Tag Archives: Anniversary

A small update, some observations, an anniversary and other tidbits.

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newdayAs you may all know by now from a previous post about my cousins battle with cancer, its with a heavy heart I have to report that Jess lost her long and arduous battle this past Friday.

I have been thinking about her and her story for a few days now. I was debating how to frame and relate such a story of courage and grace. The hardest part for me is the simplest. Its so cliche to say, “so and so unfortunately lost their battle with cancer.” Its a normal statement. Factually its a true statement. As many of you know me, I tend to shy away from the cliche and normal. To say my cousin lost her battle with cancer is as far as I am concerned a load of BS. Jess won her battle. I’ll tell you why.

For over seven years, from the time she was diagnosed this girl had a smile and such a positive attitude in her treatment to try and keep this disease at bay. Never a complaint. Never a bad word. Numerous surgeries, radiation, chemo treatments. After each surgery or round of treatment, this girl went back to work. Sick, feeling like crap, tired, she held her head up high, smiled and moved forward. She enjoyed life to the fullest and when faced with setbacks in her treatment, it was always a “Whats next? We move forward with positive attitude.”

I can’t tell you the amount of strength, dignity, grace and positive attitude this young lady displayed throughout this whole rotten situation.

Obviously and as most people will agree when you have a family member go through something like this you tend to think about your own mortality. You wonder what you would do. How you would react. I did. If I am honest with myself and you the reader, theres a chance I’d try and do the right thing by being positive and setting an example in my head-on treatment and fight against this insidious disease. Then theres the very possible reality that after reaching a certain point, I’d simply throw in the towel, take out every line of credit I could get my hands on, and call it a party of the century with my closest friends. Booze, hookers, drugs, bank robbery, and dynamiting the IRS. I mean really whats to lose at that point?  Ok, I wouldn’t hurt innocent people, but you get the picture.

Thats me, and how I would have handled things. My cousin Jess is a much bigger and better person that I’ll ever be. She proved and showed the rest of us, that even when we’re saddled with insurmountable odds and a losing proposition you can still live with great happiness, and dignity no matter what the obvious outcome. That is a lesson I’ll forever take with me.

Did the cancer finally get my cousin Jess? Technically, yes, but Jessica did NOT lose the battle. No way. She won. She won in such outstanding fashion that her lessons and memory will live forever with those that met and knew her. I’ll call that winning every single day.

Moving along….

This blog in its current incarnation is officially one year old. I think technically the anniversary occurred last month but as you see it now its one year old. Its about where I expected it to be and for that I am pleasantly surprised. I have been mulling some small changes and updates with layout and graphics to keep things fresh. Fundamentally things will continue as they are and we’ll see where the next year takes us. I have some ideas and experiments swirling around in my head so stay tuned.

July already. Complete years and weekends go by so fast. Yet one single Monday at work can take the life right out of us five times over. Further proof life just isn’t fair sometimes. I don’t care though. July 31st I am going to see Black Sabbath and that doesn’t suck.

Let ‘er rip tater chips.

The waiting drove me mad, You’re finally here and I’m a mess

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I take your entrance back. Can’t let you roam inside my head.

Eleventh anniversary of the terrorist attacks today. So by now the entire internet and news media have discussed the significance of todays date. Everyone has posted “where they were” when the news hit. Everyone has discussed the heroes of that day.

I did in fact think about todays date eleven years ago. You know what I thought about? An old girlfriend I was involved with back then. Yes I thought about the terrorists attacks and that horrible day, but I also thought about lost love and to happier times in that regard. Contextually speaking of course.

I was out driving around with my father today and as we passed a car dealership with its typical four thousand square foot flag at half mast, I asked “who the hell died now?” He replied that it was for 9/11/01 and it hit me.

A good friend of mine recently pontificated and I am going by memory here, that he was sick of how every little burp or fart in this country and the flags go to half mast. Lowering flags to half mast are reserved for only national mourning or distress, deaths of significant heads of state and ordered by the President or a State Governor.

Dont get me wrong 9/11/01 is a national day of mourning. Although I have to ask and wonder about the significance eleven years later.

When do we as a country say “F-You” terrorists! We as a nation have mourned our loss, we hunted and killed your gutless leader like a pig. We mourn no more. Not for terrorists outside the country and certainly not for some sick kid in Colorado who couldnt make friends and get laid from time to time. Not for some firefighter who falls off a ladder during training, not for some cop getting ran over blocking traffic in an intersection.

We are the people of the greatest nation in the world represented by a single flag. Stop screwing with it and lowering it every time some jerk gets out of the wrong side of bed or someone doing an inherently dangerous job willingly, unfortunately dies while performing those duties.

Shit happens. We know when to mourn and take care of each other. We don’t need to compromise the collective strength, dignity, and greatness of our entire country by constantly easing that strength, dignity, and greatness of our one and only symbolic representation.

Unless its World War III, the death of a President, or Jenna Jameson fly that damn flag high and proud for the world to see. We can still mourn and support each other if the needs arise.

Yes I remember where I was eleven years ago today. I was greatly saddened by the brazen attacks on our home soil and the needless loss of life. I was also planning a weekend getaway trip to Key West and in love. Guess which event over the years since 9/11/01 I think back to more and more as each year passes.