This & That

 

• Ran 11.2 miles this morning (~18km).  It was snowing/sleeting at 7:10am so I ran zillions of loops at the indoor track. Not having a deadline time of when I needed to be at the U felt so damn luxurious and wonderful... that it made my run wholly enjoyable as well.  I allowed myself the pleasure of not having the clanging and caterwauling of the alarm go off until 6:30am. Listened to the prior day's Sunday Mass from my favorite Capuchins while I ran, and then I also prayed the rosary. 
  
• I did not arrive at the U until ~10:00am.  It has been and should hopefully continue to be a peaceful day, where I am writing syllabi for my January classes, setting due dates for exams and assignments for the various classes, messing around a bit with my rodents, doing a bit of cleaning and culturing with my fruit flies, and culturing some stocks for my nematodes.  
• I have always had a STRONG fondness for all of the Godzilla films.  The original several from my youth were always amazing times at the theater and also with their many broadcasts on television.  I was DELIGHTED to find that a new film opened up this weekend, named Godzilla Minus One, and is an authentic Japanese production.  It has gotten great reviews, too!  My wife and I were planning to see it after Mass on Saturday, but some other issues prevented that from happening.  I am hoping my wife and I will be going to see it sometime this week, however.  
• My wife and I already have a date set with my SIL to go see the new "Wonka" prequel together as well.  The original "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" was a true favorite of both my wife and myself... and also a favorite of my SIL.  I was always especially fond of Jack Albertson and his portrayal of Grandpa Joe.... and also later when he stared in "Chico and the Man".  
• Last evening, my wife and I and two of our kids ended up decorating the tree for Christmas.  It was enjoyable to have lots of good memories of long ago return as we found various of our "quirky" ornaments.  My wife and I have always preferred are ornaments to be of this "quirky" style.  Although there are hundreds of quirky examples, for instance, we have one ornament that is shaped in the head of "Big Boy" from the Elias Brother's Big Boy Restaurant Chain.  Another example is a glass ornament that looks like a pretzel that we bought on a vacation and a Summer Santa decked out in shorts and carrying a surfboard.  But, there are hundreds of others... equally as "quirky".  
• After Mass (at the new Parish we are close to moving to), I was waiting out in the vestibule while my wife was in the restroom, when this fellow we have seen and have been sitting relatively close by for a number of weeks, was walking out to get his coat in the vestibule as well.  I noticed he had a t-shirt that had an emblem of a cigar shop in California that I knew about, having visited it one time long ago, while on a research trip in California.  I asked him if he had ever been there, and he delightfully told me his story of having been there a number of times as one of his daughters and her husband had moved to that city in California, and when he visited them, he always made it a point to visit this particular shop.  He then asked me if I had been there, and I told him my less interesting story of having been there one time, long ago.  He then asked/suggested, "So, you're a cigar smoker too?" and I explained that while I have enjoyed a few cigars over the years, I am more knowledgeable about pipes and pipe tobaccos (purposefully phrased in that way so I did not have to say specifically I am not currently smoking pipes nor pipe tobaccos).... and do not know much about cigars generally.  He then told me about the "retirees gathering" that he and a bunch of other folks have, apparently on Thursdays, at a cigar shop that is roughly ~1/2 hour away.  I had perused this shop once or twice over the years.... at the time, hoping it catered to pipes as well.  But, it was primarily a cigar shop/lounge... back when I had been there the last time, perhaps 8-9 years ago, they had a huge cigar humidor (likely at least ~150 different types of cigars) and had perhaps two blends of pipe tobacco and a single pipe rack with 4-5 Dr. Grabow pipes .  It is really NOT a pipe shop.  But, I have to admit, the invite by the fellow, perhaps 2-5 years older than me was one that I have been contemplating.  The camaraderie could be very enjoyable. 
• But, I do admit that my desire for a pipe remains strong still.  Some days I feel an eroding of my resolve and I am not sure what to do with that.  It is so much a conundrum.

PipeTobacco