Monthly Archives: June 2013

Saturday night – carbon offset

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I spent the entire day hanging out with Diane doing as little as possible.. We did venture away from home twice. once for a very fast 3 mile hike around preston pond.. Very fast just to stay ahead of the mosquitos which were out in force.. and once to go restart the floorish piece after a power outage in Burlington.. and to drop off my jolts and volts equipment at work. That was a fascinating trip if only oto see the extent of the flooding in burlington.. soem of the city streets were under several inches of water. The firehouse gallery had water in its basement.. and IBM had water in the halls.. amazing weather…

As we drove around, diane and I compared notes on our week.. I’d been in boston, ny, illinois, Ct and back.. I’d slept in 5 differnt beds, been on several planes, and driven over a thousand miles..My carbon footprint is horrible..

Diane had not left the driveway once in 4 days.. she’d been hanging out working in the garden, eating from the garden  and taking hikes all week. We realized that she is my carbon offset .. the more I travel for work, the more she stays home to kharmically make up for my horrible carbon footprint

I am lucky to have her.. (and not just for her low carbon)

nite all, nite sam

-me

 

Friday night – kids today

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Back in vermont after being in a different hotel room for each of the last three nights. Whirwind busy week.. but totally fun  and very interesting from a work perspective.

 

My flight into white planes was almost 2 hours late.. so that I got in around midnight… I didn’t trust making a 5 hour drive, so I got a hotel in Connecticut.. Good choice. I actually managed to get a few hours sleep before starting again for home early this morning..   I had a fll day of phone meetings.. so the drive time was quite perspective.. but by the time I got home in late afternoon i was really beat.

I had to rally everything i had to get back in the car and shlepp down to UVM for tonight’s Governors Institute finale.. Every year  i do an electricity show for the GIV Engineering program  for my friends Tom, Beth and Ann.. I think I’ve done it for 10 years.. this year was one of the best crop of kids.. they were high school kids from all over the country and a few from outside of the US.

It’s always hard adjusting my show for older kids. they know tons more stuff.. but they are harder to engage .. this group was really great.. they new their science.. and they were a ton of fun..   I was talking to my friend Joe who was there working on robotics with he kids.. he confirmed what I’d been thinking.. kids are getting better at hands on stuff.. things like FIRST and the internet maker sites are giving more kids a maker experience earlier in their careers..   i suspected (and hoped) it was happening.. but today was the first time a teacher had confirmed

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After the show, we went out in the parking lot and played ‘flamethrower’

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Then back to the dorms for a quikc brithday party for one of the kids (tristan).. IMG_1314 IMG_1316 IMG_1317 IMG_1319 IMG_1320

It was great doing the show.. being  with these lids/young adults restores my confidence that humanity is going to be fine.. !

Now I need to get some sleep.. more tomorrow

 

nite all, nite sam

-me

 

Thursday night – flat

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Sitting in ohare airport ready for my flight to white planes. Really good meeting today with some very smart people. we were on the seventh floor of a building and that gave me a good perspective on how Chicago differs most from vermont..

Its flat !!!

It was pouring as we drove to the airport but has miraculously cleared all of a sudden..

 
 
 
 
A far cry from the weather last night when i flew in

Hey.. I thim were boarding.. More tomorrow…

Nite all, nite sam

-me

 

Wednesday evening – take your kid to HQ day

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Im sitting in the white planes airport crammed into a small room with about 400 other people whos planes are delayed.. Its like the old bangalore airport, but the food in the waiting room isnt as good, and the folks aren't as cheerful

Im down here for a series of work meetings.. The most improtant of which was with 60 kids 12 and under.They were all visiting Armonk as part of 'take your kids to work day.' It was like take your kids to work in any other site.. Except that all the kids owere in pinstripe suits.. (Not !).. Actually the kids were great.. Hey were the to see a couple of talk, my electricity shpiel and some other very cool stuff.. Like these birds of prey.. (The bird handlers husband is an ibmer !)

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This is the third time that I've done a show here in HQ.. It was great seeing so many old friends with kids in tow.. It brought back some nice memories.. I remember being her about 12 years ago with all three boys. I remember Sam being really sick.. While i was unloading my gear, he was out in the bushes near the loading dock getting sick… Like always, he shook it off and came in smiling !
It's funny that a memory like that could be so sweet now…
Nute all, nite sam
-me