Podium!

avalanche

www.nytimes.com/avalanche

Tunnel Creek - the day the mountain moved.

This came out in the new york times today. it's the comprehensive piece of mountain reporting i've ever read. not to mention all the photo slide shows and videos. I almost felt as though I was there.

Incredible.

Back at the Boy Scouts

120 thou

Look who made the paper!

Another Scottism

so we were at Men's Warehouse today renting a tux for Scott. He's going to the Gold & Silver Ball :-)

"Damn I look good. I should be wearing one of these every day!!!"

- Scott, as he was looking at himself in the mirror with a black jacket on

client christmas cards

seriously? what was I thinking?

tigger

from one tigger lover to another. thank you MCJ!

Walking in the winter wonderland

new jacket

"I'm going to have to carry around a hanger wherever I go."

- Scott, then talking about wearing his new Descente jacket.

bailey

this is what i have to live with. seriously?

In Lieu or better INLU

www.inlu.com

I love this new vermont startup. Well, it's not exactly so new - but newish to me. It's a site where you can collect money for absolutely everything. All you have to do is login, create a page, and share the link and people can start donating/contributing online. In fact - the list is so long - I'm going to start to keep a list:

1. collect for a teacher/coaches gift
2. collect for a friend who needs something - a gift or getaway
3. collect for one birthday gift (instead of getting lots of smaller gifts)
4. schools can fundraise - there is an entire section just for schools
5. non profits can fundraise or use it to promote an event & sell tickets to event
6. collect for a wedding gift
7. collect for a baby gift
8. crowdfunding too!

endless.

Right now I'm collecting for a parent in our school who is making the COOLEST portraits of each student in the class. I'd love for all his costs to be covered :-).

8infinity

the whistle

Have you ever thought about the train conductor's whistle.

well, next time you hear it - close your eyes.

You could be anywhere in the world, any year in time.

The train conductor's whistle is always the same.

Think about it....how many of your ancestors heard the VERY SAME SOUND.

Timeless.

(am on the train from Paris to St. Malo via Rennes)

the tuna can

can you believe i never taught three how to use a can opener? had to explain it to her over the phone - and this is what happened:

how to save on ss & medicare costs - HAHA

To help save the economy, the Government will announce next month that the Immigration Department will start deporting seniors (instead of illegals) in order to lower Social Security and Medicare costs.

Older people are easier to catch and will not remember how to get back home.

I started to cry when I thought of you.

Then it dawned on me ... oh, crap...

I'll see you on the bus!

21 great rules to live by!

disclaimer: this came around in one of those emails things that you have to send around in a matter of minutes. i never do that - don't have the time. but these 21 great rules are ones to keep.

ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

TWO . Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.

THREE. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.

FOUR . When you say, 'I love you ,' mean it.

FIVE. When you say, 'I'm sorry,' look the person in the eye.

SIX. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.

SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight.

EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone's dream. People who don't have dreams don't have much.

NINE. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.

TEN.  In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.


ELEVEN.  Don't judge people by their relatives.


TWELVE.  Talk slowly but think quickly.

THIRTEEN.  When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, 'Why do you want to know?'

FOURTEEN.  Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk..


FIFTEEN.  Say 'bless you' when you hear someone sneeze.


SIXTEEN.  When you lose, don't lose the lesson !

SEVENTEEN.  Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and responsibility for all your actions.

EIGHTEEN.  Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship..

NINETEEN. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

TWENTY. Smile when picking up the phone.. The caller will hear it in your voice.

TWENTY-ONE. Spend some time alone.

The Opiate Effect

http://www.grpvt.com/opiateeffect

loss

found this on Facebook from someone i don't know in response to the horrible accident yesterday morning:

I've been thinking about the tragic car accident that claimed the life of a Shelburne boy yesterday, wanted to share what I've learned about supporting people who've experienced a loss. I've always felt hopelessly inadequate at expressing sympathy. But when my sister died, many of you taught me how to support someone through a sudden loss. (thank you)
1) Call. If the person can't talk, he or she won't answer. Leave a message.
2) Provide concrete help--"I'd like to walk your dogs, clean your house, sit with you, drive you to the funeral home, make any calls to people who need to know."
3) Let them talk about the person who died. You aren't making it worse by bringing it up. They are already thinking about it and having friends gloss it over is painful and uncomfortable.
4) If you didn't know the person who died, ask questions about what he/she liked, ask to see photos, find out who they were. If you knew the person who died, share stories of him/her that your friend may not know or talk about shared experiences.
5) Repeat all of the above.

None of this is easy but the most meaningful things rarely are.

follow your passions!

empty nesters - day 12

we've been empty nesters for 12 days.

and it's just hitting me. really.

the house is empty. empty of that je ne sais quoi commotion, noise, phone calls, conversation, extra laundry, car pools, driving, female conversation, advice, excitement, ideas and lots more.

don't get me wrong, DH and I are having a great time - spending a lot more time together - chatting - having great meals together, sledding, skiing, walking, talking etc. but the hubbub of having a 12 year old in the house is gone - and i miss it. and the phone does ring, but not as much.

i miss her a lot.

but i know she's having the most amazing time and is so happy. so, on the one hand i miss her - and on the other hand my heart swells with pride. i am so proud of her. i am so proud that she decided to apply for this amazing program on her own. Filled out application, wrote her essay, emailed her teachers for recommendations on her own. She wanted this experience to be on her own. She wanted to go and not know anyone.

as it turns out, she knew quite a few of the students, from friends, acquaintances and even a cousin :-).

having this taster of being an empty nester has been a real eye opener. as crazy as seems, you need to savour every moment your children are at home. love every minute = the good the bad the ugly.

they grow up so fast.

eel as though i did do that, but it still doesn't change the fact that i miss her. and she's fun, and full of spunk and ideas and creativity.

love that girl. xo

joy of books

came across this on twitter today (perk of social media for xpat).

no way a kindle can do this :-)