As we wrapped up our cruise near Portland it was time to set out to Ogunquit. Take 95 south to Highway 1 south and you will eventually find Ogunquit. Ogunquit meant "beautiful place by the sea" in the native language. One of Maine's slogans is "Life the way it should be". Both phrases catch the spirit of the place. One needs to take Ogunquit at its pace. If you were to try to be really active you would exhaust your options quickly and become restless. If you did almost nothing it wouldn't justify the costs of staying there. The best approach is to be laid back and take it as it comes.
We arrived at our B and B in the late afternoon and then went to the beach and the Marginal Way. Between that evening and the next morning I saw the major difference between high and low tide. Someday I'd like to learn more about this type of thing. We had some issues finding the Marginal Way from Shore Dr. but eventually a nice hotel employee let us go through their private property and onto the trail. It's a curby path with the jagged cliffs, small beaches, and ocean views to one side and hotels and oceanfront property to the other side.
By the time we arrived to Perkins Cove it was dark. We dined at Barnacle Billy's, a mainstay there with two different sets of atmosphere. Another delicous lobster dinner and we were back on our way for a night of rest. I was now in vacation mode. Life the way it should be.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Maine vacation, day two, part 3
I have been putting off this post and the rest of the Maine trip essays because of the lack of details I have about the harbor cruise we took that afternoon. No more. You can miss all the details and always go there for yourself.
It was a sunny day, slightly breezy day and optimal for a Lighthouse Lovers Cruise. We chose Portland Discovery out of a few different options. We went out, passed some lighthouses, Cape Elizabeth, other islands that form part of Portland, saw lobster traps and civil war forts, and then eventually went through Casco Bay and around Portland back to the harbor.
Our guide had a nice thick mustache and took his duties seriously. He needed to communicate with the captain, give his talking points, and take questions from the crowd. There was so much to see and learn about that at some point it became overkill. He didn't speak incessantly or any more than he needed to, yet I think cruises like this should have some quiet time to hear the natural sounds of the boat cutting waves, the birds, and any other such sounds. I suppose passengers can choose to tune out the guide, which many people did.
By this time, our full first afternoon on the land or water of Maine, my wife and I were slowly but surely falling in love with Portland. Perhaps it was just the idyllic August weather, the lobster rolls, or the laid back, not-so-big city feel. As the cruise wound down we realized that the time to leave Portland for Ogunquit was near. Fortunately we knew we'd return in just a few days, and it felt like we'd be going to visit an old friend.
It was a sunny day, slightly breezy day and optimal for a Lighthouse Lovers Cruise. We chose Portland Discovery out of a few different options. We went out, passed some lighthouses, Cape Elizabeth, other islands that form part of Portland, saw lobster traps and civil war forts, and then eventually went through Casco Bay and around Portland back to the harbor.
Our guide had a nice thick mustache and took his duties seriously. He needed to communicate with the captain, give his talking points, and take questions from the crowd. There was so much to see and learn about that at some point it became overkill. He didn't speak incessantly or any more than he needed to, yet I think cruises like this should have some quiet time to hear the natural sounds of the boat cutting waves, the birds, and any other such sounds. I suppose passengers can choose to tune out the guide, which many people did.
By this time, our full first afternoon on the land or water of Maine, my wife and I were slowly but surely falling in love with Portland. Perhaps it was just the idyllic August weather, the lobster rolls, or the laid back, not-so-big city feel. As the cruise wound down we realized that the time to leave Portland for Ogunquit was near. Fortunately we knew we'd return in just a few days, and it felt like we'd be going to visit an old friend.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
South Carolina 33, Michigan 28 - perspective
Near the end and after today's Outback Bowl between South Carolina and Michigan I went through four of the five stages of grieving. "No that did not just happen" I muttered when South Carolina connected on an improbable but not entirely surprising TD pass will 11 seconds left in the game. Anger set in quickly and different people were blamed. The defensive backs that were not in the right position to stop the play. Or all the DL and LBs that missed sure sacks on previous plays that made this pass possible? Or was it Greg Mattison's fault? No way. Mattison is a great DC and had them where they were supposed to be most of the year. I decided it was the entire defense's fault. I skipped the Bargaining step since I knew that I was powerless to change the outcome. Depression arrived next. I tried finding somthing else to do around the house, but was numb for a couple of hours. I went grocery shopping and found Acceptance. It was quite simple.
