Speed Puppy

This is fun. Racing across the pool cover with the pool so full the water laps at my feet.

I'm a speedy dog.

Faster than a a speeding bullet. .

More powerful than a Rottweiler.

Able to leap tall logs in a single bound.

Able to run across pool covers at speeds approaching the speed of sound!

I'm super Makayla!

I live the life of a quiet puppy and pet, but at night I become a super hero! Speedy Dawg.

Equipping the Team for Success

I was reminded about an important aspect of leadership while in church the other day.

Good leaders equip their team members to do the work. The real problem is when the leader abrogates this important task and forgets how to interact and equip the team members.

This is biblical! Read Ephesians 4:11-12. It speaks to the leaders and what they are supposed to do for the team members--equip them.

"It was he who gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ," (Eph 4:11-12, NET Bible)

These verses struck me as being applicable to many areas of life--and especially teams. Churches are, after all, teams of people working together for an important outcome. The world borrows lots of ideas from the Church and then changes them a bit and calls them the product of "Renaissance thinking" or some other moniker. But we know where they really come from.

This concept works for teams. The leaders need to equip the team members to do their jobs. The leaders must not do the jobs--but be about getting the resources, and training, and developing the enthusiasm in the team to successfully accomplish the mission or task.

I've been part of teams where the leader has great ideas, and great vision; but doesn't provide the team members the skills or the desire to achieve the end state. It is sad. Because the ideas are great. But the execution fails because the leader isn't doing the job and therefore, the team can't do its job.

Churches can be like this too. With paid staffs and professional pastors, the membership may develop the idea that if they throw enough money at the problem--they will succeed. That is a sure sign that the pastors and teachers aren't doing their jobs--equipping the members to do the work. Somewhere the idea gets turned that the pastors and teachers are doing the work. And some pastors may thrive on this--being the key cog in the wheel. These pastors may even be afraid that if the team gets too good, they won't be needed. But it's not true.

Sometimes team leaders are their own worst enemies, too. They say they want the team members to move out and do the work--but when it comes right down to it they are afraid to let the team do its mission. They throw up roadblocks to success--their own success as it would be. The create a dysfunctional dependency-based relationship where the team cannot--no is not allowed, to do its work without the direct and intimate involvement of the leader. How are they going to learn?

I have seen this over and over again. Leaders cripple rather than equip their team because they are afraid the team won't need them.

I think what this verse and what I take away from all of this is--charge them up and send them out.

Equip the team for success. Give the team members the tools and enthusiasm to do their tasks and then LET THEM DO IT! Yeah, there will be mistakes, but consider these as teaching points.

The team will be stronger and will begin to meet is tasks and perform its mission and purpose.

Saturday Night Out--at Church?

You know we keep churches in a real box. Plan the week to go to church for an hour or so on Sunday. Multiple services sandwiched back-to-back don't leave much time for doing something radically different.

Saturday night--Feb 28th was different. One service--lasting 2 and a half hours complete with two 40 minute messages and some really awesome music to kick off a new series of study.

Sometimes you have to do something different to have really awesome God experience. And worshiping with 1300 other people is not something that happens to me every day. The band rocked and God was glorified.

In the same way we keep churches in boxes, we often keep God in a small manageable box as well.

But for us we need to remember Romans 6:23. And a God that can save us from our sin and death should not be kept in a box.

Miracle Baby Jax turns One!!

It is true--the miracle baby turns one today!!!

Jackson Gray, the child that was the object of so many prayers and who demonstrated God's love in a most personal way turns one and is the light of many lives.

This shot is from Disney--but he is climbing stairs and really coming into himself.  And he is the cutest thing going.

It has been a great year of watching Jax grow and develop. He is funny and has a genuinely good sense of humor. And I love the way he smiles--not just with his mouth--but his whole face and even his eyes light up.  A smile designed to melt the coldest heart.

Happy Birthday Jax-- you are a great kid.

What a Great Gift

Thanks Mommy! I love to dig and I love dirt. Who knew that you thought of everything and I have my own personal sand (dirt) box?

