Today’s post is about those whom I love as family even if not. Cassie is my sister regardless what DNA or rules of law says. I love he and Jocelyn and would lay my life down for them as the others. Steve, even if you use my gun to shoot yourself and have accumulated more ex wives than me you will still be a distant brother. When it comes to the last 15 years my work wife had been Diqua and her daughter Tata. Diqua has been there most every moving at 3 with a hug good morning to remind me I’m loved. I’ve spent several times with her and her daughter outside work having fun or going to weddings. Someone who rose up quickly in my life just started a branch of her own. Stacia was out intern for several years and scared the shit out of me because she’s like a magnet. You show once and she qualified to teach everyone. She is a sponge and has never hurt me and been a critical advocate when I’m not there. I don’t have to brag on her because a normal college student doesn’t graduate college and walk into a 5 day a week on air gig in a top 60 market. Stacia joins Alan as the two who could keep my secrets. Alan joined my 11 years ago and when he started it was a very interesting time. Alan had been chief at his old station and done everything for himself and like me self reliant. We finally bonded and when he forgot something or had an idea I was already on it and when I had a long rough patch in my life this man is the reason I was able to keep my job. He worked tirelessly to make things happen and he was just as a sponge(without germs) as Stacia on learning new things. If there was an issue he would follow me and watch over my shoulder to see how I troubleshoot and fix said issue. These 2 ended up being my team for a year before I was elemenated. Stacia will move on and if Alan doesn’t get a Chief spot somewhere soon I’ll be amazed. These 2 work in tandem. There are a few I’ve left out for later posts so don’t get your jock strap in a wad yet :). This family is why there is no light at the end of the tunnel because they’re not holding candles at the other end. A shout out to my home girl Julie Chin as for 7 years we were in twitter or texting every morning talking about national stories or the forecast data being wonky. I spent 6 months comparing Julie’s forecasts to Alan’s and they 96% of the time we’re identical on the first 3 days and very slow decline in averages after. Julie you have been a super friend… Some may read this as a goodbye but it is in a way because I never got to say goodbye. I was escorted out of the building. So long for now.

Someone turned off the light in the tunnels, I can’t see a light at the end. Forgive me but I know of some bottomless pits that I might not see if the lights aren’t turned back on.

I’m taking a few hours away from ALL OF FACEBOOK.. This includes text messages. Unless you’re on my priority list you can leave a message with SkyNet.

Parents = Nope
Children = Nope
Grand parents = Nope
Significant Other = Nope
Siblings = Nope
Closest Relive (cousin) = Yes
Communications with others = No
Job = Nope
Best Friend = Too Busy
Friends are only friends mostly when they need something.

3 years ago today someone pushed the wrong button and rather than testing the tornado sirens sounded the air raid version. I hope they still work.

Good morning kids it’s slightly after 5:02 in the morning on Sunday. Not much planned for today except lunch with Patrick and I think we’re going to try to beat the church crowd at Logans Roadhouse. I wanted to mention to something that happened two days ago that I’m wondering your opinion of if I should make a comment / complaint about. So as you know I’m approaching the 10 days now until my mother passed away last year and it’s getting to be an emotional rollercoaster. So of all things I got a call on Tuesday from the funeral home that we used for my mother and the cremation doing a survey on how they did and if there was anything that they could have done different or anything that we didn’t like or did like. I express to him one small intricacy that really kind of threw off the my mind the night whenever I was right about to have to stand in front of my mom’s friends and family and give a short little introduction to the pastor that had come in to do the ceremony that I felt was semi not needed it could have been done at a different time. It seemed that the obituaries in both papers for Tulsa and Ada we’re slightly more expensive than we had prepaid in planned and there was one other small gear thing that they wanted payment for writhe in instead of waiting for you know the next week or something like that they pulled me aside before the service and asked me for a credit card to you no clear off the balance. So my conundrum is do I complain to the funeral home that it’s insensitive to call a family member a week ahead of their one year anniversary of death and do a survey on what they could do better and or should I just leave it alone and move on and leave that. I do want to say I have absolutely no bad feelings or anything from the funeral home we used in The Cremation service everything was extremely taken care of they bent over backwards I mean I highly recommend them for anybody that’s going to die that’s all of us right? So that’s my question should I call them out on it or should I not and otherwise Facebook is off and unless somebody gets Rowdy and annoying or Bots start harassing I’m going to leave the comment section up on these so you can leave comments or questions and I don’t have them on a approval basis that away it’s more like the Facebook world instead of a Blog world. Now its 5:09 a.m. and I’m going to go back to sleep for a little bit before I have to get up and eat some steak and about 10 million roll to Logans thanks for following over to the blog and understanding that the departure from Facebook is just a little bit of me trying to keep a little bit of my wall up around my emotions and hopefully stay sane through the next 12 days. Have a good Sunday be safe.

