I’m Ready for My Inheritance, Granny — Would You Kindly DIE??

May 7, 2013 By 11 Comments
Youth in Asia

I was talking to my friend Dirt Boy (he owns a plant nursery, and I never shake his hand that he doesn't have to wipe it off first) last night about Beta Culture, and we got onto the subject of death. If you're an existing reader here, you probably know about my Cowboy Dad. For you others: I grew up in Houston, Texas, moved to a little mountain town in California when I was 22. I met this guy there who became my mentor, teacher and eventually, "Dad." We were both mule packers and wilderness … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Beta Culture, Dan, Godder Antics, REALLY Serious Shit 11 Comments

To You and Yours

December 25, 2012 By 4 Comments

Favorite holiday moment of all time: I was away at college in about 1982, but determined to make it home for the holidays. In the dead of winter, I set out hitchhiking from the Sacramento area to the Eastern Sierra, a distance of more than 250 miles. In what turned out to be a full day of standing on the roadside, getting short rides, more standing on the roadside, etc., I finally reached my Cowboy Dad's house in the mountains at about 8 p.m. — 12 hours later. The last ride had been an … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dan, Serious Shit 4 Comments

Interlude, With Pack Mule

May 19, 2012 By 9 Comments

Sorry, all, about the recent paucity of posts. Among other things, I’ve been busy getting some stuff ready for an event – Mule Days, it’s called – happening in Bishop, California, where I used to live and where my Dad lived. I’m trying to get all the people who knew him to contribute stories, photos, etc., memories of his life that will go up on a couple of memorial-type web pages. This event will draw quite a few people into the area, some of which will be old friends or … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dan 9 Comments

Interjection, With Tears

February 23, 2012 By 9 Comments

I've shied away from gushing at length about my Dad's death here. Mainly I think of my own "guy" reaction to other people's family-death turmoils. It's a personal thing, or should be, and you shouldn't go flashing it around in public too much. But I also feel that I owe all of you something. Periodic updates, I guess. Those of you who donated to make possible my visit to his side at the hospital, I want you to know ... well, that a very human thing happened, and continues to happen, and it's … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blue Collar Atheist, Dan, Serious Shit 9 Comments

Jeez, I Looked Like THAT??

February 13, 2012 By 4 Comments

Good news! Well, for me, anyway. I've been invited to do an article for American Atheist Magazine. I just submitted it today, for the March issue. Part of the thing was a couple of photos I had to send along. Since the piece is about my recent "atheist deals with death" experience, and speaks of my cowboy Dad, the pics were of me and said Dad. Most of my life, I actually thought I was rather homely, but looking at this pic from 1975, I'm like "Hey, this kid is handsome! That's ME??" … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blue Collar Atheist, Dan, Red Neck Stuff 4 Comments

The Ashes of a Cowboy

January 19, 2012 By 7 Comments

I'm sitting here waiting for the USPS. My Dad's ashes are coming in the mail today. I was sort of happy-excited about it all morning, but now I'm thinking "Oh, crap. Here comes a solid reminder that I'll never be able to hear his warm voice again, or have him invite me in for a slash of apricot brandy." That welcoming, wise – and yes, sometimes damned annoying – presence is gone from my life. He won't BE THERE for me. Ever again. In case you’ve wondered, after my trip to California that … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blue Collar Atheist, Dan 7 Comments

I’m Back

November 8, 2011 By 47 Comments

I got to be with my dad from midnight on Wednesday until Sunday morning. I expect to be writing more about this at some indefinite-future time, but for now the details are this: Thanks to everybody’s donations, I got to be there with him for 3 days and a little bit more, and I was with him when he died. He knew I was there, responded to my voice, and seemed to be comforted by my touching and talking. I told him what a good man he was, and what a hole there would be in the world when he … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dan 47 Comments