Miscelaneous Thoughts - Faith

 

Probably a brief (and unexpected) post on Sunday.  My friend AC has made a few comments relating to my post on the Pope's apology to the Indigenous People of Canada regarding the Church's role in the devastatingly wrong boarding schools that were widely conscripted to for close to 100 years.

* * * * *

The first comment I am replying to is in regard to an article AC provided about the Indigenous People's anger at the Pope for not denouncing what is called the "Doctrine of Discovery".  

The Doctrine of Discovery is a concept of public international law that was promulgated by European leaders promoting a "legitimate" reason the colonization of lands outside Europe was "appropriate". Between the mid-fifteenth century and the mid-twentieth century, this idea allowed European entities of various sorts to seize lands inhabited by Indigenous peoples under the guise of "discovering new land", meaning land not already inhabited by Europeans or other recognized nations.

Obviously, this doctrine is both anti-native peoples and also was extremely significant in terms of the entire current development of all of North America, and much of Central and South America as well, and this doctrine was utilized by many different European nations, including England, Spain and France as well as others, including the Vatican City.   

In regards to the Vatican's role. it did address the doctrine in a statement to the United Nations Ninth Session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in April 2010. The doctrine, the Vatican stated, had been "abrogated" (meaning repeal or do away with (a law, right, or formal agreement)) by the Roman Catholic Church as early as 1494 and that "circumstances have changed so much that to attribute any juridical value to such a document is completely out of place."

So, I am of the opinion that while Pope Francis can/could/and potentially should offer (or more accurately reiterate) another apology for the Church's role in this doctrine, that there have been a variety of instances where Roman Catholic teaching HAS denounced this doctrine.  

I also feel that the Indigenous People of Canada requesting/demanding an apology is acceptable and potentially appropriate.... but at the same time I believe it should be requested/demanded of ALL the different European bodies that participated in this doctrine.  It is my opinion that to specifically only do so from the Roman Catholic Church at this time.... is basically the Indigenous People of Canada's effort to utilize the Pope's visit to keep their issues in the forefront of the media.  This is perhaps logical as it is important for the Indigenous People of Canada to continue to argue for and promote their rights and also to remind others of the historical wrongs they suffered.  However, I also believe that it is a bit short-sighted in that the rancor and media attention they are creating is pointed at only the Roman Catholic Church's historical role in this issue and is not also outlining the changes in Papal edicts and theology that have been very much promoting the rights/values/culture of the Indigenous peoples since that time.  I am of the opinion that if the Indigenous People of Canada were to work to promote harmony with the Roman Catholic Church and its stance now, a more friendly, supportive, and mutually beneficial result would occur for both the Indigenous People of Canada and the Roman Catholic Church.  

* * * * *

The second comment I am replying to from AC is from his comment:

"As a Protestant boy I remember being called out by a Catholic on a skating rink: “We shall see when we get up there.” Every religion seems to hold that it is the right one, and they’re all wrong IMO."

 In regards to the above, first, I would like to state that the above Catholic person who belittled you with the above comment was wholly and irrecoverably rude, incorrect, and wrong.  In regards to what this person said, it is not a true aspect of Roman Catholic theology or teaching and does not represent the actual RCC faith.  

What is beautiful and important for me from my own RCC faith/philosophy is that it is a "framework" or a "scaffold" of sorts from which I can contemplate and work to attempt to determine my path here in this life on Earth.  From the actual teachings of my RCC faith, I am guided to be a person who tries to do good, and works to serve others.  My faith helps me to reason through the myriad of decisions I have to make in a given day.  For me, this framework is wholly beautiful, very inspiring for me to keep persevering at trying to do good and to serve even when it seems pointless and harsh.  My faith helps me see that my life is meant to be a time for me to focus on others and to strive to be a mechanism to help others, even when I, myself, have to face hurt, abuse, or abandonment.  The role I am given in life does not change due to the external negative forces I may face, and even though I do falter (you have heard me complain and bemoan frequently the various hurts I have faced), I know that in my heart, my mind, and my soul that what I SHOULD always keep striving to do is to work to be a good person and to serve others.... in other words.... to love.  I do regret that I often fail.  But, I do, also keep pulling myself up with my bootstraps when I fail and know that my role, my mission is to try again and to keep trying all through my life.

In regards to the last part of your statement, 

"Every religion seems to hold that it is the right one, and they’re all wrong IMO."

I tend to view things differently.  I *do not* know that the RCC is the "right" religion.  I do, however, know that the RCC is the right FAITH for ME.  Even though I was born in a family ascribing to the RCC, during college (like many), I studied fairly deeply into the tenets and philosophies of a wide array of different faiths.  I would like to think that I have at least an accurate, basic working knowledge of at least the top 20 (based on practitioners) faiths.  In my own contemplation in college, I had often thought that *IF* I could NOT be Roman Catholic, which faith would I then adopt?  This is of course, only a philosophical exercise, as I can and do remain Roman Catholic.  But, in terms of philosophy, I believe, that if it somehow were impossible for me to be Roman Catholic (say I was in a world where that faith did not exist), I then believe I would then adopt Judaism as my faith. Obviously, there are considerable differences between the two faiths, but the *heart* of much of both of these faiths is associated with doing good and serving others.  

And, in reality, from the reading I have done on various faiths, MOST faiths at their core have many similarities.  Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Islamism at their core, for example, all offer beautiful philosophies that are helpful, and are guiding of folks to do good with their lives.  Again, there are of course differences as well, but at the core they have many similarities.  

So, regarding your comment, I would further say that there is likely no "RIGHT" religion... but that there are MANY faiths that at their core have good, kind, "right" concepts on how to BE as a person.  For me, holding and following the faith of the RCC is wholly right for ME.  In my own thoughts on the matter, I often imagine God providing many of the different faiths we have on Earth and their nuances.... because He understands that different people may understand differently from one another, but if folks were to follow the TRUE tenets of most faiths, the world would a much better place.  

I furthermore sadly know and understand that MANY, MANY people do wrongly use their "faith" (mistaken, incorrect application of their "faith" of whatever faith a person may ascribe to) to harm, hurt, belittle, shame, and denigrate others.  However, I want to state categorically.... it is NOT the teachings of the faith that are wrong, but it is the lack of understanding of their faith and the inappropriate actions engaged in of the person who is hurting others that is wrong.

* * * * *

No running today, I met my goal of running at least 55 miles earlier in the week.  I actually ran 55.9 miles this past week (~90 km), so my legs get a bit of a rest today.  But, I will (hopefully) hit the trail again tomorrow morning.

* * * * *

PCS - 6... still at the moderately high level.  It is not seeming to budge much as of late.  It is a struggle, and sometimes the yearnings for my pipes push at me a bit.  

* * * * *

Weighed in today..... 159.8 pounds (~72.5 kg, 11.4 stone).  BMI today is 21.1 (right in "NORMAL").  My resting heart rate overnight was 47 bpm.

