Just Keep Swimming

There has been a whirlwind of required work and activity since my last post.  This time of year tends to be that way in my neck of the woods.  But, I can give you highlights of the most important parts:

1.  I have continued in my running.  I am always hitting my minimum goal and usually end up running about 35 miles a week currently (~56km a week).

2.  One day (last Thursday) I pushed myself to run a full 8 miles (~13km) in my daily run and it was actually pretty enjoyable.  I feel almost prepared to try to enter an actual 10km road race where I will be running with others and perhaps earn a t-shirt to prove I did it. :)

3.  I am actually thinking I may plan to push myself to run for my morning run the equivalent of a half marathon one of the days after the semester ends.  I *believe* at the moment, that I think with grit and determination I would be able to run the full 13.1 miles without stopping (~21km).   There is no way in hell I would enter an actual half marathon at this point..... but I would like to see if I could force myself to run that long all in one setting. 

4.  I have not indulged in my pipes.  I actually have found that lately I do not have any strong, yearning pangs of desire for my pipes like I often have had.  Do not get me wrong.... I do think about them.  And, I still do think it would be fun to smoke them.  And on evenings when my wife is sleepy and heads to bed before me, when I eventually go to bed, I will lull myself to sleep with images of pipes and memories of smoking a pipe. 

5.  In regards to my mood.... I have found that I feel more "even" if that makes sense.  I was quite down for a while, a lot of it having to do with significant annoyances at work.  But, now I feel more my old self. 

6.  In regards to work, that too has become better.  I have found a workable solution for what was driving me into a very rough mood.   And I have even been trying hard to be able to be more interactive with the person whom I am not fond of in my Department.  I believe the solution I found for what had been making me feel very hurt, very angry, and rather despondent during the last few years at work.... has been the key to the turn around in my mood.  I sincerely feel like my regular self again, and it has been wonderful.  As long as my workable solution holds (and it seems likely to work and hold).... I should be "ok" and not have to feel anger, fear, and hugely hurt feelings. 

In regards to #6.... do not get me wrong... I still think there are many impolite, unfair, uncaring, and unpleasant things about the person I speak of.... and I think this person's actions were what drove me into my negative emotions for quite a while.  But, with my solution, I feel safe and can move on.

If I were to analyze this person's actions.... I believe now that this person is not PURPOSEFULLY trying to hurt or harm me and my role at my U.  I just think this person has a VERY different manner of thinking about things than I do.  And, I do not think this person's thought processes are actually useful or appropriate ones for working in groups or for being in a societal sort of setting like at a U.  This person's mentality is basically of the style that could be coined "my way or the highway".  This person sees ONLY this person's perspective and is blind to other's points of view.

I guess this is enough for today.  But, I wanted to write and have been trying to get on to write for a number of days.... oh, damn that also reminds me of the last thing that has been happening.....

7.  There was a problem with my home Internet service for the last several days.  Fortunately the problem has FINALLY been fixed (yesterday), and that kept me away as well as I traditionally do my blog writing from home.

PipeTobacco