by Lori Welch Brown Go V Yourself! Since I was a kid, I’ve been drawn to Valentine’s Day. I love all the pink hearts, red Cupids, and especially the dark chocolate! Note that I didn’t mention red roses or lingerie, but more on that later. I especially love those sweet little Valentines in the tiny envelopes you handed out in grade school. We would decorate a brown paper bag to collect them all in. Oh, the memories. I still scan the aisles of CVS to catch a glimpse of them. Back in my day, they were mostly Mickey and Minnie and Pebbles and BamBam. Now they are My Little Pony and Transformers. Cute cards aside, I had my share of some not so very happy “Cupid” days mostly because said “Cupid” must have thought I had the plague for a decade or so. I don’t recall many years when I was actually coupled up for the most romantic day of the year. So I write this column every year not effusing grandiose thoughts on love, but more as a white flag offering, if you will, for the lonely hearts club. For some of you, walking past that card aisle is just plain painful. I get it. Maybe you just broke up with someone. Maybe your person passed away. Maybe you just went through a divorce. Maybe you’re going through a dating drought. Whatever the case, those cute little hearts are inducing your gag reflex and there’s no way to stop the influx of pink! There are, however, some ways to lift your current grinch-like heart. Go rogue. Stay in and watch the most anti-Valentine flicks you can find. As every single person knows, Netflix can be the best date ever. Go old school. Get out the construction paper, Elmer’s and…
Our dear friend of many years, Charlene Lankford decided it was time to take a copy of the OTC with her on her yearly trip to Key West for the Off Shore Powerboat races. She has been making the trek for about 12 years. Joining her are numerous friends and family from southern Maryland who make up a huge group from “The Maryland Powerboat” constituency. She tells us that it’s a fun week – 3 days of races, a scooter poker run, a boat parade on Duvall Street and a few free days to just relax.
by ©2019 Sarah Becker Mary V. Thompson Researcher, Historian, Writer Mount Vernon Research Historian Mary V. Thompson awaits the release of her second book, The Only Unavoidable Subject of Regret: George Washington, Slavery, and the Enslaved Community at Mount Vernon (2019). It comes on the heels of Thompson’s first, In the Hands of a Good Providence: Religion in the Life of George Washington (2008). Mary and I first met in 1995; we are colleagues and she joins me for a Q&A. Q1. Jamestown now celebrates 400 years of African-American history. The first 20 black Africans arrived in Jamestown in 1619, twelve years after the Colony’s founding. They came by ship, as human cargo, for sale as indentured servants. Yet George Washington, son of Augustine and Mary Ball Washington of Westmoreland County, Virginia, grew up with slaves. Explain the transition from indenture to slavery; the plantation practices that promoted slavery. A1. George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, into a world in which slavery was simply a fact of life. The first Africans had arrived in Virginia more than one hundred years earlier and new research has shown that, contrary to long-held beliefs, most were enslaved from the outset. The basic outlines of the legal status of Virginia slaves were clarified in the 1660s and 1670s, with the passage of legislation stating that: whether children born in Virginia were free or enslaved depended on the condition of their mother (1662); conversion to Christianity and subsequent baptism would not result in freedom for a slave (1667); masters would have almost total control over how their slaves were disciplined, and would not be prosecuted if a slave died while being punished (1669); and the government would police slaves and owners would be reimbursed for any slaves who were killed while…
By Steve Chaconas Getting Ready to Guide Potomac River guides are busy. For me, it means ordering my 2019 Skeeter FX20 and 10 foot Power Poles. For long stays on the water with reliable cranking power, DEKA Batteries energize my rig. Capt. John Sisson’s new Ranger is being rigged with HUMMINBIRD electronics, Power Poles and a Mercury outboard. Capt. Michael Hall and Capt. George Martin are going through their rigs to recover from 2018. Capt. Mike’s 2016 Ranger Comanche 521C goes to MARE Marine for a top to bottom check up. He doesn’t neglect his Criswell Chevrolet Suburban either, readying it for long tows. Capt. George’s off-season boat care starts with a deep cleaning, carpet shampoo, and hull and bottom wax job. He replaces or fixes any vessel or equipment issues, including electronics, pumps, switches, and hinges. When the calendar clicked over to 2019, licensing expired. Every POTOMAC guide must keep Red Cross First Aid and CPR current, as well as charter insurance. Enrolling in a random drug-testing program is also required. MD and Potomac River Fisheries Commission Guide license renewals begin. USCG Captains licenses must be current. If not, a four-month process is required. Show time! Guides attend shows to promote sponsors, conduct seminars and book trips. Meeting and greeting local anglers takes a lot of energy, as floor time can be 10 hours straight. Having plenty of brochures and business cards to pass out, along with gear for demonstrations, needs preparation too! Websites and marketing begins now, although it never really ends. Updating email lists brings old clients back! Capt. Mike, a professional bass fisherman and USCG licensed guide, relies on social media to generate business, including posting videos and pictures on his Facebook pages and mikehallfishing.com. Additionally, Capt. George, gmcomaps.com, updates his Google listing, creates new handouts for shows,…