Hmm.

 

I have not (yet) had to report for jury duty service on any of the (thus far) three days of my 14 days of service.  This has been WONDERFUL.  

It is still nerve wracking.... especially because I have to make up all the "back-up" plans anyhow for each day, as I do not know until ~7pm the day before any given day if I should or should not report.  

But.... NOT going is better than GOING.  

* * * * *

• 10.4 miles this morning!  
• I even ran a couple of miles OUTSIDE this past Saturday too.... the trail was clear and the temperature on Saturday was an amazing, tropical ~ 40 F (~ 4 C).  
• I even washed the windows of my trusty steed (my vehicle) on Saturday in celebration of enough warmth to keep the Windex from freezing.  :)  
• Yes, I feel very similar to Michael Constantine's character (in the film "My Big Fat Greek Wedding".... not his role as Principal in "Room 222").... in that I tend to think Windex is good for damn near everything! 
• I absolutely was enamored with "Room 222" when it was on.  I had a crush on Karen Valentine, that is for certain.  I should see if that series is available on DVD when I order Seinfeld.  
• The fellow at Mass who is the cigar fan that I spoke to about a week ago.... he mentioned to me when we were shaking hands at "the Sign of Peace" at Mass... that he missed me at the cigar shop on Thursday.   Sadly, when I spoke to him, he said that the "group" tends to get together there to sit and talk and smoke a cigar on Thursday around noon.  He encouraged me to go, and I would like to, for the camaraderie.  Even though I only very occasionally smoked a cigar in the "old days", I think the camaraderie would be delightful.  Unfortunately, I teach at the U at noon on Thursdays, so I am unable to go then.  I didn't think to ask him, but perhaps if he is at Mass next week, I will ask him if he knows of times other folks (or he) goes there regularly that are in the late afternoon, which would potentially better fit with my schedule.  
• I did have a very beautiful pipe dream this weekend which pleased me no end.  In this dream, I was on a train, traveling in Manitoba, Canada, on a trip up to Churchill.  I have never gone there, but, I have always had it in the back of my mind, for I would love to go see the migration of the Polar Bears, and also see the very small, but near arctic town.  I have had a thought of going to Churchill (via Canada's VIA rail system) since I first learned about it as a undergraduate so many decades ago.  In this dream, it was in the late 1970s, and (because I did take a VIA trip back around then, but to Nova Scotia, and also another time on my honeymoon (to Montreal)) I knew they had smoking cars.  And in my dream, a younger version of myself was actively enjoying the peace and calmness of the train travel and regularly visiting the smoking car to have a pipe and to read a book.  I even remember in this dream, I was reading Vonnegut's "Cats Cradle" which happens to be my favorite of Vonnegut's novels.  The whole journey was so peaceful and tranquil and serene.  Unfortunately, I awoke (by alarm) before reaching Churchill.  But..... all the pipes I indulged in where extremely enjoyable (not as enjoyable as in real life, of course, but.... it was still pretty damn nice).  

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