Sabbatical Thoughts 1 - A Toast "To Absent Friends" (long and rambling)

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flakyjakey

Lifer
Aug 21, 2013
1,117
7
My three months is up! I have finished the labour on my research article. I have also spun out a company ‘Edinburgh Medical Imaging’. The process of securing VC funding has been painful in the extreme, with three founders, five (!) different sets of lawyers etc, etc. But a couple of weeks ago ‘Epidarex Capital’ stumped up a significant investment to achieve start-up.
For the past week I have been convalescing in a remote highland cottage – just me, the dog, two pipes and half a dozen tobacco blends. Oh, and many bottles of wine and port!
I have started looking in to the Forums again. As expected, with the inevitable ebbs and flows of such a website, there are many new members who I am looking forward to exchanging posts with, and I am delighted to see old friends still here – Pruss (for his general piping knowledge, and frank kindness); Sable (what would I do without his Barling erudition?); Woodsroad (what would the Forums be without his cutting yankee humour?); the sardonic wit of Peck; MSO, Pitchfork, Petes, Papapiguy, Fnord, Latbomber and many, many more. Hello to you all!
But some seem to be missing:
- Rothn left, seemingly irretrievably, just before my ‘sabbatical’. His inexhaustible patience and advice, especially to newcomers, was invaluable.

- Rebornbriar was an authority on British and Irish pipes and on pipe restoration in general.

- Misterlowercase was our piping historian – how he dredged up some of his fascinating material will remain a mystery to me. He was unfailingly polite and kind to all.

- The irrepressible Harris I was told has suffered serious medical problems. I hope he gets better and comes back soon – his ‘ding-dongs’ with Peck were a highlight of the Forums.
There are probably more absentees that I haven’t yet spotted.
So last night I raised a glass (actually it was a whole bottle of Ch Beaucastel 2001!!) and drank a silent toast:
“To absent friends: – HASTE YE BACK!!!”

 

pruss

Lifer
Feb 6, 2013
3,558
370
Mytown
Your return, friend, could not have been more timely.
I am already salivating over the five course discussions and a sharing quaffs of witty aperitifs.
-- Pat

 

ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,317
11,074
Maryland
postimg.cc
The ever present ebbs and flows of pipe forums (actually, all forums). It is always troubling when members drop off the radar map due to health related issues.

 

flakyjakey

Lifer
Aug 21, 2013
1,117
7
@pruss, I've just remembered that like me you are an old 'rugger bugger'. At 15.00 UK time today England are playng Wales in a key game that will effectively decide the Six Nations Championship. It will be a fierce encounter and I will be watching it closely. If you fancy tuning in it will be televised live on BBC.

 

pruss

Lifer
Feb 6, 2013
3,558
370
Mytown
Wish I could Flaky, I'm unfortunately without BBC, I'll have to rely on the web for updates. The only problem, for me, with an England v. Wales match is who to root against loudest! Lol
-- Pat

 

flakyjakey

Lifer
Aug 21, 2013
1,117
7
@Al, absolutely, if anyone is in contact with Harris please would they pass on my best regards and wishes for a speedy recovery.

 

dread

Lifer
Jun 19, 2013
1,617
9
Welcome back. Though much newer and less knowledgeable than the members you mentioned, I just returned to the site after a brief hiatus and miss those members as well. I am a candidate for the permanent Dean position at my school (I am the interim now). I was considering seeking a sabbatical, for which I am due, as compensation for getting beat up in the non-stop sparring match that being a Dean entails. I'd love to chat with you about your experience if that comes to fruition.

 

dread

Lifer
Jun 19, 2013
1,617
9
Heh, heh, after your comments about 5 sets of lawyers - ummm, Law. :). But my focus is on consumer law, consumer finance, and critical legal studies particularly focusing on how the law interacts with consumer classes. I KNOW there is a pipe subject to be addressed in there somewhere, I just KNOW it!

 

latbomber

Part of the Furniture Now
May 10, 2013
570
4
Welcome back! Sounds like you will need some pipe and wine therapy for at least a few more weeks! :puffpipe:

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,625
44,843
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Flakey,
It is very nice to have you back! Congratulations on completing your research. Congratulations, also, on your new enterprise, though it seems an excessive effort just to determine what your neighbors wear under their kilts.

 

flakyjakey

Lifer
Aug 21, 2013
1,117
7
@dread, I was dean for research at the medical school for ten years, and loved it. I was being set up for dean of the medical school, but decided against it mostly because it would have meant listening to people I didn't like! Are you sure you want the pain?! Send me a PM if you find yourself in the dean's position.
@latbomber, thanks. I'm not sure if I have any more to give - I have already been smoking like a steam locomotive and drinking like a.......well.....jakey for the last three months!!
@sable, that is strangely true. The imaging is based on novel fibreoscopy - so I can not only look under their kilts, I could tell you what is in their rectum!!

 

flakyjakey

Lifer
Aug 21, 2013
1,117
7
@ravkesel, thanks - I have probably missed a few, but then again there seems to be a large posse of new members!

 

flakyjakey

Lifer
Aug 21, 2013
1,117
7
@sable, that's the best news I've heard today, even including England trouncing Wales in rugby!
@yazamitaz, thanks - would that be a whole wit or a halfwit?

 

flakyjakey

Lifer
Aug 21, 2013
1,117
7
@yaddy, thanks. Is that your original avatar? I don't remember it being so.........strange!

 

pitchfork

Lifer
May 25, 2012
4,030
605
Great to see you on the forums, again, flakey. Sounds like an incredibly productive -- and exhausting -- three months.

 
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