Just Old

Feeling blue this morning.  

Not motivated.  But, trying to do what I need to do to get through the workday.

February, to me, is the harshest month of the year.  

January has the residual remembrances of the holidays, and the start of a new semester.  

But, February has no hope of any warmth or Spring weather.... it is still too far down the road.  It is Winter at its most bleak.  

March is not really any better weather-wise.... but there is at least a start of HOPE that Spring MAY happen in early April and not late April..... and April will then only be several weeks away.

A friend who retired back in ~2007 from the Department.... a blustery fellow.... we received notice that he had passed away out West where he had moved to be closer to family.  He was only 77 years old.  But, diabetes ravaged him, especially in his later years.   No disease is good.... but damn, diabetes is so harsh.  He, like my SIL had amputations as a result. 

I fear for my wife.

We went to a "Wine & Cheese" discussion group at our Parrish last night.  As an academician, I think I always end up having too high of expectations for these sorts of things.  I am used to things to be presented or discussed to be focused, linear, and structured.  As is typical at these things at our Parrish, it very rapidly devolved into simple chatting of whatever popped into people's heads.  

I ate some grapes that were provided and had two glasses of wine.  

I rarely drink wine, and really know nothing about "it".  A few of the ladies at the counter were asking me all sorts of questions about what I like in wine, so they could steer me to a particular set of bottles.  Basically, I explained to them that I am a neophyte and a wine "rube".  To me, the choices are Red, White, and the chimera called "Rose'".  I then mentioned that I am not fond of white wine (to me, unflavorful..... and for the most part, rather "sour" if there is any flavor), nor am I fond of Rose' (to me, also unflavorful, and in my imagination I think of it as white wine where someone added a very small droplet of red food coloring).  I told them that when I have wine, I inevitably have red as it has (to me) a recognizable flavor that is pleasant. 

They then tried to help me further by asking if I preferred this or that type of red wine (words like Chardonnay, and other "varieties" were bantered about.... none of which I knew or understood.... only really remembering "Chardonnay" not because of what "type" of wine it is.... but because one of my nieces had named her cat "Chardonnay" and I thought it was a cute name).  

Do not get me wrong.... I do recognize the various terms of all of these varieties.... as being descriptors of some form of red wine.  But to me, they are truthfully meaningless as I do not know anything about any of them.  Red = red.    So, after they described the name for each bottle of red that was before me, I simply grabbed the first open one that looked like it had enough for me to pour a full glass, and then went back to my seat.  

When I later in the evening, eventually went back to acquire a second glass, I saw several bottles of red wine with only a 1/2 centimeter or so of wine in each.  I briefly considered seeing if I could flabbergast the the wine ladies by pouring the dregs of several different bottles of these varieties of red wine into my glass to fill it.  I chuckled as I imagined in my mind the look of shock this might have produced from them for such an "unrefined" maneuver.  But, instead, I just grabbed some other bottle that looked like it had enough for a full glass, and proceeded back to my seat.  I have no idea if it was the same red wine I had initially or a different one.  

But.... it did taste like red wine to me. :)

I hope I get to go to the Retiree's Cigar Group.  And, I hope it is jovial and helps pull me out of my mood.

PipeTobacco

Mini- Post

 

I apologize..... the week is turning out far busier than I had anticipated....with many more letters of recommendation due, a few unexpected "emergency" glitches arose that I am trying to fix within a science organization in which I am on the Executive Board, and two collaborations I am involved in with colleagues have needed an extra burst of attention as well.  

So, I have only "mini" posts for the next little while.  I will get back to my  more normal posts as soon as this tidal wave of "business" passes... and will get to my comments on comments too.... I promise. 

• Ran every day so far!  And, I feel pretty damn close to normal..... other than by the end of the teaching day, I do FEEL a slight tenderness in my one foot.... but that is after hoofing around a track in the early morning and stomping around lecturing for most of the day.  I consider this progress!
• I am trying my damndest to STILL be able to go to the Retiree's Cigar Group tomorrow too.  If I have to.... I may work deep into the wee early morning hours overnight tonight, to at least allow me to eek out the ~3 hours for the Retiree's Cigar Group (this includes travel time).  
• Another confound for this week is that in SEVERAL classes (mine, and ones I am also "coordinating" as well)..... this is a really big rodent week in teaching.  And as I am the "rodent guy" I am responsible for those needs as well.  This is a wholly different "add-in" and not at all associated with  my rodent research.
• Pipes and memories of their beauty and the various beautiful pipe tobaccos lull me to sleep every night, and help quiet my overly active mind during these busy days.  

PipeTobacco

•  

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