Ice

 

Random thoughts swirl about in my neurons today:  

• That which I cannot speak about here reared its ugly head again yesterday.  I think I am growing numb to it.
• As a lifelong Democrat who votes and who agrees with ~95% of standard Democratic agenda items... I am actually hopeful that Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee.  I believe that if he is the nominee, it will be close to a guarantee Trump will lose the election to the Democratic nominee (presumably Biden).   If Donald Trump is excluded from being the Republican nominee, I hope that he puts forth a third party campaign..... which I firmly believe will still result in the election of the Democratic nominee.
• I am hoping to see the film, Oppenheimer, on Wednesday with my wife and others in the family.
• I received a new copy (new edition) of an endocrine physiology textbook that I am going to peruse to see if perhaps I will adopt it for my January course.  It is a different author and publisher from whom I have used in the past for this course.... so.... if it is significantly better and more robust.... I may give it a go.... if not, I may stick with my tried and tested favorite.   
• Because of the fracas yesterday..... my wife and I did NOT go swimming together.  She was too emotionally spent, and wanted to nap.  I was too emotionally charged and NEEDED to swim in order to settle down, so while she was napping, I (with her in agreement) went to swim alone.  It is definitely NOT as fun without her there.... but it was still valuable and helpful to me.  We both are planning to go swimming TOGETHER today, later this afternoon.
• I ran OUTSIDE this morning.  The air quality was very good, and I hoofed out 13.4 miles (~21.5 km).  It felt very nice outside.  There was a light cloud cover, so that was good, and I saw the sunrise as well.  Very beautiful.
• While running this morning, I was thinking, for some reason, about popsicles.  The next time I am at the grocery store, I may pick up a box.  My flavor preference in order from favorite to "lesser" flavors (none are bad) would be....  lime, orange, pineapple, lemon, grape, cherry, and other.
• While listening to the Capuchin Mass during my run, I was again especially moved by one particular song during Mass..... In Every Age...(by Janet Sullivan Whitaker). such a beautiful song, and the husband and wife team who played this song at Mass always do a wonderful job. At Mass, the wife performed the solo (the part played by the violinist on the video link) on flute.  The husband played the harmony on guitar and sang.  
• Even though I have "kind of" recognized this for a while..... another thought I was ruminating about during my run this morning is that it seems that I shall ALWAYS crave smoking my pipes.  Even after these many years... it may ebb and flow a little bit...  but the interest and desire always appears to remain.  It was not an Earth-shattering observation.... but I felt the realization of it more deeply today... somehow more than before.  Not really sure what to do with this information.  
• I have Research Board documents I need to write and submit as the major agenda on my plate this afternoon.  If I can get them all accomplished and submitted it will feel pretty damn good..... then the exhausting wait begins.  
• I have been looking at saxophone and clarinet mouthpieces on eBay.  I sometimes like to try older, models... especially cheap ones.... that can be polished and brought back to life.  

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