Finally, I guess this is NOT a brief post.  Or, perhaps it is for me.  Who knows. :)

PipeTobacco   

  

Zoom! :)

 

Hot Damn!

I took Pat's suggestion from a while ago, and decided to make it so I only had a 5K run left to do today for this week, and I decided to try to approximate a "race pace" for myself during this 5K.  

So, for this 3.1 mile race (5 km).... I ended up with a race pace for my age... and...  I obtained a time where I was faster than.... get this..... 85% of other runners in my age group!!!!!!!  

And, get this... when I looked at the statistics the "gizmoey" watch that I inherited from my son had recorded for this run.... it indicated my heart rate was only in the "aerobic" range.  The "aerobic" range on this "gizmo" watch is the middle range of five levels of effort it categories heart rate, etc. into:

Zone 1 - "Warm Up"

Zone 2 - "Easy Pace"

Zone 3 - "Aerobic"

Zone 4 - "Threshold"

Zone 5 - "Maximum"

I was completely in the Zone 3, "Aerobic" range the entire 5K!  

This means I COULD HAVE pushed myself even harder during this run and perhaps even performed better!  When I run my longer runs (the 10 - 15 mile runs), depending on the pace I set, I will  ~30% of the time, work to push myself into the "Threshold" level and perhaps ~15% of the time will push myself to get into the "Maximum" level of effort during those runs.  Putting in effort to get to those levels is theoretically designed to improved endurance and fitness.  

I am pleased with these results!  I do not think they are too damn shabby for an old duffer like myself.  Especially for a fellow who used to have a BMI of ~39 (today my BMI is 22.5). 

* * * * *

PCS - 6.... still quite a strong interest, craving, and desire to smoke my pipe.  It feels like I have been in the 6-7 range quite consistently for a long while now.  I guess I have to say that this steady state.... even though it represents pretty damn strong cravings/desires for my pipes and pipe tobaccos..... the STEADY STATE consistency is easier to handle than are the more undulating ups and downs.  I have been imagining and remembering specifically a very lightly tinctured vanilla burley leaf I enjoy as I imagined smoking my pipe this morning. It always was so beautiful and had a silky smooth texture.

* * * * * 

AC commented on wondering why I refer to myself as Roman Catholic very specifically and tend to refrain from using the term "Christian".  I do this for several reasons:

1.  The Roman Catholic Faith (IMO) is overall a more holistic, all-encompassing faith that tends to have considerably different views and foci about faith than many of the other faiths within the blanket, collective term, "Christian".  

2.  The other Christian faiths have developed/evolved away from the Roman Catholic faith, which was the first of the faiths labeled "Christian".  Collectively, the term "Protestant Faiths" is often used to identify these faiths that have branched off and away from what was the origin of "Christian" faiths.  Each Protestant Faith has its own ideas, theological opinions and constructs that make them considerably different in many ways from Roman Catholicism.

3.  And, there are SOME faiths under the blanket term of "Christian" that are actually extremely anti-Catholic in a way that is rather hurtful and even bigoted in their opinions.  Long, long ago, I used to participate in chat rooms and UseNet (Anyone else remember UseNet?) groups that discussed religion and faith.  Some of the folks there from certain Protestant faiths (especially commonly…. it seemed to be in folks from some of the various forms of "Baptist" faith) were EXTREMELY anti-Catholic in rather crude and abusive ways and it was rather disturbing and disheartening.  

PipeTobacco  

Canada's Indigenous Schools

Today, I am briefly writing about a very horrible historical series of events that caused significant hurt, harm, and trauma for many of the indigenous people of Canada.  I write about it in part because my friend, AC, mentioned in the comments a few days ago, the Pope's visit and apology to the Canadian people for the role that the Roman Catholic Church had within this historically horrible event.  

Unfortunately, many in the U.S. are unaware of this horrible series of events in Canadian history.  I would suspect that even amongst folks who live in border states to Canada, knowledge of this history in most is still rather scant.  I also suspect my own knowledge of the full travesty of this history is limited at best, but I may have what would be perhaps a bit of an above average knowledge of the events compared to a typical U.S. citizen.  

In Canadian History, the development of the Indian Residential School System occurred during the late 1800s and was a network of boarding schools for the Indigenous peoples of Canada. Attendance was conscripted and mandatory from the late 1890s through the late 1940s, and I believe the schools remained present for many more decades and were then "voluntary" up until their closure.  I believe most of these schools were shut down by what I believe was the late 1960s, although I also believe a small number of these schools remained active up until the late 1990s. These boarding schools were funded by the Canadian government's Department of Indian Affairs and administered by a variety of different Christian churches, including the Roman Catholic Churches of the region. The school system very unfortunately was created specifically with the ill-conceived and profoundly inappropriate ideas and goals to purposefully ISOLATE Indigenous children from their indigenous culture, their indigenous religions, and very often even their own family in an horrific and abusive fashion under the "guise" of working to "assimilate" these children into the dominant Canadian Culture (basically, Caucasian European-Origin Culture).  Approximately 150,000 indigenous children were removed from their families and placed in these schools across the entire nation of Canada during the time of their existence.  Even more horrific, there is significant evidence of many, many cases of severe abuse (of several forms)  that were experienced by children at these schools.  And, there are also many known deaths of children that occurred while in these schools as well.  Different sources estimate the total number of deaths to be somewhere between 3,000 and 30,000, although the large variance in ranges reported suggests that much is still unknown about these historic tragedies. 

My friend, AC, commented about how the Pope had recently visited Canada to offer apology for the Roman Catholic Church's role in the above horrors.  I was glad, but not surprised that Pope Francis would offer such an apology.  The goals of the schools, and the many and varied abuses that were experienced in these schools was and is wholly against the actual FAITH of Roman Catholicism, and Pope Francis was very correct in offering the apology he did.  

There is apparently considerable debate in Canada on whether Pope Francis's apology was sufficient or insufficient in this instance.  And, I truthfully, cannot offer a meaningful opinion on whether the apology was sufficent or not.  I believe that will be up to the indigenous people of Canada, the whole of the Canadian citizenry, and in reality, history.... to decide.  

The one thing I can and do believe though... is that faith is a very different "beast" from the institution of that faith.  The FAITH of my Roman Catholic Faith is and remains as strong, deep, and meaningful to me as ever.  And, sometimes this causes consternation to arise in some of my friends and acquaintances.  My faith is beyond the PEOPLE who are part of the institution of my faith.  In ANY human institution, be it a church, a school, a governmental body, or something else.... it is an institution that is run by HUMANS.  And, in all human groupings, there are folks who work to try to do good, and folks who may try to do bad.  

So, in regards to the Roman Catholic Faith.... we all know there have been a SIZABLE number of people who have done horrible, disreputable, criminal, and horrific things under the FALSE GUISE of their doing these horrors as a part of their Roman Catholic Faith.  The Pope's apology was important and valuable to try to help in the healing process because even though the actions and abuse were NOT CATHOLIC, some of these actions occurred by criminally horrible people who did their abuse while inaccurately proclaiming it to be Catholic in origin.  But, in a similar vein, there are sizable numbers of people who are Teachers, or Government workers, or Librarians, or leaders in other faiths.... who have also done horrible, disreputable, criminal, and horrific things.... in these cases under the FALSE GUISE of their doing these horrors as part of their teaching, their government work, their library service or whatever their leadership role is/was.  

