Vote

 

It is going to be a hectic day, I believe.  I got up and hoofed my 11 miles (~18 km).  I then proceeded to vote, as the track (on the second floor) is in the building where my precinct's voting also takes place.  So, I was able to get that out of the way as well.  A lot of the poll workers saw me running, and when I came in all sweaty and disheveled looking, I found several friends and neighbors who were volunteering and they each asked me along the route in line "How far did you go today?".  When I would reply, most, who do not know me as closely were in "shock" saying that it was an awful lot.  I simply grinned and told them that it was important stress relief for me.

Voting, I do... because it is important.  Even though, I freely admit that I am in a frame of mind currently where I greatly dislike politics and feel that political "pundits" have destroyed any potential for civil discourse in our society.  I also believe the fracturing of media sources and the demise of real newspapers, a lack of news REPORTING (not pundit yammering, which most "news" is these days), and the cacophony of noise from social media is also to blame for the state of politics at the moment. 

PCS = 7.... I actually had a remembered dream last night where I was moseying around in a big city (seemed like Chicago, but I am not 100% sure what city was in my dream).  It was cold, perhaps in the mid-40s ( ~ 7C), but sunny.  I was basically window shopping, while smoking my pipe.  I was dressed in one of my typical "teaching tweeds 'uniform ' " of brown khakis,  brown herringbone tweed sport coat, shirt/tie, and snap-brimmed cap (tweed as well in this case).  Nothing much really happened in the dream other than I was enjoying smoking my pipe and meandering about.  

Margaret mentioned in a comment to me yesterday, that:

"...the fact that you've kept all your pipes and have favorite ones is telling. I think you want some pipe smoking in your future. Otherwise, you would have thrown or given them away." 

I am not sure if my keeping my pipes and pipe tobaccos and other related items really means I am bound to return to my pipes, although perhaps that may be a delusion on my part.  I remember a variety of folks who suggested (in-person and online) that I should "toss the damn things" or words to that effect, when I first began to refrain.  For me, though, that was NEVER a real thought, plan, or idea.  Even if I never were to smoke them again, they all have sentimental value to me.  They help to trigger so many memories for me.  They are "FRIENDS" of a sort,  themselves, although only inanimate objects.  And, I have a few pipes of my father's and one of my grandfather's as well that I have enjoyed, but also cherish because of the ties to them as well.  

PipeTobacco