Friday night – Shout it out !

June 21, 2008 johncohn

Tonight was the premier of the Voices Project Movie – “Shout It Out”. The movie is the culmination of a multi-year project by our friend Bess O’Brien and hundreds of kids across Vermont. it started as the Voices Project, a play in 2005..Max tried out and got a part as Justin. a homeless drug addict. They worked through the summer of 2005 then toured the play to nealry 20 sites across the state.. last summer, Bess decided to make the play into a full feature length movie..Max got the same part. Our house became one of the dorms and a major hang-out place for the actors. We were also the the sett for 4 scenes. Diane, Gabe and I even have a short cameo. It was such a great experience for the kids.. and for us. It was only 6 months after Sam’s passing.. and the activity and energy the kids brouht was so uplifting… They filmed through most of the Summer.. since then, Bess and her crew have been editing.. tonight was the night.

We all headed down to the waterfront theater for the 7:15 start. Max drove separately because he had to haul al of his DJ stuff.

We got down to the theater right before the movie was to start. Just as we were parking, Diane spotted this beautiful rainbow.. a good omen.

They ushered us into two different theaters ..

We were in ‘theater A’

Just before the movie started, Bess came in to introduce the movie.. and she brought the Governor !

The movie was absolutely wonderful. It was really cool to see how they took the storyline from the play and gave the characters depth. The visuals were great and the musical numbers were really, really good. it was cool seeing Max up on the big screen. The movie is going to be touring about 50 cities in Vermont.. please check it out and let us know what you think.

After the movie we all flowed into teh lobby and had a party. It was great seeing the kids again.. There was a band and most of the kids were dancing. Everyone was psyched that the movie was out !

I’ll find some info on the tour schedule and post here when I get it. .. Right now.. I need to sleep ! More tomorrow.. Gnite all… Gnite Sam.

-jc

Thursday night – Juneteenth

June 20, 2008 johncohn

Happy Juneteenth everyone.. It’s a day set up to commemorate the Emancipation Proclamation of June 18th, 1863 that freed all slaves in the US. I remember that we celebrated it as kids in Texas.. I don’t hear much of it up here.. Anyway.. it’s good cause to celibrate the end of that dark part of American History.

Well.. not much time to blog agai.. It’s 1 AM and I’ve ben working for several hour. I had one of those days when I got firther behind the more I worked. I finally feel caught up and now I’m beat. I’m really trying to fight the crazy business from taking over my life again.. today I didn’t win… there’s always tomorrow 🙂

Before sleep, I do have a few days of pictures I want to share..

Yesterday I stopped by my firend Chris’s stone worksop on my way to dinner.. He’d made soem new SamStoens that he’s takign on his cross country trip.. Ilove these real stone SamStones. they were the originals ..

When I got there Chris was excited to show me his ‘word garden’.. he’s ben takign all of his scrap sandblstin masks and making random word rocks.. It’ just so amazingly cool. You hve got to see it to get the total effect. I told him that if he keps this up. Snoflake Bently won’t be the only wonderful eccentric that Jericho Center is proud to call its own. Here are just a tiny fraction of the dictionary o stones in Chris’s garden

After playning witht he rocks, I went and met up with my firends at Kitchen Table.. I spoke of it last night.. here’s the picture to prove I wasn’t making it up. from lef tto right it’s Chang Suh, Aiden, Jens (our guest of honor), Sue. me and Bill.. Itwas a delicios and fun night..

At 9 PM Izoomed home, threw on different clothes and Diane, Jane, Geore, Garry, Amy and I started our hike up to the cliffs.. Again.. Idescribed that last night.. so here’s the visuals..

Stuffed looked so cool in the darkness !

Here are George and Jane at the cliffs. it’s about 300 feet straight down right in forn of where they’re sitting.. Whatchout !

Here’s Amy

.. and me asleep on the rocks

Qw got home.. then I stayed up till 2:30 working and Linux hacking just for fun (like a dummy I paid for that lack of sleep today !)

THis mornign Diane and I took a run.. then off to work for me. On the way I passed the ‘hunt’ happening across the street.. note.. no real foxes abused here

Today’s work day was very full and very frustrating.. too much to do and not enough progress.. again.. I will try for better tomorrow. After work I met Diane and Gabe and a bunch of our friends at the park in Essex to calibrate our friend David (as in Hannah and David’s ) completion of the new Essex skate park. it’s absolutely beautiful !