Wow this is great. I bet there are lots of treasures here. I know there are a lot of peanuts. Squirrels. I love those tree rodents.

The dead plant needs to go though. No problem--I'll dig it out and then play with it all around the deck.

Boy what a great view I have from up here.

Mommy--why aren't you amused that there is dirt all over the deck and me? I thought that was what the play box was for--digging and spreading out?

I love Saturdays they are such fun.

Helping Daddy with the Pool

The amount of help I get while doing normal maintenance tasks can be really amazing. Makayla just wants to be part of everything I do.

That can be good or bad. In this case there was some risk that she would fall into the pool as I was lowering the water level in advance of the expected storms.

But Makayla was just enjoying racing around the pool cover. Boy will she be in for a surprise when we are ready to actually open the pool.

I wound up closing the cover over the opening to ensure she wouldn't accidentally become a statistic. The water looked pretty cold--and it was cold. But still clear. So I'm excited about pool opening day!

Snow Day - This is March?

I am continually amazed about how the entire region I live in gets excited about the prospect of a snow day!

It began yesterday and by evening everyone was convinced that we would get an unscheduled holiday--and it happened just that way.

The schools are closed and I even got a day off to deal with the white stuff falling from the sky.

And of course you know how I feel about snow--white, fluffy, cold and a real pain. Send me to a sandy beach with palm trees and a place to lie and soak up some rays!

A Nor'easter--brings terror to the hearts of mariners, but to those in the Baltimore-D.C. area it brings a holiday of sorts.

Of course the flag on the front of the house says it all-- "It's Five O'clock Somewhere." And the reflection of the fire in the window of snow, shows how we are dealing with the cold, white stuff. I'm reminded of a song that goes, "O the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful!"

Wine Tasting Saturday

Saturday, the last day of February we had a very enjoyable experience in attending a wine tasting. We made our second ever visit to the Iron Bridge Wine Company to taste some wines and enjoy some food with friends.

We actually started with the reds since we really prefer reds. The tasting was excellent and we were able to taste a wide variety of wines and even bought a few.

Attending these is a lot of fun and allows the tasting of wines we otherwise might not get to enjoy. There were a number of gems in the wines we tasted and I will be reviewing a couple of them in the near future.

Two that both Chris and I enjoyed were:
Possum's Vineyard Shiraz, 2004, McLaren Vale, Australia and
Mas des Aveylans "Cuvee Prestige" Syrah, 2004 Rhone Valley, France.

Bottom line though--a great Saturday afternoon activity.

I Have an Idea

Think about it. What does the look on this child's face portray? Someone is going to hear about a great idea welling up in the mind of the cutest 3-year old in the world! And that someone is probably Gramma!

And yes--this was taken during our visit to the B&O Train Museum and Ethan was on overload with great ideas!

And this one is for his Mom. Who says he doesn't smile for pictures? This is a smile. Sort of.

Ah the joys of a creative mind and a devious spirit!

And of course, the joys of being three and free. When the biggest decision of the day is do I chase the dog or beat on my brother, again.

One more time then--I have an idea and you are bout to hear about it.

Be the Big Dog and the Circle of Life

Oh--the size and speed difference. I love it when the big dog comes to play. I get a chance to see what Makayla may grow in to. Ben is Jeremy's Keeshond--and he is both beautiful and well mannered.

It is always a lot of fun to see the dogs play together. And they do play.

They play hard and fast and constantly. I love seeing how tired Makayla is from playing with Ben. I'm sure Ben is a tired puppy too--after playing so hard with Makayla.

A--the joys of puppy hood. Our neighbor noticed how big Makayla is getting and remarked that she won't be a puppy much longer. I don't know though. I mean--I think I'm still a youngster and I'm sure it is the same for dogs. They don't even know they are getting older. One day, Makayla will be the big dog for some young pup--just like people become grandparents for young ones.

And maybe she'll think--wasn't it only yesterday I was chasing the big dog? And now I'm it.

Man's Best Friend: A New Chainsaw!

