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