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A Juxtaposition of Thought

Strangely, the post from yesterday about the feelings of "lack of thought" actually started the whirling of my mind back into full force ever since. Here are some of my musings:

1. Is it typical for anyone (or perhaps at least for an acedemic) to have a constant, whirling, swirling plethora of ideas, thoughts, emotions, and plans running through his mind? For me, it is the way my mind operates (or perhaps the way I have trained it?), but I never much thought about whether it is typical or atypical.

2. It is seems likely that this constant whril of ideas etc. in my mind is probably a big part of the reason why I typically do not sleep until 1am or 2am or later, and perhaps also explains why I typically arise at 5:30am or 6am each day.

3. Thinking and ideas are really "my job" as a professor. Does this mean then that I am really taking "my work" home with me and in effect living it nearly 24 hours a day? Even though I am applying the thinking and ideas to other tasks, in effect I could be considered perhaps a "work-a-holic"?

4. Having that time of very limited thought, that slowing of the "whirl" of ideas was surprising. In some ways it was freeing... my mind seemed so quiet. However, in other ways it was a bit unnerving.... it felt as if part of me had gone dormant.

5. My pipe tobacco typically gives me a mental boost, and in effect adds fuel to my thoughts and often the pipe will help keep the thought process stoked. Yesterday during the yard work, the feelings attributable to my pipe were more physical, the nicotine flowed into my sinews and muscles and helped to dissipate tensions there. Do not get me wrong, I am used to having both the mental and physical effects, but typically the mental are the more prominant.

6. Perhaps a part of the pleasure and enjoyment I get out of drinking on occasion is due to its ability to induce this sort of mental "quiet" in me? Even though I did not have any feelings of intoxication (obviously because I had no alcohol), I do see some similarities between the mental activity level during intoxication and the mental activity level felt yesterday.

7. As an analogy, I thought last night about how this effect seems somewhat akin to what happens when a computer "powers down". It is still present, but its activity has declined.

Any thoughts?

PipeTobacco