All posts by johncohn

Thursday night – pictures

I spent the evening finishing of the plaque that  Homer and Jen helped us build for the Sam Cohn Musical Soul Award at MMU. In the Musical Soul Award, we give away a guitar every year to someone who could use one. The contestants for the award have all been nominated by a friend or teacher. Tomorrow morning at 9AM we go to MMU and pick the name o the winner out f a hat. that way Sam gets to choose.   Last year Meghan G. won and  picked out a sweet electric. It’ll will be great to see who wins this year.

Tomorrow we’re bringing a plaque to remind  people of the award.. and bring a little of Sam in to the school.. The plaque has a small screen which will have a bunch of pictures of Sam.. I’ve spent the evening staring at these pictures.. I really like looking at them.. I think you all ill like them too:


what can you say after that. .. other than good night friends.. Good night Sam !
-me

wednesday night – carfull of squid

Hey folks… I’m in the car trying to blog on my phone. Don’t worry, Max is driving. Due to a change in his travel plans I had to drive down to albany to meet his train. Believe it or not… I really enjoyed the unexpected 3 hour drive. Since sams passing I find that I crave down time like that..

I met up with max in downtown albany about 9 on. We picked up some Chinese food for the road. I’m wearing half of it now and…the car smells like squid in garlic sauce…and every part of me is sticky and gross. Max is playing some bizarre spoken word rap poetry (sage francis_ at high volume and we’re talking about cosmology

…… It really doesn’t get much better than this ! Seriously

Ok…. I gotta stop looking dow at my phone.. So…that’s it for tonight. Love you all.. Love you sam

-me

Tuesday evening – great company

I’m almost too sleepy to write.. less than 7 hours sleep in the last two days.. My first meeting today was to give the opening lecture to this years crop of interns. (aren’t they cute ?!)

As in past years, I do about half related to my day job.. that usually puts them to sleep.. and about half relating to my education outreach  stuff. which wake them back up

This morning I talked quite a bit about my family and Sam’s passing. II put that in the context of needing to really think about the balance and priorities you have in your life .. and the importance of finding and feeding your passion.  I know that that part of the conversation changed the tone of my talk.. but it’s something I really can’t not talk about.

The rest of my day went by in a blur.. my calendar was jam packed.. and I managed to get a ton done. One cool thing that happened was that I got a copy of the cool One IBM  video that they produced for the CTRE event. This will be  used all over the world to promote the reach and scope of  IBM. My friend Doug had told me that there was a SamStone picture hidden in it somewhere.. I looked and looked.. but couldn’t find it..   Can you see it ?

He then told me the secret.. if you watch the movie above.. in high resolution on a large screen you’ll notice that the band around the earth has a series of pictures moving across it..   Here’s the series of pictures…

Is that a great company or what.. OK.. I gotta sleep now.. Gnite all.. Gnite Sam

-me

Monday night – music therapy

I just gotta sleep.. I only got about 4 hours last night. and it looks like I’ll only get 5 tonight. I have to be at work early to give a talk and demo to a bunch of new summer hires… so I’ll make this short. Today was insanely busy.. one of those days when I forget that I’m not the same as I used to be and load up too much stuff to do.. Lots of fun and interesting stuff.. just too much of it. Thankfully I was able to catch most of Diane’s yoga class.. That was a good chill out exercise in an otherwise insane day. 
   To top it off I had a ticket to see Dark Star Orchestra tonight..  Dark Star is IMHO the best Grateful Dead tribute band. They go around th e country playing entire Grateful Dead shows, song for song, note for note. It really is like seeing the Dead (but these guys might be better musicians). I never miss them when they come through..   I bought the ticket before considering the res of my day.. sounded like a good idea when I got it… so at around 8:30 I got back in the car and drove back to South  Burlington.. I started to perk up as I walked into the show..   I found thie bumper sticker appropriate outside a Dead cover show

As always.. the band gave a great show… 2 songs in and I was transformed. live music is one of the best soul therapy’s I know.. Live music has away of taking me right into the moment.. I actually broke down during a couple of songs.. I was so happy and/or sad to be listening to good music..

At one point the music was screaming and everyone was dancing.. and I felt for that moemnt  completely free… I tried to capture what it was like.. and strangely.. my camera seems to have gotten it about right..

If any of you are dead-heads.. The set list as I remember it was:

Promised land
Tennessee
El Paso
Peggy-o
Friend of the Devil
Jack straw
Lazy lightening
Candyman
New New Mingle Wood Blues
Brown eyed woman
The Music never stopped
Samson and Delilah
Ship of Fools
Estimated Prophet
Eyes of the World
True Love
Terrapin Station

I made a pact with myself that I’d leave the show at 12:30 whether they were done or not.. I kept my word and walked out at 12:30 before they were done.. It was OK.. I’d heard enough and redeemed my day..   I recommend live music for whatever ails you folks.. Gnnte for now.. Gnite Sam..
-me