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Dear Friends,

HI!   I wanted to reconnect with all of you  and thought instead of trying to find your latest email addresses or texting you a long message, I would go this route.    After reading, please feel free to comment, add, etc. as desired!

So, a rough year for many of us right?   Talk about confirmation that life has some real ups and downs.  It is certainly important to try to just be ok with that and more importantly reflect on how we react to these ups and downs.    I don’t talk about it much, but I have had some pretty bad downs in my life. Some have been my own fault.   But I keep moving forward.   I don’t live in the “mud” of life….it just isn’t worth it...it isn’t helpful.  I may be in that mud for a short time (sometimes too long) , but I try everything to  grab any stick near me and pull myself out.  I hope you are able to do the same if you are in a “down” time.  Being able to move (or at least trying)  to the next “UP” time in your life, will and does feel simply amazing.

I have to tell you, I worry about you all frequently.   It's not that I think you can’t handle life, but I just worry, like a father or best friend would if my children or best friend may be  struggling.

I can’t even imagine, for those of you who were at COSI or similar and it shut down, how it was a punch to the gut. ….and a continuous gut punch.   I think back to one of the best times in my 52 years of life….and that was working with you all.  Yes, we can say that it was because there was a “magical mix” of team that really made it work and that is certainly true….but it is more than just because of  the “team”....  it worked because of YOU.  You were willing to listen, soak up knowledge and be ok with learning from others, accepted your weaknesses and tried to get better, you put up with other personalities (including mine) and worked through challenges and came to the group with open arms.    I miss and care deeply about you all.

YOU are special.  Whatever turned out to be next for you, you will bring something special to that next step. How lucky are those that will get to experience you!  How great you can feel about yourself in knowing that!   Even if you have a supervisor or team that doesn’t “get” you...don’t let that influence your own opinion of YOU.  I may not know much, but I know talent, I know good people  and I know how special you are.

I always think about this vision.  If I was in a large group of people and you were there, all others would be dull and drab and you all would be in vibrant colors!   YOU stand out and that is amazing.

I know..I know...it is hard to stay connected with me and to be honest, I am ok with that as I certainly understand that life moves forward, but I hope that the memories of our time together stay strong and influence you and how you show compassion, humor, care, etc. with others.

Here is a pretty cool quote.

“Don’t let negative  past experiences create your future.  Take the challenging lessons learned from your past, but don’t stay stuck there.  Have the courage to step into the unknown.  Take a leap of faith, beautiful things are ahead and waiting for you.”

Hope you are leaping as needed.   I am here to listen if you ever need me.

Have a wonderful week,

Kurt

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I've been pondering what to add to this thread the last day or so which has resulted in the most wonderful and hilarious of memories. I've had a couple different gigs since COW and none of them compare to COSI, for sure, but I have brought along my favorite mezz traditions which helps each new work space feel more like home. There are now a few organizations in the Cleveland area who have you to thank for things like Valentine's Day card exchanges, socially acceptable costume wearing at work, end of year award ceremonies and so much more.

Everytime I find myself in a sticky situation, it's like I have a tiny COW truck that rolls out of my brain and onto my shoulder to whisper advice, motivation or the perfect positive workplace shenanigan to clear the air. Yes, the truck and I had a lot of long talks while solo driving back and forth across OH, but the inspiration I'm referencing comes from you.

You all are amazing humans! To those of you I worked with - I think about you all often. Your friendship still means a lot to me even if we don't talk as often as we did before. I learned a lot from you that I continue to reference to this day. To those I don't know as well, I still know you're an amazing human! There's something about the shared experience of COSI that gives an immediate respect and trust. (And desire to hear your funniest stories!)

Erica

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I still keep my “smooth” rock that I got in a Monday meeting from my crazy boss Kurt at my desk. Like, right now, in the corner of my bedroom where I’ve set up a “home office” (a laptop, a removable mouse, and an extra chair) I have a rock just sitting on my desk.

The last year and a half was a ROUGH time for me. One of my lowest ever. I was bullied harrrrd, I had to stand up to people I respected, and I had to learn what it was to be floating a bit on the outside of things. And probably hardest of all I had to walk away from a career I loved and start all over again in a new place, with new people and completely new sets of variables. And I had to do this from the corner of my bedroom barely seeing my new coworkers faces (and still having never been to “where I work”)

Now I point to all of this difficulty, because one very wise, overly energetic, little man once told me and a room of my coworkers (after handing us each two rocks- a rough and a smooth) that rough rocks become smooth over time through the variety of friction and elements they are exposed to #science. The sharp edges fade with time and the smooth rock appears to have always looked that way.

I see this year (and the last year) as a moment in time that I will look back on as when my rough rock was getting turned to smooth. My rock was being hit with sand and water and wind and other rocks - but soon it will emerge smooth and well tested.

I see my years at COSI as the biggest blessing of my life (don’t tell jimmy or Brody or my new cat potato), and I will always hold it and each of you so so dear to my heart. Don’t ever think you’re getting away from me. I will find you.

I love you all - think of this family every time you see a weird rock.

XO - Chels

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I was only apart of Cosi for a brief two summers, but wow what an impact you all had on my life! Starting from my interview, I handed you all an ice cube and asked you to melt it as fast as possible. You all jumped up, ran around, pushed and shoved to try and melt your dang cubes! Immediately I thought, “these are my kind of people!” Kurt, your sheer joy radiated from you through the entire education team! You created a place that encouraged laughter, creativity, and loving our work! I often look back on my brief time at Cosi and it always makes me smile. You are incredible Kurt Hurfman! 😉 Thanks for being your weird and wacky self! I wouldn’t want it any other way!
-Molly

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Kurt, I appreciate that you still reach out to us, even after 5 or 6 years since we worked together.  I often think back to the dream team and how much fun we all had doing what we loved (and doing a great job at it). I often get frustrated in my current teaching position for a variety of reasons and it makes me miss COW life and how we were effective at getting stuff done, working together,  all the stuff you mentioned,  etc. Then I think about driving to Ashtabula in the middle of winter,  or skiing down West Virginian mountain roads  in a 17 foot box truck, and I think ok, maybe things aren't all bad now.  But, back to my original point,  thanks for always keeping us in your thoughts, and know that I too reminisce about the good times on the mez. Maybe we need to try to organize a big reunion sometime once covid settles down (that IS going to happen,  right? )