I’m actually in Sapporo… In the northern Heike Ido island of Japan. I’ve never been here. So far it looks like the other big Japanese cities but I’ve been in… But I like that. I always save it going did you paint is the closest thing you can do to visiting another planet.

I had quite an adventure getting from the airport to the hotel… It turns out that it was already late at night, the subway only takes cash… And all the ATMs seem to of been broken. I finally managed to get here including a grocery store stop… Where I puzzled over pictures of stuff… I settled for some canned eel and a salad

I love some of the strange translations

But not so great thing is that the hotel I picked which is the closest one to the venue has a broken air conditioner and it was 92°F here today. So I am trying to make it through the night and move to a new hotel in the morning… That said I’m happy to be here. More from Sapporo tomorrow

Nite all, nite Sam

-me

Woke up early this morning went for a run with Diane and went to the airport. Another quick trip to Japan. I don’t have much to report as even though it’s about 18 hours door to door… I fall into a really pleasant days. I really don’t think of much. I got some work done for some talks I have to give soon… I wrote some code. I cleaned out my inbox.

And I got some good sleep

Now I’m in Japan and technically it’s tomorrow already. So I’ll put those pictures there

Nite all, nite Sam

-me

Today was a beautiful spring day for most of the day. We chose the next day to celebrate spring pan to remember Sam’s birthday. He would’ve been 27. Every year we climb up Bolton Mountian and then come down to the house for a potluck and often for Samstone making

We got up to the mountain just before two. We had a really nice size group with us as we went up. It was pretty warm at the bottom but by the top there was still some snow

I went up to the fire tower to set off the fireworks else we always do and was surprised to see two head stick over the side a guy and a girl… I realized where I wasn’t wanted…. We went back down and I set off the firework near the top of the lift. It was a family there who had just lost their son Clark only a month and a half ago. We had a few quiet moments with them. It really Brought back that feeling. I hope we run into these guys again.

http://johncohn.org/base/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/img_0882.mov

We had to get down quickly because people were showing up at the house for yoga around four… Phil and Jim stop to pick up some snow for the Jim’s Sister Hazel Who hadn’t come on the hike

We got town a little late… But we had a great group for yoga… And after yoga we had the nicest potluck. It was a great group of people

We had our traditional red bull toast for Sam

Then everyone started making Sam stones

You could tell it was a good party because there was a lot to clean up

Our neighbor Bob brought us this picture he taken of our house last summer

OK… I got to catch a flight in the morning so better ended here.

It was great to get together to think of Sam… His actual birthday will be on Tuesday. I sure miss that kid

I love you my son

Night all, night Sam

-me

Busy work day .. but had that feeling of people easing out to a long weekend . It was nice .

Diane and i we’re taking the dogs out for a walk around 6:30 when our friends Tim and Jen drove by . They asked us if we wanted to go to the reservoir in Waterbury..

We have a personal commitment to say ‘yes’ when anyone asks us to do something .. so we were all in

Great meal, great conversation and a nice chance to look around Waterbury… hard to believe it was nearly destroyed by hurricane Irene just a few years back

It’s inspiring to see it so beautiful now

Nite all, nite sam

-me