift. Whether there were oxen and donkeys or not. And whether the angels sang or shouted (sorry Pope--its not's working for me)--the first gift came from God to restore our relationship. It is not a myth--it is not a nice story. It is not history or historical. It is still happening in our hearts if we let it--every day and every year.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Corny Christmas Movies

I watched one of those "made for TV" "corny Christmas stories" the other evening on the sappy Hallmark Channel.

I am amazed at the number of these specific genre movies that are available his time of year--considering they get to play them about once per year. But, then again they get to re-screen them every year.

I do not even remember the name of the movie, but Chris and I were enjoying some together time--which has been pretty scarce lately, and she likes the stories. This one was about a couple of bumbling government agents (aren't they all?) who track down Santa who is staying with a family in crisis in a small waterfront town. Somehow, a fighter pilot gets involved--he had shot down Santa the year before, and of course there were elves--and as is clearly evident the story line goes from unbelievable to absurd pretty quickly.

The key here is that I stayed awake and watched the movie, fortunately it was on DVR so we missed the commercials otherwise I definitely would have drifted off.

But the fascinating part was that when Santa, at the key moment in the movie when Christmas is about to be lost, calls for his sleigh and it arrives out of the clouds with nine reindeer, yup I counted, I got a bit emotional. There is something about seeing the reindeer and sleigh coming out of the clouds that rekindles the little boy inside of me and reminds me of the magic of Christmas.

I remember that magic from when I was a little boy and I knew Santa was coming and could hardly get to sleep on Christmas Eve. I remember walking into the too white light of the movie camera on Christmas morning to face a trimmed tree adorned with more gifts than I could ever imagine. And I knew it was magic.

And it still is in my heart.  It just gets lost in the business of life.

So, for a few minutes, I remembered those great times of unwavering magic all because I took time out to watch a corny Christmas movie.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Country Church Pastor Retires

It is there, in an almost forgotten place in upstate NY between Ithaca and Dryden. It has been standing there along the banks of a creek for over 100 years in Etna, NY.

Where is Etna, NY? It is in the heart of Central NY--far away from the bustle of New York City but closer to the center of life than most people would think. I found out, during my visit, that Etna was originally called Columbia, NY, into the early 1900's.

I had the opportunity to visit this church during November on the occasion of my Dad's retirement from service to the congregation.

Dad Walking Across the Parking Lot

We had a great pre-Thanksgiving celebration of Dad's retirement.

Retirement celebrations can be a lot of fun--and it is a good way to get almost everyone together.

It was a fun trip and a great way to reconnect with Mom and Dad and help ease them into retirement--where I hear they are busier than ever.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Christmas Panic Sets In

It is two weeks until Christmas--and the presents I am responsible for still have not been bought, ordered, or even thought of in some cases

That could be a problem.

It could be a large problem. I have a list--but I don't have a clue.

I'm such a guy.

I have become an Amazon warrior--I have been ordering the things that Chris tells me to order. I do love the one click and it is ordered feature. No lines to stand in, parking lots to navigate, or crowds to fight. And best of all the item usually arrives within the next couple of days.

And now, to complicate the season,  gifts from other people for other people are beginning to arrive at the house and confuse my less than complete plan.  It is a nebulous plan.  Such as it is.

Why is this such a confusing and complex season?

I though gift giving was supposed to be fun! This is more like a second job.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - December 10, 2012

1. Fifteen days to go all you shoppers! Feeling the stress yet?

2. Everyone who is waiting until Christmas Eve to do their shopping, take a bow. Everyone knows guys shop better when it is crunch time.

3. Is there someone I can push off the fiscal cliff to get the log jam broken? It could be a pretty subdued New Years Eve across the country if something isn't done soon.

4. I read that some taxpayers may face increases of $6,000 next year and they won't even know it until the end of the year.

5. Writing of taxes--there has to be something unconstitutional about tax laws that read $200,000 per single person or $250,000 per married couple. That certainly seems to be a marriage penalty to me.

6. "Good news for frequent-flyer gadget lovers: A federal regulator thinks it's about time you should be able to use your smartphone on planes." See this CNN article for more. From my standpoint, I think the airlines would save money because I wouldn't be lugging heavy reading material along on the place with me.

7. I wonder what this week will bring?

8. I just read that Key West, Florida, is considered one of the five creepiest towns in the United states by one travel company.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sparkling Wines for the Season: Bin 201

Yesterday was one of those Saturdays which are common during the holiday season characterized by the the word--busy. There was the obligatory shopping for holiday gifts with its associated too-ing and fro-ing. But there was a nice timeout during the middle of the afternoon to sample and enjoy sparkling wines from around the world.

Bin 201 Sparkling Wine Selection

What a great respite from the insanity. We attended a tasting and class on Sparkling Wines sponsored by Bin 201 in Annapolis Town Center.

