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john cohn


Last Updated: 11/18/2009

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Gender: Male
Status: Married
Age: 51
City: RICHMOND
State: VERMONT
Country: US

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Wednesday, February 10, 2010 2:39 AM
I had a wonderful birthday today..   It's the end of an amazing and transformative year.. and perhaps th.. I can hope.. the start of an other. thans to all of you who have made this past 365 days among the most memorable an positive in my ife.. I eard from so many frinds today.. I feel blessed..


As is my tradition,. I took the day off from work.. which meant only 4 hours in phone meetings :-)


The day began when I found out that the dogs had managed to find and eat the peanut butter cups that Gabe had made for my birthday.. grrrrr.. we were all ad at the dogs.. but found it kind of funny too..


In the middle of the day Diane and I took the dogs for a longish snowshoe up the trails off the side of bolton access rode.. Here is my official birthday portrait (I grew up being called Jake by my folks)







I followed another tradition by doing a naked snow angel in honor of my birthday.. I'll spare you the sight of me making it... but it's fun to do.. it really wakes you up !





Diane did catch me trying to get my clothes back on before I froze..



'
It was beutiful out there today.. here are soem trees that deers have been rubbing ..


We came across this very cool cabin way u in the woods.ery far from the nearest road.
. I think it's a bolton hiking club cabin.. but I'm not sure.. Ayone recognize it ? It's really beautiful..   V










When we got home there was a basket of extremely spicey stuff waiting on the door for me form th Tim and Jen...  Nothing spells freindship like fresh Kim Chi !







Several meetings later Diane. Gabe Kristen and I zoomed to essex in time for a 5pm movie.. We saw the Book of Eli with Denzel Washington.. violent.. but pretty good.. as post apocolyptic movies go.. and I should know.   We were the only ones there.. how cool is that..





After the movie weweant to Tiny Thai for some spicey birthday food..   yum ! (thanks to my friend kevin for taking this shot)



Now.. home to read more than 300 birthday wishes from folks. thanks to you all for writing..

Again. what a year.. I fele like I've grown so much in the year.. ad done so many things I think are important.  I want to keep growing this year.. with all your help

I do want to say that throughout the day, I've felt Sam's spirit very close.. electrical stuff has been going haywire all day form me.. my computer, my camera.. the car.. everything..

I miss you every day my son..  Here's a birthday image from about 12 years ago





Good night follks.. and thanks..
nite sam
-me

ps. I just learned from friend Sue that I share my birthday with Snowflake Bentley the guy from Jericho who made thousands of photos of snowflakes. 





 
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Tuesday, February 09, 2010 3:20 AM
Full and wonderful day.. a perfect wqay to end a half a century,.. My life is very full and entertaining when it isn't hectic and unpredictable.   I began the day by working with homer n figuring out how to rewire the 60kw generator he borrowed to produce three phase 408 volt AC..to poewr his new robotic router.   We spent about 30 min on the phone staring at these ancient wiring diagrams . trying t figure out how to get the gneerotr rewired..

 




the rest of the day had a mix of normal day job stuff.. and some cool new stuff. I recorded some interviews with some senior colleagues giving career advice to younger folks in the company..

This afternoon I had an hour talk with some folks in film and media business about motivating kids for engineering careers. One of them had a great idea about extendign the concept of STEM (science technology engineering and math) .. to STEAM ( science  technology, enginineering ARTS and math).. I know it's a small differntence.. but I've been thinking about ways to bring the right half of the brain into the mix for energizing kids on math science and engineering. The mix of arts and technology is what turned me on so much at burning man.. it's a GREAT way to get kids of all wiring to consider technical fields.. especially those that matter in the world. I'm going to think of a way of moving on that.. watch this space..