I realized that over 32 years of being a Michigan fan that my perspective had changed as little as the ages of the Wolverines. When I was 8 to about 18 my favorite players like Anthony Carter, Jim Harbaugh, Jamie Morris, and Desmond Howard were grown men, and would have been 10 feet tall if I ever met them. While at UM my opinion changed briefly, having seen the players attend the first week or so of classes in the fall or winter semester and then disappear. This jaded me and I did not actively support the team during the Moellar years while at the school. That changed in the glorious 1997 campaign, and from then on I've been back to cheering for these "men", these Wolverines.
Well I'm now about 20 years older than the average player, and they're really not men to me anymore. They're college kids, just out of high school really. My kids will be as old as them in about five years. And they got beat at the end of a close, hard-fought game by the Ol' Ball Coach. They're this years version of the kids that put on the uniforms and helmets I love, and play in the stadium I love to the sounds of the fight song I love. They're probably playing video games now or on their phones. Or listening to some rap or metal music that I can't relate to. It doesn't make it hurt any less that I found acceptance, but it helped me rid of some of that numbness.
I have high hopes for 2013 as it's a season when ND and OSU visit Ann Arbor. I expect there will be more to cheer for, and that today's darkness will become a distant memory. My love will go on.
I realized that over 32 years of being a Michigan fan that my perspective had changed as little as the ages of the Wolverines. When I was 8 to about 18 my favorite players like Anthony Carter, Jim Harbaugh, Jamie Morris, and Desmond Howard were grown men, and would have been 10 feet tall if I ever met them. While at UM my opinion changed briefly, having seen the players attend the first week or so of classes in the fall or winter semester and then disappear. This jaded me and I did not actively support the team during the Moellar years while at the school. That changed in the glorious 1997 campaign, and from then on I've been back to cheering for these "men", these Wolverines.
I have high hopes for 2013 as it's a season when ND and OSU visit Ann Arbor. I expect there will be more to cheer for, and that today's darkness will become a distant memory. My love will go on.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Customer protocol at Subway
An open letter to fellow Subway customers.
I detest waiting in line behind you. Here's are some rules you need to know to please me, so that I will tolerate waiting behind you. You in turn will appreciate this from others.
1) Know what you want to order. Bread, type of sandwich, cheese, "warmed up", fixings. Don't wait for the sandwich artist to ask you these five questions. Just tell them. If it's your first time or you're not a regular, step off to the side until you make a decision.
2) Be present. Don't talk on the phone or to your friend while the sandwich artist waits for you, which means I'm waiting for you.
3) By all means do not order subs for multiple people. This slows everything down to a halt because you don't really know what they want, and it becomes labor intensive. Subway is not adept at handling this. Bring those people and everyone can order for themselves. Then eat together. That's more social than everyone eating at their cube.
4) Know if you want the chips and drink before the cashier asks you. Don't count out pennies, nickels, and dimes to make exact change. Carrying change to avoid getting change is really a waste of your time and mine. Put your change in a jar and save it.
I detest waiting in line behind you. Here's are some rules you need to know to please me, so that I will tolerate waiting behind you. You in turn will appreciate this from others.
1) Know what you want to order. Bread, type of sandwich, cheese, "warmed up", fixings. Don't wait for the sandwich artist to ask you these five questions. Just tell them. If it's your first time or you're not a regular, step off to the side until you make a decision.
2) Be present. Don't talk on the phone or to your friend while the sandwich artist waits for you, which means I'm waiting for you.
3) By all means do not order subs for multiple people. This slows everything down to a halt because you don't really know what they want, and it becomes labor intensive. Subway is not adept at handling this. Bring those people and everyone can order for themselves. Then eat together. That's more social than everyone eating at their cube.