There is NO WAY to excuse the criminal, bigoted, damaging behaviors of individuals who do dastardly things.  But, the deeds of the individuals DO NOT criminalize the institutions they may have unfortunately associated with.  

So, to conclude this portion..... Yes, there were horrific wrong doings by a variety of people in the Indigenous Residential School System..... and some of these horrific wrong doings were conducted by folks proclaiming their actions (wrongly) were a part of their Roman Catholic Faith.  But... these actions by these individuals ARE NOT Catholic, and in fact those actions are the opposite of what it means to be a Roman Catholic.   In a similar vein, there were horrific wrong doings by a variety of Canadian Government Officials in the Indigenous Residential School System.... and some of these horrific wrong doings were conducted by folks proclaiming their actions (wrongly) were part of their Canadian Government's Policy.  But.... these actions of abuse by these individuals ARE NOT the Canadian Government, and are the opposite of what it means to be a part of that government today.

The above is at best, a very limited, and rough, and incomplete essay of this situation.  If people are interested and pose questions, I will try to elaborate my point more, if desired.

* * * * *

Ran 10.2 miles (~16.5 km) this morning in the rain.  It felt refreshing, and it was pleasant to not have excess sun exposure.

* * * * * 

 PCS - 7.... the cravings are ratcheting up a bit again.  I am feeling a sense of frustration about trying to continue to refrain from smoking my pipes and pipe tobaccos.  It is in this range where I feel most susceptible of  simply "throwing in the towel".... and just fully returning to smoking my pipes at will. 

PipeTobacco 

Tired

 

I ran 13.1 miles (~21km) today.  Unfortunately, I overslept and did not hit the trail until a very late 7:29am.  By getting on the trail so late, I was anxious about the bright sunshine, so I put on sunscreen on all my exposed surfaces (which I dislike doing as it feels uncomfortable and oily.... but it is very important for safety).  Fortunately, however, within a few minutes of my starting to run, a very pleasant and dense bank of clouds moved in so the remainder of the run was quite comfortable.  

I am feeling quite tired today.  But, I have to clarify it a bit.  I feel EMOTIONALLY tired.  Physically, I feel fine.  It is an almost "got up on the wrong side of the bed" sort of feeling.  But, I cannot attribute it to anything specific.  It has left me with a feeling of generalized malaise.  

* * * * *

PCS - 6.  I am not sure if my emotional tiredness is a factor in this or  not, but the desire and the urge to indulge in a bowlful of a beautifully thick, creamy and rugged burley leaf is very appealing and quite strong at the moment.  I have laid my head upon my desk a couple of times this morning, closed my eyes, and tried to the best of my ability to remember and relive the intimate details of the flavors, sounds, odors, and the gentle neuronal massages that only a pipe bowl embracing gently an ember of exquisite burley can muster. 

* * * * *

I am hoping a swim with my wife perks me up later this afternoon.  I also have to paint some wood I have that will allow me to build a contraption so that I may elevate my mother-in-law's birdbath so that she may more easily see the birds frolicking in it from her seat in her living room.  With her developing dementia and lowered interest in moving about as much, having the birdbath be window height will give her a more enjoyable view that I hope she will like.  As it currently stands, she really never sees much, if anything of the birds she feeds and allows to bathe at the moment.  I hope to successfully finagle both the birdbath and bird feeder around to get her to easily see both through one window.  Just to see if she notices, I may also add a small sign to the interior frame of the window reading "Bird TV" to see if she notices.  :)  

PipeTobacco    

Steel Drum

 

While running today (14.7 miles (~23.6 km)), I first listened to Mass that was daily mass (from yesterday, Monday) for my favorite Capuchins.  It was as wonderful as usual.  Unfortunately, sometimes daily Mass is a bit short in length for my run.  Sometimes I will listen to the Mass twice or will change to some of my music on Pandora (of the stations I have created, the stations I especially like are the Jazz Channel, the Saxophone Jazz Channel, the Wind Orchestra Channel, the Catholic Music Channel, the Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young Channel, and the 60s-70s Channel).  But, I did not really feel like listening to the Mass twice, nor listening to Pandora.  

So, I instead stopped for a moment and did a brief search and happened to find a streaming Mass from a Parish in Trinidad and Tobago, which intrigued me.  Fortunately, it was in English too.  So, I decided to listen to it.  One of the most interesting differences in the Mass was the incorporation of the Steel Drum within the music of Mass.  I have always found the Steel Drum an interesting instrument, but to hear it incorporated in Mass was especially interesting.  

* * * * *

I am "playing hooky" a bit today.... meaning I am not going to go into the U.  After my run, I was working on a few odd-and-ends tasks around the house as my wife did a few things for her work via the computer.  I am in my den at the moment, eating some of "work food" (even when playing hooky, I tend to like the same general morning/lunch foods), drinking an iced coffee (black), and I thought I would put up a post.   When my wife is finished in a bit with her "stuff", we are going swimming and then going to spend the rest of the day meandering about together. 

* * * * *

PCS - still at a comfortable to manage, 5.  So, while I have thought of my pipes and pipe tobaccos often today already, and while I would VERY MUCH enjoy smoking a pipe today.... the highlight of the "5" score is that I do not feel the sense of frustration or aggravation that I am not smoking my pipes.  I am not sure if that makes sense.  

* * * * * 

I noticed I had forgotten to mention a few of the things I wanted to respond to in regard to Pat's recent comments.  I am not sure how I forgot.  Actually, I THOUGHT I had responded, but I cannot my response in any of my recent posts nor in any replies to comments. That is my oversight and I apologize.  But, yes, I have been able to go swimming (seemingly safely) with my wife several times during the last several days.  It is wholly wonderful and refreshing.  And, I also wanted to mention that I agree with Pat about my Martha post.  There IS more beyond service.  I agree completely.  But, it seems for me, that service is the primary way in which I CAN enact change in myself to become more of the person I hope to be.  