The course was called Binology 103: Sparkling Wines, and featured wines from France, Italy, Spain, and Oregon. Oregon? Yup. They make sparkling wines, too. There is also a good sparkling wine maker in New Mexico that I enjoy but whose offerings were not included in the course. The course reviewed the history of modern sparkling wines,  how they developed, the main ways that they are created, and highlighted the more important regions where they are produced.

Here is probably the most important thing I relearned: Champagne is a region (in France) not a type of wine. Champagne is also a process for making, in my opinion, the best sparkling wine. Hence the confusion. Many great sparkling wines are made using the champagne method.  Important safety tip--not all French sparkling wines are Champagne!

The drinking, sampling, is always the best part of the courses. These wines all drank very well with generally very fine bubbles and refined flavors. The differences were subtle--even between the rose and the whites. But the finest of the wines were very good--and I confess a couple of bottles made their way home in expectation of Christmas and New Years Eve celebrations.

I heartily recommend the courses at Bin 201 as a way to increase wine knowledge and develop a deeper appreciation for wine. More importantly, I am looking forward to enjoying these wines in just a few short weeks.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Christmas in Columbia Mall - 2012

Last evening I was coerced into visiting the Columbia Mall to do some seasonal shopping. I actually like visiting this mall during the holiday season because of the unique decoration that takes center stage: the Poinsettia Tree.

Poinsettia Tree, Columbia Mall 2012

This tree, I believe, is unique among the decorations used in malls and it is big--at least 20 feet tall.

I always feel a need to snap a picture of it because I find it so stunning. This was a quick shot from the second tier of the mall.

One year, 2010 I think, the mall decided to forgo the signature poinsettia tree and set up a cheesy Santa's Workshop center for the kids. The mall found out that people like myself look forward to this unique expression of the holiday season. The last thing we need is another Santa to deal with.

The poinsettia tree is unique and it is a local landmark.

And, I enjoy it. I think I posted last year's image taken from exactly the same location.

Happy Holidays--Merry Christmas, and haul out the holly!

As a side note--I did survive the shopping adventure.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Follow the Instructions--There May be an Important Reason for Them!

The recent biting of an 8 year old girl, Jillian Thomas, by a dolphin at sea World in Orlando, as reported by CNN, provides a great example of irresponsible people who can't follow simple instructions then believe they are entitled to compensation for what I refer to as: terminal stupidity.

While I am sorry that the girl was bitten by the dolphin, in reading the statements in the article it is clear that the parents forgot the first rule of parenting: parent are on duty 24/7 and as a result they became powerless bystanders (with a video on a cell phone to document the situation) in the relatively minor incident that now is being inflated into an apparent money making proposition.

Dolphins are wild animals! Treat them as such. I have been to Sea World Orlando and this attraction specifically and I found the instructions to be simple and clear--I believe if the instructions had been followed and enforced by the parents, who presumably are adults, then the incident would not have occurred.

The following statement baffles me:
Jamie Thomas said those feeding the dolphins were told the paper plate should stay on the wall, "but we really didn't know why." No one signed a disclaimer, and there were no signs indicating any risk, the father said.

I guess the risk is apparent now.  These seem to be the kind of people who would need someone to explain to them the significance of a fire alarm as it is blaring in and effort to get them to clear out of a building which is on fire.

The end result of this is incident is that Sea World will likely have to close or modify this hugely popular and enjoyable attraction. There will be a significant payment from the insurance company, there will be increased ticket prices AND there will be another example of terminal stupidity being rewarded by our misplaced legal system.

There will likely be another sign installed in the world with print too small to read the advise people that dolphins are wild animals.

Really?

What has been learned? Like the woman who received millions of dollars by burning herself with hot coffee, society has relearned that that dolphins are wild animals, fire alarms are important, instructions by the staff or crew are to be followed, and coffee is hot.

I call this--an intuitive grasp of the obvious!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Christmas in the Hotel Lobby - Denver

So for the second time during this Christmas Season I am away from home and in a hotel that is decorated for the holiday's.

Christmas Tree in Denver Airport
Embassy Suites - 2012

The Embassy Suites I am staying in has a large atrium and they positioned an oversized Christmas Tree positioned near the entrance. I took this image form the bar which is located near the center of the atrium.

I like the big blocks around the base--I think they are very creative and festive. The tree is full of color and flocked with fake snow.

But I did notice one thing--the tree is not straight. I didn't notice it too much in person, but when I was looking at the image I took I found that the tree is clearly not straight. I went back to the atrium and checked it out to see if there was some weird thing going on in my camera. The tree isn't straight in person either.

So, call it a the Leaning Tree of Denver!

I wonder why they couldn't get it straight. Obviously a guy did it without the watchful eye of a woman to correct the deficiency.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Denver, CO

Out the Hotel Window - Denver, December 2012

There was no snow on the ground, yet it was evident on the mountains in the distance.

Out the Hotel Window - Denver Dec 2012

This was a different view for me from this hotel which I have visited many times before. Looking north to the plains, yet with the Rocky Mountains visible in the distance.

