Sunday, Nov. 23, 2008

Dear Adam, Nina, Mommy & Daddy Shapiro,

Wow!   This was such a great, inspiring, and amazing footage of Nina on TV that it really "blew me away"!!

Great job Nina, I mean that sincerely.

Honestly Adam, your e-mail really made me happy and made me think about how much I always enjoyed coming over to your home in Great Neck, checking out the fish, cleaning other peoples fish tanks (Clearwater Acquarium Maintenance), and our rocket launches and runs together.  So below, I put a very quick summary of what I've been up to so your parents and Nina can catch up.

Seeing you at the reunion made my entire evening and I hope we can get together before another 10 years go by.

Below is a photo of me when we launched rockets together as kids and on the right is my 11 ft rocket  - the kind of stuff I build today.  You can see the video of the one on the right fly at http://www.dinosaursrock.com/L3.html  - go half way down the page and click on the second "you-tube" video.

Left - Neil circa 1970
Right and below- Neil - 2008

The one on the left is also 11 ft and the one of the right is 10 ft tall.
I'm working on one right now that is 20 ft tall and 11.5 inches wide to be flown next summer at LDRS (Large and Dangerous Rockt Ships) in upstate New York.
You might even see it on Discovery Chanel.

As far a business is concerned, I started Dinosaurs Rock 9 years ago and have 5 employees right here in the NY Tri-State area, and offices in New Zealand, North Carolina and in Texas.  We are opening another office in California (LA area) in February of this year.

You can see all the thing I do at Dinosaurs Rock at http://www.dinosaursrock.com
Consider coming with us on our Fossil Dig in Utah next summer - you'll see photos and video of this as well on the website.

I hope that both of you Dr. and Mrs Shapiro are doing well as you were always my favorite parents of the firends that I had.

By the way Adam, now that I'm looking back - why did your mom always put salami in our grilled cheese sandwiches????

I don't know about you Adam, but no more running for me.  I did my last IronMan Triathlon in 1999 - see photo below and then broke both legs and that ended my running career.

Finish line of the IronMan Triathlon
2.4 Mile Swim
112 Mile Bike
26.2 Mile Marathon Run

Thats me with my son in 1999.  Below is an updated photo of me and my family rafting down the Colorado River:

Our guide in the middle, Leslie (my wife) in the back and to the right is Aliza, Jeremy, Me and in front Aidan.  Wait aminute - how did I get to have 3 kids  - I still feel like a kid!!

Anyway - I hope that maybe your whole family can be together and I can see everyone again real soon.  I'd even love to have you all up at my place in Montebello, NY.

Lets try to keep in touch.
Thinking of the Shapiros
Love Always
Neil Brown