Lorenz, Pipe Cleaners, Running, "Stuff"

 

Above is Nobel Prize Awarded scientist, Konrad Lorenz, who along with Nikolas Tinbergen and Karl von Frisch co-shared the prize for their work in establishing the discipline of biological science known as ethology.... the study of the physiology of behavior.  

All through my life,  from when I was a young teen, I have appreciated and enjoyed learning biography of significant scientists, artists, and other such creative people.  I have learned a great deal from reading biographical information about these individuals.  

In the more "traditional arts" (painting, writing, music, etc), over the years I have read extensively about Hemingway, Steinbeck, Faulkner, VanGogh, Renior, Picasso, Pollock, Seurat, Davis, Coltrane, Dolphy, and others.

In the "scientific arts" I have also read biographies extensively, including Lorenz, Tinbergen, Cajal, Pavlov, Schneirla, Pasteur, Watson, Morgan, and others.

I find biographies valuable to me, as they give me a far deeper context to view the subjects I find of interest much more intimately and deeply.  Knowing of the artist/scientist and his/her thoughts generally, and especially within the time frame of their various important works is so enriching to me.  And, knowing and learning more of their environment that shaped them also helps me as well.  

I was able to run outside BOTH yesterday and today!!!!  Even though it was several degrees below freezing, the paths were DRY and ice free, so it felt safe.  And, it felt SO very nice to be running outside.  Even though I am thankful I will have the treadmill during rough times.... I can truthfully say that running on the treadmill DOES NOT provide anywhere near the same level of stress relief that running outside does for me.  I bumped up my mileage to 10 miles each day, and may even try to go out again today for a few more miles if it remains nice to get "ahead" of my weekly goal a bit, so if/when I do need to treadmill it for a few days, I can perhaps have shorter runs.  

I was looking through my desk drawer where I have a large supply of my pipe cleaners (I have several styles) and found hidden away a small, ornamental pipe cleaner flower my oldest daughter had made and colored with markers for me long, long ago.  I went and put it on the Christmas tree so it would eventually be put with all our various ornaments from over the years.  There are already four or five other pipe cleaner derived ornaments that have been upon the tree for years, as well as other countless ornaments of all shapes, sizes and derivations.  

I also went out into the garage yesterday and was rummaging through my "pipe tool box".  This is actually an old tool box I had picked up at a rummage sale probably at least 30 years ago now for, if I recall, around 50 cents.  This tool box has within it an array of pipes, pipe cleaners, tobacco, lighters, fluid, etc that I had always used to "grab and go" on camping trips, fishing trips, hunting excursions to "deer camp" and often just left in the back of my pickup truck.  I really liked this pipe tool box when I found it at the rummage sale, and it perfectly accomplished for me, a quick, portable means for me carry around when desired, the various pipe items for an array of outdoor activities.  Previous to finding my rummage sale tool box, I had been using a pair of old shoe boxes to cart around the items, which was not as stable, reliable, or  functional.  I also greatly appreciate that this tool box, while mostly metal, it has a band of real wood (oak, I believe) that extends around the circumference of the steel lid other than where the hasp for a lock resides. The pipes in my pipe tool box are all very serviceable, but have been so heavily used and enjoyed that their "rough" appearance made them more suitable for outdoor pursuits away from "civilization".  But, I knew I had at least a few of my more "robust" pipe cleaners in there, the type that had a small percentages of the fuzz be of tougher, "scrubbing" bristles to help clean out especially heavily used shanks and stems in well used pipes.  

I am planning on fussing around today with my syllabi for classes this next semester.  If I can get the dates all set in my five syllabi, with what now appears to be the FINAL, locked-in Covid-shaped U Calendar.... for next semester.... I will feel a sense of calmness about beginning the other work of shaping things electronically.   

PipeTobacco