The mountains are stunning.

The clouds foreboding.

And yet, yesterday morning, they were the majestic part of the scenery. I definitely prefer their view to that of yet another building or hotel.

The scene out of the hotel window continues to change with the seasons and the compass.

It seems so empty.

So open.

So unlike Maryland.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Denver, CO

Falling off the Fiscal Cliff

Saw this editorial cartoon by Steve Kelley in today's USA Today.

I feel much the same way.

I'm not too sure my wallet can sustain the demands of the holiday season.

It seems the presents are mounting faster than the money necessary to pay for them.

I think that Chris and I will singlehandedly bring the country out of its fiscal doldrums.


--  Bob Doan, writing from Denver, CO

Out the Cabin Window - Over the Mid-West

There is was last evening spread out before me to enjoy from my window seat on a moderately comfortable United 757 headed from Baltimore to Denver.

Out the Cabin Window at 38,000 Feet

It was the horizon and the sunset. I do not normally sit in window seats, so when on those rare occasions that I have to, I try to make the most of the experience. The sunset made the almost four hour flight crammed into a space too small to survive almost worth the adventure.

I don't often get to see the full, unobstructed horizon at sunset. Trees and buildings and even hills and mountains often steal part of the scene.

I had been watching the sunset develop, rather than taking my usual mid-flight nap. As it became deeper and deeper, I just knew I had to try an image to hold the scene in my mind. I know why painters paint--because deep in their souls they see something that needs to be captured and remembered.

Before it had become too dark to make out the details, I had been watching the towns and cities pass beneath the jet. I watched the lights come on as dusk gathered and finally began to notice the patterns of the street lights on the ground trying to stave off the darkness.

All too soon, it was dark and I was reminded that darkness is not the opposite of light, but rather the absence of light.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Denver, CO

Living in a Right-Handed World

I am proud to be a member of the most oppressed minority in the world--left-handed people.

I continue to be amazed at how insensitive manufacturers are to those of us who are "in our right minds."

Right-handed Coffee Package

My most recent experience with the frustration of living in a right-handed world came last week while I was in Tampa. It involved coffee packages, of all things.

The hotel I was staying in was nice enough to provide complimentary coffee--which I always drink because the first thing I need when I get up in the morning is

  COFFEE!!!

The other morning I was standing in front of the coffee pot, it had been charged with water and the only thing lacking was to get the coffee out of the bag and into the pot to begin the brewing process. Naturally, I was holding the bag with the front up--I tore at the container to free the coffee--to no avail. Notice the small tear on the left side of the bag, just to the left of the "R."

The bag was not meant to be opened there, and it would not tear open! When I turned the bag over--back side up and tore at the bag, with almost no effort it opened to release the coffee within.  The bag was a right-handed bag!

Ugh!

There is nothing more frustrating than having a manufacturer throw a curve ball at me when I am barely awake.

Why not make the bag be ambidextrous?  The next bag opened exactly the same. As did all of the others I drank during my stay. None of them opened in a manner considerate of left-handed people.

I wonder if there is a discrimination suit in here somewhere?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - December 3, 2012

1. I know why won't Congress let us fall off the fiscal cliff? They have too much at stake--personally.

2. I don't know why can't I sleep in anymore on weekends? I was up by 6AM on both Saturday and Sunday this weekend.

3. Galileo invented the telescope on this day in 1621. How do they know that? Go check out Jupiter, I hear it is close.

4. I have learned a lot recently about how innocent by standers wind up in the middle of the action. It happens pretty quickly.

5. I am amazed by the new leader in Egypt--he apparently decided the deposed dictator had it right. So much for revolution and freedom.

6. To celebrate the end of the Mayan calendar, I have some friends getting married on December 21st. They are not really celebrating the end of the world, but rather the love and respect they have for each other. It just happens to coincide with the Mayan's calendar. Two new beginnings.

7. I read a report that Singapore is the least emotional country in the world and the Philippines are the most emotional country in the world. The U.S. and Canada are among the 15 most emotional countries in the world. I'm not too sure what this means.

8. I placed my old iPhone for sale on Craigslist yesterday and received zero inquiries! So much for additional Christmas money!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Disconnect: Fully Cooked Sushi

Walking around MacDill AFB, Florida the other day, I spied a sign that just didn't make sense to me.

Cooked Sushi?

Does that really make sense?

Wikipedia defines Sushi as Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice (shari) combined with other ingredients (neta), usually raw fish or other seafood. Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is vinegared rice called sushi-meshi.

Note in the definition the words, "raw fish!"  Not cooked!

So, what gives with Fully Cooked Sushi?

Who came up with that idea anyway? Is it still sushi if it is fully cooked? Doesn't that make it a spring roll or something?

I avoided that place.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Things left to do during 2012

I was scrolling through some images this morning and ran across one of the things I had wanted to do during 2012, but haven't got around to doing yet.

What do you think? Diving with a Great White in Mexico!

Donations appreciated!

--Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

December Dawns

Yes, amazingly enough it is the first of December 2012.

Deviled Eggs at Thanksgiving

A whole year has nearly escaped and I am hard pressed to recall how it has passed so quickly.

Like the deviled eggs from the Thanksgiving feast of just over a week ago, the end of the line for 2012 is in view and it seems I have more to do than there are days left to do them.

And I don't just mean Christmas shopping. I have hardly started that, ugh! But, I had planned on traveling to new and far away places this year--didn't happen.

On a more mundane front I still haven't even cut the grasses around the pool. Maybe this afternoon I will get to that project. After doing the leaves for hopefully the last time in 2012!

But the Christmas decorations are up!  Mostly.

The good news is that there are still days remaining in December to knock out some of the hanging projects.

December is a month beginnings and endings. There are endings--like the year, Autumn. But there are beginnings too, like Winter, burr and the renewing of friendships during the Holiday season.

This year there are additional things to consider on the national front, like the fiscal cliff. When December ends will our economy fall off it? The New Years Eve celebrations could be very subdued if our elected leaders don't figure something out.

Given all of that I definitely don't want to rush the end of the year. There are 31 days left, I am making a personal commitment to enjoy each one and find something special in it.

-- Bob Doan, back home in Elkridge, MD

Christmas for the Hotel Lobby

The lobby is decorated for the season at the hotel where I am residing. It is fun, I guess, to see the decorations placed about the lobby bringing their version of good cheer to the entrance.

I especially enjoyed the tree and the poinsettias strategically positioned to brighten up the lobby.

It seems I need to work a bit with my iPhone camera to take better images of lighted Christmas trees. This one seems a bit blurry--but maybe it adds to the ambiance of the scene.

I notes that the tree is very traditional, complete with a star on the top. The lights are white, and there are pretend presents around the base of the tree.

It is the season of preparation and shopping and so these decorations make the scene complete.

I can almost feel the hustle and bustle catching up with me.

-- Bob Doan, Writing from Tampa, FL

KB-50 Aerial Refueling Aircraft

Is it a prop plane or is it a jet? Nope, it's a hybrid.

KB-50 Aerial Refueling Aircraft at MacDill AFB, FL

I saw this hulking aircraft on display across the field from the building where I have been working this week. As I looked at it, I at first thought it was a venerable B-29--but then I looked closer and saw the outboard jet engines on each wing and added fuel tanks.

I considered for a moment what this aircraft might be. B-50? No, they never put jets on the B-50's, I thought. A modified RB-50? Yes, as I crossed the parking lots and busy four lane road of MacDill AFB, Florida, that is exactly what I expected to see. It made sense--Cuban Missile Crisis, reconnaissance, Florida. Although the jet engines still bothered me because I didn't think the RB-50 ever had jets.

KB-50 Side View Showing the Outboard Jet Engine

People who know me, know that I am reasonably good at identifying aircraft--especially aircraft that were in service with the greatest command in history--Strategic Air Command (SAC). So when I arrived at the site and saw the aircraft was a KB-50, imagine my surprise--I had never seen a KB-50 before.

The last of these venerable aircraft were retired during 1965--what a great run.

I enjoyed researching the history of the aircraft and finding out how they were used. I think it was one of those really successful repurposing of old, but useful aircraft. Just a short walk away, and flying overhead I saw the current aerial refueling aircraft in the Air Force fleet--the KC-135R. It is good to get away to an operational Air Force Base every so often.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Tampa, FL

Red Dawn - Review

I was looking forward to a campy, remake of the 1984 cult classic.

I didn't get it.

This remake of Red Dawn lacks imagination. plot, creativity, and the feel good ending that the original movie had.  Mind you, the original wasn't that good, but at least it left you feeling good!

This version is just bad. It has no socially redeeming value and is not even worth the time to watch it when it comes out on Netflix.

The acting is bad. The character development is practically nonexistent. The rest of the movie is trite and superficial. From a technical perspective, the bad guys are using US equipment for their military forces. The plot is poor and unbelievable--another secret weapon, not further specified, has crippled the US military and left the entire country defenseless and open to assault by North Korea. The landing is done by aircraft--how were they refueled in getting from North Korea to the US and without flying over Japan? The geography just doesn't work nor does the apparent logistics to support an army large enough to capture most of the US.

Come on, the US is not South Korea--whom the North Koreans hate more than us.

And that is just the beginning of the movie. The inevitable inclusion of the Russians and the bumbling North Korean officer who is in charge of the occupation are just more bad movie ploys. Given that the movie had a $65 million budget, I wonder why they couldn't have done better?

Another reviewer wrote:

Red Dawn really doesn't offer too much more in the movie department. The fact that a technologically strong country like North Korea doesn't have better armor for their troops is complete fiction and makes the threat of the enemy a little less intimidating. Throw in the fact that the kids can shoot better than the troops, and well you get a classic American cowboy film that further pumps up someone's ego. Aside from American pride, this movie also has a vague ending just like its 80's precursor that sets the stage for both ending and opens up for another movie. Whether or not this sways your vote I can't tell, but I'm just warning you that there is no definite closure to this film. 

