As I now gather my thoughts, I reflect on the great summer that wasn't. It was the missing summer, because at the time, I was preoccupied with the shock of cancer. But now, with a rising sense that those burdens have been lifted, I can remember the summer that wasn't. Caleb return to the Coast Guard for his internship, while Philip excel at my office -- completing multiple web applications in only two months. We had a wonderful family reunion cruise and many days at the cabin.
I feel I have reached a happy balance with my career. While it is not the most exciting or advance technology, I enjoy a small shop to lead projects, write code, and exploring computer science in a not overly pressured environment. In cabin weekends, I feel renewed and ready for the next week.
Most recently, I saw an MIT video of one our America's young innovators about storing green energy in compressed air batteries. Watching the segment and following up on their website, I could not image how compressed air could store electrical potential (i.e. a Duracell Battery). Then, Philip chimed in and clarified that the compressed air is the potential energy. The light bulb went off in my head, as Philip explained the relationship between Pressure, Volume, and Temperature -how water is cooling the temperature and improving efficiency the thesis of the research. While my intellectual facilities are limited, I appreciate these futuristic conversations that my sons now challenge and teach me.
It was a good summer...
