Looks like I'm going to go up to Washington to say goodbye to an old friend that I learned had passed away back in March. He committed suicide; I didn't find out until last night; but from our email conversation....I can definitely understand why. He had some very serious medical conditions: one of which was life threatening and they were rapidly getting worse and he face the fate of eventually having to spend the rest of his life in an Iron Lung; with a bed pan and catheter....and decided to end his life. He was 55, single and my best friend from College. Life dealt him a shitty hand and he made the best of it; but it continuously got worse; and he was very rapidly going....so...before it was too late; he decided he had to make a choice before he was unable to move around anymore and breath anymore without assistance. All of our lives come to an end...sometimes suddenly...sometimes early in life; sometimes our end is quick other times it is long and painful. In a way he was lucky in that he had a choice in how he wanted to end things. As we get older our mortality becomes more real on an emotional level, when we see our friends going early left and right...it is natural to assume that we too are just short timers. I guess what I am trying to say is this: Life is too damn short! Enjoy the hell out of it while you can! Go and do the things you always dreamed of doing. Do it as early as you can and live simply.