I have been looking forward to this weekend since the year began. Why, you might ask? Well because it is the last of the three-day weekends associated with the holiday season.
This year, unlike many, all of the three-day weekends associated with the Christmas, New Year, Martin Luther King celebrations have occurred on Mondays--which make them just a bit more fun.
It is also a bit sad, because it means that we are getting into the meat of the year and the holidays are going to become more scarce. Sure, there is President's Day in February (20th). But after that--it is a long road to Memorial Day broken up only by Spring Break, which the schools get to celebrate.
Of the ten federal holidays, five (Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, and Martin Luther King day) occur during a short, just over two month period from November 11th until January 16th-ish. It is a great time of year--but the remaining five holidays are more thinly spread out a across the remaining months (February, May, July, September, October).
I recently read an article about how Americans are some of the hardest working people in the world. Perhaps a holiday a month would be an idea to slowing people down? I know I could fully embrace the concept.
Alas, there are still places in the U.S. which ignore some of the Federal Holidays--like the Howard County School system which routinely ignores Columbus Day, Veteran's Day, President's Day and this year went back to school on New Year's Day (celebrated). Our children are not being taught how to relax and rest from the grind of the day. Likewise, they are not being taught the history of our Nation and why we have these days set aside for celebration or remembrance.
So as the winter (even though incredibly mild so far) grinds on and the holiday season really ends, can it be that the hope of February 2nd is not far off? And that hope would be Punxsutawney Phil predicting an early Spring. He has too, right? My Springtime flowers are already active in the garden.
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
Friday, January 13, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Hockey Night
Last evening I had the opportunity to enjoy one of my Christmas gifts--tickets to a hockey game between the Penguins and the Capitals. Although the Penguins lost--0-1 to the home team, I enjoyed the game and the experience.
The rain we are currently experiencing makes travel incredibly slow in the area and walking outside similar to swimming at the beach--but traveling into D.C. via Metro was enjoyable.
I could tell that the season is at its mid-point. Both teams lacked the excitement I noted when they last met on December 1. The crowd was more subdued as well, as if still shaking off the holiday blues.
That written, both teams were missing a number of their star players--but the long periods of quiet in the arena to just watch the game unfold were unusual for a match up between these two teams. Perhaps it really was the rain soaking everyone's spirits. Some of us even remarked about the lack of excitement in the Metro on the way home.
Well, there is a lot of season left--40 or so games. My job is to make it through today after getting home about two hours past bedtime and still bounding (OK, a slight exaggeration) out of bed at the sound of the alarm (and Makayla).
Yet, the day will go on, busy or not. I also have the memory of a great evening of hockey. Bring on the NFL playoffs!
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
The rain we are currently experiencing makes travel incredibly slow in the area and walking outside similar to swimming at the beach--but traveling into D.C. via Metro was enjoyable.
I could tell that the season is at its mid-point. Both teams lacked the excitement I noted when they last met on December 1. The crowd was more subdued as well, as if still shaking off the holiday blues.
That written, both teams were missing a number of their star players--but the long periods of quiet in the arena to just watch the game unfold were unusual for a match up between these two teams. Perhaps it really was the rain soaking everyone's spirits. Some of us even remarked about the lack of excitement in the Metro on the way home.
Well, there is a lot of season left--40 or so games. My job is to make it through today after getting home about two hours past bedtime and still bounding (OK, a slight exaggeration) out of bed at the sound of the alarm (and Makayla).
Yet, the day will go on, busy or not. I also have the memory of a great evening of hockey. Bring on the NFL playoffs!
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
After the Decorations are Gone
Happy Stepin a Puddle and Splash Your Friend Day.
Seriously.
The decorations are gone from the house and things have returned to the blah of normal. The excitement and festivity of the holidays are behind us and the ever present grip of winter is ahead.
The deepest of the dark days have passed, but there are still too many days remaining until spring.
It is time to rekindle the fires of adventure and excitement within myself to cast off the doldrums of the winter season. The now returned to storage Christmas decorations did that for a bit with the warm glow of lighted decorations.
