Monthly Archives: March 2010

Thursda night – news from costa rica

Friends,
    not much noteworthy in my day..  I’m working too hard while Diane is away.. I want to make sure I make time to have enough fun with Gabe.. I don’t think I did today. I love that kid so much..  We’ve had soem great time talking since it’s just the two of us here now.  I sometimes wonder what it’s like to be him..

This evening I gave   my “Lessons from the Colony” talk at the University of Vermont Computer Science Student Association.. It was a good time ! A big group of them hung around long after my talk brainstorming on cool projects we could build.. Talking to students is one of the thing I like doing most in the world. Sometimes I wish it was my only job.

DIane wrote from Costa Rica today.. with some intense news. Their house was broken into 🙁 ..Still she sounds like she’s having fun. Here’s her report

Hola Everyone,,,

It has been a few days since I wrote.  Thank you for your emails to me.  My time is limited so I will just write this one general email.

Last night our house, Casa Rebecca, was broken in to while we were at the evening session.  The door to the main house was left open because the last one out did not have a key.  That is not uncommon since it is s fluid house.  Upon arriving home a critter…raccoon type animal with a long tail (I think Aguti) was enjoying my 2 avocados and three bananas.  He/she scooted out (with full belly) and we sat down to our usual watermelon eating session (hot time!).  Sister Cecelia mentioned to me that her bathroom bag was moved.  I noticed cupboard doors were opened in my room.  Then she noticed a slat had been taken out and someone had slipped their hand in.  In the end nothing was taken…I had important items with me and Sister locked her suitcase. 

Gary & Sho went up to their place and the door was jammed open at the lock and their laptops and one ipod were stolen.  Gary had a MacBook Pro with many photos on it.  Sho just had a borrowed junker.  Sho went and put in a report.  Two officers came to look & fill out the report.  Sho made everyone banana smoothies.  They are simply frozen bananas with a little water.  Yum.

That was the excitement for the evening.  All is well and the police said this has not happened in a while.  All is quiet now.

We keep losing power.  The winds at night must have taken down some limbs.  It is quite dark here when all the lights are out.

Training is very good.  It is not about the physical practice.  It is about self inquiry for ourselves and for our students.  Many psychological elements and more about yoga at a deeper level.  Thought provoking.

Did I mention that it is hot here?  Yep…like 93 degrees in the house now and high 80s tto low 90s at night.  We usually get a breeze however most of the time sweat runs down your face and we take like 2 showers a day.  I am loving the fresh veggies and fruit that we buy off of the farmers truck.  I eat a half of a papaya everyday, 1-2 mangoes, avocados…and of course bananas and watermelon.  I feel like I am on a raw foods diet…occasionally I eat an egg on my salad. 

Oh…yesterday I saw a tree with 5 mommy monkeys and their babies.  So sweet.  The howlers talk though out the night and we have a huge iguana that lives in the roof that I am listening to now. 

That’s about all for now.  I miss Vermont’s cool air and all of you.  love…diane    

Man, we miss her around here..

OK.. That’s it for now.
Nite everyone.. nite to you sam (and thanks)
-me

Wednesday night – snow and flooding

Another long day. I feel I’ve been dragged into a near impossible task at work.. bu I’m masochistically enjoying it somehow.   I stood at the counter and worked form 8 thill about 7.. with only one break for a run midday.. Everything had been covered with snow last night.. and the river was still at flood. It was a cool combo.   Wait.. make that two breaks, I did have a 30 minute conversation with a precocious 10 year old girl from Virginia (i think) named Kaleela. Kaleela is an expert on monarch butterflies.. she wants to design a system to track their migration> Her mom wrote the chairman of ibm for help.. and his office asked me. We’ve spoken three times now.. and i tell you.. this kid is amazing. She knows everythign about butterflies.. and has been researching chip technology for the tracking. Things like this make my job fun..
   Gabe’s home now .. we’re both kinda moping around the house because we have too much work.. but at least its fun to complain .   I’m goign to go bug him now..

