Hellow from beutiful Poughkeepsie New york (I just love writing Poughkeepsie.. Poughkeepsie, pouhgkeepsie.. who named this place.. ?)

I’m down here for a very fun (really) two day work meeting… .. The catch is.. the meeting started at 9ish this morning.. and I needed to stay in VT last night to watch the latest episode of The Colony. As is our new habit, we all crowded into Jen and Jim’s living room to watch one of the few Discovery channel receiving TV’s in our social circle. It’s getting to be quite a party each time.. I love it !..  It’s so much fun watching the show then filling in the folks with the stuff they missed (Cynthia.. giving nothing important away.. relax 🙂   I really liked ast nights episode.. it was really intense.. but I do have a couple of reservations.. First.. I’m kinda sad that the science builds are getting such a light treatment.. it’s generally just 1 or 2 shots then voila.. it works.. ! .. I would love to see more teaching involved.. about the science behind the builds.. I would gladly sacrifice some of the ‘drama’.. maruaders, yelling etc to do that.. That said, many folks.. including the women on the cast feel that we’re focusing too mcuh on the buuild. I guess if both of us are a little dissatisfied.. then maybe the show’s right where it should be 🙂 . I did learn that the ratings continue to rise.. 1.6 Million housholds.. making it the number two show on pay cable for men age 18 to 49 (!!!!).. Therein lies my second sadness .. The show seems to be catering mostly to males.. For some reason our women colonists are always protrayed as working in the kitchen, or laundry.. even though the were working on the  builds along side us  every day. Amy made the lift for  the water to the shower, the emergency ladder, the fish trap. Morgan worked with me on the gassifier and water filter.. she and I built a monster air cannon and a brick bread overn. she also made our first goat cheese.  and she helped me build the case for the solar tracker. Alison and I built a stethoscope.. and she helped me build a sphignometer (blood pressure thingy)..  I do know it’s hard to edit all the stuff that’s covered in a week. . and I really do feel that the production folks are doing a great job of balancing things. I just wish some more of this women-built stuff was making it into the show every week.  THE  COLONY WOMEN ROCK !

As soon as the show was over last night it was home to bed. I needed to wake early for my drive down to POK. I went to bed around 12:15 and woke up at 3:30 AM.. I quickly showered and headedd out the door. It was just after 4 when I ran into Max and Gabe coming in from juping on the tramp .. it was 4:08 AM.. It was fun gettign to hug them goodm moring/ good night before I headed out on the road.

The 5 and a hlaf our drive was very easy.. I talked to Morgan. Alison and George for nearly an hour.. they were still at a party at Allison’s house.. all.. uh.. a little.. tipsy shall I say.. OK>. really s**t faced if truth be told.. it was so much fun talking to them about the latest show.. I love those guys..

I spent the resto of the time on verious phone calls with Australia and India which made the time travel quickly. Before I knew it i was in POK in time for my meeting.
It was a great all day session. I wll say this.. being in a room with smart technical folks reminded me a gain that there is no substitute for a good face to face meeting.   We tend to forget that with all our dependence on teleconferences, web conferences, facebook, myspace, etc..

After the meeting we went out for a beer at a local saloon. I was goofing around turning the TV’s on and off ith my super TV-B-Gone when I got spotted by these guys.. Turns out that the middle person had attended one of my teacher talks in Poughkeepsie last month. All three were Colony watchers. It was great talking to them.. It is pretty odd these days, though. Everywhere I’m going folks want to ask about the show.. It’s fun and creepy at the same time.

OK.. I htink that’s it for tonight.. I nede to sleep. Good night everyone.. sleep well. Nite Sam !
-me

Typical day for me.. started with a bit part in a movie for work… playing an evil sorcerer

Worked my **** off all day.. on the phone and in person meetings from 7:30 till 6:30.. then home.  The big news in our family today is Gabe’s new braces… a right of passage to be sure. I  remember my whole adolescence was measured out by orthodontia.    Gabe seems to look good in his..

We’re now over at Avery’s ready to watch the 5th episode of The Colony. I still think it’s a riot that we have to go to neighbors to watch the show..  It’s getting really strange for me to walk around town.. most folks know abotu the show ow.. and i feel a strange mix of pride, amusement and embarrassment of the attention… I’m not comfortable with the attention… but I like it sometimes too.  I tell folks that I’m an introvert disguised as an extrovert.. no one believes me.. but they should. It’s very weird reading the stuff in the blogs about the show.. and about me.. Some of it’s critical and you  need to have thick skin.  Occasionally there’s some really gratifying stuff. I love how many kids are writing me about their interest in engineering and science.. I’m getting several every day at this point.   Occaisonally there’s just some really bizarre things..   For example.. today I saw the following post on the The Colony Facebook page

Xxxxxx Xxxxxx: 

John

C. is the best….It’s no wonder he’s voted favorite colonist on the

official website….I named my garden Gnome after him as a tribute….I

just hope my Gnome keep it’s clothes on next time it rains.

OK.. gotta get ready to wattch.. I’ll let you know what I think of this episode tomorrow. I ned ot go to sleep right after this.. I need to drive to NY tomorrow at 4AM. If you’re up at that time.. give me a call on my cell.. it’ll be fun to talk !

OK.. Nite for now everyone.. Nite Sam
-me