He didn't make it.

"Pop" suffered another major stroke at some point since Saturday.

They took him off the ventilator/respirator whatever last night. He passed around midnight.

Tori was in MUCH better spirits Monday, so I didn't go up there.
Once I've got my stuff together today I guess I'll head out.

Thanks for the advice (even though I didn't really take it.)

The Name Game

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME (first pet, current car): Goober Cherokee

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME (fave ice cream flavor, favorite type of shoe): Vanilla Vomero (I like it!)

3. YOUR NATIVE AMERICAN NAME (favorite color, favorite animal): blue dog

4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME (middle name, city where you were born): Ryan New Orleans (eh?)

5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 of your first name): Lewja

6. SUPERHERO NAME (2nd favorite color, favorite drink): Grey Zero

7. NASCAR NAME (the first names of your grandfathers): Cecil Denver

8. Pro Wrestler name(favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy): Pheonix Milky Way Dark

9. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): Phillips (i THINK!) Philadelphia

10. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower): Spring Lily (can't really say I have a favorite flower)

11. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now): Cantelope Slacks

12. HIPPIE NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree): Sausage Pine

Want to play the 'Name Game'??? Consider yourself tagged!

Track #7

Theory of mine. Discuss at your leisure.

Track no. 7 on an artist's first major CD will be their best, or one of the strongest on the album.

Of course this is not law, but it sure seem to be more often that not.

Case in point - I'm listening to Duffy - Rockferry right now.

First few tracks were soft hitting, decent but nothing special. then around 5 they picked up. and seven nailed it out of the park.

Track eight, back downhill - still good (I'm loving this CD so far)

My thinking is the record execs want you to listen to the whole cd and not just the first two or three - makes sense, right?

As far as a review of this CD - Duffy is somewhere between Joss Stone and a clean Amy Winehouse. She has soul, but there's a lot of pop in there too..... but the CD seems worth picking up when it comes out.

One more thing... DNR

All this talk of strokes and what not later makes me feel the need to put this in an, at least semi, public place.

This is my D.N.R.

Do not resuscitate me.
Under no circumstances.

Just in case there was a question.

I wish for no one to be burdened wondering what to do, and I wish that no one have to care for me in any sort of vegetative condition. If I can not/will not be able to care for/control myself there is no reason to me to go on.

Seriously.

Tori's "Pop"

Tori's grandfather, "Pop", has not been well lately.

He was diagnosed with lung cancer about a month and a half ago. Everyone was scared to death, understandably. Then - GOOD NEWS! - they caught it early enough to wipe it out in surgery.

The surgery was a success....of sorts. The cancer was gone. But he picked up an infection somewhere along the way, so had to stay in the Hospital. The infection got to a point to where he was put on a respirator.

Tori and the boys went to Hernando early Friday afternoon (before the snow) - he had a stroke that night.

My mamma(sic) recently suffered a stroke. It's not pretty. She has no idea who her own children are. She can barely figure out how to eat on her own and has not yet gone to the bathroom on her own since the stroke. Luckily(?) she is walking again and talking much better than she was. She may not be able to call you by name, but there seems to be at least the air of familiarity there.

At least that's what I keep telling myself...

Things do not seem to be boding so well for "Pop". If he lives through them taking off the respirator, he will no doubt be at the very least bed-ridden. They take him off tomorrow.

Tori is VERY upset. It kills me to see, or hear rather, her like this. I have recently started a new job (Feb. 1). I just don't feel like I can take off to head up there without him passing. I know that sounds weird, but I'm thinking if I go up there for 2 days or so to comfort her, come back, then he passes, and I have to go back up there, that my new employer will not look favorably upon that.

Pros:
New Employer and I are longtime friends.
New Employer is very understanding about family.

Cons:
The business shuts down without me there, pretty much.

I don't really know "Pop". I've talked to him on maybe a handful of occasions - and never really at any length. Hardy & Cannon have no idea who he is, either. So I wouldn't really be going up there, even in death, for him - but for her. to comfort her. And it seems like she needs comforting now....

I'm torn.

Since when....

....has Maker's Mark cost $25? Man, they are full of themselves. Friends tell me they are the lowest end of sippin' bourbons - but I can't sip this garbage w/o at least some water. And I hate to pay what I can get a bottle of Knob Creek for. Horrible.

Just an FYI

Where Nader stands.

Just so it's clear, here's a little more Nader for your tater.

http://www.votenader.org/index.html

I don't necessarily agree with Universal Healthcare, but I think all the canidates think we should have it - so I don't see us getting out of that one.

And as much as I don't like W and Cheney I don't really care if they are impeached or not.