Saturday, March 31, 2012

Shoulders: Invisible until they Hurt

I have been going through a rough time with my shoulder. It is amazing how hard simple things can be--like putting a heavy bowl away on a shelf above my head, with a shoulder problem.

It has also dramatically affected my racquetball game.

I have been receiving physical therapy for the shoulder and I have seen some positive results. I guess I am experiencing some of the same problems that sports players experience when they get injured.

This is my first physical therapy experience.

I am learning how to take care of my "parts" and am seeing how important continued activity is to my health and well being. I was amazed at how much strength I had lost due to the injury.

I have renewed respect for my shoulder as a result of all of this. But I remain concerned at how long it will take to get it back to the way it was--and that is the place where I don't think about it and can ignore it again.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Friday, March 30, 2012

Arcadian 2005 Syrah Westerly Vineyard

I haven't written much about individual wines lately. I have been recording my likes and dislikes and recommendations in CellarTracker, an application which allows me to manage my wine and do research. But, I have found a wine which is one of those very special wines that plays well above its weight.

The wine is Arcadian 2005 Syrah Westerly Vineyard form the Santa Ynez Valley in California.

I was introduced to this wine through an email offering form a respected wine agency and bought two bottles, sight unseen or tasted. I read the description an believed that if the wine was half as good as the write up it would be worth the price.

Turns out, it is far better than that. It is a great wine that one person I served it to remarked that it was equal to $100 bottle wines he had been served. Now I don't know who can afford $100 per bottle wines, but it is nice to know that I have one that is in good company with them.

One reviewer wrote: "Darn nice wine made even more impressive by the price. Rich but lively so it's not heavy at all with smoke, blackberry, earth and black pepper. There seems to be just a hint of brett (I could be wrong but myself and winemaker friend thought there was a bit) which added to the complexity without overwhelming. Good acidity and a nice medium length finish. Wish I bought more of this."

Another reviewer wrote: "Bright medium red. Red and dark berries, smoked meat and Christmas spices on the nose. Midweight raspberry and bitter cherry flavors are complicated by beef jerky and floral pastille qualities. This strikes me as a blend of pinot noir and syrah, with the former variety's finesse and sweetness and the latter's game and earth character. Finishes crisp and long, leaving a peppery note behind."

Recommendation: This is a great wine and I highly recommend it. At $26 per bottle it is a bit more expensive than most wines I buy--but worth the extra cost.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Spring Rain

Although the temperatures have been cooler, the cycle of springtime rainstorms followed by piercing bright sunshine have begun.

I experienced it yesterday. A bright, sunny afternoon punctuated with thunderstorms. It has all served to bring the leaves on the trees from a bud situation into leaf.

It is funny how quickly leaves spring into view after the buds have started.

I love the greens of spring. The light greens of the new leaves are a splash of refreshing color after the gloom of winter.

And the rain just serves to generate even more leaves and springtime growth--I imagine that I can almost see the grass growing--and in fact the lawn does need to be mowed.

The first real mowing of the year, I can hardly wait to enjoy it. Although I have just discovered that I am severely allergic to nearly everything growing in the yard.

But I still stick my nose into the most fragrant flowers. I love the fragrance of flowers especially peonies. Although they are just beginning to grow after the winter, the thought of their full open flowers and sweet smell warms my heart.

And all because of the rain and the sun and the warmth.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Decisions, decisions, decisions

I make decisions every day. It is part of living. Some are pretty mundane like what color shirt will I wear. Others are a bit more important, for instance will I stop at the red traffic light.

Some people have difficulty making decisions. Really important decisions require thought and consideration. There really big ones fall into the category of things like am I going to buy a new car or change jobs. But most decisions do not fall into the same life altering realm.

I am convinced that for the majority of decisions in what I call the middle zone--that zone between life and death decisions (like stopping at a traffic light) and life altering decisions (changing jobs or buying a new home), the actual decision is less important than actually making a decision.

Decisions are points where I have the ability alter the direction of an activity. For most of the decisions we are faced with, the critical thing is to make the decision and not let fate or chance become the default decision maker. Whether the decision is right or wrong is not the best way to look at the problem. A better way is to look for opportunity.

Decisions are about opportunity. Each decision comes with opportunities gained and lost. Not making a decision or letting a decision point become "overcome by events" or OBE, is not taking advantage of the opportunities present in the situation. That is the definition of a bad decision because it allows inertia to be in charge.

