Monday Musings - February 16, 2015

1. Happy Presidents Day! It is a good time to celebrate the Presidency and the greatness of the United States. Of course George Washington did it first and best!

2. Grover Cleveland is supposedly the most honest President ever according to an Opinion piece in the Boston Globe. 

3. How cold is it? Pretty cold! Officially a new record was set in the area today.

4. I thought it was too cold to snow but the news media is threatening that we will receive 4-8 inches of snow beginning tonight and into tomorrow! Anyone have a snow blower?

5. If the situation in the Middle East and North Africa with the Islamic State (a/k/a ISIS, ISIL) wasn't personal before now, the heinous execution of 21 Egyptian Christians should change that view.

6. 163-158 the final score of the NBA All Star game highlights everything wrong with professional basketball. I attended a Jackson's game yesterday. The final score was something close to 12-8 and it was a lot more exciting than seeing a bunch of guys just running up and down the court and scoring.

7. Pitchers and catchers report to Orioles Spring Training in Sarasota, Florida, in three days.

8. It seems that I am not the only northerner trying to get further south. A record setting six cruise ships with about 30,000 passengers were docked in Port Canaveral this weekend. I wonder if any of them were from Baltimore?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

How Cold is it, Really?

I watched the temperature drop this morning from 7 degrees at 2AM, yes I was up, to just over 5 degrees when I woke up and then even further down to just 4.5 degrees in just 45 minutes.

Yes, we keep the house cool in the 63 degree range during the night.

So in a shout out to my family living in the frozen wastelands of the Northeast, my smug attitude of missing the biggest and coldest storms is finally catching up with me.  We are getting cold. 

It is really cold.

February 15, 2015
7 degrees cold

The wind chills are below ZERO! As I write this it is being reported at -13 degrees.

I may not even shovel the snow it is so cold. The forecasters are  saying that it will be below freezing all week!

I do note, it is warmer in Key West, Florida.  I even checked airfares to Florida this morning to see if I could escape--I could, but I won't.

Well, maybe. The high will be at least 70 there!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

5 year olds on a soccer ball--It's true

Lucas (#20) with the Soccer Ball

I attended a youth soccer game in which Lucas, my youngest grandson, was playing yesterday.

I had a great time being reminded that the phrase "5 year olds on a soccer ball" is still as true as it ever was. 

The game occurred in an elementary school gym with no seating and so the parents were arrayed along the playing field and had the task of moving the soccer ball back onto the field of play and into the crushing mass of 5-7 year old humanity when the ball went out of bounds. 

Play was stopped only for goals, injuries, and when the ball landed on the back of the goal. 

It was great fun. Lucas is just five years old and hence was the youngest player on the floor, squeaking in just under the age wire. It shows in his play. He is wearing #20 and I took a few videos, much to the chagrin of his Dad, on my iPhone for posterity!

This was my second youth sporting event of the day, as I had earlier watched Ethan play basketball, and later today will be attending Jackson's game. 

Youth sports is a lot more entertaining that some professional sports.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Optimistic is . . .

Tractors in the Evening Light at Lowe's
February 13, 2015

Walking into Lowe's last evening to get some supplies to assist in fighting the impending arctic conditions, I saw something that Chris called, "optimistic." 

It was a line of brand, spanking new riding tractors ready for the upcoming Spring sales. There was not a snow blower in sight, despite the threatening prediction of snow in the forecast.

The line-up of tractors was almost as optimistic as I am when looking at the seven-day forecast and seeing 3-5 inches of snow. I am pretty sure it isn't going to happen this year. So far, there have been four forecasts for our area of heavy snow which has resulted in almost no precipitation. 

Another optimistic view was when I looked at the current weather on my phone yesterday while I was headed out for a medical appointment and saw that the temperature was 23 degrees. I started counting the days until Spring starts and determined that it was a short 35 days until March 20th. And the sun was shining!

Optimistic is knowing that Orioles pitchers and catchers report in five short days and that despite the calendar, Spring will begin in Sarasota, Florida!

Optimistic is looking at the calendar and seeing that daylight savings time begins again on March 8th.

Optimistic is knowing that the weather will be warm somewhere, despite the temperature at my house.

Optimistic is watching golf on the Golf Channel and realizing that warmer weather is not far off despite what is happening outside my window.

Optimistic is looking at a Valentines Day bouquet and feeling warm despite the freezing temperatures.

Happy Valentines Day--be an optimist!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Legislators Out of Touch

Woman in Yoga Pants

I read an article about a legislator in Montana who is apparently abusing his elected authority by submitting a new law to outlaw yoga pants and speedos in public.

As reported by Fox News, The proposal would expand indecent exposure law to include any nipple exposure, including men’s, and any garment that “gives the appearance or simulates” a person’s buttocks, genitals, pelvic area or female nipple.

The Republican from Missoula said tight-fitting beige clothing could be considered indecent exposure under his proposal.

“Yoga pants should be illegal in public anyway,” Moore said after the hearing.

Moore said he wouldn’t have a problem with people being arrested for wearing provocative clothing but that he’d trust law enforcement officials to use their discretion. He couldn’t be sure whether police would act on that provision or if Montana residents would challenge it.

