Wow. Has it been this long? Really? Well, I'm back. I guess I've been using my Furry Affinity to post my thoughts when they happen, but I'm going to start Dream Width posting again because...they picked up the other place's ball and ran with it. I gotta support. Plus they don't throttle the posts like Reddit and well, now Booger is doing. My fave band right now and the retail news site that I looked at every day are now "be a member or you get nothing". Bye Booger and Reddit. I guess I'll get whatever news they post on Twit...as long as that's not edited..yet...

Here's my latest FA Post:
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It was one year ago, a Saturday night, after the sports stopped, that I was at my Mom's for a dinner and heard that our Gov. X-10 had ordered that bars and restaurants close at 10PM (or was that 9 PM, who knows...) This was the official start of the pansamatic as it were for me. When suddenly it was impossible to have a beverage because they didn't want you out spreading this new fast automatic flu thingy. That was it. I became a shut in and most of us did. For the first few months, there was a lot of what next and our president saying "Hey, by Easter...we just need for everybody to take two weeks..."

A year later, we're living with it. Despite scaring us with statistics. We're living with it. Getting the vaccine means you're less likely to have it/spread it/end up in the hospital from it. That happened so quick. Won't forget about that.

A few short months later, Gov. X-10 said it was safe to drink at bars and restaurants again, mainly outside and yes, inside if you were socially distanced with limited capacity. I'd have none of it. If I wasn't sitting outside, I wasn't going to be there. I think it was early November when they took in the outdoor seating. Ahhh. However, the seating next to the windows in the non bar part of my bar had actual AIRFLOW. Meaning they weren't the best insulated windows in the world, and that became my comfort zone. Gov. X-10 made it even tougher, imposing a curfew at 10PM...but I still went.

This past week, I went to pitcher night at my bar. I had a pitcher or three. A year ago, my friend and I sat there drinking pitchers as we'd done for years discussing the first cases in Ohio were in Cleveland. I've only had two pitchers since for the next year. I was happy.

Well, Saturday night, the night where a year ago Saturday they closed it all down, the bar was hopping as it does on Saturday nights. I thought to go to get at least one beverage to commemorate the memory and OUTSIDE SEATING HAD RETURNED! Yay! Trouble was, after I got my two beverages and sat down and started to draw, everybody including a group of really loud drunks who all smoked LOTS came out and...well, I didn't give a damn. Is it over yet? No. Is it back to normal? No. Is there at least a bit more comfort back in my life under a clear sky with stars shining down on my drunken A**? Yes.

RIP Joe Tait. (Cavaliers radio broadcaster for 40+ years, his last broadcast several years ago: "Have a good life everybody".)
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Good to be back ova dey. :) -Ric

I don't know how to feel as of yet. My father passed away this past weekend at 75. I haven't seen him in 40 years. I'm backing my brother's play by attending his wake today. My brother had known him for five more years than myself. He tried to get in touch with us about 10 years ago, after my brother reached out. Nothing came of it. Back my brothers play. He's going to the wake today and I'm going as well.

I can say that my father never knew what we became. Dr. Laura called divorced men with young kids "sperm donors" because they were never there as we grew up. I didn't care about her preaching righteousness because she had been a little nasty before being " born again". But the "sperm donor" words hit home. In a way, it made me bitter, but reflecting on it, I didn't know him. I had more of a feeling when the second man my mom married and divorced passed. I knew him a little better.

I honestly don't remember anything about my dad except that he moved out and maybe we'd go visit him every week. He could have helped much more if he provided child support. My mom actually had him jailed for a few days because he was not paying. A few years later my mom met another man and he took up helping a little, but mom kept her career. I never loved my "stepfather" but I respected him. My Mom is only the true champion of my youth. She put herself through one of the toughest nursing schools in the country to make sure we had something to grow up for. I'm extremely proud of mom's achievements. All I remember about my dad is he sold cars and loved the Beatles. (I guess that's a little footnote that makes me remember him...since I was in sales for a few years....)

I love my mom. She IS my mom AND dad. She's the reason I am what I am. Popeye be damned. :) (Yes, she used to sing that to us to make us eat our spinach.)

Arf. -Ric

POST/Update 9:15P-- After going to the service and meeting the other two kids from my dad's second marriage, I learned that he was very bitter and short and shut out even his sister who just sent a recorded word about hoping he now has peace. Still, all the grief his step son experienced, all alone, even once a few years back about going against my dad's wishes in order to save his life, well.... Maybe I have a bit different opinion now, but I never got to say that to him, neither did his sister.

Not even a goodbye page on LJ. Here I am to the new place. Gonna try to get the old, but who cares. New is good.

-Ric