A slight change of plans

Man, it's all about loss sometimes. It just is, no matter what else you do to counter it. It's part of life, I get that, okay...but it's certainly far from my favorite part.

Orval Hedger, a very dear and well-loved man and the father of Amy Jean, my longest-standing friend in the world, made the impossibly horrible decision to end his own life on Saturday. Both the pain he must have been in and that he has caused his loved ones are completely incomprehensible.

So I'm off to Colorado on a 6AM flight, because all I can do is show up and be there for Amy. The Dublin story, and everything else, will have to wait. (It better be a good story, for all the suspense that's been built up about it by now...my work is cut out for me...)

I know the holiday season is taxing in every sense of the word, and at the end of the day you might not have much of anything left to give. But if you can, please send whatever good thoughts and energy and whatnot to my friend, because damn, she needs it. Thanks.