Plans vs Realities

I had planned on answering comments here today.... but I am at a time in the semester where there is a large crunch of pressure from a cadre of students who are needing a letter of recommendation from me for their applications to medical school, veterinary school, ophthalmology or dental school, or some such similar venue.   I want to get the whole array of these many letters done today, so.... only a brief post.  

My current plan is to try to answer comments on TUESDAY this week.  

•  Running was actually PLEASANT this morning.  That damn foot contraption is (I am growing more convinced) actually helping me!  I am going to try to again run each day this week, since it felt so normal!  I hope it stays so.  
• My Mom's birthday is coming up pretty soon.  If she were still alive, she would be 98 years old in just a few days.  I have been thinking of her a lot lately.
• My wife and I were able to see a play together yesterday and we ate dinner afterward at a fancier multi-Asian cuisine restaurant.  I had a wonderful, pleasantly spicy Korean style Curry Noodle dish (sort of a soup).  My wife had a similar (although less spicy) Japanese Curry Udon Noodle dish.  Each curry was distinctly different from each other and both were wonderful (although I liked mine the best).  
• Even though I do VERY MUCH look forward to going to the Retiree's Cigar Group each Thursday, I do not imagine nor dream about indulging in a cigar (I do enjoy doing so at the Group, however, do not get me wrong.).  But, when my mind wanders into its imagination, or when I have a dream related to smoking... it is always pipes or pipe tobacco or both. I suspect that may be forever so.

Well, off to writing letters to hopefully help these kids capture their dreams!

PipeTobacco 

Health Concerns

I am not sure how much of this may be a repeat of things I mentioned before, or if much of this may be new.  But, here it goes:

As you know, I have been dealing with Plantar fasciitis that arose in my HEEL tendon that moves towards the paddle region of my foot.  This bout of Plantar fasciitis is awfully damn different than the mild bout I had a year or two ago in my other foot that was focused fully in the arch of my foot.  That earlier bout was alleviated in about a week with simple stretching.

My current situation is vastly different.  This heel tendon variant of plantar fasciitis has been wiping me out.  I have been experiencing considerable discomfort from this for roughly 6 weeks now.  It has DRASTICALLY diminished any joy or positivity I have towards running.  I have been running somewhat sporadically of late (something I had never done during the several years I have been running.... I was always happy and content with my consistency in running).  

The foot/tendon stretching machines I wrote about in the last two weeks.... I believe the pair of them have been EXTREMELY HELPFUL for me.  I am finally noticing what appears to be consistent, LASTING improvement.  I have found it relatively easy to sleep with them too.... for about 4 hours a night that is.  Usually about 3:00-4:00am I end up waking up to have to urinate.  But now, when I wake up at that time, as these devices are not able to be walked in.... I unstrap them from my feet so I can walk to the bathroom.  I do admit that they feel rather uncomfortable when I wake up to go to the bathroom.... but not because of the stretching which actually feels helpful.... but because I have damn hot feet, and I am used to sleeping bare footed, and typically with my feet OUTSIDE of the blankets, quilts, etc. as well.   But, the myriad of straps and platforms and foam and fabric associated with these stretching machines basically entombs my foot while I wear them at night.... and they get hot as hell... even if I stick my feet outside of the blankets.   

So.... I am happy to report that I have had thus far this week FOUR running days now with SIGNIFICANTLY less discomfort in my foot.  I think the machines are helping.  

BUT.... this process of using these stretch machines had me thinking about how and why this has occurred.  I am running out of time to try to flesh it out here this morning, but I will talk about it further in another post soon.  WHAT I BELIEVE ultimately was the culprit of this whole mess, which would extend back to a bit further than a year and a half ago is that I had developed for only the SECOND TIME in my life.... a Plantar Wart.  

I developed a Plantar Wart once as a very young graduate student many decades ago.  That plantar wart was on the ball of one of my feet, close to the big toe.  Through health services of the U I was at for graduate school, it was able to be treated and destroyed over the course of several weeks.  

But, this plantar wart I acquired about a year-and-a-half ago was a damn site different.  It was on the heel of my foot.  And I firmly believe this ultimately is responsible for the damn plantar fasciitis I am working through now.  

I unfortunately need to get to my U work, so I will stop here for now.  I will try to pick up on this story in the next few days (probably next week) to explain my thoughts and reasoning.  It is an annoying story, so I am not sure I will be in a mood tomorrow (probably not as it is the weekend) to flesh it out.... or if I will pick something else to write about.... but I will get back to this as soon as I can.

PipeTobacco 

Going to Scoot....

