Jon Coppersmith ~ 04/07/60 - 02/22/11 Englewood, NJ, San Francisco, CA

Jon and I have been friends for many years. He was a New York City Bike messenger then he moved into IT and managed a piece of the network for California Fire Department. He has come up with a battle that he is courageously fighting stage 3 Thymoma cancer. (According to Jon, "no fun.") It is a rare form of cancer and it is in his ribs, throat, stomach etc. as of June 27, 2009 he is just completing his 3rd round of chemo. He asked the doctors if they were able to make a dent in it what is the next step? They said "we will get really aggressive with the chemo and or surgery. Jon is the kind of friend you call when you need some good energy, even when he is fighting this cancer of the Thymus Gland.

I have a confirmed report that Jon passed today 02/22/2011.  He put up a gallant fight to the bitter end.  I admire his tenacity, conviction and will to live.   Thankfully I had an opportunity to visit him during the end of the summer of 2010.   Rest in peace brother you are missed.   Here is a last song for you brother.

Building Castles in the Sand and Kite Flying

Christopher and I took a bike ride to the beach today, I to read, he to make castles in the sand and fly his kite. We also grabbed some ice cream at Lime Rickey's the beach fare. How can we enjoy a better day that this? :-)

Speaking of Best Friends - Steve Carter

As of 2009 I have known Steve for 50 years. Steve's mom Janet and my mom (Jean) were pregnant at the same time and we grew up best friends. Steve then shipped off to Spain in grammar school in 1973 but we still kept in touch. We even started an import export business, he shipped some products from Spain to the USA, soon to be found out by one of the moms' and killed this enterprise very quickly. it's a little bit of a long story so you'll have to ask next time you see one of us.

I recently had a chance to catch up with Steve May 2009 at the PGA Resort

One of a Kind Bill Fitch - William Stackhouse Fitch SKS 1977

This man does need an introduction because if you have never met him he is full of life laughs and love. He holds so many nicknames that sometimes I can't keep up.

Billy
William
Beeeeehiiilllllllll
Billy Bob
Bill Cactus
Billy Joe Bob
Fitchy
Stinky
Hey Fitch
and a few that are R rated....

He is never one to miss a rock concert. As of June 2009 he saw Eric Clapton and Stevie Winwood, a few months ago it was AD/DC you get the picture. Bill loves to fish and hunt and I have never met a woman who did not laugh at his antics and jokes. Rock On Bill we all love you!

Best Friends - Peter Rhett Mark Martin Chris Merola Dave McGirr

Why am I so blessed to have so many great friends? I've known some of these guys for over 30 years and one of them 40+ years and we keep in touch on a regular basis. The only one I have not been in touch with is Mark so it is time we reconnect. Here they are by names.

Peter Rhett, Virginia - Jim Peake, Massachuussetts - Mark Martin, Boston - Chris Merola, Connecticut - Dave McGirr, Santa Fe

Going Fishin' - Camping in Algonquin Park in Canada

In just one week Christopher (my 10 year old son) I and my prep-school buddy Peter are heading to Ontario to do a little decompression. We are planning on canoeing, camping, moose safari, fishing and overall take in nature as it is meant to be taken in.

No radios, no cars, no electricity, no running water (except for streams of course) and the only roof over our heads will be the sky, stars and some nylon from the tent. The anticipation is really a lot of fun. We are expecting about a 10+ hour road trip from Marblehead. We'll be sure to take plenty of pictures to share with family and friends.

Here is a look at the Canadian weather while we are gone July 4th-12th 2009.

On my last trip here I did hear the wolves at night. Here is a Naturalist Video and a Moose Video

In preparation for this trip Christopher insists that I read Hatchet by Gary Paulsen.

Father's Day

Father's Day found my son and I down at our local town pond called Redd's Pond. Redd's Pond is a special place in Marblehead. It is close to the harbor. it is adjacent to the Old Burial Hill cemetery. Redd's Pond has swans, ducks, birds, turtles and fish. Some of the fish are bass and some are sunnies. On Saturday my son Christopher and I went down to the pond and he caught a Mallard Duck with his fishing pole. Lucky for the duck we were able to remove the hook from his wing. The duck was appreciative about getting the hook out of his wing and was happily swimming and flying about after the ordeal.

The week before Christopher "caught," more like picked up a painted turtle. He tried talking his mother and I into taking the turtle home for a pet, but in the end the turtle went back to his home in Redd's Pond to live happily ever after. It seems like these little memories will be etched forever in my son's life. Now, if I can only teach him enough sense to leave wildlife alone! ;-)

Principles and Practices for Winning the Higher Life

I'm almost finished reading another Guy Finley Book called Design Your Destiny. I have found Guy to be the single person/author who resonates with me better than anyone I have read or met. I think the reason is is because he tells the truth.



Here is one brief passage from the book:

"Few find the way; fewer walk it; fewer still are they who enter into real life." (page 141)

"Few are those content with the direction their lives have taken; fewer are the men and women willing to learn why their destiny feels outside their control; and fewer still are those individuals who persist upon the path of self discovery until realizing the truth of why their worlds unfold as they do." (page 142)