Now I need to carry on that same sense of expectation into the rest of the year and not fall back into the rut of the normal. I have some trips coming up--Houston, Sarasota, Orlando, and maybe a trip to the left coast which will help with that. But I long for the dog days of summer.
The decorations are gone from the house, but that does not mean that the joy has to be gone from my heart. I need to find that joy within.
It is there--I just need to let it out.
I need to get excited and enthused about new holidays, like Merry Ides of January and Happy New Moon!
Hmm, that doesn't seem to be working too well.
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Vote for America
The New Hampshire primary is in the news as the Republicans continue the process to challenge for the White House in November.
Although I am affiliated with a particular political party, more and more I am feeling the need to advocate to people that we should be electing people based upon their ability to do the business of America and not because they represent one or the other political party.
Partisan politics is not working.
The divide is too wide to allow one or the other party to control our government and system.
I would prefer the ability for truly unaffiliated people to run for office based solely upon their plan and qualifications to do the work of the nation. But, alas, fundraising is very difficult and the best people to run this country are not independently wealthy.
It is clear to me that we are not being well served by many of the people we have elected. Some of the most junior are too idealistic and are unable to work within their convictions and ideology to run the country. Some of those who have been in office for along time are unable to adapt to the changing situation in the country and the new mood of the electorate.
The business of running the country has almost become a secondary task.
Some people have proposed a part time Congress--I am NOT a fan. Living in Maryland where we have a part time legislature, I witness an example of why that concept will not work every year.
No--it is up to "We the People" to elect the right representatives--and in some cases reelect those representatives. I am not a fan of not reelecting any incumbent because we need some experience in Washington to be familiar with how the system works.
Elect a President and then support that person with Representatives and Senators who clearly demonstrate an America first and politics second approach! That is what I am looking to do this election season. People willing to do the work of the nation, regardless of ideology.
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
Although I am affiliated with a particular political party, more and more I am feeling the need to advocate to people that we should be electing people based upon their ability to do the business of America and not because they represent one or the other political party.
Partisan politics is not working.
The divide is too wide to allow one or the other party to control our government and system.
I would prefer the ability for truly unaffiliated people to run for office based solely upon their plan and qualifications to do the work of the nation. But, alas, fundraising is very difficult and the best people to run this country are not independently wealthy.
It is clear to me that we are not being well served by many of the people we have elected. Some of the most junior are too idealistic and are unable to work within their convictions and ideology to run the country. Some of those who have been in office for along time are unable to adapt to the changing situation in the country and the new mood of the electorate.
The business of running the country has almost become a secondary task.
Some people have proposed a part time Congress--I am NOT a fan. Living in Maryland where we have a part time legislature, I witness an example of why that concept will not work every year.
No--it is up to "We the People" to elect the right representatives--and in some cases reelect those representatives. I am not a fan of not reelecting any incumbent because we need some experience in Washington to be familiar with how the system works.
Elect a President and then support that person with Representatives and Senators who clearly demonstrate an America first and politics second approach! That is what I am looking to do this election season. People willing to do the work of the nation, regardless of ideology.
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
Monday, January 9, 2012
Monday Musings -- January 9, 2012
1. I can hardly believe that the first week of 2012 is in the history books. Where did it go?
2. Football playoff weekends are longer than regular football weekends even though there are fewer games--they are more spread out.
3. The weather this past week went from really cold and winter-like to springtime. I looked in the flower beds to see the daffodils and hyacinths are already planning for an early arrival this year.
4. Is it possible that we will have a winter with no snow accumulation?
5. Through some miracle, I have been a week without a headache. Maybe the grip of NDPH has loosened and I am free!
6. While walking around the grocery store, I noticed they were selling crawfish from China. Why not Louisiana? They also were selling shrimp from Vietnam. Really? Why not Texas? Is it really cheaper to ship these items from Asia?