My cousin Pat is the closest relative I have (cousin) and he’s almost like a brother but our bond isn’t that complicated.

Pat keeps to himself and the weeks leading to mom’s passing he was instrumental in getting breaks from the hospital and someone I trusted to make any major choice should thongs turn south. I had lots of friends bring me food and lend their support including getting me away for a few hours if only to goto a surprise b-day party.

I’ll talk about Cassie and Stacia more later as they are no small part of the 10 days leading to mom’s passing.

Shortly after mom passed and Patrick and I sat in an empty waiting room with everything on card from her room including glasses, books, bible, teeth, and stuffed cat. We made 2 phone calls as it was about 1am to let the word out that mom wasn’t able to support herself and died. I had chosen not to post it online originally but everyone had been so pardon my lack of words “well behaved” that once I got home I announced it.

I typed up lots of stuff here if you look back warning it’s dark.

But Patrick whom I consider the most introverted guy I have ever seen posted a very raw and heart felt post.

Due to its very sensitive nature I’m posting it now so I have the strength to as the next 10 days will be rough.

Below I give you Patrick’s post:

Dear friends, family and coworkers, As you know, the only people on my friends list here are people I know personally and only seldom hesitate to call my friends. Monday the 22nd was my birthday, and as always, I truly thank you all for the best wishes in person and here on Facebook. It was a bittersweet day, running the gamut of elation and abject dispair, those emotions ofttimes butting right against each other.

My meticulously planned vacation was cancelled without remorse and I am very grateful to have someone with me who understands why and how plans can evaporate in one phone call.

Those plans were altered, without any regret, so I could be with James and his mom in their time of need. Lucidity is in the eye of the beholder when it comes to sedation levels. Each of the many times I sat beside her, she was absolutely herself behind those eyes and handholds, smiling and shaking her head, as she always does, at my off-color and somewhat morbid jokes about her predicament and responding with genuine affection as she knew James and I were there together for her and each other.

Tuesday the 23rd was set aside for family visits, as was her wishes. She knew the outcome was grim and I believe she held the reaper at bay until she was ready and had her time to share with her loved ones.

I thank my family, yes all of them, for making the day easier on her. There were a few tears, lots of praying, and she was happier in those times that I’ve seen her since the weekend. Everybody should be commended for their actions yesterday, for the cordial and respectful way the visits were handled.

The nursing and other hospital staff praised the visit as one of the best they’ve ever seen considering the situation and the sheer number of people in and out. James is a master at logistics and overwatch and he handled this terrible appointment with dignity and aplomb. After the heart checks were completed in the afternoon, the family visits over, the excitement of the day and the psychological stress of potential goodbyes settled, Linda slept and welcomed the auto-vent in a rarely comfortable state of slumber.

Later that evening, her body began the slow process or letting go. In the end, every single one of her wishes were exacted to their letter and she succumbed to her final breath alongside her favorite music playing softly from my phone on her pillow and James’ hand in hers. In fact, the 1950s classic, Wake Up Little Suzie by the Everly Brothers carried her to her final destination to be with her mother, father and a host of loved ones she has lost in her incredible and unforgettable life. “Wake up Little Suzie, it’s time to go home.” Godspeed Aunt Linda. I love you still. You finally made it home.

I’ve enabled comments on future posts if you shall feel the desire.