Grey

Another friend at the U (not my Department this time) has passed away.  It is disheartening.  I had known him for over 30 years.  He had retired a year or two ago during the height of the pandemic because he did not want to deal with the rigamarole of teaching that way.

The situation with Mitch McConnell.... and his unexplained "freezing" at events has been difficult and disheartening as well.  While I NEVER have liked any of his politics... and in fact, the vast majority of his political wranglings...  I have found very distasteful and underhanded.... but I would not wish ill health on anyone.  I very much believe he has an advanced case of Parkinson's.  I suspect he may have been diagnosed quite a while ago, but medications proved effective for him for quite a while. 

• It was damn cold this morning at 4:30am.... far TOO cold for August.... it was only 41 degrees (only 5 C)!!!  I was not ready for that.... so I ran again on the indoor track.  10 miles (~16 km)  completed before heading to the U.
• Last night, I was feeling... very significantly, the desire, the wish, the want... to take the pipe I had been holding between my teeth all day.... and to head out on the back porch when I was letting our dog accomplish her "business".... and actually, light the pipe and slowly, smoke the bowlful, and perhaps another bowlful or two as well.  It was a struggle for me to NOT do so, especially since I did need to go out and sit on the back porch TO allow our dog the time to accomplish her tasks. The little hints of the rich flavors of the "Three Star Blue" felt akin to a siren's call.  The cooler, evening air was at a perfect temperature for having a pipe (at that time, it was probably ~60 degrees (~16 C).  I was also feeling rather tired from my extensive "big voice" teaching yesterday (Wednesday is my biggest teaching day of the week) so a) my "resolve" was lowered by my tiredness, and b) I also know historically how beautifully rejuvenating and relaxing a pipe is when tired after a long day.  
  
• Probably........ if I had been alone for the evening..... I WOULD have indulged in that beautiful bowlful.  But, with my wife being home.... not that she would have minded me having a pipe in any way... but that my acquired "pipey aura" when I came in.... it WOULD would have necessitated at least some discussion.... about "why"... when my wife understands I am trying to be consistent and only have a pipe on a well-controlled basis, very sporadically, like... when on a trip.  
• So, admittedly a bit more than grudgingly, I gently coaxed out.... with my pocketknife... the beautiful crumbles of Three Star Blue from the bowl of the pipe.  I put this single bowlful into its own bag to avoid any potential harm to the full pouch of Three Star Blue from which I had removed it just a few days ago.  I then went to my office and replaced the pipe on my rack as well.  It was probably not wise to have carried that pipe in my mouth so much the last two days.  Much too vivid muscle memories and neuronal memories were reactivated.

While I was never a "Dead-Head", I have heard a fair amount of the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia's work over the years and know many of their songs and appreciate them.  I do especially very much like the acoustic work of Garcia's that he occasionally produced.  But, my friend's passing had me actually thinking about the group's only radio hit.... Touch of Grey.