PipeTobacco

 

Monday Meanderings

 

• Up at 4:15am.... hit the trail at 4:58am.  Ran 14.3 miles (~23 km) this morning.  Beautiful morning that was cooler than the last several mornings at 64 degrees (~18 C).  Wore a bright florescent yellow shirt to make sure I could be seen as it was still before dawn.  I am not sure if my NOT being in "Sasquatch Mode" facilitated this or not... but I saw six deer during my run, along with at least a dozen rabbits, two squirrels, and a whole plethora of birds during my run.  
• There is a new addition to my lunch today that I refer to as "deer droppings".  It is a concoction that is "theoretically" healthy with virtually no fat, very few calories, but a lot of flavor.  My oldest daughter found the recipe and I modified it a bit.  It is made from pumpkin puree (canned), ample cocoa powder, a bit of protein powder, and just a VERY LITTLE BIT of sugar to take the edge off of the bitterness of pure cocoa powder.  These ingredients are mixed together and baked lightly to create soft, bite sized morsels that taste richly chocolatey.  Some research suggests that pure cocoa is a potentially healthful phyto-pigment/phyto-agent that may potentially improve health.  But, for me it is just a way to get to have the flavor of chocolate in a relatively "healthy" form.  
• The above "deer droppings" do not supersede the rest of my "work food" in my lunch pail, but are additional nuggets of flavorful nutrition.  I still have the big bowl of fruit, a banana, a bowl of high fiber cereal with blueberries, a yogurt, a few roasted almonds (usually 6-7), a piece of toast (no butter, but usually some fruit preserves or orange marmalade), my three oatmeal-banana healthy "cookies" (one each of molasses, peanut butter, and cappuccino (coffee and cocoa)), and a hard boiled egg. 
• I worked for a couple of hours this morning with two of my new research students.... having them see me demonstrate about a dozen different lab and organismal procedures, and have given them the task of writing detailed and professionally formal protocols of these procedures along with images and data collecting sheets and Excel files for data analysis.  This is a facet of my "Work Smarter and Better"  internal initiative that I have set for myself this upcoming academic year.  In years past, I would typically show procedures to a group of newbies each year, and have them also teach each other.  I will likely still do a bit of that, but I think these written and formalized protocols/data sheets/Excel files will help prevent "procedure drift" (akin to the way gossip tends to drift and transmogrify as it is passed along like in the famous Rockwell painting, "Chain of Gossip").  I also think reading what the students write will help me more easily identify their misconceptions in these procedures.... so that the final versions of these procedures (me editing their work to get it "up to snuff") will be wildly useful for all in the lab. 
  
• PCS - a very comfortable 5 today.  The "hard edge" of craving a pipe and feeling frustrated has ebbed.  I still would very much ENJOY a pipe, and I still very much think about them and imagine them throughout the day.  But, the frustration in NOT smoking my pipe is mostly absent.
• No remembered dreams yet.  I have now taken to holding a pipe when I am drifting off to sleep (a good suggestion given to me in the comments last week by my friend who goes by "Unknown").   But, while there has  yet to be a remembered dream, when I have awakened, it FEELS like I had a more "vivid" sleep of some sort.  It feels like the trend line is moving in the right direction.

PipeTobacco

Quiescence

 

It seems like readership of my blog is in a quiescent state of sorts at the moment.  This could be attributable to a) my posts being boring, or b) Summer keeping more folks from reading blogs and other electronica, or c) some other factor I cannot discern.  For all of you who remain reading, I wanted to THANK YOU, for I greatly enjoy writing here and talking with you, and I appreciate all comments.  

I am approaching my weekly goal of anything over 55 miles (~ 88-90 km) running in a week for this week, so TODAY I only ran 10.3 miles (~16.5 km).  It is a bit of an odd feeling when I finished today, and I felt that my 10.3 seemed like a "short" run!  I guess that can be considered a positive of sorts.  On Friday, if things go well, All I need to run tomorrow would be a minimum of 4.6 miles (~7.5 km) to reach my weekly goal.  If I do that on Friday, I can have two days off.  

* * * * *

PCS - 6..... which is a slight improvement, although I still have quite a bit of a "craving" of sorts to be smoking my pipes.  Actually, maybe its not so much of a "craving" per say....  instead, it is more of a feeling of "loss" of them.  I miss the activity, I miss the flavor, I miss the mental stimulation/relaxation of the nicotine, I miss the "innate-ness" of just going about a day, picking up a pipe and pouch and lighter whenever the mood felt right.... without giving it a thought.

* * * * *

I have three of my four Fall classes ready to go both electronically, and in terms of the syllabi.  In the fourth class, I have the syllabus finished, but my (perhaps foolish) choice to re-aggregate the positions and rewrite some of the materials regarding the lab mean I still have a considerable amount of electronica to accomplish.  Yesterday, I tired out my mouse had with so many mouse clicks that I am surprised my mouse didn't collapse from exhaustion.  

* * * * *

My wife and I are going to have an "easy" dinner tonight.  With the heat and with us planning a late afternoon swim, we wanted simple and easy.  We are going to get submarine sandwiches from  Jimmy Johns and I will have a salad and some vegetables with it that I can throw together quickly.  

PipeTobacco

Martha

 

Today, while running (13.5 miles (~ 22 km)) I listened to two Capuchin Masses.  One was the daily Mass from yesterday (I am usually a day behind), and the other one was from this past Sunday's Mass.  Even though I was at Mass in my home parish this past weekend.... it is my habit to also listen to the Capuchin Mass for Sunday sometime during the week as well because a) I often hear and learn more, b) I often get a different perspective that is more "Capuchin-mindset focused" and c) I like the musicians and their musical choices in the Capuchin Mass as well.  

One of the readings at the Sunday Mass focused on Martha.  In the reading, it said:

Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
"Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me."
The Lord said to her in reply,
"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing. 

Listening to this reading and Fr. David's homily on this resonated strongly with me.  Martha, in this case, represents most of us at one time or another.  We can go about our tasks, but sometimes become worried and even sometimes resentful that we are working and others may be doing other things.  I sure do recognize myself being akin to Martha at times.  I can (and do) worry and fret about a helluva lot of things, probably nearly every day.  Those of you who have read my writings here do know that I tend to worry about many things. 

But.... in the greater scheme of things.... the worry, the fretting.... and even the potential resentment that can arise.... are in most ways.... unimportant.  I am firmly of the belief that life is meant to be lived in service.  For me, my teaching, my research, my family obligations, my parish obligations, my parenting, etc.... all are aspects of how I can be and should be of service to others.  Just because other folks can and do other things, does not diminish what I can attempt to do in my service.  The worries, the anxiety, the potential resentments that I can feel at times are unimportant in the greater scheme of things.  It is the service that matters, and if I can remain more attentive to that role of service, perhaps I will worry less, fret less, etc.  

* * * * *

PCS - 7.  Again, my pipe craving score sits at this challenging, moderately high level.  Yesterday, my commenter friend who goes by "Unknown" suggested that perhaps I could use additional sensory components of my pipes and pipe tobaccos to perhaps nudge me into having (and remembering) the dreams of pipes and pipe tobaccos I have been missing for quite a while.  I think this was a rather astute suggestion.  Early on when I first began this journey of refraining, I often held one of my pipes almost like a pacifier in my hand or clenched between my chompers when I would lay down to sleep.  It was very much a form of comfort to me, much like a pacifier can be to a newborn.  I did that for many weeks at first, until one morning I found the pipe I had with me overnight had fallen off the bed to the floor and I almost had stepped on it when I was getting out of bed.  I stopped out of concern that I may inadvertently break the pipe by stepping on it.  