7. There is almost nothing worse than being awakened in the middle of the night to the sound of a cat hocking up a hairball.
8. I was at memorial service for a friend yesterday who died before his time. It was good to be in the company of so many people who, like me, loved him and were awed by everything he had accomplished.
9. Athough we did not set a record, I enjoyed the unseasonbly warm tempertures this past weekend. I'll take 60's in January while living in Maryland any day.
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
2. Football playoff weekends are longer than regular football weekends even though there are fewer games--they are more spread out.
3. The weather this past week went from really cold and winter-like to springtime. I looked in the flower beds to see the daffodils and hyacinths are already planning for an early arrival this year.
4. Is it possible that we will have a winter with no snow accumulation?
5. Through some miracle, I have been a week without a headache. Maybe the grip of NDPH has loosened and I am free!
6. While walking around the grocery store, I noticed they were selling crawfish from China. Why not Louisiana? They also were selling shrimp from Vietnam. Really? Why not Texas? Is it really cheaper to ship these items from Asia?
7. There is almost nothing worse than being awakened in the middle of the night to the sound of a cat hocking up a hairball.
8. I was at memorial service for a friend yesterday who died before his time. It was good to be in the company of so many people who, like me, loved him and were awed by everything he had accomplished.
9. Athough we did not set a record, I enjoyed the unseasonbly warm tempertures this past weekend. I'll take 60's in January while living in Maryland any day.
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Grandsons and Basketball
I attended Ethan's basketball game yesterday. A typical sporting event it was not.
The gym was packed with prents and supporters and the players were charged up to play their games. Practices had been completed and the teams were ready. The introductions were accomplished in the best style of the NBA with the players running onto the courts to the sound of flashy music and an announcer calling their names.
It seemed like a normal youth basketball game, similar to many youth events I have attended or coached during my life. But this was different.
Why?
Because the games were played in a gym attached to a large church and they began with a prayer and half time was a devotion for the spectators. They even closed the concession stand during the halftime devotion.
This league is church league and the ministry of this church. It was really an experience see sports and God brought together on the same court, in public, for everyone to see.
I wonder, sometimes, what we are teaching our children about life and sports and good and bad. This church, through this seemingly thriving sports ministry, is truly making a difference and helping to reduce the confict that sometimes occurs in our lives between believing and living what we believe.
I am told there is a devotion at every practice. Wow, that is really powerful. God and sports together.
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
The gym was packed with prents and supporters and the players were charged up to play their games. Practices had been completed and the teams were ready. The introductions were accomplished in the best style of the NBA with the players running onto the courts to the sound of flashy music and an announcer calling their names.
It seemed like a normal youth basketball game, similar to many youth events I have attended or coached during my life. But this was different.
Why?
Because the games were played in a gym attached to a large church and they began with a prayer and half time was a devotion for the spectators. They even closed the concession stand during the halftime devotion.
This league is church league and the ministry of this church. It was really an experience see sports and God brought together on the same court, in public, for everyone to see.
I wonder, sometimes, what we are teaching our children about life and sports and good and bad. This church, through this seemingly thriving sports ministry, is truly making a difference and helping to reduce the confict that sometimes occurs in our lives between believing and living what we believe.
I am told there is a devotion at every practice. Wow, that is really powerful. God and sports together.
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
Saturday, January 7, 2012
War Horse -- Movie Review
I was lucky enough to see this movie last evening. I am a huge softie for dog and horse movies, so I definitely wanted to War Horse.
The movie was much more than I expected. I had expected a sappy tale about a boy (Albert) and his horse (Joey)--and when the Joey was separated from Albert the subsequent journey for them to be reunited.
What I got was a movie about the hard side of life in England and Europe during the early part of the 20th Century and focused mostly on the WWI time period of 1914-1918.
Life was hard and real. Albert is there from Joey's birth, although his family does not own the horse and they come together on a whim of Albert's father who buys the horse at auction--and really buys the wrong horse for what they need--although in the end, Joey is exactly the right horse for what is asked of him.
