Sunday night – Gratitude

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Today’s theme was gratitude.. I didn’t choose that theme exactly.. it was put in my head by a really wonderful yoga/essential oils seminar that Diane and Marci did today in the yoga studio.. It was 2 hours of yoga and meditation on the concept of gratitude.. .. the idea of counting your blessings.. There’s even a symbol for grattitude

 

There’s evidently a whole movement around it (with even a curious  movie to introduce it ) , I guess. the idea is that if you reflect often and deeply on the good in you’re life, you’ll be a happier person.. Makes perfect sense … That message isn’t new.. but the timing is good for us. there seems to be quite a bit of emotional swirl in the world now.. there certainly is in our circle of the world.. friends, family, work.. all in transition.. even so.. we find our selves in a calm place.. This month brings lots of emotions .. Sam’s death date coming up always pulls us inward and quiets us.. somehow though.. we’re in a good place.. grateful for the things we do have in our life.. good friends.. health.. loving family .. all things I have great gratitude for ..

Time for bed..

nite all, nite sam
-me

ps. Gabe won the Coach’s award for his JV soccer team at the team banquet tonight.. (yet another thing to be grateful for)

Saturday night – Ask us who we are

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Very slow day.. guess I need that.. aside from running.. the only step I took outside was to go to freind Bess O’brien’s local showing of her latest movie. “Ask us who we are”. Bess also did the play “the Voices Project” (2005) and the movie “Shout it out” (2007) that Max was in. I really admire Bess for her unique way of using film to drive social change..

“Ask us who we are”. is a movie about foster care in Vermont… and it’s told from a number of perspectives.. first from the perspective of the kids themselves.. but also from the foster parents. the birth parents and the folks in the system.

 

 

 

some of the stories were heartbreaking.. others were funny.. some were both.

This is Jess.. she was at the showing.. and is a really together and amazing person now.. it was really powerful hearing her speak …. I got to talk to her for awhile after the show.. she was really inspiring.. I found out  that she’s also my freind Joyce’s niece..

Several of the kids in the film were actually there at the screening which was so powerful.. it was great speaking with them…

 

The film is showing tomorrow in Essex and next week in St J and Burlington. You can get info on the tour at the Kingdom County Website here:

At tonights screening I learned that te film is now being used in trainings for all the Dept of Family and Childerens Services new hires.. how cool is that ?

 

ok.. that’s it for the day..

nite all.. nite sam

-me

 

ps. oh.. one more cool thing today.. .. remember last night I mentioned the ‘my3bys’ license plate I saw.. ? as I walked into the monitor barn tonight  i found the same car in the parking lot…. still not sure who’s it is..

 

Friday night – wisdom

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The big news today is that Gabe got his wisdom teeth out..
here he is before

 

and here’s all the soft food his nice momma has layed out for him to eat over the next couple of days

here is a picture he sent me from the recovery room

 

here are the teeth themselves (destined for jewlery of some sort, I think)

and here is the patient before painkillers kicked in.. I feel for him.. it hurts a bunch he says..

Gabe was doing well enough by night that I felt ok going to Higher Ground to hear one of my favorite bands , State Radio.. These guys have always been very good to us.. The played ‘Keepsake’ in Sam’s honor as they have every concert they’ve played here in the last 5 years.. Thanks Chad.. we really, really appreciate it !

 

here’s a version of Keepsake that Avery and Jane played at Sam’s memorial..   I love listening to it.

They do so much good in the world, too.. tomorrow they’re doing a food drive.. and then another show tomorrow night.. Please go check them out.. and bring some canned food goods to donate..

 

ok.. gotta sleep now..

 

THese are interestign times for us.. . We’re turnign inward a bit as we prepare to mark the fifth anniversary of Sam’s passing. Lots.of strange energy swirlign around us.. friends and family struggling  , work uncertain.. g.. but we’re feelign at peace.. Saw another shooting star tonight.. and stopped for a train behind a car with license plate ‘my3byz’ ..

 

it all hangs together somehow..

 

nite all, nite sam

-me

 

ps. took this picture of freind bruce the other day.. bruce’s 12 year old son Bentley died in July.. .. this picture captures soemthing…. not sure what..

 

 

Thursday night – v.o.m.i.t.

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Busy day at work.. lots of uncertainty… but a pleasant end to the day.. I played host to about 20 of my co-alums from VoMIT.. (Vermont’s Own MIT club).. it’s the nicest and geekiest group of people I know..

My friends Jeff and Greg graciously played tour guides as they walked us around the plant. We spent most of our time in the Central Utility Plant looking at all the energy and water stuff the fine folks at the plant have done. Their efforts have made the facility about 40% more efficient over the past 5 years.. and that’s a big deal when you have as big an energy bill as we do.. The plant actually uses more electricity than the city of Burlington.. Both Greg and Jeff are now taking their show on the road helping other large enterprises in the state improve their energy efficiency.

It was good fun……

I skipped out on the dinner thoguh.. so I could have dinner wiht Gabe.. He’s getting his wisdom teeth out tomorrow so we took the chance to eat soem good solid food at bridge street..

ok.. that’s it for today…

nite all, nite sam

-me

 

oh.. one thing that I’m starting to do as we enter this tough month of November is to look back over the last 4.. almost 5 years and reflect on the path I’ve been on since Sam’s death.. It’s interesting reading for me.. not sure for ayone else..   I’m putting the links here after an inspiration from my freind Sacha on her blog (Thanks Sacha) ..

 

Blogs from this date

nov 3 2010

nov 3 2009

nov 3 2008

nov 3 2007