However, I think perhaps the risk is worth it, if it can help me induce dreams that I remember again.  So, I will scour around for one of my oldest and worn, work-horse pipes that would not be a horrendous loss if I DID accidentally step on it, and will see if it can help with my dream state. 

In some ways, the "Martha" story and homily has also gotten me to think about the idea that perhaps I should stop worrying about "decisions" on whether to refrain from my pipes or to return to them.  Perhaps I should simply be "whatever" happens from day-to-day.  I am not really sure how to get into that sort of "whatever" mindset for damn near anything, however.... so I am especially not sure how to do that for my pipes and pipe tobaccos.  I may need to work on becoming more "whatever" about most things.  

* * * * * 

Another hot day in store.... similar temperatures as yesterday.  In my run, I was again in "Sasquatch Mode".  It was a VERY HUMID & MUGGY morning and was 78 degrees F (25.5 C) at 5:00am!  I am hoping/planning to go swimming with my wife at the community pool later today during the "low attendance" period.  It should be wonderful to immerse myself in the cool water!

PipeTobacco

Hottness

 

It is anticipated to be a replica of Dante's Inferno in terms of temperature today.  We are anticipated to hit 97 degrees F (~36 - 37 degrees C) today.... and our area is also experiencing high humidity (~65%) so it should be a sweltering, hot, day.  

With that forecast in mind, I rousted myself out of bed at 5:20am so that I could get my run in employing  "Sasquatch Mode" (no shirt).  It was already 78 degrees F ( ~25 - 26 degrees C) at 5:20am, so "Sasquatch Mode" was warranted regardless of the fright I induced in various wildlife (saw perhaps ~5 squirrels, ~10 rabbits, 1 garter snake, ~8 Killdeer (birds), a bunch of other birds, and 2 deer).  I was sopping wet, head-to-toe with sweat after finishing my 13.3 miles (~21.4 km)... even my running shorts were completely sopping wet.  By starting so early, my sun exposure was minimal.

* * * * * 

There was some type of electrical fire in a neighbor's home about 6 homes down the road from ours yesterday in the late afternoon.  There was a huge amount of smoke billowing out from both stories of the house, and there was unfortunately a fair amount of water damage from the fire-fighting. However, the neighbors all got out safely (including their cat), and the FIRE damage was limited to one small room (although the smoke and water effects permeate other parts of the home).

* * * * *

PCS - 7... I seem to stubbornly be remaining at a relatively high pipe craving score the last several days.  I wish I could figure out a way to get it to dissipate back down to a lower level (perhaps in the 3-4 range... which would be a relief).  I have been actively trying to get myself to dream (or perhaps more accurately remember dreaming) about my pipes and pipe tobaccos as I *think* having those dreams helped me have relatively lower PCS scores during the daytime.  Part of the issue regarding my dreams may be related to my sleep pattern.  Over the last month or two I have been especially busy and active and by the time I lay down in bed ~11:30pm, and get ready to read a novel.... I find that I barely read for five minutes (typically I would read 20-30 minutes a night) before I am so very sleepy that I turn off the light.  It is usually at that time, that I get to think for perhaps 10 minutes or so, and in normal times, I would think about and reminisce about my pipes.... which *seemed* to result in me having fairly commonly dreams I would remember about pipes and pipe smoking.  Now-a-days, when I am very sleepy after five minutes of reading, I turn out the light, and I think I am probably in slumber-land in less than a minute.  I do not seem to get even a few moments to think before I am "out". Although I have no scientific evidence of this, I wonder if that change in falling asleep so rapidly is somehow changing my sleep pattern so I am not remembering any dreams.  

* * * * *

I have been feeling rather ornery concerning the Supreme Court's foolish decision regarding the Environmental Protection Agency, but have not yet formulated a well-developed analysis of the situation.  I have made some starts at this, for I want to be sure to accurately incorporate my ideas into one of my Fall classes where EPA concerns are a facet of what I talk about and the class discusses.  I do need to spend time at this, but I have not yet made the time. 

* * * * *

Even though I am becoming tired very quickly when reading at night, it is NOT because of what I am reading.  I was very happy to have found a new (to me, I buy my novels used, and often in paperback, used) novel by Michael Connelly... one of my favorite of several authors who writes detective fiction.  The book I am reading is "The Night Fire" and features the two police detectives of Harry Bosch and Rene Ballard.  I have always greatly enjoyed  Connelly's writing style, and perhaps about 10 years ago or so, I even heard him speak at a book signing (I do have one of his novels autographed from that event as well).  

PipeTobacco

Grapes

 

As part of my fruit bowl that my wife kindly prepares for me in my U food work pail (actually more of a zippered, nylon cloth rectangle) today I have a cut up peach some cut-up pineapple and both red and green grapes.  The fruit is very good.  But, it got me thinking about grapes in general.  

Grapes occur in a large array of styles and sizes... from deeply purple to almost black in color, through reds, an occasionally russet or orange grape, and green grapes.  Their shapes are typically either spherical (globular) or ovoid (almost egg-shaped, or as I typically refer to them.... "football shaped").  

I have also noticed that the color and shape differences do correlate to very distinctly different flavors and textures to the grapes.  My palate's own preferences tend to be quite pronounced in regards to grapes, although I do eat whatever my wife may give me:

• Universally for me, I find spherical, red grapes to be consistently very delicious and textually pleasant.  Their typical skin is thin and delicate, and their flavor is robust and sweet.  
• On most occasions, I find all varieties of green grapes to be rather bland and mostly flavorless.  The rare exception occurred this past weekend when my wife and I were grocery shopping and saw these absolutely beautiful, VIVIDLY green, spherical green grapes.  They had samples and I ate one.... and it was by far the very best green grape I have ever tasted.  We bought a supply of them on the spot.  Even though I have not done so yet, I plan to investigate the packaging more to discern if they are a specific variety or type that I will then remember, or if it just happened that we received a batch of green grapes that were harvested a the right time to reach the pinnacle of their flavor at our grocery store.  
• Generally, I am not fond of "football" red grapes.  Almost universally, they tend to have tough skin, and there is usually a bitter component to their skin as well that I am not fond of.  Also, in many cases these red "football" grapes have an odd, almost gelatinous aspect to the heart of the grape interior that I am not overly fond of as well.  
• Grapes of darker hues (purples, black, etc) and the orange-ish/golden grapes we have sometimes stumbled across have been (to me) rather bland as well.  The darker purple grapes often have that similar "odd, gelatinous" aspect to their interior that I am not fond of. 
• And, even though I eat "seedy" grapes when that is what I receive, I do prefer seedless grapes more.
  

Again, I eat whatever grapes my wife gives me.  But, I do have a biased preference towards the spherical red grapes and these new (to us) vivid, spherical green grapes. 