Good or bad, making a decision is always better.

Even seemingly, at the time, decisions which do not maximize opportunities may be the right decision or may work out in the end because the decision maker energized the organization, or family, in a particular direction and that provided the guidance to motivate and mold the solution.

The key to good decisions is realizing that making a decision is the first and most important step in the process. The actual decision itself sometimes is almost secondary.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

The Men's Room

Men are complex conflicted beings, that is all that I can surmise. I write this after witnessing the disaster in the men's room at work for another day in an unnumbered string of days.

It is not too hard to hit the trash container with the paper towels. Yet, it seems that many men don't understand the concept.

And then there are the newspapers left on the floor in the stalls, near unused bits of toilet paper.

It is a sad commentary on our society.

I wonder if it is just as bad in the women's rooms?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday, March 26, 2012

Monday Musings -- March 26, 2012

1. Baseball, and its return, have me ready for outside living.

2. Home runs by Adam Jones and Nick Markakis during the game against the Red Sox on Friday were things of beauty to watch. The crack of the bat and the outfielders watching the balls leave the park added to the ambiance. So did the 6-5 win!

3. The limits of personal privacy continue to be stretched as employers are asking for FACEBOOK passwords. How can that possibly be right? Next they will want a key to my home's front door!

4. Flying continues to be a trying experience. I long for the days of relaxation and comfort.

5. March Madness is truly mad.

6. Note to self--when traveling, if the bag can't be lifted over the head, don't try to lug it onto the airplane as carry-on baggage.

7. It was hard to transition from 80 degrees and blue skies back to 50's and gray overcast.

8. I was thinking about the week ahead and realized that I'm actually planning to be at work five days in a row. How different is that for the month of March? I was actually traveling on 15 days during the month.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Baseball Rocks!

Spring training weekend is something I have been looking forward to since the baseball season ended in October. It did not let me down.

Unlike last year when I came to Sarasota and saw them, the Orioles look GREAT!! The offense was productive and the pitching and defense was stronger than I expected. Despite ESPN's dire predictions of the O's season, I have returned to Baltimore ready for opening day in less than two weeks and believing that the Orioles Way has reemerged from hiatus and our team is ready to confront the beasts of the AL East.



I saw a quote from Rogers Hornsby that more than I could every believe stated my love of the game and the way I wait through the winter for its return.

I took an image of it in Sarasota where it graces the entrance to Ed Smith Stadium where the Orioles hold spring training. It reads:

"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what
I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." - Rogers Hornsby




This weekend, I saw the O's win two games. I saw batters batting and pitchers pitching. I saw the fielders making plays and more importantly, I saw a tight baseball team that has improved on the fundamentals.

Despite the dire predictions, I believe in the Orioles Way and Orioles Magic.

I believe that 2012 will be better than 2011.

And more importantly, I believe in baseball, Mom, and Apple pie!

Maybe the cartoon bird has magic in the logo.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Awesome day at the park

We have had an awesome day at the park and the game has not even started.



I saw my favorite player, Brian Roberts, and he signed my hat. He says he is doing better and accepted my wishes for a continued recovery.

We have snared a couple balls and given most of the away.

Jeremy got Matt Wieters to sign his jersey. Mike also got Brian Roberts to sign his baseball.

Game on.



- Bob Doan, Sarasota, FL

Out the Hotel Window - Sarasota, March 2012

Sadly this was the view from the hotel window yesterday morning. I say sadly, because I was thinking about going out into the pool for a morning swim--but as you can see it was full. And I really didn't want to get into the middle of whatever lesson was taking place.



The scene is not nearly as awesome as the views of the wide open prairie from my window in Denver last week. I still remember the sunrises that I witnessed.

But despite the view, I am in Florida and an unexpected cool front has changed the forecast from sunny in the 90's to cloudy in the low 80's, meaning that my "still not acclimated to summer temperatures body" was not be too stressed at the afternoon ballgames.

The good news--baseball, sun, and warmth! As an aside, this is the sign at the entrance to the hotel--I feel so welcomed.



The bad news? I have to leave this beautiful place later today and probably not return until next year.

For now though, I will enjoy this foretaste of summer and savor the coming dog days while still being sure to enjoy the blooming springtime.


-- Bob Doan, Sarasota, FL

Friday, March 23, 2012

My Zimbio
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