Variety is Spice... Eh?

 

What happened to the weekend?  It seemed to go by too damn quickly for me.

I wanted to relax, but at the same time I was trying to get caught up on work challenges that got the better of me time-wise last week.  So, mostly I worked.  But, I did eek out a few nicer things:

1.  Finished up my running and hit my weekly goal of a minimum of 52 miles  (~84km) a week (I went 53.5 miles (~86km)  this past week.   

2.  Made lasagna with my wife on Sunday for a sit-down meal and games with two of our kids who were available.

3.  Attended Mass.  

4.  Spent about 1/2 an hour practicing the piano (I am trying to work off some rust, for sure, in this regard... having not played in a number of years.)  

In regards to the piano, I have this "pipe dream" sort of vision where I will be able to create some simple background tracks on the piano or perhaps an electronic keyboard if that would end up being better. I want to play some background that I could then use to play my clarinet, bass clarinet, and tenor saxophone solos with.  

In my wildest vision of this "pipe dream" I would then dress in some sort of "artsy" costume..... dark turtleneck, backwards facing snap-brim hat (see above.... these are my favorite hat type, but I typically wear them more "professorially" with the brim facing forward), dark, black-rimmed sunglasses, probably a wild colored vest of some sort...... and go "busking" out in some park, parking lot, or other potential area using a speaker to play a tape of my background music while I play my instrument.    If you are unfamiliar with the term "busking" it is the activity of playing music in the street or another public place usually for voluntary donations.  I wouldn't give a hoot about donations.  I just think it would be fun to get reactions from folks.  

*  *  *  *  *

Pipes and pipe tobacco thoughts have been extremely vivid all weekend as well.  I keep imagining the incredible joy and pleasure it would be to indulge in a bowlful of burley leaf.  I was also thinking about how, since I have been away nearly three years from my pipe tobaccos, that I am sure the nicotinic pathways in my mind have reverted back to nearly how they were prior to my having been in the hobby.  This would mean that the pleasures would be even more richly intensified, sort of like it was when I was a young kid.  

While administering an exam this morning, I was daydreaming in the back of my mind and was thinking through, trying to see how many different aromatic blends (aromatics are not simple unadorned, robust burley pipe tobaccos, but instead are blends of different pipe tobacco leaf types with flavorings added like vanilla, or juniper, or others) I knew I still had in my collection.  I could remember at least 15 different types, but I suspect I am forgetting a few so it may be closer to 20-25.  Even though pure burley is my favorite, I do like aromatics as well.  

I have to get back to work.

PipeTobacco