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2355

I am just getting ready to head out the door on my walk, but then I had a thought.  With all the sub-zero weather, I thought it would be a good idea for me to count up my consistency days in regards to walking.  It  has been 2355 days that I have walked 5 miles every damn day!  This is whether it is snowing, raining, below zero, a holiday, or if I am sicker than a dog.  Every damn day!  Truth be told, I am very glad I do it.  Truth also be told, February is always the most emotionally unpleasant month for walking outside, and so I have learned to brace for damn near anything in February.  January may have more snow, may have more cold,  and may be darker... but it still seems relatively fresh and new.  And, March may still have plenty of cold and plenty of snow.... but the end of the damn stuff is somewhere near enough in the future to at least seem ALMOST tangible.  April snow is also common, but it is usually more a  brief nuance, rather than a permanent fixture. 

BUT, FEBRUARY.... the snow is awfully damn tiresome, the temperatures still are potentially bitter, there really is NO hope of spring being anytime remotely able to be contrived into being "soon".  February seems to be the month where hope is nearly lost. 

But, I am glad I am still walking every damn day!  Today when I am done, it will be day 2355!!! 

PipeTobacco

Fountain Pens

I had not thought about fountain pens in quite a while.  They used to be the primary way in which to write.  Now that I have been thinking about them, I realize that I do miss using them.  I may have to see if I can find an old one in a drawer, or perhaps I could just buy a new one.  I wonder if they have REGULAR fountain pens any longer, or only the damn, ritzy-glitzy ones that show-offs seem to prefer?   Watch the video below to see a very nice fellow who repairs old fountain pens:





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-19

Like the fellow above, I am getting just a little bit tired of the bitterly cold weather.  It was -19 degrees Fahrenheit this morning at 5am when I went on my walk (with my dog not accompanying me, because it was too cold for her).  The wind chill was said to be -48.

On this past Saturday, it felt damn near balmy, as it was +20 degrees Fahrenheit!   It was a very nice change, but the polar temperatures have returned.

I do like the the fellow's hat however.  I would like a Captain Morgan hat.  I do enjoy their rum.

PipeTobacco

Cold

Tomorrow my walk will be very cold.  It is supposed to be -11 F actual temperature with -35 F windchill when I walk at 5am.  Unfortunately, this means I will be a solo walker as it will be too cold for my dog who is my usual walking companion.  She will be sad, but it is for the best.

PipeTobacco

Write About

The past little while has been rather busy, but mostly I have not had much of an inspiration to write.  I have been rather devoid of anything meaningful to report or even to grouch about anything.  I have just been existing, albeit relatively calmly.  

As a sort of "data dump" here are a few tidbits of things happening lately, none of which seemed deserving of a whole post:

1.  We have a visiting, retired priest for the last few weeks and for the next few weeks.  He is in his upper 80s and is a real delight to have while our normal priest is on a retreat somewhere half way across the country.

2.  I have been building and encouraging the 6 (yes six!) student research groups I currently have into writing abstracts for a conference where they can present their research.  It is going reasonably well.

3.  I made a new Indian dish with lentils, garbanzo beans and spinach.  It is very heavily seasoned which happily everyone's delight tasted grand.

4.  At confession, I talked with the elderly priest about my sins of anger and about my sin of not doing anything about stopping my pipe smoking.  I was rather surprised when he said that I was a good man and that I should not be so hard on myself for smoking a pipe nor for the thing I had gotten upset about.  

5.  There is a show on one of the cable channels called "Flioping Vegas" which is about flipping houses.  I am surprised, but I am finding it very entertaining.

PipeTobacco

Dentist

Going to the dentist tomorrow at three.  So no pipes for me after I go to bed tonight until after the visit.  I hope everything goes well.  It seems like all is fine.  I will be pretty grumpy waiting to get it over with.  

PipeTobacco

Pipes & The Mind

The crumbles of brown, pipe tobacco that are in the bowl of my pipe are about ready to be transformed and to take a journey to the center of my mind.  As soon as I spin the flint wheel on my Zippo, and draw the flame into the crumbles of leaf, the combustion will ensue that will allow me to inhale a thick plume of nicotine rich smoke.  Within a matter of a few seconds, this nicotine will reach the central brain regions and stimulate the dopaminergic pathways of my mind giving me a reward, pleasure, and will give me mental stamina as well. 

How on Earth do I figure out a way to NOT want that?!?  Damn. 

PipeTobacco