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A Civilized Vice



Hi Tim & John M.

John M. wrote:
 I am not the pipe-smoking scientist in the armchair at the fireplace watching that little quirk universe as it swirls around in the ashtray.

Tim Gwinn wrote:
As for pipe-smoking, I seem to recall that Rosen took it up later in life - as a bit of rebellion against political correctness, I think I read. I've been thinking of taking it up, now that I have a front porch. All I need is to get a good rocking chair and a whittling knife....

According to Judith, RR was a devoted pipe smoker... yet another reason why he was a man after my own heart. Einstein too... another mentor-in-absentia. I've been a pipe smoker for over 40 years, and it's a great comfort to me as I work. If it's a vice, it's a most civilized one. I can't say I've ever spent much time contemplating the contents of the ashtray, John M. ...and there isn't much use for a fireplace here in Southern California. Nevertheless, a fine pipe with mellow weedage fosters the contemplative, relaxed, highly focused state that my work requires. With it, I can work for hours on end.

I think Tim's onto something with his porch thing. I do most of my work on the back patio, which I suppose is SoCal's moral equivalent of a porch. Hour upon hour before the PowerBook® screen... the breeze up here in the hills carrying the smoke away to the owls who hoot their accompaniment throughout the night. I don't know whether they like it, but they keep coming back. They're out there now.

Maybe they just recognize a civilized vice when they see one. ;-)

Pete