Around the Fire

A bottle of wine and some dinner around a cackling fire in the fire pit as the sun set and the temperatures began to descend was how we spent the evening. It was great to be outside, free of nuisance mosquitoes and enjoying the clear soon to be crisp air.

Grasses around the Pool

We chatted about the passing season and noticed how the trees were shedding their leaves in ever increasing numbers.


The grasses around the pool have donned beautiful blooms which give them a completeness they lacked all season. I was going to cut them down for the season yesterday, but gave them a break so I could enjoy their autumn beauty just a bit more.

It was cold overnight--our first night down in the 30's. October truly is slipping into November and I will appreciate each nice day more and more. I know the heavy clouds that pass by more and more are trying to bring snow instead of rain.

Pumpkins on the Porch

So I want to hold onto summer--just for a moment more before realizing that the pool has been closed already a month.

Yet--we did make a creative Halloween pumpkin stack to celebrate the season.

But it is still autumn, lol.

October Night

Low clouds moved fast across the face of the half full moon
stars as beacons pierced the voids of dark black sky
leaves rained down as October slides into November
wind collecting them into ever increasing piles leaving
bare branches to cast eerie shapes across the lawn.

Calling out in the moonlight, a lonely fox makes her presence known
the slumbering house is awakend by the barking of the dog inside
seeking to answer the fox's quest for companionship
stirring, unkept faces push their noses onto the window pains
trying to understand the commotion and reason they no longer sleep.

From the shadows she yells out again--the dog in the house responds
the moon breaks out for a moment, illuminating the fox in the driveway
baring her teeth as if smiling at the commotion she is causing
they briefly reflect the pale light as it flickers behind another cloud
she stands, glances at the house and moves off into the night's shadows

Casting uneven light across the "middle of the night" scene, the moon flickers
noses move from the windows and disappear into the dark house
quiet now the dog has ceased its barking and moves away from the door
returning to a warm bed, turning around before resuming slumber
the night is again quiet

Leaves contine to pile into mounds in the yard
the fox stalks a rabbit, unaware of the impending doom
life is everywhere, despite the dark and quiet
and the moon continues to bathe the scene in its light
while the newly bare trees reach longingly to the sky.

Friday Down Day

I'm taking today off.

A respite from the frenetic pace of life.

I slept in late--OK until 7 AM, when normally I would already be at work.

A three-day weekend of my own creation.

What a concept. A Bob Holiday!

And so, armed with my coffee and with my faithful dog at my side I am facing the world as the sun peals away the veil of darkness looking at the leaves which are falling to the ground in ever increasing numbers. Unlike snowflakes, though, there are only a finite number of leaves.

Soon the bare branches of the trees will be reaching skyward--straining to leave the bounds of earth, but still firmly rooted into place.

But, it is Friday. And I am at home. For a bit at least. To celebrate life and pretend, vor one day at least, that I am independently wealthy.

Maybe I should play the lottery?

No--the odds are not good enough.

So I will just enjoy the day and try to not consider the condition of my in box when I return to work on Monday.

NPDH - A Periodic Update

Learning to live with the constant headache of NDPH is an interesting and sometimes frustrating approach to life.

I thought things were getting into a good place for the past couple of weeks as the headaches were manageable and, more often than not, I could imagine being almost headche free.

The other day though, for an unknown reson, the hedache decided to really start banging and the intensity has turned up to the levels I had seen when they began. At times, I could not even think.

Fortunately, I was saved a bit by an evening racquetball match which helped me to get ahead of the pain for the evening.

I don't know if it is aggravated by the weather or what--but this week has been bad.

I am beginning to really scrutinize what I am eating, or snacking on, to see if there is a relationship. My acivities are also beginning to shed some light on the aggravators as well. For instance, last evening, while driving in the torrential downpour, it was bad.

Fortunately wine, in small doses, still works to turn the intensity down and dinner really helped.

This morning things seem back to the levels I am more accustomed to--but there is a long day ahead. I will see how it goes.


- Elkridge, Maryland

Administrivia Prevails

It is amazing how administrivia increases exponentially when things get tight and people begin to lose perspective.

I am finding more and more that people are resorting to focusing on small items and procedures at the expense of finding the big picture in things.

It is frustrating--our world collapses and the most important things are whether forms are completed at the expense of the ideas they contain.

Look at the government, for instance.

Congress has enacted thousands of onerous reporting requirements which are, I believe, almost singleandedly dragging the economy into the abyss.

State governments, likewise, in looking for increased revenues are finding new and creative means to apply taxes and fees. In Maryland, for instance, the state is considering raising the gas tax from 23 cents to 38 cents per gallon. A 15 cent per gallon increase. Really? And the consumers continue to bear the brunt of economic downturn and then the state wants to make it all the worse. While 15 cents per gallon may seem small, it adds up fairly quickly.

Instead of finding new and creative revenue means, the state needs to exammine the administrative burden it is placing on people and companies and begin to shed some of those revenue costing measures. Streamline. Don't reduce basic services, but remove the administrivia. I read that there is a 25 step process to gain road access for a construction project. Really? 25 steps? We are beginning to drown in administrative burden and it is causing productivity to fail.

I have already written of fee increases by banks and other industries.

Taken together--the increases, devoted to administrivia, begin to add up to a significant bill.

We need to rid ourselves of the small death by a thousand cuts approach to fees and taxes. Excise administrivia from society to improve our quality of life.

T-shirts filling up the dresser drawer

I have t-shirts from all over the world. From the places I've been and the attractions I have seen.

I am wearing a t-shirt from Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas. I went there a couple of years ago on a Fast Cat from Key West. I never wear these t-shirts I buy out in public. I don't even know why I buy them.