Interestingly enough, the law outlaws shirtless men in public. How would this affect public pools and swimming teams? I wonder what the definition of public would be under the law?

This is clearly a case of misguided morality and using a publicly elected position to push a personal agenda. The ramifications of this kind of law would be far reaching well beyond their intended impact. Why do I believe he is misusing his elected authority? Because he is forcing a narrow personal belief upon the electorate. 

Why can't legislators review laws and get rid of old ones that make no sense anymore rather than writing new ones that needlessly restrict personal freedoms?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Dog who Loves Cat Treats

Cat Treat Toy

Makayla, my Keeshond, is a funny dog and everyone who knows her understands that this is true. I know why she is so different, she learned to be a dog from an old Yorkie and I can see many of Zachary's traits in how she reacts to many things.

Makayla is not a huge fan of dog toys. She doesn't fetch and she only rarely plays. But, she is mine and she is a great, intelligent dog. 

Well, until I saw her yesterday morning working over the cat toy that dispenses cat treats. She was totally into the treats--and she had already consumed breakfast and her morning cookies for doing her business outside.

Yesterday, however, it was all about the cat treats. Riordin was unceremoniously pushed aside and Makayla took control. I made a short movie of her antics.

The dog who loves cat treats. Something to enjoy.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Pharmacies Problems and Prescriptions

It only took three trips and one phone call back to the doctor's office to get the three medicines that had been prescribed.

Fortunately, I live only two miles from the neighborhood Rite Aid--but the level of insanity associated with the process was incredible.

Leaving the doctor's office after the procedure, three prescriptions were provided. One had to be taken in paper form and the other two were phoned/faxed into the pharmacy. Upon arriving at the pharmacy--the two that had been sent ahead had not arrived. Ugh!

Elkridge, MD, Rite Aid

It happens all of the time, I know that. I should just get paper prescriptions from the doctors for all of the medications.

That the prescriptions failed to arrive at the pharmacy meant that I had to call to the doctor's office--now closed, and then via the after hours number have the the prescribing physician contacted to get them retransmitted.

This stuff is not rocket science! Why can't simple prescriptions transit cyber space and arrive promptly at the pharmacy for processing? Sadly, this is not an isolated instance, because it has been this way for years at this pharmacy. 

I am stuck with using this pharmacy as my insurance only uses Rite Aid to fill prescriptions in my area. Fortunately it is close--but, three trips for prescriptions? How inefficient is that? 

The must be a better way.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Verizon's Dark Side

This following represents my personal opinion based upon fact.

Four years ago I allowed Verizon to convert my copper-based telephone line to a VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) line. 

In looking back on the conversion, Verizon misrepresented to me what they were doing. I went from having a fully reliable, storm-proof system to a VOIP system that requires a battery back-up to function when the power goes out. The battery is not permanent and needs to be replaced periodically.

The battery lasted less than four years. 


Guess who has to pay for the new battery?

Yup--me!

Is it particularly expensive? No--but here's the rub, with my copper everything to keep the system running was provided. Now, with modern technology, I have to buy a battery and support an additional industry. 

The Verizon installers did not disclose that I was responsible or replacing the short-lived battery, I thought it was part of the system and would be maintained by Verizon as had my previous system.

UPDATE:

It has been suggested that taking the battery out and cycling the power on the unit may revive the battery. Give it a try!

Can I get my good old reliable copper-wire line back?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - February 9, 2015

1. Wine weekends are a lot of fun--especially in Charlottesville, VA where the wine flows freely.

2. I figured out the name for my first wine--Smug Bastard, that is how the winemaker at Keswick referred to me during the blending this past weekend.

3. Sitting in a noisy restaurant where it was hard to hear resulted in some funny situations the other evening. When the waitress asked if we needed bread, I  responded, "and white, too." It was a red, white and bread moment.

Sunrise on the Blue Ridge Mountains
February 7, 2015

4. Later that same evening we were talking about tapas, but some at the table felt that they have been left out by never going to a topless bar.  Funny evenings.

5. Sunrise on the Blue Ridge Mountains can be fabulous! With the mountains facing the rising sun that reflect red in the dawn light.

6. I wish grocery stores in Maryland could sell wine. It is really weird that they can't. 

7. Gas prices bounced up about 20 cents per gallon this weekend. I guess the ultra low, sub $2 per gallon prices are gone.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Let the Blending Begin

Spending a day at a winery is one of the things that I truly enjoy. Spending a day with some raw materials and creating a nice wine just adds to the joy of being at the winery.

That was yesterday. We gathered with friends to try our amateur hands at wine blending. We were provided four 2014 vintage Virginia wines and given the charge to create our best wine. This is the annual Keswick Vineyards Consensus Blending.

The wines were Touriga, Chambourcin, Syrah, and Norton. Each had some very nice qualities but was not a complete drinkable or salable wine. By the end of the day we blended a great wine that had everything the wine drinkers look for in a wine. We have need down this path before. Last year we did not place well in the blending with out entry. This year we were much happier. In fact, I like our wine.

The results? We finished as the runner-up less just over a half point behind the winners of the day. I even rated their wine ahead of ours.

A great day and great fun. We will do even better next year.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Earlysville, VA