A.Ham

 

Kravis Center Set for Hamiltom
West Palm Beach, FL
April 13, 2024

Hamilton.

To say the show was fabulous is an understatement. 

Chris and I sojourned into West Palm Beach yesterday to attend a matinee performance of Hamilton at the Kravis Center. 

Kravis Center View Behind our Seats
West Palm Beach, FL
April 13, 2024

We had wanted to see the musical about Alexander Hamilton since it was first performed on Broadway and our desire was heightened by the Disney production a few years ago.

Wow! Being there in person was an emotional and, yes, a religious experience. I read the book Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, upon which most of the production is based. The story of Hamilton is a true rags to riches story where a Caribbean orphan becomes an influential founding father and whose vision for the fledgling nation remains the basis of our banking system today. Not to mention his explanation of the Constitution as documented in the Federalist Papers. It was an interesting coincidence that we attended the performance of Hamilton on Thomas Jefferson's birthday. Jefferson, as you might expect, is part of the story.

The Kravis is a superior venue. I was awed by its size and comfortable seats. Very unlike the Hippodrome in Baltimore where, frankly, I never enjoyed attending shows. I look forward to attending another performance at the Kravis soon. AND, they have free EV car chargers and parking! I was also very impressed with the parking garage egress plan. We did not hurry to our car after the show and yet were out of the garage and on the highway in about 11 minutes.

P. S. I now know what A.Ham means!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

#hamilton #a.ham #kravis

With Fireworks and Chocolate

Mary and Fran
Fulton, MD
April 12, 2014

 We celebrated the 10th Anniversary of two of our best friends, Fran and Mary, last evening. They treated us to a celebratory dinner at a very upscale Asian restaurant. 

Dessert and Firework
Blackbird Restaurant, Tequesta, FL
April 12, 2024

Thinking back on the day, 10 years ago, on the day we were gathered with friends and family to celebrate their long anticipated union. I was honored to be the officiant and it was a great evening with extra nice April Maryland weather allowing the celebration to spill outside of the venue and under the blooming cherry trees. 

Last evening, it was with flair and fireworks that we celebrated their anniversary. Yes, at the end of the dinner the restaurant brought a beautiful dessert along with a small pyrotechnic to mark the occasion.

I was afraid the fireworks might set off the smoke alarms, but no such travesty happened. 

It was fun and the food was excellent.

Congratulations Mary and Francis on 10 years together! It was a great celebration--then and now!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Standing on the Edge of the . . .

 . . . Twilight Zone!

Where has reason and sanity disappeared to?

We are seeing the erosion of independent thought and democratic ideals which are being replaced by a "what's in it for me" mentality where calculated gains for a privileged few outweigh the long-term loss of freedoms and choice for "We the People." 

Many in our country support programs and plans that limit choices and are, frankly, selfish and designed to disenfranchise large groups of our society. Many others do not recognize that we cannot isolate and that we must stand up for democratic and free peoples around the world. 

The Japanese Prime Minister during his visit to the U.S. this week made the following statement: “The world needs the United States to continue playing this pivotal role in the affairs of nations.” He went on to say “the leadership of the United States is indispensable. Without U.S. support, how long before the hopes of Ukraine would collapse under the onslaught from Moscow?” he asked. “Without the presence of the United States, how long before the Indo-Pacific would face even harsher realities?” (Letters from an American)

Ukraine has fallen from the news, but freedom seeking patriots continue dying there because many in the Republican Party support the despot Putin's goals. That has become clear. Our allies are crying for support, but are being shrugged off for the personal gain of a select few. 

And furthermore, the Republicans are also lowering our domestic defenses and opening the U.S. up to potential terror attacks by not renewing FISA. As the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) wrote about the act during November 2023:

If Congress fails to act, Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) will expire. Section 702 of FISA is one of the most effective tools used by the Intelligence Community to protect our nation. If it sunsets, so too will our ability to identify, prevent, and mitigate threats to our democracy. We will go “blind” to many critical national security risks that threaten our homeland and our military interests abroad. Our allies around the world, many of whom depend upon information acquired under Section 702 to circumvent threats of their own, will also be compromised. 

The same people who profess a grave threat from the Southern Border, but would not act to approve a bipartisan bill to help solve the problem are now actively dropping Americas defenses even further. It is treason. Make no mistake-- we are under attack from outside and from within. Democracy for us and the entire world is hanging in the balance.