Gotcha! Thought I was going to rant about the cutest dog in the world again didn't ya!

Nope--today it is about the power of a chainsaw to remove felled trees from the yard. We had a huge walnut tree topple during a wind storm last June, which I was only able to just clear off the property but the bulk of the huge tree was still creating havoc in the forest behind the house. And then, two weeks ago, a dead tulip poplar fell into the yard.

Now I had a small, electric chain saw suitable for heavy pruning--but it was no match for the bulk of the walnut now the tulip poplar. So--as with any task, I needed the right tool for the job.

Enter, my new Homelite 20" Bar Chainsaw straight from Home Depot.

It cleared the downed tulip poplar in no time and is tearing into the felled walnut tree as well. Pre-Springtime and early-Spring is the best time to work in our woods because the low green bushes are not obscuring visibility and the job goes really fast.

Chris and I have been working since we moved into the house to clean up the forested area behind the house--and the windstorm last year which felled the walnut tree really dealt us a set back. Hopefully, we are back on track to clean the mess up and beautify the area.

The reviews on the saw are mixed--but mine works great. So far. And the yard really looks very nice and it was easy to do. My saw has started easily and run well--through the first tank of gas. We'll see how it goes, but so far so good and I'm looking forward to using it even more.

As you can see--there is a lot more work to do to get the area back into shape. And tools and heavy equipment are going to be required. I even think the chipper queen of Howard County may get a chance to do her stuff some Saturday afternoon not too far off!

Watching the Pens on Sunday

Well, it is probably pretty obvious that we are both Pittsburgh Penguins hockey fans.

What could be better than a Sunday afternoon together watching hockey? Maybe watching baseball at Camden Yards--but probably nothing else.

The other thing here is that we were watching the game on our formerly small HDTV. Shortly after the game (a loss to the Capitals) and also following the loss by Syracuse to Villanova, I succumbed to Chris' and Jeremy's suggestions that the screen was too small and we went to our favorite electronics boutique: a/k/a Best Buy, and upgraded the screen size. The event precipitating this was confusion over the score of the basketball game due to the incredibly small size of the numbers in on the screen.

But it was a great Sunday with Jeremy and I really enjoyed it.

New Friends: A Boy and a Dog

Ethan and Makayla--who would have thought it?

But an overnight with Gramma brings out the best of everyone and this was one of the funniest. Ethan dragging Makayla firmly clutching her snake across the floor. And both of them were having a great time.

Who knew that a small dog and a small boy could be such good playmates.

Up until Saturday, Ethan's total interaction with Makayla was to say, "NO" whenever she got near him. I admit--she is a bit toothy as a puppy. I should know, I have puppy tooth marks everywhere as I am training her "no teeth!"

The funny part is that Makayla wanted Ethan to pull her across the floor. They did this action on multiple occasions and Makayla was always asking for more.

And so did Ethan.

You want me to do What?

Training can be a lot of fun. Except when you get a look like this.

Makayla looks as if she is saying--"That is all well and good for you, but remember, I'm a puppy!"

I look at her eyes and just smile. It has been so long since we've had a puppy that I forgot how much fun and work they are. But she makes me smile a lot with her boundless enthusiasm for life.

And she is getting so big. Soon the puppy will be but a memory.

But she is such a good dog and a quick learner. I hope I have the patience and perseverance to teach her to become the dog I want.

Stuhlmuller Vineyards Estate Zinfandel 2005

A great wine--Stuhlmuller Vineyards Estate Zinfandel 2005 with a fabulous bouquet, a deep inviting color and a smooth finish which lingers. The wine is a blend of Zinfandel (88%) and Petite Sirah (12%).

The vintner describes the wine as follows: Displaying a beautiful dark ruby color with purple hues, this Zinfandel overflows with aromas of earthy red berry, raspberry and sweet candied strawberry. On the palate, this medium-weight wine is loaded with red fruit and floral flavors, while possessing a natural acidity that translates to a long, spicy finish.

I found this to be accurate. I have always enjoyed Zinfandel's for their spicy flavors and long finish. And this wine did not disappoint.

