Monday Musings - February 28, 2011

1. Traveling through airports is still an event; between clearing security, deciding what food to buy before boarding a long flight, and being treated like self-loading cargo it just isn't a lot of fun anymore.

2. I still find something exciting about watching the first light of dawn grace the horizon and chase away the night.

3. The Oscars were awarded last night--yawn.  Maybe they should all get real jobs.

4. The Arab world continues to implode and the real question is, whose side should we be on?  Are they going from the frying pan into the fire?

5. Congress. What happens when if government shuts down? Will they continue to get paid? There should be a deal in there somewhere. History says that shutting down the government over a budgetary impasse is a bad idea.

6. It is March Madness!  Let the annual orgy of college basketball begin.

7. Seems I was rushing daylight savings time a bit yesterday. It really begins on March 13th. I really thought Springtime was closer.

8. I didn't know that: On February 28, 1827 the B&O railroad was incorporated and became the first railroad in America to offer scheduled passenger and freight service.

Sleepy Sunday with Spring on the Way

Unlike yesterday--the dog let me sleep in a bit today.

So now I'm a bit behind on the day.  Bit that is OK.

Yesterday was one of those days where it was a bit cold--but there was very little wind.  We were able to continue cleaning the yards and moving the remnants of Winter off and back into the woods where the leaves should have stayed anyway.

We took so many loads of leaves off the lawns and from around the pool that I was just amazed at how they had blown in.

But--we are ready for the mowing to begin! Well, the lawn needs to green up first. But if the weather keeps climbing farther away from freezing, I suspect I'll be mowing by the Ides of March!

I know the tractor is ready!

The pool isn't far off. I ordered the chemicals for the season and they will be delivered this week. So April isn't too far off.

In two weeks we revert to daylight savings time! (Corrected, thanks, Dad!)

It is funny, this year, unlike most, I have not been driving to work in the daylight. But not that it matters, let's get the daylight reallocated and start playing outside during the evening.

I need to get through this week first. But sleeping in a bit sure started the week out great.

Why I Can't Sleep In

I should be asleep in my be right now.  It is shortly after 6AM on a Saturday morning after a trying but snow shortened work week. I love to sleep in on Saturdays.

I was happily asleep a few minutes go, but then Makayla decided she needed to go out.

Usually not a problem. The sun isn't up yet and I put her leash on her and we head outside. It was damp and cool, but not cold. The air was still and there were no birds singing yet. I noted the snow was mostly gone from the storm of Tuesday. Makayla did her business and we headed back inside for her cookie reward.

And the cats also get cookies for just being cats.

The Makalya lets me know the food dish is empty and she needs water.

Now I am awake.

I hit the coffee pot and decide--no more sleep this morning. Time to start the day.

Short Week means No Less Work

Although this week was effectively a three-day week, holiday followed by a surprise snow day, there was a full week's amount of work to be accomplished.

Work, it seems gets parsed out on a weekly basis. Just because the work week is shorted does not equate to less work. The same amount of stuff needs to get done, I just have less time to do it.

I can tell how my week is progressing by the newspaper I take along with me every morning. Most days, I get to read the paper over my lunch half-hour as I enjoy food at my desk. A busy day means that I hit the headlines and scan the sports section. Really busy days mean the paper never leaves the plastic sleeve that it is delivered in.

So far this week (all two days) the paper has not left the plastic sleeve. I'm not even reading the headlines, it seems that I am living the headlines. On top of that, I'm staying late to get the critical stuff done. Yesterday for example, I played racquetball at 5:30 am, but still was at my desk my 7:15. I checked out at 5:45 pm. Not too bad for an 8-hour day.

And I really want to get in to work early today so that I don't have to work too late tonight to get the weeks worth of stuff accomplished.

It is just funny how it all works out. 

Is time off, then, really time off or just time reallocated?

Time Stands Still

It was about 5:17 pm on Wednesday afternoon. I was on Piney Orchard Boulevard headed home in my truck after E-day.

The day had been a fast moving day--broken up by a doctors appointment and work. I had been busy, but I always look forward to E-day.

I was daydreaming a bit about the evening at home with Chris and the events planned for the next day. I was doing about 50 mph in a 45 mph zone and beginning to get into the drive.

Then it happened. Time stood still for a short amount of time.

A green Mustang convertible with a white top, for some unexplained reason turned in front of me attempting to get onto Old Waugh Chapel Road.

Emergency stop!

Collision imminent!

The anti-lock brakes were shaking under my foot. The green Mustang loomed larger and larger in my windscreen and I began to think about the looming impact and wondering if the car in front of me would at least accelerate a bit.

I aimed for where the car was, but stayed in my lane and chose not to perform some heroic maneuver and potentially roll my truck. The truck held its line--straight as an arrow--so swerve, no hesitation.

I thought about how the airbag would feel exploding into my chest as the seatbelt secured me to the truck.

I heard the squealing of the tires of the Mustang as the driver recognized the impending collision and mashed the accelerator to begin moving ever so slowly from my path.

I wondered if the truck would be repairable.

I thought about the engine being in my lap when it was all over.

And then--it became clear that the vectors were going to miss each other. The Mustang cleared the intersection a hair breath before my truck got to where the car had just been, and I released the brake so the guy in back of me would not rear-end me.