And the man with one foot in the Twilight Zone is a puppet of Putin.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Hitting the Links

Chris Walking to the 3rd Green
Jupiter Dunes, Jupiter, FL
April 10, 2024

 Taking advantage of the extremely nice weather we have been enjoying, Chris and I went out for a round of golf yesterday. 

We used to play golf regularly, but somehow golfing has fallen off the weekly plan and it has been since we played in the Troy Whittemore Memorial Golf Tournament during August last year that we stepped onto a golf course. 

Our games were ragged, as you might expect. We had a good time walking the course and whacking at the little white ball. We both had a few really nice hits and also more than our share of not so nice swings. 

Taking advantage of the great weather is always nice. The summer pricing does not go into effect until May 1st and so we will likely hit the course more after that when the greens fees are reduced. Yes, the fees go down in the summer here. I guess golfers don't want to play in 85 plus degree temperatures and 90 percent humidity. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Sometimes

Flower
Everglades Safari Park, Homestead, FL
March 27, 2024

When Chris and I are out enjoying the wilds of Florida, I see things which cause me to stop and snap an image. 

That happened a couple weeks ago when we were in the Everglades at the Safari Park. We were strolling the paths looking at the wildlife and this flower caught my eye. 

I had to take the image through a fence because it was hanging above an alligator pen. But the color and the way it was hanging spoke to me that, there is a picture here. And so I took a picture. I worked the camera to reduce the depth of field a much as I could to blur the background and I got pretty much what I saw with my eyes. 

I have to admit, I have many images of flowers from our numerous outings. I especially enjoy admiring the orchids clinging to the trees and providing the burst of color under the canopy. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

The Eclipse

 

Eclipse 2024
Tequesta, FL
April 8, 2024 2:57 PM

It is being called a "shared experience." And it was! 

The eclipse was something that we were all talking about as it happened, unfortunately, Chris and I did not properly prepare for the even and so we did not haver the proper eye protection to stare at the event other than when the conjoined sun and moon were passing through a cloud. And even then, it was a quick glance. 

Eclipse 2024
Tequesta, FL
April 8, 2024, 3:01 PM

Fortunately, some other residents or our community shared their eye protection with us and we were able to view the eclipse against a clear sky.

Here in Palm Beach County, we only achieved about a 49 percent totality. We were far off the beaten path, yet at the eclipse's peak in our area, we could tell that the brightness of the sun was significantly reduced. The 49 percent of totality occurred at about 3:03 PM when the sun broke out into a clear sky, here. 

It was an event and I am glad that I was able to record it for posterity, or whatever. 

Except for the darkness just after 3 PM, it was a beautiful day.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - April 8, 2024.

 

1. The second Monday of April is upon us. Next Monday is Tax Day--have you fulfilled your annual obligation to the Federal Government? There are just 38 Mondays to deal with remaining in the year. 

Sunset from Sailor's Return Restaurant
Stuart, FL
April 7, 2024

2.  Chris returned safely from her travels yesterday afternoon. I didn't write about it earlier because the visit was a surprise for Jeremy who debuted as the lead singer in a band on Saturday night. I was sorry I couldn't be there, but getting Chris there was more important. She got to fly Spirit Airlines for the very first and, likely, last time.

3. We met friends at the Sailor's Return restaurant in Stuart, Florida, last evening. They were sailing through, literally, headed for the Catskills in New York. We had a most enjoyable evening and were treated to a spectacular sunset with the marina in the foreground. It has been a while since I have enjoyed a sunset like this one as usually I am facing East as the sun is setting. 

4. I have been training for my upcoming 150 mile assault on the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP). I am becoming very in tune to the noises of my bike. Hopefully, with the training the ride will be tough, but both enjoyable and doable. 

5. The Orioles are off to a positive start with a 5-4 record. They just dropped a series to the Pirates and hopefully will get back onto the winning track soon. They are currently 3rd in the AL East, 2.5 games out of first and behind the Yankees and the Red Sox.

6. Today in History. On April 8, 1974, Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves hits his 715th career home run, breaking Babe Ruth’s legendary record of 714 homers. A crowd of 53,775 people, the largest in the history of Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, was with Aaron that night to cheer when he hit a 4th inning pitch off the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Al Downing. However, as Aaron was an African American who had received death threats and racist hate mail during his pursuit of one of baseball’s most distinguished records, the achievement was bittersweet.

