Last Friday, I blogged about the renaissance of AliThinks. I said the post was a placemarker, and that I hadn't drunk any coffee and didn't have time to expound. I also said I'd explain later.
It's later, and I intend to explain.
We were on our way to Pittsburgh for Easter, and that's why I didn't have time to write a proper entry. A few things happened over the weekend: Allan and I stumbled upon a Tea Party by accident. (We'd planned to go to the Strip District, but a last-minute comment from a college classmate on my Facebook status had me thinking we might be able to lunch with him on the North Side/Shore.)
We went to The Warhol with my BF from HS, Denise, and her husband David. Then the four of us went for food and drink at Fatheads on the South Side (say it with me: Sahside) of Pittsburgh.
Afterwards, D&D took their leave and A&A went to the early show at Club Cafe, which featured Brent Malin and Almost Astronauts. We'd planned to go to Club Cafe no matter what, because we love that place, and funnily enough, there was a familiar name on the program. I met Brent Malin at my alma mater in 2003. He'd been teaching in the Communication Arts department there, but was leaving to take a job in California. And I remembered him well, because I was a Com Arts major, and thought it was a shame that he was leaving. He seemed like a cool guy at the time, and that was confirmed when we spoke to him before and after his show.
Almost Astronauts put on a great show too.
We were back in our hotel room before 10 pm. Woo-hoo! The next afternoon, we went to my dad and stepmother's house for a family gathering. And that was good. I have potentially incriminating video of my nieces and nephews.
The day was overshadowed by something I'd read after we got to the hotel on Saturday night, however. Shana's plea weighed on me, and I found out late Sunday night via her blog comments and Twitter that her son Thalon had passed. The news was all the heavier because my mother died on April 12 as well. In 1993, it wasn't Easter Sunday (but Easter Monday is close enough). This agnostic lass sometimes finds the Easter symbolism too much to bear. But now I'm bringing my own stuff into it, and that was not my intention.
So while I have photos to show and more things to tell, I'm going to refrain right now. Shana posted a link to her son's obituary on her blog today. She wrote it, and it's both beautiful and heartbreaking. Tomorrow Thalon will be laid to rest. I'll be thinking of Shana and her family, and Thalon some more.
I love the new and improved Alithinks. It's all about life!
Posted by: The CEO | April 17, 2009 at 11:46