RECOMMENDATION: A solid wine for a special occasion--at about $24 per bottle--probably not to be used as a table wine, but one that should be on the table for a special dinner.

A Day at the B&O Museum

It is one of those gems that lie right under our noses. Especially for those of us who love to ride the rails and dream of life the way it used to be.

The gem is the B&O Railroad Museum right down in Baltimore. And on Saturday we vewntured there with Ethan to enjoy a day from the past.

We crawled up into the cupola of a caboose and enjoyed the view.

We marveled at the sheer size of the trains as we stood in front of them. Drive wheels of 80 inches the sign said--that is almost 7 feet tall and solid steel.

And top speeds of over 100 mph.

The lure of the rails and of days gone by. Realizing that the history of railroading began right here in Baltimore in 1828 with the first track opening in 1830.

The engines and the cars are marvelous sites.

I was fascinated that those huge machines ran without the use of all the fancy electronic gadgets that we have today. Totally mechanical. Water to make steam and coal.

The museum is fantastic. This was my first visit since the collapse of the roof a few years ago. They have really upgraded the displays and the fun.

I highly recommend this as a great place to spend the day.

Makayla in the Snow and Palm Trees on the Corner

Makayla is getting so big. This picture was taken last month in the snow--but I noticed how much bigger she has gotten the other night--now all I need to do is get a newer picture of her.

My, how the time does fly. Less than two months ago on Christmas Day she was a really little puppy lying in my lap, scared and totally disoriented. Now? She is the terror of the house!

I also noted that after my rant yesterday about the cold that Winter decided to show me real cold and delivered some snow today.

Thanks. I guess that will teach me to complaining about one of the three things that we can't do anything about: Death, Taxes, or the Weather.

And don't get me going about the taxes.

I'm glad the government has so much money to give away. I looked at the number the other day. You know, if they just gave every American $200,000 and said get out of debt and go spend it--I bet the economy would turn around real quick. And it would be cheaper than the $800,000,000,000 we're spending (by $200B). (do the math, 300,000,000 Americans times $200,000 each)

The way they're doing it now, someone is going to get rich(er) and the rest of us will get poor(er) by paying taxes for those getting rich(er).

As for me? I know I'd buy a nice Dive Boat in Key West and retire there with my dog--and if the wife wanted to come along--so much the better! I dream of Palm Trees on the corners.

Who Let Winter Back?

OK--I'm looking for the person or persons who decided that warm temperatures were not allowed!

A potentially beautiful three-day weekend was destroyed by freezing temperatures. It was soooooo cold!

There is this large tree laying in the yard waiting to be cut up--too cold!

I need to buy a chainsaw---too cold to use it so why buy it?!

The storm last week blew leaves into the pool area and around the fence line again that need to be removed--- too cold!

The yard needs to be prepped for Springtime--too cold!

The gardens need to have the leaves removed---too cold!

The water level in the pool needs to be lowered---too cold!

Take Makayla for a walk--too cold!! (but it had to be done, the consequences are just too much to bear)

Put air in Chris's tire---too cold!! (but I did it anyway)

Go to the grocery store---too cold!! (this could become a problem at some point!)

Get the picture?

On the other hand--I did get the taxes filed! A whole month earlier than last year. I hate tax time. I'm reminded how much we pay in taxes and wonder what we get for it. It seems I pay taxes so others can get benefits. Hmmmmm!

I did take a great nap!

But really--let's turn the warmth back on to stifle the outrageous electric bills we have been getting and get back to some outside living.

I was able to brave the cold and barbecue some burgers last night. It was fun to watch Makayla run around the pool area and onto the pool cover. Boy is she in for a surprise in a couple months.

We have had a taste of Springtime--now let's turn on the warmth and sunshine and begin to live outside again!

Things or People?

So I got it from two very different sources over the weekend.

First, my boss gave me a book to read titled Gung Ho! by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles. We have been having some turbulence at work personnel wise and I'm not sure why he handed me this book to read the other day--but I'm glad he did. It is the leadership style that I try to emulate and believe in.