The characters in the movie are real--it is easy to hate the hard, business-like, buffoon-seeming landlord and his overly privileged son. Even the weather is used to create the sense of hardship and that nothing can go right for life in the period.
The movie is about relationships centered around the horse--Joey, who by the end of the movie has at least four different names. One of the most touching relationships is between Joey and a rival cavalry horse, a big black stallion, who experiences life with Joey during the war. Through the movie, Joey touches the lives of many different people, and almost all of them are a bit better for their contact.
There are some really hard scenes of war--the trench warfare of WWI France is graphic--although not as gruesome as the movie could have made it, the scenes there are truly memorable and hard. The use and abuse of horses in war during the transition from agrarian based life to our current mechanized lifestyle is evident. It is hard for an animal lover like myself to accept how horses were treated--but one scene stands in my mind as Joey is being marched off to war and Albert is allowed one last good-bye, the battle hardened sergeant cuts the good-bye short by saying something about Joey being a horse, not a dog.
This movie is not for children--and it is a hard movie for adults to enjoy, because the hardest realities of life and war are ever present in the movie. I sat through the movie hoping for a happy ending--which seemed impossible. The struggles, the ever present death and destruction, even the interludes of moderate joy were tempered with the knowledge that these too soon must end--and they did.
I am glad I saw the movie on the big screen of a theater to experience the fullness of the movie. I am sure that it will not be nearly as powerful in a TV. The movie gets long in places--it seems that the trials of the war will never end, but then war is like that.
Recommendation: See this movie, but do not expected to feel good about yourself or the world while in the theater. You may even wonder why you went to see a movie that is so hard and real and that seems to highlight the worst of all of us at every turn. But, like other great war movies that depict war at its worst and hardest--this movie deserves to be seen.
The movie was much more than I expected. I had expected a sappy tale about a boy (Albert) and his horse (Joey)--and when the Joey was separated from Albert the subsequent journey for them to be reunited.
What I got was a movie about the hard side of life in England and Europe during the early part of the 20th Century and focused mostly on the WWI time period of 1914-1918.
Life was hard and real. Albert is there from Joey's birth, although his family does not own the horse and they come together on a whim of Albert's father who buys the horse at auction--and really buys the wrong horse for what they need--although in the end, Joey is exactly the right horse for what is asked of him.
The characters in the movie are real--it is easy to hate the hard, business-like, buffoon-seeming landlord and his overly privileged son. Even the weather is used to create the sense of hardship and that nothing can go right for life in the period.
The movie is about relationships centered around the horse--Joey, who by the end of the movie has at least four different names. One of the most touching relationships is between Joey and a rival cavalry horse, a big black stallion, who experiences life with Joey during the war. Through the movie, Joey touches the lives of many different people, and almost all of them are a bit better for their contact.
There are some really hard scenes of war--the trench warfare of WWI France is graphic--although not as gruesome as the movie could have made it, the scenes there are truly memorable and hard. The use and abuse of horses in war during the transition from agrarian based life to our current mechanized lifestyle is evident. It is hard for an animal lover like myself to accept how horses were treated--but one scene stands in my mind as Joey is being marched off to war and Albert is allowed one last good-bye, the battle hardened sergeant cuts the good-bye short by saying something about Joey being a horse, not a dog.
This movie is not for children--and it is a hard movie for adults to enjoy, because the hardest realities of life and war are ever present in the movie. I sat through the movie hoping for a happy ending--which seemed impossible. The struggles, the ever present death and destruction, even the interludes of moderate joy were tempered with the knowledge that these too soon must end--and they did.
I am glad I saw the movie on the big screen of a theater to experience the fullness of the movie. I am sure that it will not be nearly as powerful in a TV. The movie gets long in places--it seems that the trials of the war will never end, but then war is like that.