4) Know if you want the chips and drink before the cashier asks you. Don't count out pennies, nickels, and dimes to make exact change. Carrying change to avoid getting change is really a waste of your time and mine. Put your change in a jar and save it.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Going to the message boards
The reason the posts on this blog have slowed down of late is because I started a second blog in early September called Chiefs Outsider (chiefsoutsider.blogspot.com).
When I started chancesareexcellent I hoped to get people to respond to what I write. I have nearly a 1000 pageviews now and have received one comment. A friend suggested to me that I'm not controversial enough. I could write half-cocked posts about politics or the Kardashians but then I'd be joining the web culture that I dislike. I do appreciate that real people are reading this or that some search engine algorithm is finding me. I try to be civil and at least mildly interesting while I work on my writing skills.
You'll have to visit the Chiefs Outsider to get a feel for what it's about. My indirect goal for that blog is to find something people are passionate about and show an outsider's perpective on that passion. I couldn't think of a better place to do it than football in America. Diehard football fans are an interesting group of people. They call radio shows, wear jerseys, speak in the 1st person plural ("we") when referring to their team, and their mood is sometimes determined by the fates of the team. I'm a diehard University of Michigan football fan but 12 years ago I realized it's as much of an affliction as anything else. Michigan lost a game to Purdue and I nearly slipped into a depression when they inevitably lost the game due to Lloyd Carr "play not to lose" tactics. I was really down about it but it later became an epiphany. I still get crazy sometimes when they win or lose a close game, but now I'm aware of what I'm doing and temper the highs and lows.
I've watched all five Chiefs games this year and feel I'm knowledgeable enough to go to the message boards. I know more about the Chiefs than most people outside KC. I know it's rough out on the boards because I used to post on them occasionally when I was a mediocre stockpicker.
I'll keep posting on this subject as long as it's something I think is interesting to you the reader. Maybe it will even stir up a comment.
When I started chancesareexcellent I hoped to get people to respond to what I write. I have nearly a 1000 pageviews now and have received one comment. A friend suggested to me that I'm not controversial enough. I could write half-cocked posts about politics or the Kardashians but then I'd be joining the web culture that I dislike. I do appreciate that real people are reading this or that some search engine algorithm is finding me. I try to be civil and at least mildly interesting while I work on my writing skills.
You'll have to visit the Chiefs Outsider to get a feel for what it's about. My indirect goal for that blog is to find something people are passionate about and show an outsider's perpective on that passion. I couldn't think of a better place to do it than football in America. Diehard football fans are an interesting group of people. They call radio shows, wear jerseys, speak in the 1st person plural ("we") when referring to their team, and their mood is sometimes determined by the fates of the team. I'm a diehard University of Michigan football fan but 12 years ago I realized it's as much of an affliction as anything else. Michigan lost a game to Purdue and I nearly slipped into a depression when they inevitably lost the game due to Lloyd Carr "play not to lose" tactics. I was really down about it but it later became an epiphany. I still get crazy sometimes when they win or lose a close game, but now I'm aware of what I'm doing and temper the highs and lows.
I've watched all five Chiefs games this year and feel I'm knowledgeable enough to go to the message boards. I know more about the Chiefs than most people outside KC. I know it's rough out on the boards because I used to post on them occasionally when I was a mediocre stockpicker.
I'll keep posting on this subject as long as it's something I think is interesting to you the reader. Maybe it will even stir up a comment.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Maine vacation, day two, part two - Portland Lobster Company
Commercial Street is where I'd recommend a first-time visitor to start in Portland. Here you will find most of what you'll want to do. We started by securing our tickets for a cruise of the harbor, and then made our way to lunch at the Portland Lobster Company. A few locals told us to visit, and we were glad they did. This is sort of the standard lobster place: near the water, overpriced, but leaving you wanting more. We ordered a lobster roll, clam chowder, and clam strips. The lobster roll was nearly $16, but I could easily justify it because if you go to Maine you must eat lobster. It may sound trite to those that have never been to Maine, but once there you will accept it. This was the first of many lobster meals for us.
The Portland Lobster Company extends out into the harbor and is adjacent to where the tour boats dock.
Some of it is covered by umbrellas and the rest is a large eating area. The next Maine post will be about the cruise, which was more enjoyable from eating such a satisfying meal.