But I do.

I have some cool t-shirts from diving the Vandenberg off Key West, from visiting Keswick Winery and so many other places I can hardly remember.

The bottom line--I don't wear them except around the house or to work on cars.

They make great rags, but I still don't know why I but them. It seems important at the time.

Well--they also make great souvineers, I guess.

I suppose I am just not a t-shirt kinda guy, although I still buy them and store them in my dresser drawer.

The funniest one advertises the Hotel Alcratraz--from when I was last in San Francisco--whenever that was.

So I have a few t-shirts. I donate the older ones every so often so at least they find a new life after spending time with me.

Ah--t-shirts.

Monday Musings - October 17, 2011

1. Apple products can be very fickle. It took the better part of yesterday to be able to update Chris' iPad due to a myriad of problems and old software.

2. The Presidential Olympics are underway. The who is in the lead now seems to be more exciting for the news media than what is happening across the globe with economies and other crises.

3. Give a shout out to Jeremy and Chris for their birthdays.

4. Congrats to the Texas Rangers and the St Louis Cardinals for making the World Series a mid-America game rather than an East or West Coast game. It is weird not having a coastal team in the Series this year. With the exception of both 2005 and 2006, there has been a coastal team in the Series every year since 1987.

5. So does anyone know what the number for 9-9-9 is? I am fascinated by the simplicity of the tax plan proposed by Herman Cain, but I also know than nothing simple ever passes Congress where the special interest groups are likely to shred it to pieces. Look at health care--something conceptually simple became so complex no one really even knew what was being enacted until after it was law. Think there is a problem in there somewhere?

6. It was another mixed weekend around the house for the four football teams which are the favorites. The teams from the NFC East both lost while the teams from the AFC North both won.

7. How do you know when the party is over?  When the guests are gone and the house is restored to its previous splendor.

8. Did you ever wonder how the dishes get from dishwasher and into the cupboard? Or how does the roll of toilet paper get full again? Or the toothpaste tube refreshed and full? If you wonder these things you are the problem.

9. I had to rake leaves already this weekend. How can autumn be so anxious to depart?

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Superpops - Review

The symphony meets a rock band and everyone wins. That is how I will remember this evening of music titled "The Music of Elton John And More." It was presented as part of the Superpops BSO Series, and it was, in a word, fabulous.

Saturday evening, October 15th, we trundled off to the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore for an evening of music. The orchestra was under the direction of David Amado from the Delaware Symphony Orchestra and the five person rock band was led by Michael Cavanaugh. The blending of these two seemingly dissimilar musical groups was accomplished in a masterful manner--although I felt the orchestra could have been given a larger part in some places.

The evening progressed through a series of old favorite rock songs anchored by some Elton John classics. Each song highlighted the talents of the band and the orchestrate to collaborate and present a delightful musical tribute to the songwriter.

I especially enjoyed the orchestra-led piece, "Riffer Madness" which took us on a tour of the great rock band riffs of all time. And I also really enjoyed the rendition of Billy Joel's "Piano Man." Don't get me wrong, the Elton John hits were great too, and I came to hear those, but these two among the many songs of the evening really stood out.

The songs highlighted Cavanaugh's many musical talents as a pianist, vocalist, guitar player and all around talented musician. He led the evening and the audience through the songs while keeping everything moving and exciting with each new twist. Not content to merely cover the old songs, he also provided appropriate interpretation to some of them which made the old songs--some from the 50's like Presley's "Jailhouse Rock" seem alive and new.

Cavanaugh's band was similarly musically talented with Johnny Fedevich on drums; Jamie Hosmer on keyboard, back-up vocals, and second or third guitar; Giovanno Mastro on lead guitar and back-up vocals; and Billy Venditti on bass and back-up vocals. Their ability to work together on stage and create music sandwiched between a potentially overpowering symphony orchestra and a demanding audience is not to be over looked. They each were provided the opportunity to display their multiple talents in appropriate places.

Sadly, the evening was not without some technical glitches and there was a hot line somewhere that periodically provided an annoying buzzing sound in the speakers which never seemed to be found or fixed. Also, the Meyerhoff is a traffic and parking mess during performances. I continue to be amazed that the city has not found a way to redesign the traffic patterns to encourage rapid ingress and then egress after the performances.

But despite these annoyances it was a great performance and blending of the BSO and the band. What made the evening even more enjoyable was Cavanaugh's persistent efforts to get the audience participating in the execution of the songs. As those in attendance warmed up to the idea of singing along in specific places, the music began to be created not just from the stage, but in the hearts of those in attendance.

A great evening of music that left my heart singing and gave me a few more tracks to find on iTunes and add to my collection.


- Posted from Elkridge, Maryland

Image of the Weekend from Assateague

As the enjoyment and warmth of last weekend's trip to the beach fades into a nice memory, I was reminded that I had not yet shared the best image of the weekend.



Chris, in one of those incredibly lucky and creative moments came across a monarch butterfly on a yellow flowering plant against the white of the sand.

The butterfly posed for her and even changed positions so she could get a better shot of it.

And so, here it is--one of those we happened to be in the right place at the right time and with camera in hand images.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Friday

Yes. Friday.

An amazing day filled with the hope of the weekend.

Can it get better?

Nope.

A celebration of freedom from the trials of the work week.

A time to enjoy friends and family.

Do not lose the promise of Friday.

Find the day and enjoy it for what it is. The last day of the workweek and the beginning f the weekend.

Carpe diem.

Imagine that we could call in sick today. Everyone.

Yeah, not happening.

Twas a thought though.



Posted using BlogPress from my iPad