Tired, But Goofy

I have come to realize that I have finally reached an age where I feel very comfortable being pretty damn eccentric if I so desire.  During the time I have been Chairman of the Department, I find I have also started to even develop a "I don't give a damn" attitude about what most folks think about me or about what I do.  In many ways this has been rather freeing. 

Now, I admit, I have always been a bit on the eccentric side, but now I am actually starting to revel in it.  It is fun.  The kids (students) seem to find it entertaining as well. 

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Nice Pattern

Even though unlikely to last, this is the third Friday in a roll that I had a good day and then had a delightful Tim traveling to my elderly father in law' for potable libations and pipes.  It was a gel rand day.   I thought it might be so, so to further enhance it I refrained from my morning and afternoon pip so that it would feel and be even more beautiful with a libation.   And to top it off my father in law dug out of his supply an old but delightful blend of tobacco that was called sagebrush from which I topped off the top of my bowl of my typically robust burley.  It was like nectar fro the gods!   

Now sitting here at home, I am enjoying another pipe on the back porch and can hear the marching band from the local high school play their halftime show in the distance.   Very, very pleasant.   It is about 49 degrees but feels nice with a heavy sweatshirt on.  

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Dull

While I am glad the Hillary Clinton will win the election (not that I think she is an exceptional candidate), I do find it dull that by all accounts the election is really. A done deal.   It would be a lot more fun to watch and listen to if the race were a close race.  

That said, a very novel idea just occurred to me.... what if the election were to actually be based on SUBSTANCE instead of personalities and vitriol and muck raking?!?!  That hasn't happened in a helluva long time.  If it were actually to focus on substance, that would be very interesting.... and would be unheard of in today's age of sound bites and short attention spans.  

Just some thoughts as I finish my morning pipe before heading to the U.

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Handlebar Mustache

Heh!  I am feeling pretty damn good at the moment!  Today was set to be a hellacious Departmental Meeting with people getting horribly angry at each other and generally being idiots.  I worried about it all week long, as I am Chair of the Department and oversee the meeting and hate with a passion, the vile vitriol that can ensue at these sorts of things.  Well, I am damn proud to say that I handled the situation with aplomb!  I kept people reasonable and kind to each other, and no umbrage broke out!  We actually accomplished a fair amount of work!

The above pleased me no end, and I thought that called for a celebratory late afternoon with my elderly father-in-law.  He was in a brandy mood, whereas I was in more of a boilermaker mood (whisky and beer for those who may not know what a boilermaker is).  Ample pipes were also enjoyed!  

Now I am home, feeling pleasant.  So, pleasant in fact that I decided to "handlebar" my mustache, much to the chagrin of my wife.  I do admit I look a bit silly with a wide, handlebar mustache along with my beard.... but what the hell... I find it rather fun to look a bit odd and silly!  I am thinking I will sport the handlebar all weekend, even at Mass.  I will get a lot of silly looks and grins about it, but it will be fun!   I will brush my mustache back out for Monday morning, so I look back to my regular self.   But for now, it if fun looking like an old German beirmeister from the 1800s!!!

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33 Degrees!

When I went out this morning to run it was damn cold, only 33 degrees!  My mind was working on convincing me to say "To Hell with this!"  But, I sat for a moment, thought about how I could do this, and that it was just cold.  No ice, no anything to gripe about and that I needed to do this.  I walked slowly to the start of my route, started to pray the Rosary as is my normal routine when I run, and then when I got to the start point.... I simply started and kept willing myself to keep going.  After the first mile, the cold didn't bother me anymore and I completed my four miles.  I am glad I did it.  

I felt nervous about work this morning when I got up.  Nothing was actually on my mind about things I needed to do.  But, I was, I think, just feeling general sadness that a nice weekend was done and it was back to the old grindstone once again.  But, after my run, I feel much less anxious and feel ready to try to tackle a new week.  I am sitting here on the back porch, coffee and pipe in hand while the dog eats her breakfast.  Then I shall go and shower, shave my neck and get dressed and head to the U.

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Feeling Libationess

Feeling wholly pleasant after a few libations and pipes at my elderly fathe-in-laws this afternoon.  I spent the day at work doing a LOT of work and got a significant amount of busy work off my plate too!  I am now going to eat a late dinner with my wife.

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Today

Today is my wife's birthday.  We both snuck away from work in the early afternoon to go see a movie together.  Tonight, we will go with the kids and go out to eat dinner and then have her open presents.  Not sure what resturaunt she will pick yet.  There is an Indian place we like, and also a Medeteranian place we like, or she may end up choosing a chain like Olive Garden, or a steak house that has recently opened here.  It will be up to her to choose.  

I have now completed another 28 miles!  I am still thinking though how to best get myself to be able to run when the ice starts.  Happily, today it was in the upper 40s when I ran at 5am, so no ice worries.  There was considerable fog during one mile... It was so thick it was like running through a cloud.  It was actually fun.

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