Wmcmanus

Well, look at that! Steve even made you a cake! Err, well maybe he just got lucky with a Google search? Either way, you've gotta love the effort. Oh, and happy birthday!

http://9gag.com/gag/aQpD3Rr/memory-foam-never-forgets

Not to mention what a shame it is to lose such a handsome old building in the neighborhood... but ya, glad you're Ok.

Happy birthday, Dusty!

There are sometimes several distinct strands within certain threads, but to search for them often requires a magnifying glass (at least for these tired old eyes). But it's worth the effort on occasion, especially if the thread is about scotch.

Happy birthday to both of you upstanding gentlemen!

Happy birthday, Vicki! Haven't seen you forever! Add me to the missing you crowd...

Seriously rough thing for families to have to deal with, sometimes for years on end, and then to have to go through it all twice... I just can't imagine. Keep the good memories of your times with your brothers in your heart, as I'm sure you do, and keep on living as best you know how. As you say, some of us are blessed more so than others in terms of tolerance and the ability to keep it under control.

Boy, ain't that the sad motherfucking truth?!?!

You hit it on the head, Stretch. I know that some of our friends here at Headcase have lost brothers and sisters and cousins and other close friends and relatives to this terrible affliction, and it's never easy to deal with yet another situation like this where someone who had so much to live for... but just couldn't shake it... is now gone. So I think more than anything, I posted this to say sorry for your losses, as well.

Joe Bichl, 53, one of my high school classmates, died of alcoholism related issues yesterday. We weren't particularly close in high school, although he was a great kid with an incredible, sarcastic wit. I had a chance to catch up with him one day last summer when I was home at my mom's house, a day which I'll always remember now. One of my younger brothers had been his AA sponsor for a couple of years and never once mentioned his name to me. But then apparently when he told Joe I was in town, Joe wanted to see me and said he didn't mind if I learned of his problems. We chatted for a couple of hours about just about everything except AA, which I know nothing about in any event, nor is it any of my business. I guess he was relieved (I learned later) that I treated him "just like anyone else" which is actually quite telling in terms of his level of guilt and shame. Obviously it was a sickness that was beyond his ability to ever quite shake. But he was actually doing quite fine at the time, and seemed so humble and content and (without speaking to the issue) he had a quiet confidence about him that seemed to suggest that he had made it over the hump and was looking forward to what the rest of his life might hold for me. Or at least that was the vibe I got. I guess he relapsed several times this past year, and eventually "fired" my brother as his sponsor (too much tough love? not sure), but then he would then call sometimes when he had been drinking hard again, and then accept my brother's help yet again, at least for a while until the cycle repeated itself again. When I was home just last weekend, my brother told me that he had hit rock bottom and was refusing to get help. He said, "if he doesn't dry out, he'll be dead in a week." Sure enough, almost to the day, he was gone... Anyway, he was a good guy, and like cancer, alcohol and substance addiction and abuse really sucks.

University of North Texas - Department of Poor Planning?

Frankie Ford, of "Sea Cruise" fame died today at age 76. Saw him along with Del Shannon and Cocktail Stevie & the Tablerockers in my home town of Oglesby, IL, back in the early 80s. We had some pretty cool old timer bands play at our annual summer Oglesby Celebration Days weekend drunk fest. (Sorry about the audio quality of this clip.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5tIHtbctFQ

Thanks again, everybody. At a certain age, I think we tend to become grateful just for the opportunity to experience another birthday and to still be healthy and content with life. It's all good, and I do appreciate the well wishes from all of you fuckers (meant in the nicest way possible, of course).

Happy birthday, birthday brother!

I know him, actually... can't think of his name right now, but he's one of my Santa friends on Facebook. That was awesome. Perfect music for a distorted boobies video. Thanks, everyone. I'm home in Illinois this week hanging out with family, then a high school reunion this coming weekend before heading back to Cayman for the Fall quarter and Santa season. Life is good.

Today, it finally is over... RIP Yogi Berra, a true legend of the game of baseball, and just a lot of fun, always. http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/151137752/hall-of-famer-yogi-berra-passes-away-at-90