It is a pleasant feeling that it is Thursday.  In the pattern that I have adopted, Thursdays tend to be exciting days for me because:

• by mid-afternoon I will have accomplished the last of the "big voicing" lectures for the week (although it is a rather tough 4.5 hours of big voicing today as usual this semester.... including the one class I only teach sporadically.... and always have a bit of nervousness about because with it being sporadically taught... I do not as easily remember my segues between topics, so I "feel" less ready to "weave my story" to the students.... I worry my lectures in this class feel less "invigorating" to them as a result)
• late in the afternoon I can traverse the land to my weekly rendezvous to the "Retiree's Cigar Group".... and the anticipation of a grand time of talking, joking, commiserating...  and enjoying learning about a new cigar.... make the overall day more pleasant
• swimming with my wife at the pool.... and Thursdays have become a day where there are relatively few swimmers, so my wife and I typically have a rather quiet, relaxing pool environment and we can talk, laugh, and chat all through our water walking.... it almost always feels like a "date" with my beloved wife when we get to do this... she walks forward in a lane to get exercise and I walk backwards (while facing her so we can chat and talk) to reverse stretch my legs from running
• and this evening is our TACO DAY this semester.... and I am already looking forward to a GIGANTIC taco salad in an 8x8 cake pan bigger than my head, my TWO delectable tostadas, my two delectable burritos, and my one "Mexican Pizza" (basically a toasted corn tortilla with a bit of cheese, and lots of onions and peppers on it.... roasted)

I am hopeful the day will proceed in the very happy way I am anticipating!

P.S.  I would greatly enjoy having a scooter like the image I used on this post for use scooting around the U.  But, in my climate it is not useful nor safe for 1/2 the year, and I am just too damn clumsy anyhow and would likely not survive my clumsiness.  I had a moped-version (with bicycle pedals to start the damn thing) briefly in graduate school, but my klutzy nature had me sell it off after a few months.  

PipeTobacco

Is It All Psychology?

I am a biologist, but I have had long-standing contact, interaction, and even collaboration with a bunch of psychologists.  My specializations in neural and endocrine physiology is at a juncture of science that considerable integration with a variant school of thought of psychologists who focus on neural and endocrine psychology.  So..... I have known and have worked with a boat load of psychology folks over the decades.  They are great folks, and it is enjoyable to have them as colleagues and friends.  

I bring this up because I was thinking about how last Friday, when I was home working, I NEEDED to put the pouches of pipe tobacco I had opened about me.... AWAY.  I had to do this because I experienced an extremely, and I mean truly extreme desire/craving to pick up one of my pipes, fill it and have at it.  If I were to use my sometimes used PCS Scale (Pipe Craving Score Scale) of 0 - 10 as an indicator.... last Friday, I had what feels like it was a 12.... literally off scale.  If I would not have packed up the pouches, stuffed them back into various drawers in my office.... and taken a walk from my home office for a while.... I do not think I could have mustered the fortitude to refrain.  

But the question of the day is "WHY?"  I mean.... seriously.... I never have had this sort of experience related to the weekly Retiree's Cigar Group.  And, biologically.... tobacco is tobacco is tobacco.  It makes no damn PHYSIOLOGICAL sense.  

It must ALL be PSYCHOLOGY.  

Some folks dismiss psychology as a "fluffy" science.  I know this is so, because a fair number of folks in the "hard science" disciplines I interreact with at the U routinely dismiss the psychologists as "fluff" routinely.  This is nearly universal amongst the chemists and the physicists at my U, and in fact many of those folks suggest biology itself is sort of "fluff" in comparison to their holy grails.  But, a fair number of the other biologists I work with also view psychology as a bit "fluffy" as well.  

But, psychology IS REAL.  It is not fluff.  I have known this through the decades with my collaboration and camaraderie with these folks... but the point was driven home again from my experience last Friday. 

Most lay-folk think of psychology only in the aspects of counseling and therapy.... but the research in psychology is a facet of the science that often times is overlooked.  But, psychology RESEARCH is quite beautiful, elegant and important.  

I need, if I ever get the time, to try to reason through they psychology more of my pipe smoking.

PipeTobacco 

Indian Food & More

Last Friday my wife and I DID actually venture out in the bitter, bitter cold to both the restaurant and play.  I am glad we did, as it was very fun.  Other than the travel from the various parking lots into the buildings and back... it was easy enough to deal with the sub-zero weather even with the high winds.  

Ultimately, the dish I selected was a Vegetable Korma which was wonderful, hearty, and I ordered mine with a moderate to strong spice level.  DELIGHTFUL!  My wife ordered a dish that was new to both of us, which was a Curried Salmon (she ordered a mild spice level, regrettably (grin)).  It too was wonderful even though it could have had MORE spice!  My wife and I typically share our dishes so we can try more items.... especially at a non-buffet Indian meal.  We also shared two soups as a starter..... one was a Lemon Coriander soup and the other was called a "Mulligatawny" soup... both were wonderful.... the coriander was more mild and the mulligatawny very delightfully spicy.  We also had naan and jasmine rice with our meal.  We shared a "Gajar ka Halwa" which is a traditional Indian carrot based dessert with cashews and cardamom which has a been a personal favorite of mine for many, many years.... and I search for it anytime we are fortunate to visit an Indian restaurant.  

The play was fun and was a "one-woman multi-act play" about her hopes and dreams related to her passion for writing.  It was very enjoyable and pleasing.  Live theater is such a treat.  And I had a pleasant IPA during the play as well.  My wife enjoyed her preferred Diet Coke.

PipeTobacco

Comments on Comments (January 19 - 24)

With fewer posts from me last week, there were fewer comments (understandably):

AnvilCloud stated

I don't know Ohio. I think I should find it.

