Im down in westchester county ny tonight on my way down to a meeting in nyc tomorrow. Im camped at my friends chandu and patti’s because i didn’t feel like driving into the city tonight. The trip down today was an interesting contrast. It was the first time id listened to the radio since the tragedy in sandy hook on friday.. For several hours i heard various bits of news and analysis about the shooter, the victims and the community . My heart grieves for them.. Alone in the car, i lost it for awhile.. One of the descriptions they had of the principle reminded me of a line in sams obit and i started crying… It had been waiting for me for two days and it had to come out… A few minutes later i looked up and realized i was driving through the town.. I was in sandy hook ct… I hadn’t even known where it was.. And there i was… I sent as much love out there as i could as i drove by the exit..

Only 30 minutes later i was in a room full of friends at a holiday party at my good friends ruchir and rashi’s . The house was warm and festive.. And full of kids…the contrast was dazzling.. I spent a very nice couple of hours catching up with friends, talking about our families, about work.. And about everyday stuff..

In a few short miles I’d driven from darkness to light But its the way it has to be.. The world moves on from tragedy.. It. Has to… We have to… Lets wish the folsk who need it strength and peace… At the same time, lets hold our friends and family close this holiday and send as much love out into the universes as we can. Thats the only way to push back the dark.

Nite all, nite sam
-me

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I don’t think I’ve ever mention this here but I’m a member of my alma maters education council.. Or EC.. As its called at MIT. That means that every year i have the job of interviewing 2-4 high school students fromVermont that want to go to MIT. The idea is to both give the admissions office a personal view on each candidate.. And to let the candidate ask some questions about MIT. Its a job i enjoy and take very seriously. I love MIT And think everyone should go there… That said.. Its not the best place for everybody. There are lots of good schools that allow for a more rounded education .. The ‘tute majors in science and engineering.. If you want to major. N literature.. It might not be the perfect place.. But if you want hardcore.. Creative, collaborative, crazy all night thinking and ,making.. Theres simply no better place in my opinion…
Tats why i so enjoy talking to the would-be students, in the past 2 weeks I’ve had the pleasure and privilege to interview four of them. They’ve all been very, very good.. They’ve had near perfect math sat scores.. They’ve aced their classes… Some have already been taking college math and science classes… .but they are not one dimensional automatons.. Far from it.. They’ve been athletes, student council presidents, musicians…teen models (yes…. And she wants to go to mit !) .. 3 out of the four of them have been from the peoples republic of china .. Going to one of two different boarding schools in the Northeast kingdom.. Each of these exchange students has come to this country on their own to study english..and american thinking.. While im happy they like the American way of teaching… The apparent ease with which each of these students has sprinted through our education system makes me wonder just how our classes stack up…
Its both fun and humbling getting to spend an hour with these kids and understand what makes them tick,. They are at such a great juncture i n their lives.. Heir intellectual lives… Which have already been relatively full.. Are about to take off… Whether at MIT or one of the other fine schools that would be lucky to have them..
To tomorrow i need to sit down and write evaluation letters for each of these students.. Its a hard job.. . The funny thing is.. We’re not looking for test scores or aptitude.. Most folks who apply have about the same score.. The form asks about engagement, joyfulness, personal qualities (like curiosity and interests) and context..
MIT weighs these EC evaluations very heavily in admissions. I know that a poor report.. Or even a poorly written report… from me will pretty much keep a student from being admitted. A good/well written eval can really help

I hope i can distill the essence of each of these very fine students and get it on to the short form in the best possible way… Wish me luck !

Nite all, nite sam
-me

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Sitting here miles away and feeling the tremors from the tragedy in Connecticut. Shock, anger, sadness, grief, frustration and the senseless nature of what happened. Were feeling The collective reaction of something so unimaginable that you can’t now help but imagine it.
Like everyone else.. Our hearts go out now to the kids, the parents, and the community.. For now and the hours, days …years and lifetime ahead i wish them all peace and support. Although we’ll never be able to predict or prevent all bad things from happening, i hope that in the days ahead we can all come together and think rationally what we can do to heal and do what we can to address the stuff in our culture that sparks tragedies like this..

Yu know .. Reading what i just wrote.. I realize that lots of folks will be thinking and writing like that now… Maybe it doesn’t help.. But i think theres great power in us all sending love to those folks down in Ct who need it very much right now…

Nite all, nite sam
-me

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