I concur with all of the above.

RECOMMENDATION: Must miss!

-- Bob Doan, writing from Tampa, FL

Out the Hotel Window - Tampa, November 2012

Autumn's grip on the Northeast is slipping and I am in Tampa enjoying 70 degree days that Baltimore may not see again until March or April.

Looking West from Westshore Drive, Tampa

Out my hotel window in the distance is Tampa Bay just before sunset on November 27th.

The still warm sun is hidden behind the clouds as it slips towards the horizon.

Yay for warmth and sun. I left behind gray, rainy, cold skies in Baltimore.

While the water seems inviting, it is a distance away and I have not had the opportunity to put my toes into its salty warmth.

The weather is definitely different here, I ate dinner outside at a local restaurant last evening! And it was enjoyable.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Tampa, FL

Everything that's Wrong with the NFL

I can sum up everything that is wrong with the NFL in two words: Video Replay!

On Sunday, during the Ravens-Chargers game I was subjected to some of the worst officiating that I have ever witnessed.

Aside from the pass interference and leading-with-the helmet calls that weren't, the highlight of the game was the three-ring circus surrounding the Ray Rice pass reception for 30 yards on a 4th and 29 late during the 4th quarter.

Even with the assistance of video replay, the officials were hard pressed to make the right call. After determining that they spotted the end of the play wrong, they were then confronted with the problem that the first down chains had been moved and it was difficult to determine their correct placement in order to do a check for the first down. After a 15 minute, or more, delay in the game,  the end result of all of the video review and play changing was that the ball was repositioned about 12 inches and the Ravens still had a first down and the game continued. It was more likely that a truly correct reassessment of the ball position and first down markers would have resulted in a change of possession and the game being essentially over with the Chargers winning, 13-10.

Instead the Ravens scored the tying field goal and won the game in overtime, 16-13.

Please do not bring video replay to baseball. We don't need the delay and continued bad calls.

I continue to be amazed that even with video replay and the stoppage in play, officials still get the calls wrong. The TV announcers and even the coaches, apparently upon the orders of the league, cannot comment on the erroneous calls--but too many of them are too obvious to ignore. This is hurting the quality of the product being put on the field week-to-week.

Football, the king of American sports, has lost its competitive spirit. Video replay is not better than when officials were allowed to make the calls without the benefit of video replay. I think it is more fair and the games move faster.

BTW, when is CBS going to figure out that Sixty Minutes is not going to start on time when they are televising a 4pm game? The games have grown longer, it seems, from 3 to almost 4 hours.

And they are painful to watch, even when the my favorite team wins.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - November 26, 2012

1. The holiday sprint has begun. Check out the parking lot at your favorite mall if you want to have a frustrating experience. 29 days to go until the big day!

2. I went to a movie at a mall on Saturday evening--big mistake both for parking and the choice of movie. Review to follow.

3. Eleven boxes of holiday decorations and one weekend equals one tired puppy.

4. I enjoyed a bottle of the first northern hemisphere wine of 2012 Saturday night--Beaujolais Nouveau from France. It was young but had a very nice color.

5. I wrote down a couple of ideas during Sunday's church message about giving:

    a. Relationship is the basis of gifting, without a relationship between the giver and receiver gifts are just things.

    b. When I am giving a gift, it is not me doing the giving, but God giving through me.

    c. God's generosity to me causes me to be.

6. At 5:30 pm, when it is dark outside and day has passed into night I remember the summertime and how our outside activities are just beginning around the pool with a glass of wine.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Christmafication--A House Transformed

Yesterday was the day to finish, mostly, decorating the house by completing the changeover from Thanksgiving to the Christmas/Holiday season.

Christmas Jeeps

It makes for a busy day and includes such strange traditions as putting wreaths on the boy's Jeeps. This year, we found a way to put Christmas lights on the wreath on the yellow Jeep. That should be interesting. Patrick and Corey posed with their Jeeps for this picture shortly after we finished the project. It was pretty cold but we were happy in a devious kind of way. I have heard that the orange Jeep is coming over today to be Christmafied, too.

We use a seasonal word to describe this day of decorating. We call it Christmafication, which is a derivation of the word Christmafied. Take a moment to Google Christmafication--it is used a lot even though it has not beed accepted as a formal word, yet.

Garage Staging for Christmafication

Christmafication Day begins in the garage by collecting the boxes of decorations from the attic.

These boxes, containing their treasures, provide the tools necessary to transform the house into a Christmas ready paradise. I lost count at how many boxes of decorations we store from year to year. But they make a nice pile in the middle of the garage staging area.

Warm Glow of Christmas Lights

By the end of the day, these boxes will be empty and the house will be Christmafied. I realize later that two boxes were missing from this image--those of the two Christmas trees. Only one tree actually was set up during the day.

The 2012 Edition of the Doan House

Christmafication is a process. Although everything is mostly complete by the end of the day--there are a few activities that need to be completed on subsequent days. The second tree and associated decorations for the basement Family Room comprise most of them.


But the main living room looks--fabulous!

And so does the outside, for that matter.

Welcome to the Holiday Season--let's rock!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Snow Village 2012

It is ready to help celebrate the Christmas season. Here is the 2012 Doan Family Snow Village--just completed!

On to decorating the rest of the house.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Conquering the World, or not

The Thanksgiving tradition continued. Another year and another failed attempt to conquer the world!  The Black Friday family Axis and Allies game ended with another defeat for the Axis--just like history. That's good--but Patrick and I were playing the Axis, so I lost again.

It goes with the territory, I guess. Just like last year  I just couldn't get the global war plan going with my Japanese ally. Maybe the German push into the Caucasus Region was a bit too far and stretched my logistics lines too much. Or the crushing naval strategy executed in the Pacific by the British and U.S. navies.

Crushed! My strategy was completely crushed by the Allies. Again! Ugh!

Face it--I don't make a good world conqueror, despotic dictator, or Napoleonic-style emperor. My Waterloo always seems to happen somewhere on the Steppes of Russia. I have that in common with a lot of would be world conquerors.

Maybe next year (or after Christmas) I will do better.  I need a do over.

On a positive note, the Thanksgiving left-overs were awesome. Cold turkey, cold stuffing, cold fruit salad (oh yeah, the salad is served cold anyway). Sometimes I think Thanksgiving dinner tastes better the day after.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Season of the Turkey

It is over. Maybe today is just beginning for many people, but one of my favorite seasons of the year has just ended.

The season of the turkey is one of the shortest season's on the calendar beginning on November 1st and ending on Thanksgiving. It marks the time between rational thought and the insane sprint through the holiday season.

I have a small collection of turkeys which decorate our house during this all-to-short season. I enjoy replacing the garish Halloween decorations with their bright and happy faces and I am always a bit sad when I have to pack them away for another year.

Turkeys are inherently happy and are a great prelude to the day of thanks when we remember everything that we are blessed with--and I mean more than just good wine and mediocre football.

As Chris left the house this morning to sojourn into the Black Friday chaos, she reminded me that the season of the turkey is past and now is the time for snowmen, Santa's, and holiday cheer. I prefer the holiday spirits, but I guess that is becoming a bit more socially unacceptable these days.

For the next over 30 days, I will be listening to "Haul out the Holly" and other tunes on the radio many of them overdone so to the point of excruciating. But the memory of the unassuming turkey will get me through.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Happy Thanksgiving - 2012

Today is one of my favorite holidays. A truly American tradition of giving thanks to God for prosperity even during the hard times and for the hope of better times to come.

Turkey on the Mantle

"What are you thankful for this year?" It is a question that millions of Americans will ask around their Thanksgiving table today.

It is good to take a moment to think about our blessings.

I am saddened that some unscrupulous retailers (K-mart, Walmart, Macy's, and Target to name a few) have decided that the pursuit of the dollar is more important that pausing to give thanks. I'd propose a boycott, but they never amount to much in a practical sense.

So what is Thanksgiving?

I was remarking that it is turkey and dessert!  But, I know that it is so much more than that. 

I give thanks for everything and everyone in my life--my family, my friends, my coworkers, my job, and every blessing that God has blessed me with. 

As the hymn goes:

We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing; 

 he chastens and hastens his will to make known. 

 The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing. 

 Sing praises to his name, he forgets not his own. 

Let us gather and sing praise.

Happy Thanksgiving!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Phone Booths

Coming back from upstate NY on Sunday I saw something that I just don't see too often anymore.

It was there on a corner--right where it was supposed to be and it was a telephone booth.

This one was in the town of Marathon, NY. Chris and I noted that we hadn't seen a real, full phone booth in a long time.

A 2007 article from the Washington Post writes about the demise of the once ubiquitous phone booth.

I wonder where Superman is changing these days?

And how many high school seniors can really fit into a telephone booth?

It seemed lonely, standing there.

A throw back to an earlier time before cell phones and instantaneous communications around the world.

I'll bet there wasn't a phone book inside. Remember the phone books inside of phone booths? They always had ripped pages and were fat because of the moisture.

Phone booths always smelled bad, too.

I remember looking for dimes (yup, dimes) to make a call. And having people ask me if I had a dime. What do we use dimes for these days anyway? I remember collect calls! Especially from phone booths.

Maybe I don't miss them. Just the nostalgia of having them around.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Eric Scott and Naked Blue: Review

Saturday evening I attended a Cellar Music concert featuring Naked Blue and Eric Scott. In short it was  another home run from Cellar Music. A thoroughly enjoyable evening of friends, food, wine and fantastic music.

