My mother arrived today and will be visiting us for a few days. We had occasion to look through the collection of old family photos I have digitized over the years. In this one, my dad is front and center, I am to his right, and my brother is seated on my mother’s lap. As we studied the photo, my mother pointed out an interesting fact. Nearly 50 years after it was taken, two of the pictured people got married to each other. Also in this photo is the mother of the bride and the brother of the groom and they are married to each other adding further to the improbability of this image. Difficult to wrap your head around these relationships and further complicated if I tell you that the newlyweds are not blood relatives.

The big day has arrived. Powerade launched their new marketing campaign featuring Nico and world famous soccer player Andrés Iniesta of FC Barcelona. The video posted above is the anthem TV ad (60 second version) which will run internationally during the 2014 World Cup games (check out Nico’s sweet diving header not seen in the 30 second version posted previously). If you click on the video it will take you through a playlist that also includes a 2 minute documentary exclusively about Nicolai, a piece called Powering Through which is a narrative by Iniesta with footage of Nico playing soccer, and a funny “unguarded” reel that may be the most entertaining of the bunch. You call follow the media campaign on Twitter at #powerthrough.

Later this month Nicolai will travel to Barcelona where he will meet Iniesta on the soccer pitch. Can’t wait to see who has the better moves and to report on that. Working with the folks at Coca Cola on this Powerade campaign has been wonderful and we are looking forward to seeing the first ads on TV.

Nicolai’s girlfriend Karuna joined us for dinner this evening. She arrived bearing delicious brownies but we let her stay anyway. Her habit of showing up with home made treats is having a negative impact on my spring soccer weight loss plan. Later, I decided it was time for a formal portrait and this is one of my favorites.

Crosby’s Marketplace in Concord is a a great corporate citizen. Today they presented a check for $1,042  to Open Table. Read the full Patch article describing their donation HERE.

Hoping to catch a glimpse of the filming for Tumbledown, I returned to Concord from work during my lunch hour. As I approached the Main Street Cafe from the downtown parking area, I first came upon Olivia Wilde. She played “Thirteen,” one of the doctors in the television series House. Only later did I learn that she is engaged to Jason Sudeikis, who is pictured below in one of the scenes being filmed.

As I was driving through downtown Concord on the way home from work, I noticed a film crew setting up lighting. I pulled over briefly to get this photo but did not have enough time to inquire about the project. From the look of things, it appears to be a big project and based on signs directing “extras” to the town’s large parking area, I am guessing that tomorrow will be even more interesting. Perhaps I can gather more background for tomorrow’s post.

UPDATE:
The film being made is called Tumbledown, a romantic comedy that stars Jason Sudeikis and Rebecca Hall. Sean Mewshaw directs from Desi Van Til’s original screenplay, which follows a woman (Hall) who is unable to move on after the death of her husband, an acclaimed musician and the subject of a biography she’s struggling to write. She meets a brash New York academic (Sudeikis) who has a different take on her husband’s life and death, and the pair must collaborate to craft the famous singer’s story and begin to write the next chapter in their lives together.

My brother is a pilot for Endeavor Air, a regional carrier for Delta Airlines. As such, members of his family can fly free in network. This is a tremendous benefit and the reason my nephew Rory decided to hopon a flight from Minneapolis to hang out with us for a few days. We are always delighted to have one or more of the cousins drop in. A junior in high school, Rory is beginning to narrow down his college choices. He scarcely dodged a severe beating when he revealed that no Boston schools were on his list, a situation I plan to rectify before he departs.

Nicolai launched a Go Fund Me campaign today to support his run for the 2014 Amputee Soccer World Cup. See his appeal below.

My dream to play World Cup soccer is getting closer. As a member of the USA National Amputee Soccer Team, I am preparing for the 2014 games to be held in Culiacan, Mexico November 30 through December 8, 2014. Members of the US team are scattered across the country. Practicing together requires significant travel expenses and I am looking for your help to offset those costs. Some of you supported my appeal for the all volunteer American Amputee Soccer Association prior to the 2012 games. Regretably, the US was unable to send a team to the 2012 World Cup but the funds have served to help the AASA build momentum for the 2014 games. Thank you for your support.