The book is not new--it was written in 1998, but the focus is upon the people of an organization. Simply--make sure people:

1. Have worthwhile work,
2. Are in control of achieving the goal and
3. Are committed to cheering each other on.

The Native American approach the book uses appeals to me a lot.

There is a great quote in the book: "Running a business from numbers is like playing basketball while watching the scoreboard instead of the ball. Look after the basics if you want success, and the first basic is the team."

OK--so what was the second source?

That would be the sermon on Sunday in church on Jonah 4.

We have been going through the book of Jonah learning about our relationship with God and how we are much more like Jonah than we would really like to believe. This week was the last in the series--which has really been fascinating and full of awesome teaching.

One point that was made on Sunday though was about the difference in perspective of God and Jonah.

In Chapter 4, God causes a plant to grow one day and shade Jonah while he is mad at God and then die the next day. Jonah is furious.

And then God lays it out for him: Jonah is more concerned about the plant for which Jonah did nothing than the 120,000 people in Nineveh. Jonah is more concerned about process than people. God is more concerned about the people and even the cattle. Read it!

So this is the take away. As people and especially as leaders and managers, we need to be more concerned about people than the process. Processes are important, yes--but without people we really don't need any processes.

God is concerned about people and that is the model for good leaders.

Sunrise of the Mind

As I was leaving the club this morning at 6:30 AM, after a hard fought racquetball match, I was treated to an especially enjoyable sight--a beautiful sunrise.

I have to say, I really improved my mood--because I was limping due to a pulled/strained muscle and I really needed the lift. The sun had not yet risen--but it rays were fanned out across the sky, kind of like the advance party for the day that was dawning.

I was really kinda down because I have a bit of a head cold, I am playing hurt in my racquetball league again--and I am wondering why every new racquetball league brings a new and distressing injury.

But the sunrise--now that was a thing of beauty and it drove me to think of the blessings that I have received and of those around me who love me.

I wish I had my camera--but I almost never have my camera with me when I want it most. Isn't that the way it goes. Then when I have it with me--the battery is dead.

But I have the memory--and God provided a little reminder in my life this morning of His greatness and beauty.

Isaiah 58:8 says it all:
Then your light will shine like the sunrise;
your restoration will quickly arrive;
your godly behavior will go before you,
and the Lord’s splendor will be your rear guard.


yeah!

A Taste of What is to Come

I love summer--everyone knows that. This past weekend provided a foretaste of what is on the way. We had a very Springlike weekend which allowed most of the ice to melt and provided temperatures in the 60's.

Yay.

And we got some of the critical pre-Springtime outside work done--for instance cutting down the ornamental grasses which line the the fence surrounding the pool. This task--which is not a lot of fun, is one of those annual maintenance tasks which results in summertime beauty--lots of green. It also reminds us that Winter is waning, although not gone.

Makayla enjoyed being outside with us--but had to be confined within the fence line because she has that puppy nose for wandering. We are still working with her on some of those basic commands like: NO and COME. Yeah--she is really a puppy now and trying to push those limits to see how far we will let her go.

She starts puppy school on March 18th at Petsmart.

Working outside in just a shirt was fabulous though. The mud was a bit hard to deal with-- but still I'm glad we did not let the day escape without enjoying the sun and the warmth.

But warmth and Springtime are within sight--although I'm sure Winter will remind us that it is still around at least once more.

Super Bowl Leadership Lesson

The family met and conquered another Super Sunday.

It is sad that another NFL season has ended. At least one family member is happy with the outcome--but I nearly had to call 9-1-1 during the last part of the 4th quarter. It was great to watch someone so in tune with his team that he never lost faith--well, almost never. He was really questioning the game situation with a little over 2 minutes to go, his team down, and not moving or controlling the ball very well.

We run across situation similar to that in life every so often. Time running out, our situation bleak, and having to dig down deep to pull out a miracle.

Ever think about those times? When the miracle finish actually happens? Who do we thank for it?

