Wednesday night – a man who used to like onions

Hi friends…
I’m getting a bit behind.. I had an interesting and busy day..which included a ton of work meetings, a trip to see Marci and Tim F, a great dinner with my friend Jens who’s visiting from Germany.. and then a full moon hike up to the cliffs with Diane, Gary. Amy. Jane and George.. The moon was a no-show.. but the view and the company were great. I then came home and started working. I just noticed it was 1AM.. so I’m going to make this post very short.
The one thing I was thinking about today was the many changes I’ve experienced in my personality as well as my likes and dislikes since Sam’s passing.. When I actually write this stuff down. I see that the list is getting quite long…It includes:

  • My office and my workspaces (eg.. my lab and other workshop) used to be perpetually messy.. Now I manage to kep them clean and in order..I even have labels on all the boxes. I know where everything is.. I’ve NEVER done that in my life !
  • I now love long quiet times at home, in car rides and airplane trips. I love times when I’m doing absolutely nothing.. I could stand that for about 10 minutes before
  • I used to strike up conversations with anyone I was sitting next to in a meeting or a plane.. Now I don’t talk to anyone unless someone makes and effort to talk to me. It’s not shyness.. or unfriendliness.. I still enjoy meeting new people.. I’m just much happier being by myself
  • I used to wander the halls at work constantly talking to people.. Now I stay in my office with my door shut if I’m in the building and not in a meeting. Again.. not unfriendliness.. I’m just more comfortable in my cave
  • Similarly I used to spend hours on the phone talking to people for fun.. Now I hate talking on the phone unless I’ve got something specific to accomplish.
  • I used to read several books a month… and watch a movie or two a week.. Now I’ve read no more than 4 books in the last year and a half.. and watch less than a movie a month.. (I think blogging takes up my reading/movie time)
  • My rest heart rate is about 15-20 beats per minute slower than it used to be. I just used to be far more stressed
  • I used to get 5 hours of sleep a night.. now I need 7
  • And .. here’s the most shocking.. I find that no longer like mushrooms.. cooked garlic.. or cooked onions… and…I always thought of myself as a man who like onions..

    Interesting stuff… no ?

    OK.. I’ll post pictures tomorrow when can find my cable. I’ll end here… Before I do, I’d like to share this picture that my friend Jake up the street took on his porch last week.. I mentioned it a few days ago. This bear was sitting there drinking out of their hummingbird feeder.. So cut.. But.. keep in mind the feeder is probably 5 feet tall and made out of 1/2 inch steel. Cute.. but maybe not so cuddly.

OK.. all for now.. Gnite all. Gnite Sam
-me