LINK TO Go Fund Me

To say that Nico is hard on his crutches would be the understatement of the year. This evening during an indoor soccer match he managed to fracture the carbon fiber tube just below the grip. The folks at SideStix have refined their design numerous times to “Nico Proof” their product and I imagine they will be studying this failure with an eye to further improvements. When he was born, I would never have guessed that Nico would be so good at breaking things.

In preparation for an upcoming performance, Maya invited her ballet troop for a costume preparationsleepoverr party. I was summoned to the basement ballerina enclave twice. First to provide a hot-melt glue gun and then to hook up their music to the home theater sound system. Completing these tasks earned me the right to take a picture of the gathered beauties.

The Cafe Escadrille was the venue for a farewell party for our esteemed Human Resources business partner, Christa. Although her departure has been much lamented she is only moving across the street. I have little doubt that our paths will continue to cross and look forward to staying in touch. Christa has been an integral part of my team and we are all going to miss her tremendously.

We are enjoying a temporary addition to our canine family while friends are out of town. Maya insists on carrying Lilly, who revels in the attention, everywhere. Nala is not as enthralled by the new visitor although she has been extremely tolerant. There is something to be said for a dog that acts like one, sparking debate over the merits of a trade for Nala, who for all but physical appearance is really a cat.

NicolaiCalabria.com is now up and running. For some time now, Nico has been interested in establishing a web presence for the purpose of building his personal brand. We have been working together on it for a few weeks and felt it was ready to go live. Future additions will include a fundraising mechanism to help him finance his trip to the Amputee World Cup soccer tournament to be held later this year in Mexico and a more complete photo gallery.

UPDATE: I have let this domain expire since Nico is now using Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok as his social media platforms.

I rarely sit down with a book and read it cover to cover in one sitting. Wonder, by R.J. Palacio, had me spellbound from the first page. She exposes the reader to a world that most cannot imagine. I was left inspired by the power of kindness over ignorance and by the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity. If you are a parent… read this book. If you have ever been bullied…. read this book. If you are a bully…. read this book. If you are a teacher…. read this book to your students. If you do not read this book…. try to be “kinder than is necessary.”

The new Concord Carlisle High School is really starting to take shape. I was shocked to see the amount of progress since last fall. The building overlooks the turf fields where I play soccer and this morning we hosted a friendly with a D1 team from the northern division. I was not in peak form, still recovering from an ankle injury I suffered weeks ago. On the one hand, I have full mobility. On the other, every heel strike is accompanied by serious pain which is not a good way to play soccer. I made it through the match without sustaining any new maladies but also failed to contribute much to the team effort. We lost 1-3, a proper outcome given how rusty everyone seemed.

Our dog barely fits in the dog house I improvised for her. Still, Maya seems to feel there is enough space to hang out together. I am sure I have posted a similar scene in the past but took the time today to make a more attractive composition. The balance of my day was spent completing income tax filings for the family and my father’s estate.

Although most of the snow on the ground has melted with the rain and higher temperatures this week, there remains a 4-foot high snow mound on our deck. I am guessing it will be with us for quite some time still. Our own little glacier.

While in San Antonio with Nicolai the week before last, I was asked to capture headshots for each member of the US national amputee soccer team. I should have anticipated that I would be asked to do this and brought my portable lighting setup. Regrettably, I did not and had to make do with crappy available light. This evening I did some post-processing to make the best of the situation and this is the final image for Nicolai.

I think it is safe to say that Jeanine really needed to get away from the pressures of work and family to unwind for a bit. From all reports, she is having a fabulous time in West Palm Beach. Apparently, the sun there is extremely intense. On the home front, I am pleased to say that all children and one dog remain alive with an increased appreciation for their mother’s fine cooking.