After another set of very interesting and productive day job meetings I rounded out  the day with a half hour conversation with 'Leela, a 10 year old future etymologist. She and her mom had written our Chairman and asked for help in a think project (putting gps on butterfly's wings !)..    For the last several years most requests from kids to the company get routed to me.. I think that's kind of cool.. anyway.. teh conversation with 'Leela was amazing and enlightening.. she's one smart kid.. She gae me a homework assignment that I'm still trying to work out even now..


After yoga.. one more project.. benn F. and his friends came over for help with a high school prank. they are working on a battery powered hovercraft to run in the annual hallway race.. we cobbled together some stuff.. hovercraft base, new shovac, inverter and deep cycle battery to see f the idea could work. We got close.. but we need to recharge the battery to be sure it will work.. wathc tis space and we''ll see..




OK.. now time for bed.. I will wake up as a 51 year old.. not bad, I think.. I'm liking  where I am in my life.. so 51 sounds just about right..


nigth folks. night Sam

-me

happy almost birthday to ME !




 
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Monday, February 08, 2010 4:56 AM
Greetings from one of the few houses not watching the superbowl.. I wonder if I would watch it if we had TV.. I think so.. but just for the commercials. I gotta say though.. that I'm really happy tht the Saints won.. I didn't know much about the other team.. but I've had a ton of family in NOLA ... I do remembre how much my late uncle JM loved the saints.. he used to tell us about wearing a bag over his head to the games..

JM.. this one is for you..

Hmm.. not much to report here.. i'm sitting down to blog at midnight on a Sunday night..I ended up having to work this afternoon for roughly 5 hours to catch up from the three hours I took off Friday afternoon.. ugh..

It has been a great weekend though.. On Sat morning, the penguin plunge
We even made the cover of the Burlington Free Press

Then up to Bolotn where Gabe came in 2nd in hi sage group in the USASA snowboarding event.


Later that night Jen, Tim. Martha and I headed over to Jim and Dawns for their 4th of July in Feb party.. it's an annual thing.. They turn up the heat and everyone strips to their shorts.. not that easy in 3 degree weather.

Here's the temp inside...



Jim went as far as to record record high weather reports one summer and had them playing on the TV..



As always Jim was well prepared for the 'heat'.. they had a huge array of jello shots in every flavor and color.. as well as a wole wall of home brew (jim is  one of the best brewers I know.. )






Today was wonderful too. we spent the entire day at Stowe helping run another snowboarding even.. this one a half pipe. t. Gabe did well again.. a first and a 2nd place showing in his age group. We have some good pics.. but they must be on the upstairs coputer.. I cna't find them on the camera.. I'll post them when I find them


We were all pretty neat by the end of the day.. I was getting my standard.. Sunday antsyness. I have so many things goign right now.. by the time it's sunday night, I find I'm already revving for the week. I need to back off of that I think

I was so preoccupied that I burned the garlic bread not once, not twice.. but three different times !











Oy.. well. of to bed now to dream of burnt toast..

Nite everyone.. nite Sam
-me


 
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Saturday, February 06, 2010 11:43 PM
Great day woke up and it wasn't quite 4 degrees out, just the the right weather for a little swim in the lake.  as part of Special Olympics Penguin Plunge..  



Diane and Gabe headed up to Bolton for Gabe's USASA competition   .. I bundled up and headed to Mexicali for a little 'training' . This is the second time I've [lunged with the fine folks at Mexicali..  I couldn't make it last year because I was off at a conference and gtting ready to leave for The Colony. These guys go every year.. I think Nick said we raised about 3000 dollars for the Special Olympics.. I think that includes the $325 I raised.. (thansk to those of you who contributed.. those of you who didn't I thin you still can at http://www.firstgiving.com/johncohn)

..Training this year included a shot of Erin's homemade maple scotch.. not my normal breakfast fare.. but very yummy and warming..   We had about 12 folk, I think.. 4 johns , 3 nicks and a smattering of kyles, amelias and lances..







Here I am with John 2 (I'm John 4).. they though he was my kid..   must be the smile  :-)


I chugged a redbull just for motivation.. then we all climbed into a rented taxi van..



We were packed and toasty (and soem of us were tasted).. all behatted and feelign good in the 'brisk' morning..










Nick 1 had gotten us all registered last night so we new we were going inearly as team 5.. we even marked ourselves..



OK.. here's where all the interesting pictures should be... but.. of course.. I didn't have my camerra.. .. I'll get some pictures fro the folks who stayed dry.. but for now.. just imagine:

- a tent ful of naked and nearly naked guys switching from mid winter to mid summer in 30 seconds,
- a quick jog to the staging tent lining up as the fith team to go in
- abotu 100 screaming ,chanting and chearing scantily clad men and woemnt making noise to keep their . spirits and temperature up . It was so noisy that Erin passed out earplugs.. I declined.. I thin noise is an anesthetic..
- with in 10 minutes it was our turn to plunge.. The door opens.. and we trot out into the cold.. The air temp was about 10 by that point.. sunny and bright and not bad.. Erin. Chelsea and I had the Mexicali banner.. e.. lance was in front.. everyone else behind..   
- they'd used a backhoe to clear enough ice for us to actually ru into the lake instead of over it..   In we went on the boat loading ramp.. The water was about 34 degrees I think.. actully.. not bad at all.. I love cold water.. so this wasn't even a shock.. we plunged in .. the rest of the team came after..
- A couple of us tossed SamStones in the water while we were in.. then we pivoted with the banner and marched out majesticly.. I sear .. I wasn't even cold !
- they handed us all towels.. then we jogeed back to the men and ladies tents...   
- more naked guys.. now shivering and blue.. but very vrey happy.. I found a swatch of less nakeedness and dug out my camera..









The we all scrambled to get out of our wet things, find our dry things and sort them out from the layers and layres of OPS (other peoples stuff). I wanted ot make sure I didn't take anyone elses dry stuff.. that would SO suck..


No wwarm.. I went out and watched a couple of teams go out and back..



We tried to gather the team.. toook us a while.. I found Erin and Chelsea and then found the others.






Kyle  took a really bad fall on the way in.. and was bleading and hurting pretty much.. he was still smiling though



Then back in the van for the trip back to the restaurant.. They passed around some blackberry brandy.. but .. I couldn't figure out how to pour it in...




From there I rushed back to Bolton to see the last of Gabes competition.. I got there jsut at the end.. Gabe placed 2nd !!.. It was awesome.. I've got to get photos from that off the other camera...

Now we're off to Jim and Dawn's party.. more on that later
nit for now folks.. Nite Sam
-me

 
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Saturday, February 06, 2010 2:41 AM
670 miles,  14 hours of driving, 1 25th anniversary party (very cool), 4 hours of sleep, 6 hours of meetings, 280 emails (no exaggeration),  2 science shows,  1 grilled cheese sandwich.

what a day....


That was the short version...


Slightly longer version. Last night was my buddy bruce's 25th service anniversary . I wouldn't miss it for the world. he is one of the most thouroughly good people I've ever met. ..

It was a great group of folks.. gathered there for bruce, kevin, jim, katherine, gloria,, mary beth , cheryl, seth, carl.. I've know some of these folks for 15years.





I under planned for the evening.. so I hadn't figured out a place to stay.. luckily kevin offerd to take me in. We got to his  house arounf 11.. He and Betsy and I stayed up till 1 listenign ot Kevin's crazy music (more than 3000 cd's !_ .. and tlaking about old freinds. the colony. kids, dogs,.. etc.



I got to sleep around 1.. .. and woke up to be on the road at 5:30 ..   It was strangly fun.




I spent the whole drive on the phone,  .. I find car time like this to be some of y most productive work time.. no distrractions.  Got lots done..   Before I knoew it I was in wattervile VT for the first of my two shows today. this one was for my freind Lilly .. she's 7.. and the daughter of my freind marci and matt,






THe school gave me my normal payment for a show a grilled cheese sandwich. This one was perfect.



The kids were awesome...







After the show I stopped by Marci and Matt's she's going to have a baby .. maybe tonight !!!!  



Fro there, I drove back to Jericho and parked my selfe in the library for a couple of hours work.. then on to show number two..this was for a scout troup..  This time they paid with lasagna..




Another GREAT group of kids .







now.. I'm at home.. Gbae and Diane and  are watching a wonderfully stupid movie.. (hangover..)

The world is good.


Nite guys.. nite sam
-me


 
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Thursday, February 04, 2010 11:44 PM
I'm writing frm the relative comfort of a parking lot in beautiful poughkeepsie NY. I'm down here for a 25th work anniversary party for my good friend bruce . It's amazing that I know folks (like me) who've had the same job for a quarter century or more.. I couldn't not come..

GIven that I spent most of the day in the car coming down..a nd on th e phone.. not much new to report here. I have a few pictures from the last couple of days.. lemme see what they are..


Ahh. heres a cool Hawk I saw on my way to work yesterday.. .. I actually turned the car around and went back to watch this guy.. so regal.. so cool.. and so tiny in my crappy camera..



Hmm.. what else.. ah..   I spied this cool hadline that made me feel noble..




Then last night we were up at Bolton for Gabe's night riders competition.. he had a great night..







Oh waut, here's a good story.. I got home last night after Gabes competition and found a box from Sparkfun. my favorite electronics company . Those who read this blog might remember my description of  'Free Day'..  where the copmany gave away 100,000 dollars of parts to their customers   .. 100 bucks to each !  to thank them for a good couple of years. The deal was first come, first serve.. I tried to get my order in from the oepneing bell.. but due to the huge number of folks also trying to order, my order never got through. I was dissapointed that my order didnt get through.. ut I wrote them a nice letter anyway tellign them how cool i thought they were for giving stuff away lke that..

Well.. my ever loving mother saaw the post.. and being the sweet person she is, didn't want to see me dissapointed.. so .. she called Sparkfun the next day and poitned them at my blog post. And they figured out form there what i was trying to order (parts for a talking blood alchohol meter I want to build.. don't ask)  .. then Mom ordered the parts for me.. isn't that awesome..

Thanks Mom .. I love you !  You are amazing..






Today.. was pretty ok.. crammed work meetings in morning .. then beutiful sunny drive dwon in the afternoon.. also crammed with phone meetings.. On my way out I drove by Markowskis and saw the Time cycle lookign regal and cold..




Then treated myself to a trip on the new makeshift feerry near the site of the old Crown Point bridge.. You could still see the chunks of the now demolished brudge






It was a quicl 10 minute boat ride.. they'v e amnaged to keep the ice clear fro the salvage, so the ferrys run 24 hours a day.. how cool to be on a boat on a bluebird day like this..




They actually have 2 ferrys .. one going each direction.. it looks like it's been there for years.. but I think it's been there only a month.








OK.. 7PM.. time to go inside. and see bruce.. More tomorrow.

Nite all. nite Sam
-me








 
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Thursday, February 04, 2010 4:10 AM
Just got back from a beautiful night at Bolton Night Riders. Gabe had a good night.. placed 3rd ! 

It was a maddeningly full day.. too full of cool things. I felt like i needed to be in many places at once.. and fought to give each thing the attention it deserved.   On the way home I realized tat my cell phone message queu was full.. 50 saved messages fro just this last 2 weeks . (ugh) .. I get so absorbed in what I'm doing sometimes that I let my phone ring through to voicemail.. Then I save the message s for later listening.. Well. tonigth was 'later' as I couldn't store more stuff on there.   It was kind of a cool archological eercise listnign to 2 weeks of messages all in one sitting.. I think I got back to most of the folks on there.. but If I missed you.. I'm sorry.

I can't help thinkign it was about this time last year that I had to go cold turkey on phoens and email as I dropped out for the colony.. It was good for me.. I'm sure.. Maybe I should lose my cell phone. I almost did tonight. It ended up under the next table in the bar up at Bolton

Oh.. before I go to sleep, I just spent a half an hour figuring out the Youtube closed capitoning system. It basically took a transcript of the Engineering paradise.. then auto-magically figures out how to synch it to the movie. I had to go in and hand edit it to get the timing better.. but ti's still pretty easy. To watch with lyrics.. first start the movie by hitting the play arrow on the left .. THEN click on the up arrow in the lower right, find the CC button that pops up and select it.. it should turn the captions on..  (note: you don't see the CC button until the movie has started)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0DxmthvkKU


Just in case you cant get the captions..here are the words to the song..

As I walk through my business, I know I owe it a debt
It created my profession, and my careers a sure bet
Engineering's my trade, and I love my degree
It was dat', not my looks that got my spot on TV
I grew up thinking, like my science and math
An' you will too if you wanna follow my path -- 'School'
Now you may be thinkin' you mo' gangsta' n' me
But you motherboarders neva' seen my PC
If you be a gamer, you cant give you no lip
Cuz when you be fraggin' your homies you  be using my chip
Itouch, , Iphone, I know you be wantin' those things
It's engineers like me, be designin' that bling

Been spending all my life
Livin' engineering paradise
Been to grad school once or twice
Living engineering paradise
The work is hard and the pay is nice
Living an engineering paradise
Go to college it's worth the price
Build an engineering paradise

You and your homies could be playing real smart
Puttin' things together, taking things apart.
'vironmental chemical, lectrical, too
Somethin' in there's gonna be golden for you
You'd be designing the future, the cities, the cars
You'd be designing the space ships that be hittin the stars
You could be making stuff that the world hasn't seen
Like a 20 foot robot and a Ferris wheel machine
'sploring the world between power and ground
Making some lightning, pushing ‘lectrons around
So get yourself a meter and a soldering gun
And grab some components and build you some fun


It's a fine degree
C.S or E.E
Study hard and be
a nerd like me

Been spending all my life
Livin' engineering paradise
Been to grad school once or twice
Livin' engineering paradise
The work is hard and the pay is nice
Living an engineering paradise
Go to college it's worth the price
Build an engineering paradise

You make a good livin, getting paid what your worth
Make a Smarter Planet and be savin' the earth
Educated, compensated ‘preciated too
Get the whole darn world lookin' up at you
An engineers be comin in every color and creed
Not all of them be old grey kooks like me
The work is ever changin' an' the field neva sleeps
You could be workin' the world over, with the smartest of peeps
So you just study hard and you get your degree
An' if your lucky you'll be an engineer like me

Been spending all my life
Living engineering paradise
Been to grad school once or twice
Living engineering paradise
The work is hard and the pay is nice
Living an engineering paradise
Go to college it's worth the price
Build an engineering paradise

It's a fine degree
CS. or E.E
Study hard and be
A nerd like me
It's a fine degree
Just try and see
Study hard and be
An engineer like me

Yikes.. late.. gotta sleep !

 Nite folks, Nite Sam

-me

ps. I'm still trying to raise a little more money for the Special Olympics penguin plunge on Sat. Please sponsor me if you can by visiting here.. Thanks !

 
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Wednesday, February 03, 2010 2:26 AM
So .. I understand that Puxatawny Phil came out and saw his shadow.. six more weeks of winter. Actually.. in vermont.. it's 6 months more winter shadow or no shadow. But I like the idea of looking for minor portents like this to guide our lives. The Romans saw thing ins the entrails of chickens .. A sa  kid I remember measuring the bands on caterpillars to gauge the length of winter.. .. and I grew up in a place that had no winter.   Supposedly animals can predict a coming earthquake.. or a change in the weather. Some say they can sense death coming.
   I just had dinner with my friend Perry who told me that the country/city of Singapore has a school of fish that live in their municipal water supply.. when the fish start acting funny, it's time to change to Perrier.   He even told me thta some company is building chips that place trainde paramicium (single cell animals) in little cells and electrically measure their cilia (the moving threads they have) to measure contents of the water.. I don't know about that.. I want my paramecium to be 'free range'
   The idea of predicting the future based on a shadow is really not so odd to me.. I've been seeing signs like that since I was a kid.. I could not go home after seeing 3 piddidles (one eyed cars).. I once drove around for hours looking for a fourth. A phone call that was begun on an uneven minute would never go well. The number 911 (yes 911) meant good luck, 411 meant not so good luck.. , 511 meant company.. 709 was dangerous.. though I think that was because that was the course number of a  difficult  but very good linear systems class I took in grad school.
    I think I just saw my shadow.. That means time for bed..

Gnite all. nite Sam
-me







 
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Tuesday, February 02, 2010 3:00 AM
The thrid installement of Tim and my Smarter Planet youtube series came out last night.. This one is on smarter water.. We made it in late December at the spur of the moment. I love the animations... me as vanna white.. I just love that !

Take a look and let me know what you think 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT16dE-ilAE



The endind reminds me thtat in just 5 short days I will be plunging into Lake Champlain yet again.. this time it promises to be even colder.. This time its' also for a great cause, the Special Olympics of VT. If you're not doing anything Sat morning please come down to the waterfront and watch us freeze our tukusses (tukki ? ) off. If you feel inclined, please consider making a pledge for the event.. You can find the link to make a pledge at http://www.firstgiving.com/johncohn


That's it for tonight.. talk to you all tomorrow
nite all.. nite Sam
-me


 
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Monday, February 01, 2010 1:13 AM
So...    today Diane brought home a New York Times.. .. a real, black and white think old school newspaper with ink that came off on your hands as you read it.. I sat back and read through the front page, the op-eds , the wedding page.. the obits.... even the fashion page..

- I read the obit of a guy who looked just like me.. who taught English for 40 years .. and was every kids favorite teacher.

-I learned that Obama is really struggling with public opinion.. 

-I learned that people only use an average of 5 apps on their Iphones

-I read about how Ted Kennedy's senate seat went to a republican,

-I learned that JD. Salinger.. one of my heroes.. died this week...

-I learned that Apple announced their new Pad device.. and .. opinions are mixed..

-I learned that the 9/11 terrorists are going to be tried somewhere other than NYC..

So many things I learned in that one paper. I know it sounds strange.. because I'm so   much out there in the world.. but since Sam's passing I just do not read or listen to news. Diane and I were talking about it today. I stopped taking in news because I just could't integrate strangers pain . I fund when I heard of soemone elses tragedy.. it belnded with my own. I couldn't separate.. so .. I just stopped listening and reading.. for more than three years, I've avoided tv, newspapers, magazines.. I even walk away when I here folks discussing the news,..

Can  I keep that up ? Should I  ?   I guess I need to decide..

nite folks, nite Sam
-me


  

 

 
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Sunday, January 31, 2010 4:30 AM

JUst climbed in bed after a long cold, day.. I noticed it was 2 below zero (F) when we came in.. That didn' tused to count as cold around here... but it's cold enough for me..

We had a great quick down to Western Mass for a snowboard event of Gabes/ We had to be on the road by 6..    It was a cute little place.. kinda like Bolton.. It was stil in the single digits most of the day.. but bluebird skies kept us form freezing completely..








We were down with Gabe's freinds and teammates.. Here's Dylan



and Gabe..



He're their friend Matt mid-rodeo



and dylan half way through something.. a flip of somekind



and gabe doign a nice backside .






We had a picnic outside since inside was crowded and noisy.. the single digits weather made th food taste tat much better !






We got back on the road home around 4 .. .. got home around 7, dropped, Gabe, Dylan and Matt.. Then Diane and I went over to Jen and Jim's for the parent's Winter Ball party.. All the kids were at the High School Winter Ball.. so the parents were getting together to do some partying of our own .. 'our'.. I say.. They included us.. which is so wonderful. This would have been Sam's Senior ball.. who would he have gone with ? what would he have worn ? .. There are so many of these milestones.. driver's licenses, proms, finals,.. everything.. so bittersweet.. yet folks keep bringing us in.. it's sweet and sad.. and we wouldn't have it any other way. I like to think Sam's partying somewhere tonight .. too..

Jen, Jen and Peggy arrive shortly after we did wiht pictures of the young couples.. They all looked so great and happy












It was a great evening.. we talked about all the kids.. including Sam..   , drank, ate.. and drank some more..   a proper party... 


One special treat tonight was Jen's sand table..



she built it after seeing this video from 'ukraines got talent'  on youtube





Here's Fritz giving Jen's table a try...






Diiane 'drew' a birthday cake for Jen..  because it was her birthday !



then out came a real cake from Jen L. for Jen K's birthday ! 







Great day, great eveing
I can't keep my eyes open one more second..


so.. nite folks.. nite sam, party on
-me


 
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Saturday, January 30, 2010 2:17 AM
Diane and I have just come in from shopping.. . It's FREEZING outside.. below zero and a stiff wind.. we both remarked how warm and cozy the house felt... I just saw that it's 59 iinside.. you know it's cold out when 59 feels warm and cozy

Diane and I had a 'date night 'tonight since Gabe's out on a snowboarding trip. We spent our evening shopping for q mattress.. we do that every 20 years or so whether we need to or not.. Seriously , I think I've only bought one other in my life.. It was almost fun shopping for a mattress.. we got to lie on a dozen beds and pretend to be  sleeping.. It's dangerous work because It only takes me about 20 seconds to fall asleep anywhere ... any time. 

Here I am trying the ... what was it called ? 'cloud' ? creampuff ?   .. estate wrecker ? .. I'm serious some of these beds cost more than a college education .. I'd rather buy a new car and sleep in that.



Buying a mattress is a funny thing.. you spend half of your life on it.. but very little of it is conscious.. THere are lots of memories associated with matresses.. ,, getting rid of the old one will be weird.. .. all 3 boys slept in that bed with us..


anyway.. we layed  ? lied ?   (one sounds indecent, one improper).. on about 12 of these things.. and I couldn't really tell one form another. What do folks out there know about mattresses ? Anyone have one they love ? anyone have one they hate >> ./ Please let me hear your recommendations.

Talking about matresses makes me feel tired, cold and sleepy..
I think I'll say good night friends.   Good night  all
Nite Sam
-me

When you are old  - W.B Yeats

When you are old and gray and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false [or]
1 true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.















 
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Friday, January 29, 2010 1:36 AM
Hmmmmm
    Absolutely nothing happened today. Not sure I can remember the last time that happeend.. but as always on slow days, I'm grateful for the break..  The only thing of note is that I saw a near final draft of the latest Smarter Planet video that my friend Tim
made with me.. I won't give it all away.. but it ends with me in lake champlain in the middle of winter..   It's got soem great animations.. hope you'll like it.. I'll post it as soon as I have permission.

   Seeing myself jump in the lake in Winter got me excited about the upcoming Penguin Plunge.. Again.. the plunge is a fund raiser in honor of the Vermont Special Olympics.
It's really a wilde event.. lots of half naked people crammed in a  tent trying to stay warm in single digit wether.   SOemone calls your team name and you run full speed into the relative warmth of the lake.. The year before last I think it was actually abotu 15 degrees out, whicle the lake was a balmy 34 degrees..
  
