Viral on LinkedIn again
Author: Viral on LinkedIn again From https://blog.odonnellweb.com • May 19th, 2026Category: Blog Entries.Local
I went viral on LinkedIn again.
Viral post about Cigna dropping out of individual healthcare market
Archives for the ‘Blog Entries.Local’ Category
Category: Blog Entries.Local
Viral on LinkedIn again
Author: Chris O'Donnell From https://blog.odonnellweb.com • May 19th, 2026Category: Blog Entries.Local
Viral on LinkedIn again
Author: Chris O'Donnell From https://chrisod.weblog.lol • May 19th, 2026Category: Blog Entries.Local
Birding at Dorey Park
Author: Chris O'Donnell From https://chrisod.org • May 16th, 2026Category: Blog Entries.Local
Birding at Dorey Park
It's difficult to photograph birds at all times; it's especially difficult when they mostly live in the leaves. I did get this one decent shot this morning of a brown thrasher. We saw 33 species, including my best-ever look at a Great Crested Flycatcher. There were two examining a potential nesting spot in a hole in a tree right in front of us. We'll have to go back in a couple of weeks and see if there is a nest there. It is right on the walking path and parking lot, so I think they'll pass on it.
Birding at Dorey Park
Author: Birding at Dorey Park From https://blog.odonnellweb.com • May 16th, 2026Category: Blog Entries.Local
It’s difficult to photograph birds at all times; it’s especially difficult when they mostly live in the leaves. I did get this one decent shot this morning of a brown thrasher. We saw 33 species, including my best-ever look at a Great Crested Flycatcher. There were two examining a potential nesting spot in a hole in a tree right in front of us. We’ll have to go back in a couple of weeks and see if there is a nest there. It is right on the walking path and parking lot, so I think they’ll pass on it.
Brown bird in green grass looking into thicker foilage
Birding at Dorey Park
Author: Chris O'Donnell From https://blog.odonnellweb.com • May 16th, 2026Category: Blog Entries.Local
Birding at Dorey Park
It's difficult to photograph birds at all times; it's especially difficult when they mostly live in the leaves. I did get this one decent shot this morning of a brown thrasher. We saw 33 species, including my best-ever look at a Great Crested Flycatcher. There were two examining a potential nesting spot in a hole in a tree right in front of us. We'll have to go back in a couple of weeks and see if there is a nest there. It is right on the walking path and parking lot, so I think they'll pass on it.
Birding at Dorey Park
Author: Chris O'Donnell From https://chrisod.weblog.lol • May 16th, 2026Category: Blog Entries.Local
Birding at Dorey Park
It's difficult to photograph birds at all times; it's especially difficult when they mostly live in the leaves. I did get this one decent shot this morning of a brown thrasher. We saw 33 species, including my best-ever look at a Great Crested Flycatcher. There were two examining a potential nesting spot in a hole in a tree right in front of us. We'll have to go back in a couple of weeks and see if there is a nest there. It is right on the walking path and parking lot, so I think they'll pass on it.
The Luxury of Too Many Options
Author: David From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • May 14th, 2026Category: Blog Entries.Local
Decisions, decisions. A true cigar “first-world problem” is choosing what to smoke when the moment presents itself. My humidor is modest by some standards, yet it holds more than 240 different blends and vitolas — plenty to keep me deliberating.
There are old favorites I return to time and again, alongside new releases and recent acquisitions I’m eager to try. At times, I find myself simply standing there, pondering — like staring into the fridge, trying to decide what will satisfy the moment.
Recently, I’ve been making more box purchases rather than singles or five-packs. That means more opportunity to focus on favorites, I’ve also paused, at least for now, any “cigar of the month” memberships. Smoking a single example rarely offers a full understanding of a cigar. Even so, I’m not convinced a reduced variety will make the decision any easier.
And once the cigar is chosen, my attention turns to the whiskey shelf. Again — decisions, decisions. My selection isn’t quite as extensive, but it still numbers around 100 bottles, mostly bourbon, with a few other spirits mixed in. Beer, coffee, and even water make occasional appearances as well.
Most often, I choose the cigar first and then select a complementary pairing. Other times, the craving starts with a particular drink — usually a bourbon or a cocktail — and the cigar decision follows with equal consideration. And, admittedly, there are moments when I simply grab a cigar and a pour with little thought and see what serendipity delivers.