Do we keep all the credit for ourselves, or do we share it with those who helped?

Isn't that the true character of a winner and a leader? To humble themselves and build up others? Share the success and shoulder the blame for a poor performance.

Do we thank God for our success? For our abilities? Do we thank those around us?

I'm reminded of Big Ben holding the Lombardi Trophy yelling his thanks and praise to his O-line!

A study in leadership!

Cold Enough?

Why do we live with this cold weather?

So many of you know that I really love warm places. In fact one of my favorite means to evaluate cities and towns that I visit revolves around the presence of palm trees on the street corners.

The weather lately has been very cold. I have not been as cold as I was in Omaha a couple weeks ago when it was -7 F. But even here in balmy, by comparison, Maryland it has been cold in the teens and twenties.

The problem of course is the puppy. Since 5:15 AM this morning I have been outside with her four times to perform various elimination activities. (I've been told that the "P" words are on the outs so I can't write pee or poop)

And the temperature is in the teens. Cold. And ice to fall on. I slipped the other night walking the puppy. In our neighborhood it seems homeowners do not really like to clean off their sidewalks. Ugh.

And then there's the electric bill to keep warm--the constant tension between being warm and paying the electric bill. Turn it up, turn it down. Too hot, too cold.

Ah--well--we can always travel someplace warm and dream. But then, would we be confronted with this?

A man relates the following travel story:

I couldn't find my luggage at the airport baggage area. So I went to the lost luggage office and told the woman there that my bags never showed up. She smiled and told me not to worry because she was a trained professional and I was in good hands. 'Now,' she asked me, 'Has your plane arrived yet?'. . .


I guess I'll wait for Springtime and to open the pool.

Ups and Downs

Families are marvelous aren't they?

We"circle the wagons" when there is a crisis--like when Jackson was born with problems. Or when one of us has financial problems or has some definable need.

But you know what--sometimes when life is more sedate we begin to focus on the minor stuff.

We need to remember how much we love each other and need each other and not major on the minors.

We need to remember that when one of us really upsets the rest--that we've all been there before. Whether getting monetary assistance, or living with the parents for a year or two--we have needs an assist from family and each one of us was better for it.

We don't always agree--so what. But we each bring something to the family that makes it stronger.

It is hard sometimes to realize that we are different--each has a different set of experiences and has a personal view of the world and our place in it.

But--let's not start taking out the knife and slicing each other apart. Until we walk in each others shoes--we don't really know what is going on in every one's heads.

We need to show the same deference to others that we have needed in the past. We need to stop character assassinations.

Remember--each of us has needed the safety of the "circled family wagons" in the past. Let's remember the safety and protection that the family provides.

How Did He Do That?

Louis figured out how to avoid Makayla by jumping on the table.

Makayla was chasing him and then, Louis was gone. Tormenting him from above.

It was very frustrating for the puppy.

She just had that look of utter disbelief as the cat she was about to pounce on evaporated before her eyes.

But, there is always another day.

And another chase.

I'm a Snow Dog

So who cares that I'm really from Holland?

I love snow!

Who wants to be a watch dog on some barge anyway.

And we finally had some snow in Maryland that I could play in and enjoy. It is so clean and free of scent. And fun.

And I'm getting big.

I had an appointment with the vet today. Ugh--four shots and something up my nose.

And I have round worms because Daddy didn't watch me and I played in some rabbit doo-doo.

But it was fun!

I love snow though.

Mommy was home all day and we played and played and played in the snow.

She likes the snow as much as I do.

She is a good playmate.

How Cute am I?

Makayla is getting big. We continue to be amazed at how much she has grown and all of the new things she does.

She is playing with a new toy we bought her on Saturday.

She does not like the vacuum--but we successfully get her to go back to bed when she gets up at 5:30 on the weekends.

She bounces like Tigger when she runs after a toy we thrown.

She makes me laugh a lot.

Makayla the wonder puppy

We had a break through this week.

The puppy is becoming house trained and has determined how to let the human members of her pack know when she is in need of a visit outside for some relief.

