Damn.. I knew it. I woke up feeling pretty yucky.. I’d brought a covid test just in case. .. Uh-oh

 

Now what ?!.. I’m supposed to give a talk to 100 customer execs in a few hours.. and tonight I’m supposed to be in DC for an award ceremony .

IBM is sponsoring one of my hero’s induction into the Inventors Hall of Fame. Sh’es Lynn Conway the mother of modern chip design.Lynn was being reconized for her invention of the first scalable composition system for VLSI (very large integrated Circuit) design.  I and thousands of others learned from  Lynns book hw simple abstractions of semiconductor devices could make chip design scalable, automatable and reliable. Lynne is also   a trans woman and a passionate activist in support  of LBTGQ rights.  I’ve gotten to know her recently by phone where we’ve been dicussing our project OnBoard  abotu gettign kids to fall in love qith electronics by making fun printed circuit boards.    I was so sad not to be able to attend to congratulate Lynne for this big award. 

I couldn’t do either of those things while testing positive for covid. I quickly told both groups that I couldn’t attend todays events, . I  canceled my flight to DC and back to BTV> canceled  my hotel in DC ., rented a car to drive back hoe as not to infect anyone, checked out of my boston hotel , picked up the car and started driving back to Vermont. 

I made a deal with the IBM fols that I could still give my talk remotely. Unfortunately the hotel wouldn’t let me check out late enough to do it from there, so I planned to do it on the way home somehow..

Around 11 I found a McDonalds with free wifi, got out my presentation and dialed in . It wnet as well as a remote presentation from a car could go. the Audio connection was a little wobbly.. an dit hard to give a fun and funny talk remotely when you can’t read your audience. Anyway. we got through it. I was very sorry not to have done this in person. I was really looking forward to it !

A few hours later I got home.. I took the car back to the airport and headed to the yoga space to isolate myself from Diane and our friend Linda who’s up visiting. 

I swallowed some paxlovid we’d  gotten as a precautio for our Italy trip . THen  diane and linda fixed me a plate of delicious treats.. and we all went outside to eat around the fire.. I stayed a good distance away. 

By that time I was feeling pretty sick. I went up to the yoga space and fell instantly asleep with a high fever

I know it sounds weird. but it was actually a kind of fun day.. I like that sort of challenge.. Its fun to think on your feet.. even if they’re feeling wobbly at the moment

Hopefully I’ll feel better tomorrow. 

nite all. nite sam

-me