That’s it for now.. more tomorrow
nite all, nite sam
-me

Tuesday night – under water

Oy. today was tough.. long work day, difficult meetings until 7pm. Worked until 10.. Not at all what I want to be doing while Gabe and I are here alone. We did break for a couple of  hours and go out to eat.. I don’t know how we usually figure out what to cook.. but somehow Diane alwyas has an idea. I don’t need her to go away  for us to realize how wonderful she is.. but it certainly reminds me how much she does to keep things goign around here.

One interesting neighborhood thing is that the rain over the last two days has the Winooski well over it’s banks. There’s a lake in the field across from us. It’s no where near the house, but it’s higher than I’ve seen it in a couple of years. We’ll keep an eye on it for the next day or so..

Diane called again today and talked to Gab.She sounds like she’s doing great !.. The program she’s on sounds fun. One great thing we got to relay to her today is thta our nephew Michael and his Mate had a baby boy last night , Austin Micheal. Mom, Kid and dad are doing great .. . Welcome baby Austin !

Anything else ? Hmmm. Oh.. Nick S just published this entry in a contest to get Google to bring Fiber Optic to the House in Vermont. .Good job, Nick  It’s cute.. and it’s nice to find an issue that the Governor and I agree on (just kidding  🙂

Monday night – my peeps

Insanely busy day.. and it looks like it’s going to be that way for the next 3 weeks.. ugh.. I was on the phone or texting folks for work from 8am till about midnight.

Crazy start to the day, too. I set my alarm to 6L30 PM . instead of AM.. luckily Chai came in and scratched on the door at 7 askign for her food.. good dig !

I did take off   the evening to cook dinner wiht Gabe and Kristin.. we had a hard time firgureing out what to cook.. but we decided to go with a theme.. and tonights’ theme was ‘weird’

Gabe and I randomly bought a box of FuFu mix.. it’s some sort of African potato glop.. and thats exactly what it tasted like.. ..

On the back was a recipe for peanut butter soup.. so we made that too (it was delicious) .   We also made paninis which were great.

It was wonderful sitting ddown to eat like a human..

After dinner we decided to do a ritual sacrifice of an Easter peep.. If you haven’t tried this, you mist !

First put one peep on a plate..

Put it in the microwave and set the timer for 2 min or so..

turn the sucker on .. and watch !

It’s the incredible hulk peep !

But take it out.. and it’s hge ego deflates leaving a gooey slimy blob.. a cute one at least.

I feel like that peep right now.. so I’m going to bed..

Oh.. I had a great talk with Diane.. she’s really enjoying her program.. here’s anotehr dispatch from down south ..

Hi Everyone…

The program called “inner quest” started last night.  There are 32 participants from all walks of life….all yoga teachers although some may not be teaching at this time.  It is such an honor to be in Don & Amba Stapleton’s prescence again.  They are great human beings and totally compliment each other.  Don is this deep fun loving yogi who truly believes in finding the yoga within ourselves.  Amba is a kick ass yoga flow teacher who speaks her  mind (and swears!) and just the right moments.  The seem ageless to me however they are are probably in their 60’s.  Amba puts everyone to task when it comes to push ups.  Outstanding experience thus far.

 We begin with a 6-8 am class.  Starting tomorrow there is an optional meditation at 5:15.  We have break from 8-11.  Today we walked to town (10 minutes ) and got fruit and veggies from the veggie truck.  They come twice a week.  I have just finished breakfast of half a papaya with yogurt banana and mango on top.  Yum.

Our more active leaning session then is 11-2.  That happens next.  Another break from 2-6:30 then back to an evening session of 6:30-9:00.

I am happily into the heat.  It did take time to get accustomed.  Thank you Beckett for getting me here earlier.  I normally would not have done that.  Last night was warm and I moved me bed right under the fan.  Usually it is cooler and breezier after midnight.

Gary…called Garunda by Sho…is the animal/reptile repositioner.  Another roommate Lori arrived late last night.  She was greeted by a scorpion in her shower.  Gary did the honors of moving it.  Exciting.

Well…I am off to cool off in the pool before we return to class.  Kathy, I hope you get this email.  I did not have your email before.

Love to all!   …diane

that’s it for now..
Nite folks.. nite Sam
-me

ps. Johnny V from the colony sent me this JibJab made video of the colony cast.. note that I wast chosen for this vid.. I guess I’m not with the cool kids…

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!