Wow, thanks for all the input. I guess I shouldn't have expected anything less.
Life does seem to be accelerating pace rapidly, and so much time is spent working or tweaking a career. In my (more) youth, motorcycles were my chosen form of stress relief. After some jackass ran me over I haven't replaced the last one. Not that I haven't got back in the saddle, as I have ridden thousands of miles on other's bikes. Although I have tried many sports since, nothing I have found works quite as good.
One time in particular I was experiencing some higher than normal levels of stress and was cranky and irritable. So I just told my boss that I was going out for a ride and I just up and left. When I returned, my demeanor was so dramatically changed that my boss (who did have some experience in this, BTW) asked if I had gone out to have a puff on some laughing lettuce. Possibly because I never touch the stuff, or maybe because even Rick noticed my major shift in mood, this has always stuck in my mind. Maybe doctors should prescribe this sort of therapy for stress relief. The car or bike, not the pot.
Anyway, thanks again for all your input.
-kevin