* Christmas, 2000 *

NICK AND MIKE HONOR SLIPKNOT, SMASHING PUMPKINS, CREED, IRON MAIDEN ET AL WITH THEIR PRESENCE

Nick and Mike spent a lot of time going to concerts given by some of their favorite bands. They saw Smashing Pumpkins, Creed, Iron Maiden, Queensrhyche, Slayer, Slipknot, Head PE, Kittie, and lots of other bands at various venues. We (and friend’s parents) seemed to be taking them somewhere nearly every week!

MIKE ACTS UP YET AGAIN

Mike will perform in Makin’ It this year with the Winmere Family Theater and was a managing director at their Haunted House. That meant that, since he’s one of the big kids now, he got to help design the venue and boss people around! Mike is also involved in the Burlington High’s Drama Club as well.

WHOLE FAMILY IN CHOIR

Mike is still helping Dan in the tenor section of the church choir. Nick is in the bass section and Louise is in the alto section.

STILL THE WEASIE

Louise still goes bowling once a week (she’s one of the “Vultures”). She and Nick also still help out at the Dwelling Place (a community hot meals program). She is also still active in People Helping People (they run the food pantry for Burlington and help with the Wish Tree at the Burlington Mall).

KITCHEN HEATS UP

Louise is busy making holiday goodies. Dan’s company has come to feel it isn’t Christmas until they get a tray of Louise’s cookies. A number of people (including VPs and directors) asked about when they where coming!

KIDS STILL WORKING

Nick is working at Ace Hardware in Lexington and at Bull Electronics as part of his school program. Mike was working with Dan at Doble this summer and during school breaks. Mike was in the QA department testing the new release of ProTesT (his father’s product!). During the summer, Dan and Mike got to go over by the Charles river for picnics during lunch, but it’s doubtful that the weather will cooperate for that during Christmas week (Mike will be testing installation procedures for DTA Office).

MIKE LEARNING ADV. C++

One of the classes that Mike is taking this year at the Burlington High School is AP C++. He may eventually be working in development with Dan!

NICK AND MIKE WALK

Nick was part of the Walk for Hunger in May and the MS Walk in April.

MIKE’S CLUBS

Mike is part of the Drama Club, the Chess Club (he’s the VP!), and the after school chorus. He is looking forward to trying out for a play in the Drama Club in the Spring.

DAN’S CLASSES

Dan taught thirteen classes this year at University of Massachusetts, Lowell and Northeastern University (in Burlington and Cambridge). The classes were about advanced techniques in C++, Data Structures in C, Win32 API programming, Win32 GUI programming, C++ Programming (the first level course in that language for people already familiar with C), and advanced techniques in C. There hasn’t been time to do formal poetry readings, but he’s continuing to use some of his poems as input files for the homework assignments and giving readings of them to his classes during class discussion about the assignments they are to be used for! Also, the poem that was accepted for Cricket 5 years ago was finally published (in their July, 2000 issue -- they have a long editorial cycle!).

Campfires

As much as you pestered me

On the hike in

I’m glad to show you

How to make a fire

And cook for you

Under the pine trees --

We’ve set up the tent,

Gathered wood,

And eaten --

Now watch the embers

Burn out

Before sleeping.

VACATIONS

During the trips this year, we went to Pennsylvania and Tennessee – and we hope to see as many of you as possible when we are on the road again next year!

Merry Christmas

and

Best Wishes for the New Year!