Recommendation: See this movie, but do not expected to feel good about yourself or the world while in the theater. You may even wonder why you went to see a movie that is so hard and real and that seems to highlight the worst of all of us at every turn. But, like other great war movies that depict war at its worst and hardest--this movie deserves to be seen.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Cats and Computers
Riordin has a need for warmth and he hates it when I am working on my computer, as I was last evening.
Usually, he crawls into my lap, or face, and tries to get between me and the computer screen.
But while I was away for a moment--he decided to take extreme action and placed himself directly on the keyboard.
I was getting some help from a site I was working with and had to step away for some additional information and when I returned, my keyboard was being used--by a feline.
Some days it doesn't seem fair--but when I picked him up, he was definitely very warm.
So I smiled and enjoyed the moment with him.
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
Usually, he crawls into my lap, or face, and tries to get between me and the computer screen.
But while I was away for a moment--he decided to take extreme action and placed himself directly on the keyboard.
I was getting some help from a site I was working with and had to step away for some additional information and when I returned, my keyboard was being used--by a feline.
Some days it doesn't seem fair--but when I picked him up, he was definitely very warm.
So I smiled and enjoyed the moment with him.
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Fault and Responsibility
Our society is missing the boat when it comes to the issue of personal responsibility. That is probably why 40,000 new laws went into effect on January 1st, because we place the responsibility for the actions of an individual on the wrong people.
An article in the Baltimore Sun the other day really got me going and highlighted for me how backwards we have become.
The article is about a local congressman who is facing problems associated with an incident last summer when an underage intern was allowed to have alcohol at a party.
There is a lot of finger pointing in the article about who is to blame and who was reprimanded and how such a travesty could occur--that a 20 year old might get a drink of alcohol at a party. The article goes on to say that the Representative's Chief of Staff was reprimanded and further suggests that one aide was fired for the incident. The firing part was later determined to be untrue.
Here is the problem.
What about the underage drinker? They certainly knew the law and that they should not drink alcohol at functions. Why is the responsibility for wrong doing being deftly shifted away from the responsible party? There was almost no mention of the underage drinker in the entire article and their name was not mentioned at all.
That seems to be the way our society works. Instead of holding the guilty responsible, laws are passed which shift the responsibility to others. In this case, we are dealing with a 20-year old who is able to vote and serve in the military, own property and serve on a jury. Yet, the blame rests on the person holding the party.
That is wrong!
Think about how much better life would be people were responsible for their actions.
Instead of someone suing because the coffee burned their tongue, they would realize that coffee by definition is hot and can burn.
I have tried to read the warnings and labels on many products--the type is too small and all they are really trying to tell me is: Don't be stupid. But still it seems that if I am stupid and hurt myself for some reason, others are responsible.
We need a society where people stand up and say, "I did that and it wasn't very smart." That same society can also allow people to say "I'm sorry and it won't happen again" without threatening dire consequences, unless of course they do it again.
So my response to the article simple is--the writer missed the real culprit and the rose is being pinned on all the wrong people.
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
An article in the Baltimore Sun the other day really got me going and highlighted for me how backwards we have become.
The article is about a local congressman who is facing problems associated with an incident last summer when an underage intern was allowed to have alcohol at a party.
There is a lot of finger pointing in the article about who is to blame and who was reprimanded and how such a travesty could occur--that a 20 year old might get a drink of alcohol at a party. The article goes on to say that the Representative's Chief of Staff was reprimanded and further suggests that one aide was fired for the incident. The firing part was later determined to be untrue.
Here is the problem.
What about the underage drinker? They certainly knew the law and that they should not drink alcohol at functions. Why is the responsibility for wrong doing being deftly shifted away from the responsible party? There was almost no mention of the underage drinker in the entire article and their name was not mentioned at all.
That seems to be the way our society works. Instead of holding the guilty responsible, laws are passed which shift the responsibility to others. In this case, we are dealing with a 20-year old who is able to vote and serve in the military, own property and serve on a jury. Yet, the blame rests on the person holding the party.
That is wrong!
Think about how much better life would be people were responsible for their actions.