The Portland Lobster Company extends out into the harbor and is adjacent to where the tour boats dock.
Some of it is covered by umbrellas and the rest is a large eating area. The next Maine post will be about the cruise, which was more enjoyable from eating such a satisfying meal.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Maine vacation, day two, part one - Portland Observatory
When I saw the Portland Observatory for the first time I assumed it was a lighthouse. It looks like a lighthouse, and I didn't see any space for a telescope. It's not a lighthouse, and it's not an observatory in the sense that it observes the skies above. Sitting on the top of Munjoy Hill in downtown Portland, it is the last surviving maritime signal tower in the US. I'll explain what that means in a minute.
We came upon the Observatory by fate, and I'm glad we did. Our original plan was to be downtown to ride on a lobster boat but since we had an hour to kill we thought we'd first see the Observatory, then drive downtown, park, and buy the tickets for the tour with time to spare. Of course this was totally unrealistic, but it made sense at the time. We bought our tickets for the Observatory tour, then waited, and waited some more. They only take smaller groups as space is limited, and try to space them out to avoid congestion.
We arrived at midpoint of one of these groups that form, and then had to wait for the preceding group to move up further and a couple of more tourists to take the tour with us. Then the cashier went to grab lunch so the volunteer guide was stuck watching the till. As the minutes passed I realized our plans to go on the lobster boat were slipping away. I really struggle with moments like this due to my chronic, monumental impatience. I tried to tell myself that it was a beautiful day and that there would more tours to catch, and to just enjoy the one I was about to take.
Finally our group embarked and winded our way up the four or five flights of stairs, with a short break on each floor for some information about how and why it was built along with all the history. It was built in 1807 as a way to communicate between the incoming ship on the Atlantic Ocean and the boat owners on the harbor. When the watchman could see the incoming flags we would hoist the same flag so the down on the harbor they knew their ship was coming and make preparations.
The highlight was reaching the top floor, feeling the cool breeze, and seeing Portland and the surrounding waters from all sides. I also took advantage of the view to see where we'd be trying to catch the elusive lobster boat tour. This was when I realized that Portland is more of a town than a city. There are only 66,000 residents, and most of the city proper would be considered downtown. In retrospect I believe it's the best place to start your Portland trip. Later in our other tours of Portland the Observatory was always mentioned, and I listened closely to make sure they had their facts correct, because I had the patience to make it through the tour and learned some lessons in the process.
We came upon the Observatory by fate, and I'm glad we did. Our original plan was to be downtown to ride on a lobster boat but since we had an hour to kill we thought we'd first see the Observatory, then drive downtown, park, and buy the tickets for the tour with time to spare. Of course this was totally unrealistic, but it made sense at the time. We bought our tickets for the Observatory tour, then waited, and waited some more. They only take smaller groups as space is limited, and try to space them out to avoid congestion.
We arrived at midpoint of one of these groups that form, and then had to wait for the preceding group to move up further and a couple of more tourists to take the tour with us. Then the cashier went to grab lunch so the volunteer guide was stuck watching the till. As the minutes passed I realized our plans to go on the lobster boat were slipping away. I really struggle with moments like this due to my chronic, monumental impatience. I tried to tell myself that it was a beautiful day and that there would more tours to catch, and to just enjoy the one I was about to take.
Finally our group embarked and winded our way up the four or five flights of stairs, with a short break on each floor for some information about how and why it was built along with all the history. It was built in 1807 as a way to communicate between the incoming ship on the Atlantic Ocean and the boat owners on the harbor. When the watchman could see the incoming flags we would hoist the same flag so the down on the harbor they knew their ship was coming and make preparations.
The highlight was reaching the top floor, feeling the cool breeze, and seeing Portland and the surrounding waters from all sides. I also took advantage of the view to see where we'd be trying to catch the elusive lobster boat tour. This was when I realized that Portland is more of a town than a city. There are only 66,000 residents, and most of the city proper would be considered downtown. In retrospect I believe it's the best place to start your Portland trip. Later in our other tours of Portland the Observatory was always mentioned, and I listened closely to make sure they had their facts correct, because I had the patience to make it through the tour and learned some lessons in the process.
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