* * * * * 

PCS - remains at 7.  I am sure my pipe talk bores many of you to tears at times, and perhaps that means I should just shut my trap about them.  If shutting up about them would perhaps make me think about them less, that might be helpful for me.  Yet, I know even if I do not talk about them, that does not actually change my THINKING about them.  In my journal here, even though it may be dull as dry toast crumbs to hear.... I try to put onto this electronic "paper" as accurate a portrayal of my thoughts and feelings as my tapping fingers can write out.  Thoughts of pipes and pipe tobaccos, and thoughts of smoking my pipes do permeate my mind, so I put it down here..... even if it is boring.

* * * * * 

I ran 13.3 miles (~21.4 km) this morning.  When I reached mile 10 (~ kilometer 16.4), I decided to give myself a challenge, and pretend I was just starting a "5K Road Race" where I attempted my very best to run as fast as I possibly could for that distance.  I had in the back of my mind, the idea to check what my time would be in that already "tired" state of having ran 10 miles before trying to accomplish a race pace.  I did this, because, I think it was probably in the Summer of 2019 where I actually did enter and run a 5K road race that was near my locale,  and I came in SECOND in my age category (old duffer)!  With the pandemic, I have not entered another official race since, but I am thinking of trying one 5K in August, and I wanted to see what my "5K time" would be.  I ended up being quite pleased.... my 5 K time today was about 15 seconds FASTER than my official time at that previous race.... and I had ALREADY RAN 10 miles (~16.4 km) before I started to time this 5K pace!!!!!   So, if I do enter this race, I should have a relatively ok time.  And, who knows.... I may potentially be able to earn a medal in the old duffer age group! Regardless, I will at least get a t-shirt commemorating the event.  

* * * * *

Still cleaning and reorganizing my laboratory.  But, I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.  I have made a helluva lot of progress, and the new organization is going to make a lot of the training of my newer research students a whole helluva lot more streamlined and probably more fun as well!

PipeTobacco
 

Cyborging and Cleaning

 

With today being a bit hectic for my wife, I am digging in and trying to focus as much as possible on two big tasks to help me:

1.  I am cyborging a lot today.  I have an appointment with my textbook publisher for two of my courses... where they will help me integrate the "trendy" electronic gizmo resources with my "trendy" electronic classroom space provided by the U.  These are the same resources/assignments that had to be developed during the Covid lockdown, and I have students utilize them for their own benefit if desired, while I am already prepared in normal (traditional) lecture mode.  

2.  I am cleaning and sorting and hopefully damn near FINISHING the reorganization of one of my laboratories.  As seems to always be the case (at least with me).... dismantling and reorganizing a space always takes a helluva lot longer than anticipated.  I am not sure why.  When my wife and I planned and cleaned and reorganized our closet early in the Summer, I had estimated we could have it finished in perhaps two hours.  Unfortunately, it took all damn day!  It is the same with my lab I am reorganizing.  I was originally thinking I could get the new organization I wanted in this lab in the matter of perhaps 3-4 days.  It has now been perhaps 10 days of cleaning sorting, and all that annoying stuff.... with more to do.  BUT.... IT WILL BE MUCH MORE USER FRIENDLY for both me and all my student researchers when finished.  I can already tell that.  

I finished my 55 miles (actually 55.7 miles (~90 km)) for the week!  I can let my legs relax a bit during the weekend!

PCS score today.... "7".  On my drive to the U this morning, I began imagining the flavors, the tastes, the feel of stimulating my brain's nicotinic receptors with a large bowl of whisky-tinctured burley leaf in one of my larger bowled, full-bent briars.  I think that a part of my pipe cravings stem (haha) from my not recalling my dreams much still.  I have had only two times in the last several months where I remember a dream at morning.  It is frustrating as hell, too.  I used to reliably have dreams about pipe smoking that I now think ended up being soothing and helpful for me as I worked to refrain.

PipeTobacco

Return of PCS

 

With the resurgence of rather strong cravings for my pipes and pipe tobaccos, I thought it would be useful for me to return to using the "Pipe Craving Score" measure I had used a bit, perhaps about a year or so ago.  

I am not sure what to make of these fluctuations in cravings/desires to smoke my pipes and pipe tobaccos.  It really does not make logical sense to me in any sort of scientific fashion that I can as yet discern.  The scale, as it was, is based upon a 1 - 10 scale and my definitions of the degree of interest/craving/desire has "10" as being damn near unbelievably strong interest/desire in smoking my pipes and pipe tobaccos.  Even though there may be slight changes in the verbage I used for my scale previously, the numeric scores remain consistent.

First, before the scale measures, as a baseline, I have to admit and acquiesce that (as you likely realize) I think about my pipes and pipe tobaccos a fair amount. From the considerable vacillations of my thoughts, I believe that I may always have these thoughts.  

Even though it has been now.... four years and five months since I laid down my pipes and pipe tobaccos (I just figured it out, that is 1,611 days), the time away from my pipes and pipe tobaccos has NOT been accompanied by what I expected.... a gradual declining slope in interest, desire, and cravings.  Yes, there have been times where it did seem that there was a bit of this predicted declining slope.  Yet, over the entire time-frame, my thoughts, yearnings, desires for a pipe filled with beautiful brown crumbles of pipe tobacco, ignited by the flame of my lighter appears to be more akin to undulations shown in the brainwaves map I placed at the top of this post.  Of the different brain waves, it feels to me that my ebbing and flowing desires for a pipe rise and fall in a pattern that is akin to the "theta wave" pattern shown above.  Not that my desire has anything specifically to do with theta waves.  What I mean is that there are points where the amplitude variation is low and modest, but also times where the amplitude is quite robust and divergent, just like in the theta waves.  So, onto the scale:

PCS scores of 1 - 4:  mild cravings, mild/limited thoughts of smoking my pipes.  Very comfortable, very manageable in terms of day-to-day tasks.  Obviously, the ultimate PCS score would be to hover between 1-2 consistently.  I may have stray thoughts, but they would likely just revolve around fond memories.  

PCS scores of 5 - 7:  scores in this range tend to be (obviously) quite a bit stronger in terms of desire to smoke my pipes.  In this score range, I tend to find, remember, and desire smoking my pipes quite a bit especially in regards to work, tasks, or hobbies where I would traditionally smoke my pipes.  Obviously, I have a helluva lot of work activities, tasks, and hobbies where pipe smoking had always traditionally been a part of the process, so these associations occur often.  These scores tend to be "managable" as well, but do require more effort on my part to deal with them.  

PCS scores of 8 - 10:  scores in this range signify especially ROBUST and strong yearnings, desires, and wants to smoke my pipes and pipe tobaccos.  In these PCS score ranges, the desire to smoke a pipe makes it feel almost "essential" to do.  These scores are indeed the most difficult for me... for in many instances, I often feel like "throwing in the towel" so to speak, and simply returning to my pipes and pipe tobaccos in an unfettered, non-regulated fashion (just smoke them whenever I feel like it).  

Believe me when I say that I KNOW going back to my pipes in a completely unfettered, unregulated fashion is not a wise decision.  That is why I have also been trying to grow my mental fortitude towards finding a path that I believe I can sustain to allow for an occasional indulgence.  Yet, I struggle with figuring out that actual path that I KNOW I can commit to, without it being more work rather than benefit.  