Henry Louis Aaron Jr., born in Mobile, Alabama, on February 5, 1934, made his Major League debut in 1954 with the Milwaukee Braves, just seven years after Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier and became the first African American to play in the majors. Aaron, known as hard working and quiet, was the last Negro league player to also compete in the Major Leagues. In 1957, with characteristically little fanfare, Aaron, who primarily played right field, was named the National League’s Most Valuable Player as the Milwaukee Braves won the pennant. A few weeks later, his three home runs in the World Series helped his team triumph over the heavily favored New York Yankees. Although “Hammerin’ Hank” specialized in home runs, he was also an extremely dependable batter, and by the end of his career he held baseball’s career record for most runs batted in: 2,297.

Live Updates Footage of Khan Younis after Israeli troop withdrawal shows rubble and razed buildings - CNN

Researchers find clue to why cancer is on the rise in younger adults - CNN

Johnson confronts the most significant threat to his speakership to date - CNN

Doubts Creep In About a Fed Rate Cut This Year - The Wall Street Journal

A Fight Between Hamas and Other Palestinians for Power in Gaza Begins to Emerge - The Wall Street Journal

Major food companies offering deals, new sizes as low-income Americans spend less - Reuters

Spirit Airlines to delay Airbus aircraft deliveries to save cash - Reuters

Russia says Ukraine struck nuclear plant, Kyiv denies it was behind the attack - Reuters

Russia launches 24 attack drones, infrastructure hit, Ukraine says - Reuters

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Saturday Afternoon

 

Walking onto the Beach
Carlin Park, Jupiter, FL
April 6, 2024

It was off to the beach for Happy Hour with friends yesterday afternoon. 

It had been another beautiful day with crystal blue skies, mild temperatures, and low humidity. 

I passed on a bike ride, but did walk Finnegan for almost 1.5 miles. We kept up a solid 20 minute per mile pace--even with his stops for relief. 

Ultralight over the Ocean
Carlin Park, Jupiter, FL
April 6, 2024

The beach was the highlight of the day which saw me clear some stuff from the garage and make a trip to the storage room. There was a large wedding set-up just on the entrance to the beach and we got to enjoy the wedding music for a while before the ceremony began.

An ultralight provided some entertainment after the wedding departed. It flew over the ocean just off shore and did some circles in the sky. 

The tide was rising and we had to move our chairs back twice as the waves tried to overrun our position. Some of our stuff got wet, but it was just water. Well, and sand!

A great time on the beach and then home. I am very happy the daylight is making it to about 8 PM.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Trucks N' Tunes April 2024

Constitution Park
Tequesta, FL
April 5, 2024

 I enjoyed an evening out at a local park with friends for Happy Hour. It was another in a string of beautiful evenings with moderate temperatures, crystal blue skies, and low humidity. The Village of Tequesta sponsors the event and throngs of people and kids showed up to enjoy the evening. 

The live music and the food trucks are the draw, but the weather provided the exclamation point. I truly enjoy watching the kids, of all ages, race around the park and just enjoy being outside. I wonder if they find it an enjoyable break from computers and smart phones? 

The music was mostly oldies, and I mean old. We recognized songs from the 50s and 60s. Looking around it was clear that most of the people were far too young to appreciate the songs, even though they were not performed very well. The lead singer was having pitch problems and also did not have good command of some of the songs. It was like he learned them yesterday. 

But, it was enjoyable to be out of the house and enjoying a meal with friends. Did I mention Happy Hour? Oh yes ,we also enjoyed Happy Hour before heading out to the food trucks for dinner.

This was the first Trucks N' Tunes since Daylight Saving Time went into effect and it was nice having daylight until almost 8 PM. This was also the last Trucks N' Tunes listed for the year, sadly. I expect the series to resume in November. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Thursday Happy Hour

Tiki52 in the Afternoon
Tequesta, FL
April 4, 2024

 It was off to Tiki52 for Happy Hour last evening. The day was absolutely awesome and the evening was shaping up to be more of the same.

It was good to get out with friends after the day and sit for a while to have some conversation. The place was relatively deserted when we arrived about 5 PM, but by 6 PM it was hopping. All of the tables were full and people were waiting to be seated. I'm glad we like to get to places early to beat the crowd and enjoy a very different ambiance. 

The snowbirds are slowly leaving and soon we will have the venues to ourselves again. I am seeing fewer northern license plates in the parking lots and clogging up the roadways. Traffic can still be horrific in the afternoons. Fortunately, Tiki52 is about a mile from the house and it is right on the water next to a marina. What a perfect spot.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL