I woke up today with such a funny array of feelings.. This is November 1st.. the day that I officially start my new assignment at work.. I feel excited and scared to be doing something completely differnt for the first time in many years. It also feels  like a huge weight has been lifted from me. I’m really excited about being able to work on something that might help society out…   It’s also the beging on fthe month that marks the year anniversary of Sam’s passing.   That feels wierd.. in some ways the anniverary scares me.. how will it feel ? In others, I know that it will hurt like every day hurts.. I’ve learned not to predict how I’ll feel

What ever the month brings, today was a good start..   It was full of chance meetings with friends.. That’s always a good hing. It started with me talking to Phil and Shawn at Road ResQ in the five corners while I got one of the cars inspected. We got on the topic of blowing stuff u.. always a favorite topic. Phil showed me a very cool pcket size potatoe launcer he’d built .. very cool

In the middle of the day I had to run out to buy liquid nitrogen and ice cream makings for Ron Rose’s quaeter centruy celibration at work. My buddy Jason came with me as we tried to find where to score soem liguid nitrogen. The cryogneic gods were not smiling on me as I tried to get the dewer filled.. one place had no one to work the pump.. the next place alost wouldn’t sell it to me since my dewer lacked the appropriate top.. In the end they did fill it for me.. but just this one last itme  (as they’ve said to me the past 5 times) …
   I then had to run into the store to pickup the cream and choclate I needed.. I was happy to run into my friend Juergen in the parking lot. He was heading back to Germany today.. his suitcase was packed with steaks !  He told me that he hoped that his luggage wouldn’t get lost.. (it would give new meaning to the words ‘carrion luggage’ … (get it ? ))

Speaking of meat.. i ran into my friend Joe in the store.. he and I were treated to a cool demo of a bag vacuum outer thing by a woman named Lorraine.. we were facinated that she’s made the fake hambergers out of play-doh.. pretty cool ..

After work I went back to Champlain to see a demonstration of 4 kids who wrote 3 video games in 3 days at a conference a few weeks back. It was really, really cool. The kids were set up at a table at this major Leanring conference… they clicited ideas for the game from the conference attendees then coaded round the clock .. What they came up with is pretty amazing.. I’ll try to post my favorite one here when it coems out on their website in a  week or so.   I figure i need ot spend more time with these kids if I’m goign to become an expert in video games… (which is sort of my job now !)

From their I drove home and piked up Gabe.. We’d made a date to go out to Bridge Street for dinner…  The place was full of our friends.. Including Casey , Jake, Justin. and Alex L..

After dinner we sauntered over to Film Buzz to help thme celibrate 5 years in business.. and Kelly’s birthday… SHe’d set up court ou on the street.. pretty wild !  They served us champagne.. and showed us soem of Kelly’s very cool paintings.

So.. that was the day.. one theme goign through my head all dayt was about pririties. Itfelt strange not worrying abut the things I normally worry about at work. I heard som many conversations today.. as I do every day.. of folks arguing, cursing and gernally worrying about such small stuff eithera t work or in their lives.. I had a wonderful case of ‘so what’ today.. and it felt great.. It’s a good perspective..I hope you can borrow the feelig from me and apply it to your own life..   

Whatever sam….
-jc