At 11 weeks--we are ecstatic.

She goes to the door and paws it--we need to hear it, but since we are now tuned into her method of advising us of her need--we have been pretty good. We still take her out a lot anyway. But this is great news.

She is also learning to sit and wait. I just which I could get her not to want to suffocate Zachery with love every time she sees him. He really doesn't appreciate it too much.

But they have begun to play a bit--so we are making progress.

It is amazing how this puppy is getting us moving. I have just come in from a walk--the morning walk. And we are doing an afternoon walk of about a mile and three-quarters every afternoon.

All of this was in addition to playing four racquetball matches this week. I lost three of them--I'm not playing the most inspired racquetball of my life right now.

But the wonder puppy is everywhere and it is cool to come home and have someone excited about my arrival.

The Hope of the Nation

Wow, as I watched the Inauguration yesterday on TV, I was touched by the faces of the people in the crowds. Faces that seemed to be springing to life with hope that tomorrow will be better than yesterday.

Change sometimes does that for us, doesn't it? Allows us to break from the the past and reinvent ourselves. That is just the position our new President finds himself. All of those lofty idealistic statements and the visioning. Now its crunch time. Time to distance ourselves for what we didn't like about yesterday and remake our nation and ourselves into what we want it to be for the future.

I too have hope.


I think it is time to change and lean into the bit from a different direction. Seems nothing was getting done form the way we were approaching the problem.

See--there's hope.

We as people need to also assess our lives and the direction we are headed. Are we getting stuff done from the approach we are taking, or are we just banging our heads against the immovable wall of resistance. If we're not moving forwards, then perhaps there comes a time in our lives when we too must consider changing course and holding out hope for a new path.

Leaders need to be tuned into their teams and their processes to determine when a strategy change could be needed. Reinvent the team as we reinvent ourselves.

Just as our President seeks to reinvent our nation and change our focus--just so long as we hold fast to our basic core values.

Loading Airplanes

So I am sitting on a flight from Chicago to Baltimore watching people load the overhead bins. I am amazed how inconsiderate people are.

First, it seems they do not understand the concept of getting out of the aisle to let people pass.

Second, bags should be placed in the overhead either wheels out or in to allow other bags to slide in next to them. Putting them in sideways wastes available space.

Third, when the flight crew says no coats in the overhead it means no coats. Funny how many people exempt themselves from that one possibly because it was not enforced.

But then here's one for the airlines. If you're going to charge for checking bags, make sure the overhead bins can accept at least one suitcase per person.

Or, alternatively let us load our own bags on the ramp. I mean is it reasonable to believe that people can travel without clothing?

So I guess you figured out my upgrade didn't come through and I'm stuffed into a window seat in the last row of an Airbus 319 next to a wide bodied traveler.

And we have a maintenance delay.

And we were late to begin with.

And I've been on the road all week.

And I'm tired.

But it really should be better than this.
Bob Doan
Elkridge, MD
Sent from My Blackberry

Terra Barossa 2006 Shiraz - A Review

I had the pleasure of having a glass of this special wine the other night and was very impressed. Available for under $15 this wine has a nose which is complex and inviting. There were hints of blackberry, vanilla, oak and plum. The color is a dark and seductive purple--which is also very inviting. The palate is also complex and seductive as it invites you into its structure. The tannins are not over powering but the mouth fills with berries and a hint of chocolate as this wine journeys through the mouth. The finish lingers and demands another sample of the wine.

The wine is Terra Barossa 2006 Shiraz Estate Grown by Thorne Clarke Wines Barossa, Australia.

RECOMMENDATION: This is a very special wine that will do well on its own with a strong cheese or with a red meat dish. It is a must have.

I'm Getting Bigger

So I have been been remiss in my blogging activities this past week. I have been distracted a bit by the furry friend on mine--Makayla.

In short--she is a near full time job when I'm at home. Between running her outside every time she sniffs a carpet--potty training is not going well, and playing with her until she finally tires--I do not have much time for blogging.