Life is an adventure.
Cheers!
Exploring an Aged Beer and Cigar Pairing: Bigfoot and Padrón Maduro
Author: David From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • May 11th, 2026Category: Blog Entries.Local
The rains had stopped, but the air remained cool, and my thoughts turned to a hearty beer to accompany the evening’s smoke. I grabbed an old bottle of Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Ale from the stash in the basement. This bottle dated from the 2010 release, making it just over 15 years old.
When selecting a cigar to pair with the beer, I wanted something that could stand up to Bigfoot’s expected caramel and port-like dark fruit character while contributing a complementary sweetness of its own. I chose the Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series Maduro in the Torpedo vitola. It was shaping up to be a dessert-like pairing.
The bottle released a small “poof” when opened, proof that some carbonation remained. I poured a bit too quickly at first, building a moderate beige head that dissipated almost immediately. A sweet molasses aroma rose from the glass. The liquid itself glowed a bright red-mahogany hue.
At 9.6% ABV, the well-aged Bigfoot carried surprisingly little noticeable alcohol on the palate. Though known for its aggressive hop bitterness, I was somewhat surprised that citrus and bitter notes remained fairly robust after 15 years. The ale offered a rich blend of dark caramel and dark fruit sweetness reminiscent of port wine. Hints of fig, raisin, and toffee emerged as I sipped the rich beverage.
Not nearly as aged as the beer, the Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series Maduro had rested in my humidor for only four months. The cigar's construction was flawless, with the dense feel and clean lines expected from the line. The Torpedo size measures 6 x 52 and uses aged Nicaraguan tobaccos throughout.
The smoke opened with bittersweet cocoa and espresso notes. As the cigar warmed, the profile deepened with molasses-like sweetness and hints of dark fruit. A soft peppery spice lingered into the finish.
The pairing of the vintage Bigfoot Ale and the Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series Maduro proved delightful and fully met my dessert-like expectations. The cigar’s cocoa and espresso notes complemented Bigfoot’s dark-fruit richness particularly well, while the shared molasses undertones tied the pairing together.
We’ve been enjoying opening some of the beers we tucked away for aging 10–15 years ago. I’ve found them immensely rewarding. Some come from breweries that now exist only in memory, yet all feel irreplaceable. Like cigars, they are ultimately meant to be enjoyed — even if that enjoyment comes years down the road. There is something bittersweet in finally opening a carefully aged bottle, knowing it can never truly be replaced.
Cheers!
Camping at Machicomoco State Park
Author: Chris O'Donnell From https://chrisod.org • May 10th, 2026Category: Blog Entries.Local
Camping at Machicomoco State Park
Trip: 56
Nights: 187-190
And the 2026 camping season has started. We spent the weekend at Machicomoco State Park near Gloucester, VA. It's only a 70-minute drive from home. Until a few weeks ago it was Virginia's newest state park, as it opened in 2021. It is dedicated to the history of the native people who lived there for centuries before any Europeans showed up.
The park features the Timberland mansion, which was built in 1793. It was open for tours, but we had the dog with us, so we did not take the tour. It also features an open-air pavilion that highlights the history of the land and the people inhabiting it, starting with the end of the last ice age. Furthermore, it is waterfront, so there is also a car-top boat launch.
The campground has a total of 27 campsites: 13 with electric and water hookups for various equipment—tents, pop-ups, and RVs up to 60 feet long—and 14 walk-in tent-only sites. The RV sites are mostly open with very limited shade. We had a beautiful weekend, but I don't think I'd want to camp there in July and August. The bathhouse is immaculate, featuring 10 or so private, large bathrooms, a few of which also have showers. The campsites are only mowed in a 3 or 4 foot perimeter around the camping pad. The rest of the area is managed in a natural state for pollinators.
Outside the campground, the grounds are a mix of York River and tributary shoreline, large, expansive meadows, and some forest. It's fabulous birding habitat. We got 53 species on Saturday and 50 on Sunday. On Saturday afternoon we ventured into town to kick back at the Gloucester Brewing Company, where I had fine examples of a red ale and a brown ale. Our evenings were passed as they usually are, with us playing cards or board games.
It was a fabulous start to the camping season. Machicomoco State Park is a wonderful addition to the Virginia State Park system, and we will likely return in the fall.