   There's nothing like the shok of hitting the cold water.   It collapses time.. you are in one single moement of cold. I love it .. it's oenof the most alive moments you ever feel..   As nice as it is, it's not a good idea to sit around and savor the feeling. i think tyou have only about 5 minutes before oyu loose consiousness at those temperatures.
You run back out of the lake and soemone hands you a flimsy towel.. I remember being so numb that I couldn't feel the towel on my skin.. you then run back into the tent and look for your clothees.. I don't recal finding all of mine.. I do remembre my teeth chattering for abotu a half an hour..

It was bliss

This year I'm plnging with my freinds from mexicali again.. They've done a great job at fundraising for the Plunge. They're donanting 10% of their totla take for this coming Wednesday to the special olypmpics.. so come in and eat/drink this coming Wed..

If you want to help us raise money, please consider making a pledge on my fundraing page  here

Here we are year before last moments before goign in..

I cna hardly wait !


Nite folks, nite Sam
-me

 
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Thursday, January 28, 2010 4:36 AM
So.. I was on a run this morning with the dogs.. and realized that I was feeling troubled. Several of my 'great' ideas at work are proving to be more complicated than I originally thought.. As I ran I was tossing over the various technical barriers I was hitting.. then a funny thing happened.. Even as I realized I was gritting my teeth over my work troubles, I started to smile.. I realized that I was unhappy in a much happier way than I'd been in a long, long time..  

It's only in hindsight can I see the dark  tunnel I've felt every minute since Sam's passing..   and only in hindsight can I see the tremendous healing that all of us have done since.   I'm aware enough now to know that I'll probably look back on where I am now a couple of years forward and feel that much more .. though never truly.. whole

I had my phone on my run this morning because I had to pretend to listen to a work call.. that meant I had a camera.. I caught this picture of one of the trails by the river I always run. I remember helping to cut this section of the trail out of the wood about 5 years ago.. .. it's grown too.




I love htis trail.. every step I've run or walked alng it in the past 3 5 years has helped me heal. Here's the place I stop every day to admire Robins moutnain, the mountain behind our house..




And beneath that view, here's the spot I write Sam's name every day I run. I write it in whatever's there as canvas.. snow, or dirt or mud or leaves..

It's always gone by  the next day.. time to rewrite it..

A friend send me  a blog entry  about  grieving today.. I liked what it said.. Check it outif you're interested..





Eek.. it's after midnight.. gotta go to bed...

night folks.. nite Sam
-me

 
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Wednesday, January 27, 2010 3:11 AM
Were in the middle of 'The Thaw; . it happens most years.. for some reason temperatures suddenly go above freezing for a few days  and all hell breaks loose.. the snow turns to rain, the fields turn to lakes, and the rivers turn into .... well bigger rivers. The Winooski was out of its banks this morning and spilling into the field in front of our house.. It's still a long way from our house.. it hasn't reached here since 1992 when we re pregnant with Sam..

All along the drive to work I could see signs of the flood. roads were closed, fields were flooded.. and the river was covered with car sized chunks of jagged ice.. It was beautiful in an ominous kind of way



All floods are compared to the one in 1927 (i remember it well :-) ..   The winooski flooded so badly that all the bridges form montpellier to the lake were washed out in one day  . Here's how our house looked a day or two after that.



I love it when the weather misbehaves.

Speaking of cold water

I'm planning on participating in this years Penguin Plunge when a bunch of crazy folks all jump into Lake Champlain in Feb. It's a fund raiser for the Vermont Special Olympics.. I did it a few years back with the fine folks form Mexicali's restaurant..  ( I go there so often that I consider it my second office)
If you're interested in participating, let me know. If you'd like to watch me freeze my *** off, come on down.. If you'd liek to help us raise money for adults with special needs, please consider sponsoring me at   http://www.firstgiving.com/johncohn

It's a great cause !

Thanks so much !

Nite all.. stay dry.. nite Sam
-me





 


 
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