Tuesday night – ground hog day

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

Monday night 0 smarter water

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

Sunday night – out of the loop.

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

  

 

Saturday night – winter ball

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