And then there was the annual taking down of the Christmas Tree. She was a great help. Maybe moving a bit too fast for some of us, but she really liked the garland that had encircled the tree. Actually, if the truth were known, she is the reason we took the tree down a bit earlier than normal. She loved the tree. And now she loves the poinsettia! Which is a problem.

But she is getting bigger every day. She is extremely intelligent and sensitive. She also has a mischievous side to her. She loves to torment the Yorkie--Zach. He really doesn't want much to do with her, and Zach is the only dog that Makayla has met that doesn't want to play--so she is determined to make Zach play.

Yeah--that's not going so well.

But--she is fun on four feet.

I guess that is my four feet!

Valkyrie: A Movie Review

In the long list of movies that opened over the Christmas holiday, one that is an inspiring story of resistance in the face of overwhelming odds is Valkyrie.

It turns out that the movie is not so much another World War II war movie, but rather a study in leadership and command coupled with the difficult life-changing decisions which sometimes need to be made. And then of course facing the real world consequences of the resultant actions. When the consequences of action or inaction are death, men flinch. This is serious stuff.

The reviews of the movie are generally good. The acting is excellent on all fronts. The cinematography is superior and the uniforms are real and appear authentic. Read the VOA review of the movie and its history. There is significant historical discussion about the motives of von Stauffenberg for his part in the plot. The movie would have the viewer believe he was motivated to end the war and surrender to the Allies for the greater good of Europe and Germany. And this seems to be the prevailing view of many historians, the Wikipedia article on von Stauffenberg is a good source for the basic history. Others would have have us believe that frustrated with Hitler's conduct of the war and in order to preserve Germany, von Stauffenberg planned the assassination and coup to allow the German High Command to run the war without Hitler's interference.

Even though I knew from history the outcome of the plot, I was still rooting for success. The mark of a good movie is one that can so intimately involve the viewer into the story. And this movie is just such a movie.

An interesting view of von Stauffenberg from his wife's point of view is: (from the Wikipedia site)

Describing her late husband, Nina von Stauffenberg said:

He let things come to him, and then he made up his mind ... one of his characteristics was that he really enjoyed playing the devil's advocate. Conservatives were convinced that he was a ferocious Nazi, and ferocious Nazis were convinced he was an unreconstructed conservative. He was neither.

Tom Cruise plays the part of von Stauffenberg very well and is surrounded by an excellent cast. Director Brian Singer does an excellent job of integrating the cast and keeping the story moving without lingering for too long on tangential plot lines.

Recommendation: A solid pick for both an entertaining and educational event. The movie provides another view of the German officer corps. There are some graphic scenes of violence which may not be suitable for smaller children especially both the beginning of the movie in North Africa and the ending. I recommend this movie be seen on the big screen. It will be a great rental, but the impact in better felt in the theater.

Makayla's Journey

Hi. I'm Makayla and I want to tell you my story.

Since Tuesday before Christmas until today I have been a wild journey. I'm still not sure where I actually live--although my new pack mates are really cool. I have slept in three different houses and met so many new friends.

Ben is my favorite. I want to grow up and be just like him. And since we are both Keeshonden, I may be able to do just that. I like his house.

My favorite toy is my duck! Mmmmm--I like duck. I heard that Troy likes goose--but I think that is a story for another time.

Trevar is a great friend too. He likes to play a lot and he runs and runs and runs. But he never let's me catch him.

It was really cold when I met Trevar and Ginger a big Chocolate Lab. I got to play in something white and cold--it was called snow. It was fun to run in and play in.

I have also played with Ethan and Jax--they are a lot of fun too. I like Jax's shirts--they are fun to pull on. Gibbs and Jeffy are a fun pair of beagles and I love running around the house with them.

The ones I can't figure out are Zach and Louis. Louis is a big, white cat who just stares at me. I know he wants to play, but he's too cool to let himself have a good time.

Zach though is just a pain. He's a Yorkie with an attitude. We did sleep near each other--but he won't play.

But I am having a great life and I look forward to meeting you soon.

Happy New Year--whatever a year is.