So, that is where I am at this morning.  I would place my PCS at 8 today.  

I ran 13.1 miles (~21 km) again this morning.  While running, I did not have an available Capuchin Mass to listen to (I have heard all that are available, and await a new one to show up).  I also was tired of listening to music (my four favorite Pandora channels all felt tiresome.... my old-school Jazz station, my 60s-70s pop/rock station, my Catholic music station, and my Wind Ensemble (band music) stations just felt dull this morning).  So, instead, I cued up NPR, thinking I could listen to the news. And so I did.  But, in reality, I remember little about the newscast or stories.  I was lost in thought, remembering and recalling smoking various pipes and pipe tobaccos all through my run.  I am glad I was running on a smooth trail 95% of the time, because I really was not paying a helluva lot of attention to my feet while running this morning.  I was lost in my pipe and pipe tobacco thoughts.

PipeTobacco 

Lab Arranging and Class Prep

 

I am devoting today to really trying to get ahead of the game and getting my lab reorganization accomplished and also perhaps get many things ready for Fall.... so that I can relax more completely for the next little while.

I had not talked about my running this week, with all the chatter I have had rattling in my head about the trip to Atlanta.  So, for things I missed regarding running:

• I did accomplish the required 55 miles for last week (on Friday, no-less).  I actually ran 55.7 miles (~90 km).  
• Monday of this week, I ran 13.1 miles (~21 km).... a half marathon.
• Tuesday of this week, I ran 13.1 miles (~21 km)
• Today, I ran 13.1 miles (~21km)

 I found a really nice copy of Barnett's "The Rat: A Study in Behavior" used on-line.  My own copy is dog-eared, coffee-stained (from one especially large, tragic spill that warped even the spine) and even has a number of burn holes from errant sparks and small embers that had fallen from my pipe whilst I was reading it numerous times over the years.  My copy of this classic tome is literally falling to shreds, so a cleaner, more intact copy will help the lab out.  Even though the work in this book is roughly 60 years old, it is a very valuable beginner text for my students to read to gain a broad understanding before they delve into the more modern tests/approaches that they *think* they understand, but really do not until they better understand in at least a basic way, research history.

I admit I am feeling rather pipe and pipe tobacco focused today.  I am even able to state that I have again a pretty damn strong urge to smoke my pipe.  It is still so odd to me that a) the desire to smoke my pipes and pipe tobaccos ebbs and flows with no readily discernible pattern, b)  that the desires for smoking a pipe do not linearly decrease like a predictable downward slope on a graph, and c) how discouraging it felt in Atlanta.  I was sure that a MAJOR, SOUTHERN CITY, in the heart of tobacco country, would have had at least ONE viable, old-school tobacco shop that had pipes and pipe tobaccos and seating area to indulge in a bowl.  

I have not heard anything back from my friend who goes by "Unknown" yet on whether he has received and sampled the "Peter's Pleasure" pipe tobacco.  I hope he has had the opportunity and if so he would describe the experience. 

PipeTobacco   

Mass & Food

 

 

While in Atlanta, my wife and I ended up getting to attend Mass on Sunday at a beautiful, old cathedral in the heart of the city.  We attended 8:00 am Mass at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  It was a beautiful, old, ornate church, and Mass was very nice.  

The Cathedral had Mass being said by a Jesuit priest.  And, while I like and appreciate Jesuit thoughts and philosophies a great deal, I must say, I believe I am much more innately aligned with Capuchin philosophy. I still listened to daily Mass and Sunday mass via the Capuchins as well as attending the Cathedral.  

* * * * *

There were several fun food adventures while we were in Atlanta.  Some of the most memorable include:

• We went to a wonderful Vietnamese restaurant called Anh's Kitchen.  I was able to have an incredibly wonderful vegetarian Pho!  It was wonderfully enormous in size too.   The flavors were rich, hearty, and beautifully robust.  My wife had a shrimp/pork stir fry of some sort. 
• We went to the classic southern cuisine restaurant, Mary Mac's Tea Room.   It is always an amazing treat to go to Mary Macs.  Some of the highlights I had included the tomato pie, their beyond delicious black-eyed peas, and their peach cobbler.  Their mint juleps are pretty damn good as well.  :)
• Kwan's Deli & Korean Kitchen was also a wonderful find!  I had a really well made vegetarian Bimbimbap there.  
• We also visited a wonderful establishment specializing in Mexican street food called Rreal Tacos (Rreal is not a typo).  The richness and depth of flavor of their tacos, the beautiful char on their mexican street corn, and a new first for me, a "Torta" which is a bread-based Mexican sandwhich, were highlights for me.  

Desserts were also fun:

• The Yard, Milkshake Bar where nearly any sort of ice cream concoction can be had.  
• Cathy's Gourmet Ice Cream Sandwiches which had (besides amazing carrot cake ice cream) the best molasses and sugar cookies I have ever  tasted (they were used to make the ice cream sandwich)! 
• Sweet Hut Bakery & Cafe which specializes in cakes, cupcakes, rolls, pastries all with a somewhat East Asian influence.  We had a beautiful taro Swiss roll slice, a matcha Swiss roll slice, and a Japanese-style cheesecake that were especially good.   
  

Other food visits were more mundane (meals/snacks at the scientific meeting, or a quick bagel for breakfast. 
 

PipeTobacco

 

Marijuana

 

One thing that surprised the heck out of me while in Atlanta, was pervasive and widespread smell of marijuana use throughout the entirety of downtown.  It smelled like a 60s or 70s era college dormitory nearly everywhere I was at.  

This made me curious about Atlanta and about Georgia.  I looked up their laws, and apparently marijuana use (other than medical use) is still wholly illegal, but the City of Atlanta has completely decriminalized marijuana use.  

It truly surprised me that the apparent use of marijuana in the city was VERY widespread.  If I were to estimate the number of times that I detected the odor of marijuana compared to tobacco during my time in the city.... I would estimate that it was roughly an 8:1 ratio.  In this crude estimate, it would suggest that in Atlanta city, eight times as many folks are using marijuana as indulge in tobacco.  Please do not get me wrong, I am not anti-marijuana for folks who enjoy it.  I have never tried marijuana, although I have have to admit being curious as to what it was like.  In my youth, when I was in graduate school and its popularity was very high (pun intended) on all college campuses... I steered away from trying it because I was a) worried I might like it enough to want to indulge regularly (awfully damn expensive for a penny pincher like me), and b) I was worried it effects would likely encourage me to be even less diligent in (at that time) trying to earn a Ph.D. than I already was.  I tend to worry quite a bit even to this day that I am too lazy in life and do not try sufficiently hard to do good and beneficial things with my life.    

* * * * *

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I had taken one of my tobacco pipes with me to Atlanta, thinking there might be a chance that I might find an "old-school" traditional pipe tobacco shop and that I could potentially "coax" myself into having a bowlful of pipe tobacco in the shop with relatively minimal worry about having the endeavor make it too difficult for me to resist returning to pipe smoking full-time. 