Naked Blue

Naked Blue led off the show with tightly crafted vocals and guitar riffs that were fun to listen to and accompanied by easy to understand lyrics. Having been performing for 20 years, the duo has everything, including great stories which punctuate the performance and provide a perfect backdrop to the music. It is clear that Jen and Scott know each other's music very well. The folk qualty to the music is enjoyable and the lyrics are very deep.

One of the highlights of the set was when Jen and Scott did their song We Will Fly, which has been recorded by Evangeline.

Scott Smith, Bryan Ewald, Jen Smith, Eric Scott Jamming

The second highlight occurred when they invited Eric Scott and Bryan Ewald joined the duo for some impromptu music. I have to admit, it has been a longtime since I have seen music made and not just performed--but Saturday night I was lucky to experience the thrill of watching music being made again and it was truly special.

Following Naked Blue, and an intermission, Eric Scott accompanied by Bryan Ewald took the stage and the crowd of about 60 were treated to Eric's smooth and accomplished voice and lyrics. Eric is not a small guy, but he has a special voice which is smooth and does not show the wear and tear of too many shows and too late nights. Eric's best song of the night was his song Victim.

The night ended too soon--even though it went late. The music was magical and the gathered people were into the songs--most of which were very singable.

Way to go Cellar Music--keep them coming.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - November 19, 2012

Blow-up Turkey

1. The turkeys are warming up--ready for the upcoming holiday. I think I want to buy a big blow-up turkey! Just because.

2. "Excuses are tools of the incompetent used to build monuments of nothingness. Those who use them seldom amount to anything" -- actor Stephen Grayhm

3. Retirements are not endings--but rather they are new beginnings, much like changing chapters in a compelling book. I was happy to be at church with my family as my Dad retired (again) on Sunday. I wonder if I will be retiring (again) when I am 84? I wonder what he is going to do for his encore?

4. Driving long distances on weekends really puts a crimp in the time available for activity.

5. I am always amazed at how much colder it is in NY. When we left there yesterday afternoon, it was 37 degrees. When we arrived home near Baltimore, it was 50 degrees.

6. I noticed yesterday evening that the main runway at Baltimore Washington International Airport had reopened after months of upgrading. I noticed this because it was finally quiet over the house and I saw an arriving flight flying the approach to the main runway--finally!

7. Football is an exciting sport--but there just aren't enough games. Baseball is an everyday sport for everyday people.

8. We live in the information age, yet, it seems that when I really need information I can't figure out where it is on the web.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Big Rocks

Ethan on a Rock in Danby, NY

Sometimes I make big rocks out of small pebbles.


Sometimes I make mountains out of mole hills.

Sometimes I look at a problem and think it is much bigger than it really is and wonder how I am ever going to be successful.

Sometimes I look at the schedule for the week ahead and wonder how I am ever going to make it to Saturday.

Every so often though, the rock is really big!

And I still get through it. Sometimes it just takes a little help.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Danby, NY

Cold Evening Quandry

I was sitting, alone in the house last evening waiting to attend a house concert where I knew it would be toasty and warm.

I was cold! It seemed cold in the house even though the temperature read 69 degrees.

I had only a few hours before congratulated myself on a second straight month of sub $170 electric bills. Yay! My house is 100 percent electric, except for the wood burning fireplace which totally rocks on cool evenings. But, as I was departing in less than an hour, I really couldn't start a fire to leave unattended.

Nor would I turn up the heat pumps to raise the temperature.

My Pittsburgh Penguin hoodie was looking pretty good at this point. So I went and got it from the closet.

How is it possible that a frustrated beach bum like myself can like a sport played on ice? I laughed at the paradox as I slipped the hoodie on.

And the warmth began. I even started to regain feeling in my fingers.

I heard the heating system start up and saw the cat walk over to a register to enjoy the warm air being forced into the room. I think Makayla was jealous. The cat beat her to the register to soak up the warmth.

Maybe I need an electric blanket for Christmas?

Nah, just a one-way ticket to Key West.

And a job there.

And a beach chair.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Longer Evenings

The early darkness is significantly lengthening the time I am spending in the house--almost feeling trapped, during the evenings.

Where I used to be outside--even if only lounging near the pool with a nice glass of wine, I am now inside looking out of the windows into the darkness wishing for springtime and the return of daylight savings time.

I am afraid it is going to be a long winter.

Last evening, to break the boredom, I did a significant amount of Christmas shopping. It was almost surreal--a glass of wine in my hand and my trusty laptop in my lap while checking out sites and options for holiday gifts. Accompanied by Chris, who managed the Christmas lists, we scoured sites to find the best bargains and we made a number of purchases! Yay Amazon! Shopping without leaving the house. A great way to beat the crowds.

I can almost change the verse from 'Twas the Night before Christmas poem , by Clement Moore from

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

to

Now Best Buy! now, Amazon! now Walmart and Sears!

On, Toys R Us! on, Target! on, Penny's and Macy's!

To the top of the heap! to the top of the credit limit!