I thought for a moment about chasing down the Mustang driver--and giving them a good tongue lashing. But decided against it.

I hit the accelerator and got back up to road speed, said a prayer of thanks and tried calling my wife.

I know time stands still in such situations. How else could I have done so much and thought of so much in what amounted to the blink of an eye? I was on a bit of an adrenalin high.

But I was unharmed and not involved in a serious accident--and continued on my way home reflecting on the circumstances and reactions of those short seconds.

And the traffic around me continued on unabated and probably unaware of my brush with disaster.

Chasing the Elusive Winning Season

Even though it is like the third coldest morning of the winter--Orioles fans have a warm spot in their hearts for the team that has entered Spring Training in Sarasota, Florida.

We believe that this is the year!

The year of what? You might ask.

Well for one, a winning season--the first in 13 seasons.  To post more wins than losses would be a truly great accomplishment for a club that has dramatically underperformed and resides in a division the the Yankees, the Red Sox, and the Rays.

We get excited when we read in Peter Schmuck's article:

SARASOTA, Fla. — How’s this for one of the biggest problems facing manager Buck Showalter this spring?
The Baltimore Orioles are hitting the ball too far.

Showalter had to move batting practice from the northeast practice field to the southwest field that mirrors the dimensions of Orioles Park after several unhappy spring training spectators came to the O’s administrative office hoping to be reimbursed for damage to cars parked beyond the left field fence.

We believe there is hope for our team.

But wait, there is more. Being the the American League East Divison, we want more!

We want our downtrodden Orioles to not just have a winning season--but to finish ahead of the over-rated Yankees and their millions of dollars, and ahead of the Red Sox, and the Rays, and the Blue Jays.

We want a playoff team again!

I remember going to playoff games so many years ago here in Baltimore. I find it hard to believe that I have actually lived my adult life in one place long enough to actually have attended playoff games in a city where the home team has 13 straight losing seasons. But I have and this crazy place called Baltimore has become my home.

In a few short weeks, I will be in Sarasota for my first ever trip to Spring Training. I have my tickets and I am more than ready.

I hope I like what I see.

But Springtime is in the air and it is filled with baseballs and visions of winning seasons and playoff games.

Oriole Magic lives.

Back for more fun

And here is a pile of snow from this morning's fun. It had to come back for a do over it seems.

I could have done without it.

But the driveway is cleared. The temperature crawled over freezing and we are on the road to Springtime.

But really? We were at 75 degrees on Friday and then we had snow this morning. And not just a little. A significant amount.

Spring is coming. Hold on to that thought.

Winter's Revenge

Yesterday morning as I was watching snow fall on the Today Show hosts, I laughed to myself about how nice it was to be in Maryland and not be part of the oncoming storm.

Yes, everyone ,this morning's mess is my fault.

I thought we were safe. I put away the remainder of the salt and started thinking about Spring.

But as yesterday continued--the weather report got more ominous--and it became apparent that Winter had heard me joke about it being all but over and decided to make a return appearance.

Ugh!

By 9:30 last night the snow was falling--not just a little bit--but in significant amounts.

I had to put the cinder blocks back into the bed of my truck for a bit of added traction. And the snow was falling and laughing at me. I could hear the laughing as the flakes slammed into the ground and on my head at an ever increasing speed.

I have to deal with it at least one more time.

But I am up for the challenge. Again.

Deal with it!

Monday Musings - February 21, 2011

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1. It is amazing how out of touch legislators in various states are--Wisconsin, for example. Wow--what a way to mismanage a situation, revoking the rights of government employees to participate in unions. Sounds like the early-1900's all over again.

2. The Arab world is aflame with demands for freedom--too bad democracy is so slow to respond to be a viable answer.

3. Geese are wild animals--but they sure get close sometimes.

4. Baseball is back in the news with Spring Training shifting into gear--and the NFL is preparing to self-destruct with a lock out by the owners.

5. Wild variations in weather and temperature--snow melting, green beginning to be seen in the bushes--must be Springtime.

6. We talked about "aha" and "oh-my" moments in church yesterday. Who knew they are different?

7. Brinksmanship has taken on a new form--threatening a government shutdown.  And you think we have problems now? Wait until it totally stops working.

8. BTW--it is definitely Springtime--the Daytona 500 has already been run. I totally missed it.

9. In honor of  President's Day and in recognition of the spreading unrest in the Arab world, I was reminded of this statement made by George Washington: "Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth."

Out with the Boys

Last evening was the night the grandparents get to spend uninterrupted time with the grandsons. It is a gift we are giving to their parents in the form of free baby sitting so they can do dinner and/or a movie without the added bite associated with childcare.

And while this is only the second time we've done it (so far this year), it is shaping up to be an adventure filled night which always seems to include making smores in the fireplace.

Last evening, we took the boys out to Centennial Lake to feed the waterfowl. We had hoped for ducks, we got geese as well.

There was some ice on the water in places which made for some comical situations with the geese--slipping and flying on the ice.

The boys had fun and so did grandma and grandpa.

Sadly--it was very cool--so we could not stay long and enjoy the scene.

But that was not really a problem either since we were there as the sun was setting--so it would soon be dark anyway.

The promise of Spring makes us do crazy things, I guess.