“Ohio”  is a song by Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young.  The song was written by Neil Young about his feelings about the Kent State University shootings.  

DMP stated

"Ohio" has been playing in my mind a LOT lately. I'm old enough to remember the day vividly, and recent events are bringing back those bad memories.

Yes, I too remember that day rather vividly.  The news of Kent State was devestating and frightening, and I remember watching it on television.  It also stands out to me as it was the day my oldest niece was born as well.  It is a bit challenging thinking of this having NOW happened 56 years ago this May 4th.  

t'll have to be updated:

"TIn Soldiers and Trump are comin'

Minneapolis chills to the bone,

This winter the guns are screamin'

Our Rights won't stand alone! "

I agree with Pam J that your rewriting of the lyrics is very strong!  What is happening now is horrific.

Margaret stated

Those songs are part of history and tell a story, like the ballads of long ago. They are part of our culture--at least part of mine as someone from that era.

I agree. I have a tendency to think “lyrically” and frequently hear songs in my mind that I recall from across the decades.  I very frequently hear someone say something and a small snippet of what they say may be part of a song lyric that then begins “playing” in my mind.  I tend to view song lyrics as an often times MORE powerful form of poetry and communication.... because of their lyrical nature.  

Pam J stated

Nicely done DMP.

I agree with you!  DMP is an excellent musician and I am glad he is a friend.  He also enjoys smoking pipe tobacco, so that also clearly demonstrates he is a really good fellow! :)

PipeTobacco

Polar Plunge

 

• We are in the midst of a harsh arctic blast that has resulted in a region wide Cold Weather Advisor through Saturday at least.   Our current temperature is 0 degrees (F) (~ -17 C) with wind chill reading being at the moment -22 degrees (F) (~ -30 C).   Tonight's actual low temperatures are expected to drop to -11 degrees (F) (~ - 24C) and if the winds remain as predicted tonight, we would end up having a wind chill reading of -45 degrees (F) (roughly the same in C).
• My wife and I have tickets for a play tonight, however.  And, we had plans to eat dinner at a somewhat fancier, very pleasant Indian restaurant before the play, both of which are in a city perhaps a 45 minute drive from our location.   I am not sure what our plans are currently, nor if either the playhouse and/or the restaurant will be open.  Every K-12 school has closed in our vicinity and so has our U and the three other colleges nearby due to the risks for walkers getting frostbite. 
• My "illustrious" department decided to trudge on and had the Department Meeting via Zoom (sigh).  So, in addition to preparing lectures and things for next week (in my home office), I had to Zoom around at this meeting (which turned out to be as dull as dry toast at a fancy 5-Star restaurant).  
• It was already getting rather biting yesterday afternoon when I did meander my way to the nearby town to go to the Retiree's Cigar Group.  I was late as is usual this semester of the year.... but there were THREE of the fellows still hanging about, so it was a very nice time.  They eventually left after about an hour (because they had been there a LOT longer than me already).  I stayed about one additional hour after they left and spent the time reading.  
• The frigidity of today actually also caused the cigar shop itself to remain closed today.
• In determining IF we go out to eat and go to the play, I will be making that decision when I can speak with my wife a bit later.  She herself is Zooming as well.  But after she is finished Zooming, we are set to figure things out.  
• I did NOT run today.  I felt quite guilty about that, and much of the morning I was hemming and hawing about getting my beast of burden out of the garage (my vehicle) and going to the track to run.  It was not until late morning that I REMEMBERED that when the local K-12 schools are closed.... the township's indoor track ALSO CLOSES.  That had me feeling less guilty.  
• I had not posted here the last few days as I was feverishly working with several of my research groups to get some abstracts up-to-snuff for submission (which is due this weekend). It usurped any free time I had the last few days.  
• When I started to work in my home office around 7 am this morning, I decided to treat myself by opening five different pouches of my pipe tobacco and have them about me so I could capture each of their beautiful, different essences as I moved about working.  But, that was not a good idea, I think..... and I ended up sealing each pouch closed and tucking them away in their original drawers.... as I began experiencing some particularly strong yearnings from them.... vividly strong in fact.  And, the temptation to pack a bowl and bring it to life was much more robust than I had experienced in a long while.  
• If we DO go to the Indian restaurant, the dinner service does not offer a buffet where I can get small amounts of several items,, so I need to commit to one dinner focus.  I am debating three different choices at the moment.  Top on my list would be to order chana masala , but I also am thinking about palak paneer, or my third option that sounds good is aloo gohbi.
• The image above is about the "Polar Plunge" event associated with fundraising for the Special Olympics.  It usually occurs around this time of the year, and in our region a hole is cut into the ice of a small lake nearby and people pay and collect donations..... to wear a swimsuit and to hop off the ice to plunge into the near freezing water.  One year, several years ago, I was gearing myself up to actually PARTICIPATE in this event.  But, unfortunately it was cancelled the day before the event.... due to some issue I cannot recall at the moment.  In the intervening years, I have not been able to ratchet up enough courage (or foolishness) to try one more time to do this.   

PipeTobacco