Today was my first day of work for 2012…as it was for most folks. .. It felt like the first day of school … I got my notebook together.. found a fresh pen…sat down at my desk.. .. then proceeded to do all the same things I was doing last year… paw through my mail, puzzle at my calendar, fumble around for todo slips of paper forget to water my poor plant (see below) .. wait.. rewind… … isn’t this a time for fresh starts ? How many opportunities do you get like this ? A totally blank (!!!) calendar.. a clean white board.. four new shirts ! Hey.. maybe I can create an entirely new ‘me’ !…
Trouble is.. I kinda liked the old me… I guess we’ll just have to see what this year brings for me.. and my poor potted freinds
nite all, nite sam
-me
p. I apologize for any missing ‘s’s above.. I seemed to have been uing my laptop in the lab while machining.. the keyboard is full of metal turnings.. ouch..
Its almost 1:30 and Ive just come in from the lab. It was my last day of vacation and I have been trying to get done two projects I promised Id do for friends. One is a micro controller driven smoke machine, sound player and light show thingy for Chriss jet pack. The other is a set of three random timer relays to drive some motorized artwork for homer . They both are doing a show that opens at the flynndog this Friday and theyre both scurrying to get done in time. I love helping on these art projects. Its so different than my own work.
Tomorrow starts. New year at work…. Ive been thinking a lot about what I want to get done this year . Above all I want to be useful and make an impact . Im pretty psyched about the way things are looking. Ill keep yall posted as to how its going
For now… Gotta sleep
Note all, note Sam
Happy 2012 everyone.. there.. that’s the first time I’ve had to type it… and I got it right ! A fresh beginning. I love this time of year just like I love empty notebooks and unsharpened pencils.. it’s still just all possibilities.. I’m filled with resolve to do good in this year.. but no resolutions per sec. I want to keep at my goals which are:
be a fun and loving X (where X= dad, husband. son, neighbor, community member, coworker.. etc)
have abundant good health
do work that is meaningful and fun
give back to the world
find peace in my life
In my end of year stock taking I think I’m doing pretty well on 1, 2 and 4.. and I need to improve on 3 and 5.. all in all not a bad place ot start the year..
… and we’ve had a good start on the year.. Gabe decided about 3PM yesterday that he was going to have some kids over for new years.. w had planned to have a quiet evening at home…. instead.. we had about 35 kids.. come for new years and midnight breakfast. It was really fun hanging out with Gabe’s friends.. they’re really nice kids..
After toasting in the new year with a Tesla version of Auld Lang Syne ..
we all sat down for a big breakfast..
Diane and I wereasleep by 2.. and I slept until 9:30.. not a bad way to start the year !
. It’s been a really great break. I had good hanging out time with Diane. Max and Gabe.. and got to spend time making stuff with both boys.. . now comes the job of easing off vacation. Good luck with your own transition everyone.. hope it’s a good and productive year for you and yours !
It’s about 6:3 on new year’s eve and the house is momentarily quiet. In an hour or so our house will be full of people. Gabe is having a few friends over which will take us into the new year.. I’m glad we’re spending the new year here.. it’s been about 3 days since I got more than 4 hours sleep.. but.. still.. it’s been a really fun and relaxing break.. a great end to a pretty eventful.. and overall, pretty good year.. (more end of year reflections later)
We got home around 11 AM after a very quick down and back to replace max on the boat.. It was great having him up here for the week.. We got to the boat around 2:00 yesterday. Max hasn’t had a key to his room for months, he had to pick the lock. I don’t know if I’m more disturbed that my kid doesn’t have a key to his own room.. or that I’m more proud that he can pick locks that much better than I can.. I think it’s the latter. His room held many treasures.. including his new adopted milk snake… ( grew up with coral snakes.. I had to o the color thing really quick before I handled the snake.. red and yellow kill a fellow.. red and black.. lucky jack)… We did get to see Jac.. .. which is always wonderful.
I then headed in to the midtown to see my friends Jeff and Michelle.. then met Diane and her yoga friend Sho, Max, Jac and Meredith for a great Thai dinner.. Getting to that dinner involved Sho ably navigating us through the crowds at Time Square.. which even the day before new years was way too much for me..
After dinner we retired to the boat for a reenactment of the last night of CHanukah.. about 3 days late.. Max had received a menorah from a drive by Chabad guy who noticed his ‘jewfro’
We took advantage of the burning candles of the menorah to test out the robotic slider Max and I designed and built over the break.. I stuck my iPhone on the carriage and took this..
Diane and I then retired to the car around 11 and got a few hours sleep before starting the ride home around 4L30 AM..
THe drive back was a great time to reflect on the year.. as always, since Sam’s passing, our measure of time and events is measured differntly.. I know that many folks will measure the year by world events, or the economy.. For me .. I’m feeling blessed that my family is doing OK.. my kids are doing well and following their passions. i have a wonderful life companion in Diane.. and I live in a beautiful part of the world. . I know the world is not perfect.. our family and friends have had their share of challenges with work health and the economy and there is stil strife and injustice in the world… Even so, I’ve learned a very good lesson in a very hard way.. be grateful for what you have.. and for the beauty you can see in the world.. and I am.. and I do..
all the best to you and yours for 2012 !
Happy new year all.. happy new yar to you , Sam.. we feel you strongly on days like this !
