Jon Kohl's Guestbook

Please leave me a note about yourself and your experience at www.jonkohl.com by clicking the Guestbook button one more time below. — Jon

Hi, Jon! What a unique website! You look so much like I would have expected in college that you would look this many years out of college (a compliment ... many people are not even recognizable because of excess weight, grey hair and so on), and you are working and living in a manner consistent with what I would have expected as well. It's refreshing to see that you have remained true to your values, principles and dreams for your life -- and for the planet. I was just telling John that too many people do the novel, noteworthy types of things you did in college only as stepping stones to high-profile, often empty, political or legal careers. You, I suspect, have done them because you feel they are right -- and because they help more than just yourself. Good for you! I hope that I am adding to the world something commensurate with my abilities and all that others have invested in me -- as you have. Much of my effort these days goes toward taking care of my kids. Ali will turn eight next week, and Mark just turned four. As Marisol and Dion are, I'm sure, to you, John and the kids are the joys and the loves of my life, utter miracles, my world. I try to appreciate every moment and to place high value in motherhood, putting my own personal and career goals on hold for now. I am only human, though, and daily struggles sometimes get in the way. Mark has been diagnosed on the high-functioning end of the autistic spectrum, so I do not feel that I "know" him in the way that I do my daughter, with all her interests and talent. It is tough to feel that I am devoting so much time, energy and love but do not see an obviously confident, successful child who benefits from my efforts, as I do with my daughter. He is a sweet child, is very intelligent underneath it all and is making tremendous progress, though. The "experts" see hope for a bright future, but there is much reason to be fearful, and the pervasiveness of his delays is a constant weight on my shoulders. I love him so much and want more than anything for him to have a life filled with challenges, independence, friendship and love. Enough of my whining ... it felt right for me to reconnect with an old friend (oops, let me say "with a friend from old times"). In fact, I am also now busy organizing a 20th high school reunion next spring at my alma mater in Tampa. Man, I'm old! Don't say anything ... you're only a year younger (13 mos., I believe)! John and I have been married nearly fifteen years (in August), and he is doing well. Dyan got married to Tony Harris, a native Floridian, on March 31, after a little over two years of dating. We are still very close, so I was shocked when they decided to have a private ceremony with a Justice of the Peace, and I was not notified -- nor was either set of parents -- until a few hours after the fact, but they have that right. They didn't want to spend too much money or have a lot of hoopla. They are going on a late honeymoon this fall to Ireland. They are very happy together, and he has a heart of gold -- he is very shy and very sweet. They compliment each other nicely: she is more booksmart and smarter with the spending, but he doesn't sweat the small stuff and keeps her relaxed. I was never able to open up about it in college, but she had a "breakdown" at the beginning of our sophomore year in college, which was why I was out of the dorm a lot. She spent a lot of time in Dick's House and then took several medical leaves before returning to Dartmouth for awhile and then finishing college in Florida years later. Her twenties and part of her thirties were a difficult time for her, and she deserves every happiness she has right now. On a lighter note, can you believe this ... our bdays are Nov. 3, 1968, John's is Nov. 1, 1968 and Tony's is Nov. 4, 1968??? We have a lot of those "weird twin facts", as I call them. Dyan and Tony both work at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa, and John still works for Exxon -- in Investor Relations for now. He designed and oversaw the production this year of the annual report for shareholders. Every couple of years his job changes and we move. It's worked for us so far. Living in London for four and a half years and traveling all over Europe was amazing! (We've been back in the suburbs of Dallas for two years.) Though life is less exciting here, it has been a wonderful place to find the resources we need for Mark. A terrific consultant is teaching me how to implement a home program that is doing wonders. I realize this note is very stream-of-consciousness and a bit choppy, but there's MANY years in a nutshell!!! Better go ... Your wife and baby look beautiful and very happy! Carpe diem!!! Lots of love, Shary Your former UGA and permanent friend

Jon, Whats up buddy! It's been a long time since high school ey? You look very busy. I am impressed with your website. Good luck with your new family...I have two beautiful girls..it's great! I'll check in from time to time. Charlie "Chuckie" Kirk

Yo no estoy de acuerdo con Marisol, yo creo que tu sitio es mucho mas atractivo que vos! Felicidades por el embarazo espero que todo este bien... un abrazo para los dos y decile Marisol que ya pasaron 3 meses desde que iba a actualizar marisolmayorga.net ;o)... Un fuerte abrazo... Chepe

Your Website is as attractive as you are! ;) Love you!