Forced to Kill the Slug

I knew better.  But, sometimes I make the wrong decision.  

Today is Independence Day (Fourth of July).  When my alarm clock went off at 4:45am, I struggled to get out of bed to turn the damn thing off, before heading out of my run.  I checked the weather report, and it was already 73 degrees ( ~23 C), and weather-wise it was set to be bright and sunny with nary a cloud in the sky.  The air quality was "moderate" and was expected to become "unhealthy" by mid-afternoon through the rest of the day.  

I was a damn, lazy lout.  I felt sore and tired.  I did not get to swim yesterday, as the pool.... which had PREVIOUSLY said would be open on July 3rd.... suddenly changed and when I got there to swim yesterday, there was a sign on the door that said.... CLOSED.... July 3rd and July 4th.  I was extremely disheartened and frustrated. 

Because I was a damn, foolish, lazy lout, I went and laid back down and went back to sleep.  I was being a damn slug.... not doing what I needed to do.  I did not get up until 9:30am.

Getting up at 9:30am is not typically that horrible of a thing.  I allow myself that luxury upon occasion, perhaps once a month or so.... but it needs to be on a GOOD day to allow this indulgence.  Today was NOT a good day for me to have done this.

• If I allow myself to sleep in like this, I typically have some sort of backup plan to be able to accomplish things I need to do.  But, today I did not.

• Running was the first problem.  Because it was Independence Day, there were none of my backup options available to me..... I no longer have a working treadmill, so the basement was out.  Being the holiday, both the community track and the U track (and also the U treadmills) were closed and not available. 

• I had plans to do considerable work to get myself off on the right foot for upcoming work-related chores that needed to be started/accomplished.... such as preparing for appointments I made for (on-line) consultations with the book reps for my A&P courses so that I could get all the electronic "gizmos" updated (damnable new edition of the textbook required this for Fall) and start to arrange me electronic classroom, my syllabi, etc so it would be out of my hair and ready for Fall.

• I also had plans to work through in a detailed fashion all the "challenges" I could find with my Frankenhorn Bass Clarinet.... as I have scheduled an (in person) appointment tomorrow with an instrument technician who I am hoping (fingers crossed) is familiar enough with bass clarinet repair to help me by doing some adjustments, leak checks, and pad replacement that goes beyond my own skill set in instrument repair.  I generally CAN and DO the work on my horns (and others have asked me to fix their horns as well), but there are a few items that are beyond my abilities that I really would like a true instrument repair technician to do for me (if he is knowledgeable enough).

So, unfortunately.... I made it damn difficult for myself.  I HAD to get up enough gumption to run outside.... in the middle of the day.  That is not good for me, as it is quite hot mid-day, and the sun is extreme.  So, what I had to do was:

• Slather on a huge amount of sunscreen.  Sunscreen is unpleasant, but VERY necessary as I do not tan readily and burn VERY EASILY.  I worked to cover myself head-to-toe, with especially careful emphasis on my face, around my beard and mustache, double applications on my nose.  Ample application on my neck and shoulders as well.  My knees and around the boundry of my knees was also carefully looked at.  And my hands.  
• If I get excessive sun, not only will I burn, but I will get heat rash as well, which then remains for several days and is quite unpleasant and itchy.  
• Next I donned the lightest weight, full coverage, long-sleeved running shirt I had.  It is dense enough that it helps considerably in the bright sun.  
• Normally I run in calf length socks.... but today I had taller ones that came closer to my knees for more sun protection.
• I had on my sun-protective cap that has panels of fabric that cover my ears and neck (for the most part, even though they blow in the wind)

By the time I was ready to run, it was around 10:30am, and so I set off.  It was already 88 degrees (~31 C) and the sun felt scorching.  I hoofed out 10 damnable miles (~16 km).  It was not a pleasant run.  I tried to distract myself and also did my usual things.  But, praying the rosary was a challenge as I kept getting lost (mental focus) on where I was.  I tried to focus on happy thoughts of pipes, but even that was difficult as my mental focus was not there.  But I slogged through and got at least a respectable amount in for the day.  

It was "Independence Day" and I guess for me, what I had to prove to myself was that I did not have to be a damn slug, a failure in doing what I said I would do.  So, in this way, I have to take heart in recognizing I was able to kill the slug, which was how I was behaving.... and I forced myself to fix the error of my slovenly ways.  

When I finished, all of my clothes (hat included) were sopping wet with perspiration.  Perspiration on top of sunscreen is especially unpleasant.  But, the Sunscreen prevented me from burning (fingers crossed I applied it well enough).  Even my socks were fully moist with perspiration.  

Because I knew I would not want to get outside again for a while, I also forced myself to go to the Community Garden and water all our plants because we had not done so since Sunday.  Fortunately, even with the smoky soot-like atmosphere a lot of days.... our garden is growing well.  The Swiss Chard should be able to be trimmed and used by next week, we harvested some basil, mint, and parsley on Sunday.  We have several tomatoes forming already and a lot of flowers.  The other species of plants all look good as well.  Our rutabaga is growing enormously!  The only plant that I am not sure about at the moment are our cucumbers.  I would have thought the plants would be bigger by now.  

I immediately took a cold shower when I got home.  It helped cool me down.  I was quite red from exhaustion (fortunately, not from sun, as I had on the sunscreen).  I have been drinking enourmous quantites of iced coffee, water, and pop (soda.... diet Dr. Pepper) to help rehydrate.  

I have been working on my class work, and after I am done with this post, I am planning to get out my Bass Clarinet and play it and write out all the problems I can discern to give the repair technician.  

I am relieved that I have gotten back on track and forced myself to do what I damn well needed to do instead of being the slug I was being.  

As I am in my home office today (my den).  I have a really beautiful circular pipe rack sitting next to my monitor.  It has horse head carvings on each of the "columns" of the pipe rack and it has a traditional, green-glass, honeybee-nest shaped tobacco canister (humidor) in the center of the rack.  The glass is ~1/3rd full with a mixture I created that I always especially liked for day-to-day indulgence.... it is about 4/5ths Prince Albert non-aromatic pipe tobacco mixed with ~ 1/5th vanilla-tinctured Cavendish. I have opened the top of the canister a few times this afternoon and deeply smelled of its sheer wonderfulness. I especially liked this mixture I made often because it is both a hearty tobacco flavored burley blend.... with just a very light hint of the vanilla flavoring.  It was always joyous to indulge in, bowl after bowl across a working day at home. 

Tonight, my wife has set for us to go to some sort of dinner where we are eating outside and then waiting to watch fireworks.  I am going to take more sunscreen, just in case.  But I am HOPING to find a shady location for this event.  

PipeTobacco