We helped make it complete by adding a SamStone.

I saw Nate there.. he claims that I’ve never posted a nice picture of him in my blo.. that he always has a strange face on.. Hmmm.. doesn’t look strange to me !

Here’s Adah

And Gabe… riding the bronco

And Adah and me on the jungle gym.

Here’s the gang..

I took off around 7:30 and went and met my friend Garry at the Inn at Essex Garry is visiting from New York. Norman and Miles were therefor a bit then left. I also saw Jessie ! . When they left, Garry and I took a good walk in the golf course and talked.. It was a good quiet end to a hectic day

Eek.. it’s late.. time for sleep.. Gnite all .. Gnite Sam
-me

Wednesday night – a man who used to like onions

June 19, 2008 johncohn

Hi friends…
I’m getting a bit behind.. I had an interesting and busy day..which included a ton of work meetings, a trip to see Marci and Tim F, a great dinner with my friend Jens who’s visiting from Germany.. and then a full moon hike up to the cliffs with Diane, Gary. Amy. Jane and George.. The moon was a no-show.. but the view and the company were great. I then came home and started working. I just noticed it was 1AM.. so I’m going to make this post very short.
The one thing I was thinking about today was the many changes I’ve experienced in my personality as well as my likes and dislikes since Sam’s passing.. When I actually write this stuff down. I see that the list is getting quite long…It includes:

My office and my workspaces (eg.. my lab and other workshop) used to be perpetually messy.. Now I manage to kep them clean and in order..I even have labels on all the boxes. I know where everything is.. I’ve NEVER done that in my life !
I now love long quiet times at home, in car rides and airplane trips. I love times when I’m doing absolutely nothing.. I could stand that for about 10 minutes before
I used to strike up conversations with anyone I was sitting next to in a meeting or a plane.. Now I don’t talk to anyone unless someone makes and effort to talk to me. It’s not shyness.. or unfriendliness.. I still enjoy meeting new people.. I’m just much happier being by myself
I used to wander the halls at work constantly talking to people.. Now I stay in my office with my door shut if I’m in the building and not in a meeting. Again.. not unfriendliness.. I’m just more comfortable in my cave
Similarly I used to spend hours on the phone talking to people for fun.. Now I hate talking on the phone unless I’ve got something specific to accomplish.
I used to read several books a month… and watch a movie or two a week.. Now I’ve read no more than 4 books in the last year and a half.. and watch less than a movie a month.. (I think blogging takes up my reading/movie time)
My rest heart rate is about 15-20 beats per minute slower than it used to be. I just used to be far more stressed
I used to get 5 hours of sleep a night.. now I need 7
And .. here’s the most shocking.. I find that no longer like mushrooms.. cooked garlic.. or cooked onions… and…I always thought of myself as a man who like onions..
Interesting stuff… no ?

OK.. I’ll post pictures tomorrow when can find my cable. I’ll end here… Before I do, I’d like to share this picture that my friend Jake up the street took on his porch last week.. I mentioned it a few days ago. This bear was sitting there drinking out of their hummingbird feeder.. So cut.. But.. keep in mind the feeder is probably 5 feet tall and made out of 1/2 inch steel. Cute.. but maybe not so cuddly.

OK.. all for now.. Gnite all. Gnite Sam
-me

Tuesday night – Happy birthday Max !

June 17, 2008 johncohn

it was 20 years ago today… ! Today is Max’s 20th birthday.. unbelievable !. My first kid is a grown-up.. and a really, really good one at that. He’s such a an amazing person.
I spent the day thinking about that day 20 years ago when we became parents for the first time..it was one of the happiest days of my life. I remember it was fathers day.. and one of the hottest days of the year. Diane had a 36 hour labor then we were holding this guy in our arms.. He can lift me as easily as I can lift him now.

We all came together this afternoon to do the birthday thing.

We put max on the birthday ‘throne’.. ie/ the big wooden box that serves as our table.. and he opened presents..

Satori wanted a piece of the action too !

My folks found Max the most amazing toaster for his apartment. Is that not amazing ?

Max wanted Chinese take out from Silver Palace.. so Diane and I hopped in the car and went and picked it up.. On the way home, Diane snapped this picture of the sunset in our rearview mirror