All posts by johncohn

Thursday late night – Keepsake

Diane and I just got back from a great State Radio concert at Higher Ground. I just love seeing these guys.. so much music from three guys. Even better, their songs really have purpose. They sing about peace,justice, and love .. all things I’m in favor of.

The place was packed we ran in to several of our friends there.. there

were doubtless many more in the packed crowd near the stage. It was a

great vibe there.

 One thing that really adds to State Radio shows is that they always have a cause attached to them. This time, Chad was promoting the group ‘Calling all Crows’ The group he and Sybil formed to promote public service and fight injustice and violence against women. Calling all Crows has teamed up with the Anti hunger movement Oxfam to build steel stoves for the displaced women in Sudan. These stoves allow women to cook for their families and remain safe in their camps rather than having to leave their families to forage for fuel which exposes them to violence at the hands of roving soldiers. A donation of $20 buys one of these stoves for a  family.. Check out this vid to learn more

Check it out and consider helping out this cause..

It was a great show.. the band came out and did 2 songs for an encore.. The first was Keepsake, The song that Jane and Avery sang at Sam’s memorial. They dedicated it to Sam… someone had told them we were in the house.
THey’ve dedicated this song to Sam every time they’ve played here since he died. It’s such a wonderful honor.. We remember being in that same room wiht Sam listening to these guysjust a month before he died.. now it’s been .. 3 times ? maybe more ? Each time we’re a little stronger.. This time I listened to the band play Keepsake and was able to smile.. I’m greatful and amazed…

Well.. It’s almost 2.. gotta sleep. Thanks to Chad and freinds for their healing energy..
GNite all.. Gnite Sam.. your spirit is strong we love you

-me

Here’s the song Keepsake by Chad Stokes.

One gonna heal my body another gonna heal my pain
One gonna settle me down then bring me back up again

I’m gonna put my family back together again

One gonna hold my woman another gonna hold my job
One gonna help me get up, another gonna help me stop

One gonna help me talk right, one gonna lay me down to sleep

(Humming)

One gonna hold my thoughts and another gonna hold my bones
One gonna keep me warm and another gonna keep me cold

One gonna bring religion, right from a Coleman stove
One gonna help me keep em’ another gonna help me tame

One gonna run me down (Hell a bullets in my way)

You’re gonna keep my soul it was yours to have long ago

(humming)

I’m gonna buckle my belt around the ceiling pipe
I’m gonna buckle my knees and I’m gonna lock em’ up tight

I’m gonna hold a pen while you drag my arm across the page

One gonna hold my memories another gonna close the door
One gonna leave me restless another wanting more

You’re gonna keep my soul it was yours to have long ago

(Humming)

Here’s somone elses recording of them singing Keepsake at a differnt show.. just found it on youtube.. hope it’s ok to post here

Wednesday late night – nerd pride

11:59PM on Wed night.. just got home from NY

after a quick 24 hour trip down and back. it was a good and geeky day..

the meeting we ran today was really interesting and nerdy… in a good

way. I can’t go in to the topic here.. but I had the idea that I wanted

to do a little show and tell at the meeting… I mail ordered some

cool  sensor units that IBM builds for another company.. They’re very

cool chips that can talk to each other wirelessly.. I got them working

in the car ride down last night (don’t worry… I wasn’t driving). then

finished them up in my hotel room last night.. The result is a system

that can wirelessly monitor temp, humidity and light level in four

different locations..

It

was fun waling in to the meeting today with a piece of working

hardware.. even if we hadn’t designed it.. our company had helped make

it possible.. I love things you can actually touch and feel..

I

wasn’t the only nerd in out 8  hour meeting today.. I found at the very

end  that 4 out of the 10 folks in the room were from MIT..    That

realization happened when I spotted the tell-tale ‘brass rat’ …the

class ring with the MIT beaver mascot…  on the finger of Lloyd t.  

turns out that he, Steve, Dario and I were all alums.. we started to

geek out on field of study (6.1, 6.5, 8.1, 6.3     and where they

lived, Tang, Bexley. MacGregor   .. if you’re from MIT you’ll  know

what that all means.. )  I was proud and happy tobe around co-alums.

We

ended the meetign around 5L3 then Dave, Steve and I headed home.. On

the way, we stopped at the ‘Blue Colony’ diner.. had to eat tehre

because of the name !.. And Dave recommended it highly.. it’s a great

Greek place.. I had spanikopita, dolmas  and greek salad..it was enough

for 3 people !

Yies.. only 5 min of battery remaining.. better hit ‘post’ .. more tomorrow.. Nite folks !
Nite Sam !

-me

Tuesday night – World peace

Past midnight and I’m sitting in a hotel in Danbury CT. I just drove down with my freinds Dave and Steve…


It’s amazing how many of the world’s problems you can work out in a five hour car ride… with no interruptions…

I really like my freinds…… 

Too sleepy to write more..lots to do tomorrow.. Nite folks.. Nite Sam
-me

Monday night 0 Other people's stuff

Oy.what a day..everythign I touched today broke, went south, cracked,

shorted, kicked the bucket, fizzled, crapped out, had the radish,

flipped freaked out, or plain just didn’t work. Not sure what was up..

but it didn’t matter if it was a meeting, a concept, a piece of

hardware, my computer, my car.. etc.. nothing seemed to work.. It got

so bad that at the end of the day (5:45) I skipped a meeting and went

home to do Diane’s yoga class in order not to break anything else.

In

htta spirit.. I don’t dare try to put anything aroingal here tonight

for fear I’d screw it up.. Instead, I’ll give you a look at other

people’s stuff.. In this case, very special other people that I love..

meaning my son Gabe. and my baby sister Mary.. So.. first. ehre are

soem wicked cool pictures that gabe an his friend Dylan took last

Friday night.. they’re photos using multiple and time laps exposures..

with some colored LED’s that I gave them tossed in for fun..

I just think these things are brilliant  and creative … and so is Gabe !

And..

so is my baby sister Mary.. she sent me the following vid of her

neighborhood doign their annual Halloween Thriller thing.. Mary’s not

in there, but her business neighbor, Louis Erdrich.. who’s one of my

favorite authors is intthere dancing in a read dress with sparkly

things.. (I’ve read several of her books.. Love Medicine, The Beat

Queen, Master Butchers Singing Club, Paque of Doves, Tracks)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzVdjc8AuTs


..

OK.. I know better than to attempt to do anythign original tonight.. so I’ll stop here while I’m ahead..

Nite to all of you. note t you, too Sam

-me