Instead of someone suing because the coffee burned their tongue, they would realize that coffee by definition is hot and can burn.
I have tried to read the warnings and labels on many products--the type is too small and all they are really trying to tell me is: Don't be stupid. But still it seems that if I am stupid and hurt myself for some reason, others are responsible.
We need a society where people stand up and say, "I did that and it wasn't very smart." That same society can also allow people to say "I'm sorry and it won't happen again" without threatening dire consequences, unless of course they do it again.
So my response to the article simple is--the writer missed the real culprit and the rose is being pinned on all the wrong people.
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
January Freeze
Winter's grip is firmly on us at this point. The mild temperatures of December have been lost with the changing of the calendar into January.
Ugh!
Really cold. Twelve degrees of cold this morning on the thermometer outside of the house.
I am really glad I got the Christmas lights down off the outide of the house on Monday when it was warmer. Chris and I spent last evening beginning to pack up the indoor seasonal decorations. My back really feels the weight of each box which I forced up the ladder into the attic. And it was cold in the garage last evening as the temperatures were beginning to fall.
But, I am looking forward to the dawn, because on cold mornings like this the dawn is usually pretty spectacular.
A new day and new promise.
The news last evening was reporting how we had not seen a cold snap like this since January last year. It seems weird to say last year already when referring to 2011, since we are just four days into 2012.
I knew that winter was coming--I guess it had to arrive sometime. I had been enjoying the low bills from the local electric company--I guess those are over as well.
I continue to be amazed at how much of my life is tied to the weather, even though I am not a farmer. I use the weather to predict the mess I'll face driving to work and what I should wear. I use the weather to help me decide what kind of afternoon activity I will choose to participate in.
Yesterday, when some snow flakes began to fall, it was amazing to hear everyone that I work with suddenly interested in the weather--specifically the snow. I guess there is something exciting about the first snowfall of the year--although it turned out to be just a few wayward flakes dancing in the morning air.
From my standpoint, I know that to get to spring there must be a winter. So let's get on with it. Football is finally winding down and Oriole Spring Training is not far off. In about 75 days, it will be pretty much over and the grip of winter will bbe gone and we will be well into the springtime growing season.
So even with frigid outdoor temperatures, there is a silver lining: Springtime is not far off!!
Oh yeah--115 days until pool opening Saturday. See? I knew Springtime was coming.
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
Ugh!
Really cold. Twelve degrees of cold this morning on the thermometer outside of the house.
I am really glad I got the Christmas lights down off the outide of the house on Monday when it was warmer. Chris and I spent last evening beginning to pack up the indoor seasonal decorations. My back really feels the weight of each box which I forced up the ladder into the attic. And it was cold in the garage last evening as the temperatures were beginning to fall.
But, I am looking forward to the dawn, because on cold mornings like this the dawn is usually pretty spectacular.
A new day and new promise.
The news last evening was reporting how we had not seen a cold snap like this since January last year. It seems weird to say last year already when referring to 2011, since we are just four days into 2012.
I knew that winter was coming--I guess it had to arrive sometime. I had been enjoying the low bills from the local electric company--I guess those are over as well.
I continue to be amazed at how much of my life is tied to the weather, even though I am not a farmer. I use the weather to predict the mess I'll face driving to work and what I should wear. I use the weather to help me decide what kind of afternoon activity I will choose to participate in.
Yesterday, when some snow flakes began to fall, it was amazing to hear everyone that I work with suddenly interested in the weather--specifically the snow. I guess there is something exciting about the first snowfall of the year--although it turned out to be just a few wayward flakes dancing in the morning air.
From my standpoint, I know that to get to spring there must be a winter. So let's get on with it. Football is finally winding down and Oriole Spring Training is not far off. In about 75 days, it will be pretty much over and the grip of winter will bbe gone and we will be well into the springtime growing season.
So even with frigid outdoor temperatures, there is a silver lining: Springtime is not far off!!
Oh yeah--115 days until pool opening Saturday. See? I knew Springtime was coming.
-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
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