Unfortunately, there are NO "old school" tobacconists it seems.  There are many "head shops" (the old phrase we used to use for stores that sold marijuana related materials), there were several cigarette & vape style stores, and there were even two cigar-only establishments that *did* have a smoking area, but only for cigars.  I am sadly realizing even more how apparently utterly arcane my pipes and pipe tobaccos are with regard to current society.   

PipeTobacco

Airport Post

 

Typing on my phone at the airport.  I apologize in advance for any typographical errors or other shortcomings from this input method.  Because I am literally "all thumbs" in this post, a bulleted list is going to be easiest:

• Wednesday morning, I ran again to and through Piedmont Park.  It was a beautiful place to run.  I explored many areas I did not see on Tuesday.  I found some deeper trails that were gravel (instead of asphalt) that were beyond the enormously large "dog park" areas that are also a part of Piedmont Park.  They had one "dog park" specifically for large dogs (defined as 30+ pounds) and a separate, similarly large dog park for small dogs (under 30 pounds).  The gravel trail went through a deeply wooded area and a full canopy of leaves shaded me during the run within these trails.  12.5 miles ran on Wednesday (~20 km).  
• My research talk of the data from my lab's research was in the early afternoon on Wednesday.  The talk went very well, and there was a significant amount of good discussion about our data and its significance.  I knew our data were sound, but I was pleased with the audience reaction and discussion.  
• This morning, bright and early, I set out to Piedmont Park again and ran a bit there, but at the outskirts, I found another asphalt trail that I could run on which led me out to the Art District in Atlanta.  My wife and I had visited the High Museum of Art on Tuesday, which was very enjoyable, and now I was running on a trail through that region this morning.  The trail was designed to run parallel between two different streets, and had a variety of apartments, condominiums, and shops built up along each street.  But, what was especially beautiful was that the same condos, shops, apartments all had entrances out into the trail as well, so that it could in effect be a complete walking community!  It would be a beautiful place to buy a retirement condominium.... several were quite beautiful looking, and with the easy walking access to grocery (Kroger) and coffee shops, etc along the trail.... and it was all beautifully clean and tidy too.... and with the trail lined with sculptures along its stretch, it was a beautiful oasis in the heart of the Atlanta city proper!  It bemused and amused me a bit that even though there were MANY, many runners out in the morning... I was by far the oldest, most "grey-ist"- haired fellow out running each day.  Another 12.5 miles done this morning (~20 km).
  
• As I walked back and forth between the hotel my wife and I stayed at and the Conference Center, there were FIVE different occasions where a person or persons talked to me to purposefully tell me how they found my beard & mustache impressive.  It surprises me when this happens, but I have to admit I DO truly enjoy receiving the complements when this occasionally happens.  I also enjoy regaling to my wife these occurrences when they do happen... she usually gives me a mock grimace as I tell her, for she would prefer me to trim back my beard and mustache to its prior, shorter appearance.   And...  she even heard one of the complements first hand, when we were visiting the Georgia Aquarium.... one of the staff who was guiding folks to one of the exhibits mentioned mentioned how he wished he could get his own beard to be like mine..... and my wife laughed, and told him, "Do not encourage him!".  

This is about all my thumbs can stand at the moment.  I am going to go to the central area of the terminal near my gate.  Interestingly there is a musical duo (pianist and guitarist) playing in the food court area, and they are playing some very nice jazz standards and I would rather wait there for a while for my flight so I can watch (as well as better hear) their playing.  They are currently playing variation of Brubeck's "Take Five".  It sounds wonderful.  

I do have much more to tell, but it will have to be in a future post.  Exciting food finds, attempted pipe adventures, etc.... all coming soon.

PipeTobacco 

Traveling Man

So far, the travel has been good:

• With my N95 "bubble" mask, along with my three-layer cloth mask over the top of that to help hold it more strongly in position, I felt pretty confident within the airport and on the airplane itself.  
• Air travel is always exhausting, and this was no exception, but I do have to say that although I was rusty at it, it did go smoothly.  
• When my wife and I arrived at Atlanta Airport, we took the MARTA (the name of the subway/public transport system) from the airport to midtown Atlanta where our hotel was.  
• After we got things settled in the hotel, I left my wife to relax and traipsed the ~3/4 mile distance to the Convention Center where the meeting is being held.  As is my typical practice, I often do not stay at the Convention Center hotel where all the folks are "recommended" to stay.... because then it feels like 24-hour work the whole time.  Instead, I tend to stay away a bit from the conference site so that when I am done "science-ing" for the day, it feels also like a vacation as well.  I learned this technique/idea from the habits of my own mentor/advisor who did the same back in my doctoral study days.  It is a really good idea and has always worked well.  It is also often a bit cheaper than the "conference recommended hotel" often with more entertaining amenities.  
• When I got to the convention center, I obtained my formal registration documents, badges, program booklets, etc.  And, then I went to the informal "meet-and-greet" that happens the evening before all the science actually begins.  
• As I had feared, a LOT of the "old-timers" (my friends, who are all of a similar age to myself) did NOT attend this first in-person meeting since the start of Covid... but instead employed the "canary in the coal mine" strategy where they sent their student researchers to the meeting instead.  I had suspected this would be the case for several folks, as we scientists tend to be a somewhat cautious bunch.  Neither of my two pipe-smoking buddies attended, but I did meet several of their students.  There were a few "old-timers" who were there, which was nice, but while they are "friends/acquaintances" I did miss being able to see my closer friends who were not there.   However, one interesting friend/acquaintance was there and I ended up spending a fair amount of the meet-and-greet talking with him, Barry S.  

More tomorrow.  I have a huge number of things I want to write about.  However, I have to go and get to some talks now of research findings I really want to hear.  

However, let me conclude today with a bit of running information:  

• I had fortunately completed my 55 miles (~89 km) for the week PRIOR to travel, so I did not need to run during the weekend, which helped a helluva lot during all the travel.  
• On Monday, July 4th, the city was awash with all sorts of city festivities which involved the use of a helluva lot of temporary fencing all around the downtown to corral folks into specific areas to allow for a parade and other festivities associated with the 4th (fireworks, music performances, etc) to occur.  So, even though I would rather have ran outside.... I made the wise choice and ran on the treadmill at the hotel "fitness center" on Monday.  I ran 11 miles (~18 km).  Happily, I chose wisely and had the fitness center all to myself at the early morning time I ran.  
• Today, now that the crowds were gone, and the downtown area was at a more typical early morning urban pace.... even though the temporary routing fencing was still up... I was able to run outside.  I ended up running from my hotel.... watching VERY CAREFULLY for upheavals in the sidewalk, until I reached Piedmont Park.  There I could begin to run more freely as they had smoother trails!  It was very enjoyable seeing all the sites.  I think I will be back here every morning for running to explore further.  In total, today, I ran 12.3 miles ( ~20 km).  

PipeTobacco