Now spend it all, spend it all, spend it all now!

So, what fun did you have last evening?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Finding Joy

It is there, waiting for me if I just pause for as moment to enjoy it.

Jax Showing Joy

Joy.

A strange, small word that is easily lost in the hustle of my life. A word that is not often used by itself, but more often combined into other words like "enjoy" and "joyless."

Sometimes I find joy in watching others, like in the photo, I remember Jax rolling on the ground after a soccer game just enjoying life and playing with his grandma.

Yesterday I found joy in two seemingly small events.

First, my allergist told me that I could reduce my trips to his office for shots to once per week instead of the two times per week schedule that I have been on since June. A small thing, yes--but very freeing. And my arms are beginning to get sore as the dosage in each shot had been increased. And they itch. Do I feel better? I guess so--we will see in the springtime.

Second, Chris and I removed the leaves, again, from the front lawn as darkness was falling. It was good to be outside working around the house until dark. OK--5pm-ish. It would have been nicer had it been 9pm or so, but it was nice to be outside.

Joy in the small things.

Sunset in November

The orange ball hung low on the horizon casting its red glow onto the still autumn clothed trees making them seem to be on fire against the crystal clear cyan sky.

I am not a fan of seeing the sun setting as I am leaving work, but I could not help but be awed by the colors in front of me as I was driving.

I had a hard time not looking directly into the bright ball of fire--I was almost mesmerized by it--seeing it for what seemed like the first time after a hurricane and seemingly weeks of gloomy weather.

I wished it was the hot sun of summer, baking the interior of my truck to temperatures above 100 degrees turing the cab into an oven-like place that I could crawl into like a lizard looking for warmth.

But it was not.

The day was cold, 45 degrees, seemed like colder, as I drove away from my place of work.

By the time I arrived home--the sun had set and all that remained of it were the oranges and reds of the sunset--a fading memory of the day as the stars began to illuminate the darkening sky.

I like dawn more than sunset because dawn offers the promise of the day ahead, while sunset is the period at the end of the day. Time has run out--like the final gun or horn at a sporting event. The day is over.

Not even an overtime period to try to correct the miscues of the day. Daylight is fading into black and with it, the promise of the light.

The sunset silhouetted the bare trees along the highway as I approached my home, bathing their black branches with the colors of the dying day.

Although the sunset was breathtaking in its diminishing glory, nothing good ever happens after dark especially during the morning hours right after midnight it seems.

Tomorrow the dawn comes again, with the promise of a new hopes for a new day which is then bookended by yet another sunset.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Do Fans Understand Sportsmanship?

Without baseball and in the continuing wait for the hockey season that probably never will be, I have been reading deeper into some of the stories surrounding sports.

The following statement, reported on NFL.com, was made by a player, Brian Urlacher of the Chicago Bears, on Sunday: "I could give a crap about what people think on the street. Get mad at me all you want, I could give ... I could give a crap about what people say," Urlacher told ESPN Chicago's"Waddle & Silvy" show on Monday.

The situation apparently was that Brian Urlacher congratulated a player on the other team for a great play--I believe it was an interception. Turns out that the other player, Daniel Manning, was a former teammate and friend. Brian demonstrated something that we rarely see in sports: sportsmanship. What a concept. And the fans could not appreciate the display.

I side with Brian in this one. I often acknowledge my opponent on the racquetball court after a great serve or kill shot. There is nothing wrong with appreciating a good play--even by the opponent. Why? Because it is just a game. Athletes are not gladiators in the coliseum trying to kill each other. After the game--they are still friends.

Brian goes on to say, "When the play is over, it's over," he said. "It's not like I have to go out there and be a jerk to him because it's during the game and I'm a tough guy. That's not the way it is. They're my friends. Between the whistles I'm going to try and get them, and when the play is over we'll go back to doing whatever."

Great sportsmanship. We need more of it!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - November 12, 2012

1. Weekend trips are better when monday is a holiday to recover.

2. Who knew NASCAR was a violent sport with the crews of two teams having a brawl after a race.

3. I enjoy warm November days more than I might normally appreciate them because I know what is coming.

4. The fog drifting into the now bare branches of the trees this morning gave the scene outside my window an eerie feeling for the start of the day.

5. Why do holidays around the house seem to quickly become work days? My list of planned activities is huge--culminating with the hanging of the Christmas lights outside the house.

6. Traveling on weekends, while fun and enjoyable, always leaves me with more things to around the house.

7. Isn't it neat that our Congress and the President get to pick-up right where they left off? Staring at the edge of the fiscal cliff and neither side wants to give in. The losers? We the people.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Out the Hotel Window - Williamsburg, VA

I considered calling this autumn's last gasp. Out of the window this morning, bathed in the dawn's light was a stand of trees, still robed in their autumn colors.

A last reminder of color and life before the dark times begin.

It was an appropriate end of the season weekend at the Great Wolf Lodge resort filled with autumn colors.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Williamsburg, VA