I published another new photo book, this one documenting my 2011 trekking vacation in Peru. I am on something of a roll now and think I will tackle Alaska next.

It sweeps to the sea cliff and will travel through time.

Simple deep and pure.

Stream growing, pools shimmer light blue.

Water sewn to the Earth,

it wraps around life and again begins.

Water bends to the spirit

and dances back to explore the fire.

Jeanine and Maya were guest speakers at the First Parish Sunday Forum where they shared pictures and their accounts of Maya’s Coming of Age adventure in India. Dressed in the clothes they wore while in India, they talked about the school for tribal girls where they volunteered, the people that they met, and the highlights of their visit. Also presenting was Derek Mitchell, Director of the Unitarian Universalist Holdeen India Program which helped to create and funds the school.

Immediately after the forum, I whisked Jeanine off to the airport. She is bound for West Palm Beach to visit with childhood friend Kris Earle and her mother. I will be holding down the fort until she returns on Thursday. I have promised to keep the children fed but made no representations about nutritional quality. The dog is at the mercy of the kids for her sustenance.

Maya and I took turns flying a quadcopter that I have on loan for the weekend. On more than one occasion during her early training, I found myself running for life and limb. Laughter during these episodes did nothing to improve her skill. Amazingly, despite rather strong winds, we managed to avoid any crash landings. With a little more practice I may attempt an aerial photograph of the house.

In a recent phone call with Kyle we sensed he was under some pressure in the face of approaching exams. Jeanine decided to send him a care package which included home baked raisin oatmeal cookies, a Captain Underpants hat, and fresh pumpkin bread. Maya added several personal messages to the outside of the box and I added a copy of the photo book I recently completed which documents the adventure Kyle and I shared in Patagonia. The book can be perused by clicking below.

When under stress, some people grind their teeth during sleep. I am one of them and managed to fracture a tooth and pop out an existing restoration last week, a fairly good indicator of my anxiety at work over a product quality issue. I have a night guard to help protect my teeth but find it to be incompatible with romantic aspirations. This morning I paid the price during a two-hour session with my dentist. I had the restoration replaced without Novacane but wisely opted to use it for the tooth receiving a new crown. That tooth still hurts a day later as I am typing this entry.

Today I am going to let the photos speak for themselves. What is your version of the story?

While Nicolai and I were in Texas, Jeanine and Maya spent the weekend in Indianapolis visiting with our niece Erica who was celebrating her 30th birthday. Now a mother of two (Will and Lilly) herself, I have known Erica since she was 2 years old and was the photographer for her wedding.

Nicolai and talented new recruit, Noah Grove, head out to the practice field for a final two hour training session before members of the team begin departing for the airport. It is damn tough to build a cohesive national team when every practice requires every member to board a plane. Despite this challenge, the squad was looking very sharp at the end of the long weekend. Two more training camps are planned before the World Cup tournament in late November.

The weather in San Antonio took a distinct turn for the worse today. Rain held off for the morning clinic at the STAR soccer complex which was well attended and produced a handful of potential amputee soccer recruits. The afternoon training session was conducted in the rain and cold. Spirits on the team were lifted when Steve Sampson arrived to observe the team and share his coaching wisdom.

Sampson, known to many as Uncle Sam, was the head coach of the United States men’s national soccer team from 1995 to 1998, head coach of the Costa Rica national team from 2002 to 2004, and head coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy from 2004 to 2006. He had some very complimentary things to say about Nicolai after watching the team play and joined us all for dinner on the River Walk.

As it was just around the block, we made a brief detour to visit the site of the Battle of the Alamo. Following a 13-day siege in 1836, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna launched an assault on the Alamo Mission during which all of the Texian defenders were killed. Santa Anna’s perceived cruelty during the battle inspired many Texians to join the army. Buoyed by a desire for revenge, they defeated the Mexican Army at the Battle of San Jacinto six weeks later.

The Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) was the site for this mornings AASA (American Amputee Soccer Association) outreach clinic. Members of the US National Team participated in a family sports day for the Warrior Transition Battalion, the unit charged with returning Wounded Warriors back to service or into civilian life. Those missing a limb were introduced to the sport of amputee soccer and those with two legs were encouraged to play on crutches using only one leg. It is always an honor to work with our veterans and sobering to see first hand the price that is paid to wage war. An IED nearly killed the woman in the upper right corner of the group picture who survived with massive injuries to her face and head, left eye, throat, left leg and arm. She was not strong enough to play in the organized tournament but she was on the sidelines watching every game. As things wound down I approached her and asked if she wanted to kick the ball with me. She was delighted by the offer and took shots on me in goal. I was humbled by her courage and determination and will never forget the sacrifice she made in the name of our country.

Up at the crack of dawn, Nicolai and I flew from Atlanta to San Antonio this morning. Nico is here for three days of practice with the US National Amputee Soccer Team in preparation for the 2014 World Cup tournament to be held in the fall. When we arrived at the team hotel, Nico was understandably more interested in hanging out with his teammates than joining me on a three hour round trip to the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area and five mile hike in the park. The drive went quickly in the sporty Mini Cooper I rented given the 75 mph speed limits that abound in Texas. The park features a massive, 640 acre pink granite dome which rises 425 feet above the base elevation and 1,825 feet above sea level. One billion years ago, this granite was part of a large pool of magma seven miles below the earth’s surface. It pushed up into the rock above in places, then cooled and hardened very slowly, turning into granite. Over time, the surface rock and soil wore away. I followed the established trail to the top of the rock where numerous vernal pools are to be found sporting all manner of beautiful microhabitats. In quest of the picture above, I unwisely elected to scale down the rock face pictured below. In retrospect, it was a very poor decision. I managed to avoid falling (barely) but paid the price when the brand new Misfit Shine activity monitor I was wearing came off my wrist somewhere during the decent. It was re-gifted to me by Nicolai who had received it in his Coca Cola gift bag. I was extremely unhappy about this but figured it was a karmic reprimand for taking such an unnecessary risk. I returned to San Antonio just in time to join the team for dinner.

Nicolai and I are visiting Atlanta as guests of the Coca Cola company to participate in their Global Marketing & Commercial Leadership Town Hall presentation today. We arrived early to clear security and meet our host for the day.

Nicolai was greeted with a standing ovation as he was introduced on stage following the presentation of the Powerade commercial in which he is featured. He then did a brief Q&A to close the session. Pictured below with Nicolai is our host, Daryl Weber and Joe Tripodi, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing & Commercial Officer who leads the global team entrusted with Trademark Coca Cola, the world’s most valuable and recognized brand, along with more than 500 brands and 3,500 products found in over 200 countries.

Following the meeting we were treated to a tour of the private Coca Cola archives where we saw the original drawings for the iconic glass Coke bottle, original artwork for the famous Coke and Santa ads (did you know that Coca Cola invented the modern day image of Santa Claus?), and countless other artifacts including an actual Olympic torch.

We were joined by several members of the Powerade brand team for lunch, at the end of which, Nicolai was presented with some very serious parting gifts. After a final meeting to discuss potential future media campaign activities we returned to our hotel where Nicolai elected to chill out. I opted for a walk down to Centennial Park where the famous Olympic ring fountains are located and then on to CNN headquarters.

While working at Avid I routinely visited CNN for meetings with management and their engineering staff but never took the time to take the tour that is offered. I learned many new things about the company and facility from a very knowledgeable guide who was equally interested in learning from me about my experiences with the execs at CNN. I volunteered to demonstrate how the green screen chromakey works and used the opportunity to take a selfie.

By the time I returned to the hotel it was time for dinner. We managed to find a great Pan Asian restaurant as we walked to the Georgia Dome where the national soccer teams from Mexico and Nigeria were playing in a friendly. The fine folks at Coca Cola magically produced a pair of complimentary tickets shortly after we mentioned we were thinking about attending the match. A first class organization in every regard.