Very busy day with two nice breaks. I joined my friend and mentor Chris A for a late lunch. Like a dummy I forgot my wallet (sure you did, John :-).. so I got treated. It was really good catching up with Chris. 

Rest of the day was full of meetings from current job and next.. it’s starting to get a little crazy.. I’m still enjoying both.. so thats good. 

I had to stop at 5:30 to welcome friends.. Tonight we went to a concert at the Richmond Free Library.. Our friend Letitia (Lucy’s daughter) played a  concert with her Stellaria Trio . Stelaria I just learned is the genus of the Chickweed family. 

Lucy, Victor and their friends  Cynthia , Loretta, Manet, Dom and,.. (dang.. cant remember her name) . all came to eat at our house before the concert . We had Diane’s  wonderful eggplant fake lasagna.. I say ‘fake’ because the eggplant plays the role of the noodles. it was so good !.. We also had eggplant capanade.. (which was my dad’s favorite). I’m kinda allergic to eggplant.. makes my mouth bleed.. but these were so tasty it was well worth it.. besides.. the blood makes it somehow tastier. 

 

Great old friends, new friends and conversation .. got almost 3/4 the way through dinner until ‘he who must not eb named’ name came up  

 

 

freon there a short drive to the Richmond Free Lbrary for the concert

 

the program was Beethoven and Dvorak (one of my favorites) 

letitia warms us up

 

it was a great performance.. a well earned standing ovaion at the end 

 

Letitia’s viulin is from 1840. and it’s on loan from the VT Violin Shop.. 

it’s worth .. (drumroll please)… 

$350,000

 

gulp 

 

Here it is modeled by Viktor . 

 

the viloin was foudn in an attic by the grandkids of a woman who had recentl died. she’d gotten it as a gift in 1904

here’s letitia’s score.. never can beleive that somone can read this !

 

 

now home..and a  blanket of fresh snow.. 

 

 

don’t we realize this is spring ? 

 

nite all, nite sam

-me

 

I apologize for not posting anything last night. it was a really , really crazy day.. 

it related to 3 bands.. including these two 

let me start this post by saying that I’m fine.. and healthy…

 

It all started with a greater dinner with my good friend Jared. We went to Honey Road an amazing Mediterranean place downtown at the corner of church and main.. Cant believe I’ve never been there. 

 

 

from there we headed over to Higher ground . I gave them my ticket.. and got the first band.. a green one aroudn my wrist whic said I was of drinking age. 

We were there to see Mike Gordon Band.. (this .. now band 2)   . We know Mike and his band so we wnt backstage for a bit to say hi.. Saw Mike, his mom, Richard, Sue.. Also ran into some other old  friends Liggy. Kyle, Craig, Tyler  and of courswe Friday !

 

 

On the way out.. I noticed the REEL waitign to be launched. Colin built this as version 2 of the EEL project we did for Mike many years back. I wrote soem of the code for the REEL.. so I was eager to see it work.. but I didnt get the chance (foreshadowing) 

 

 

We went front of house when the band started playing and caugth the first set.. They sounded good and tight. 

Then it was intermission.. and thats where the third band came in.. the hospital bracelet..

Iwas near the bar at the back hanging out with my friends Jared and Ryan.. and enjoying their  company.. when all of a sudden I started feeling a little funky.. kind of faint.. then things started to get a little dark.. and I felt really hot.. I told my friends I was heading outside.. ant next thing I know .> Jared is leaning over me.. I’m on the floor and he’s waking me up to see if I was ok .. I was ok.. or thought so.. he helped me up.. and we started to go outside.. then again.. Next thing I know he’s waking me up again. but this time i’m out in the lobby. Id’ passed out again.

The nice folks at higher ground got me to a chair and got me some water.. . In abut 2 minutes I felt absolutely fine !.. 

though I was a little freaked out. I called diane.. and she suggested.. correctly of course.. that I get my self to the hospital to get checked out. 

 

Jared and ryan walked me out to Jareds car.. and off we went to the hospital. By then I felt 100% normal.. I checked my self in.. whiel Jared hung out with me. A bit later Diane and Gabe showed up.   FO\or the next 3 hours I got poked and prodded, EKGed blood pressured, standing sitting.. blood tested.. everything. (bp 95/65 heart 63 BPM, EKG normal, normal sugar, blood tests normal  etc)  The folks at FAHC emergency room were so awesome. I felt knida foolish being there by that point as I really did feel fine. by about 1 AM the Emergency room doc agreed with me.. I was fine..   He said i’d had a vasovago syncope . Not uncommon.   could be caused by a heddy topper on top of mild dehydration ….  By 1:30 we were on our way home. 

 

TOday I felt absolutely 100% fine.. went for a run.. etc. I’m goign to check in with my GP to see if there’s anything else we need to test, but for now.. i’m good to go.

Interesting day.. no ? 

 

niote all, nite sam

-me

 

Drove home today from Boston through rain and snow.. didn’t quite make yoga.. but made dinner afterwards. It was a big crowd.. 16 of us !. .. Diane had made Tom Ka (Tai coconut soup).. Coincidentally our friend Kiki had made Thai drunken noodles. SO it turned into a spontaneous Thai feast !

 

here’s Kiki.. SHe’s from Thailand.. she was married ot our friend Ed who died recently. She’s such a sweet woman. 

 

here’s her grand neice Namo.. who’s an awesome kid. 

 

I love having freinds around

nite all. nite sam

-me

 

Back down in Cambridge again.  . SPent time on Campus digging in to my new role. . As I woandered around I came across many thing that took me back to my time here 40 years ago.. like…

under these stairs is (or was) the isotope storage vault. It’s where I got the Americium 241 I used for my undergraduate thesis.   . Based on what I saw in that vault.. I’m not sure I’d ever want to sit on those stairs for long. 

 

Here’s one of the rooms in the Student center. I once gave blood here.. then passed out when I jumped up to helpe an older guy who was falling.. 

 

and here’s 10-250.. the site of many of my larger freshman classes.. the biggest lecture hall on camps I believe. 

\

 

and here is the time/temp in Harvard square.. the first place I’d ever seen a thermometer read 0 degrees Franeeheit..

 

that was insanely cold for a guy from texas.. now it doesn’t phase me at all !

 

the reason I was in Harvard squre was to meet up with my freinds CHarles adn Heather.. 

THey just told me they’re getting married next year !!!!

yay !!!

that calls for Sushi !!!!

 

it’s nice to be back-ish !

nite all, nites sam

-me