About Lugnut -- Patrick Malone

Jeff,

Thanks a lot for the kind offer. I'm somewhat embarrassed by the overwhelming number of gifts I've received from this community. Just recently I received a box from UPS. Upon opening it there was a new Grado Reference cartridge. The enclosed receipt indicated the quantity and model. It was signed by John Grado with a note saying "enjoy the music". Many of the posters here have sent me books, albums, even medicine and other touching gifts as well. The biggest gift of all is this thread. My local friends have been quite generous too. They have helped me with spring yard cleanup, mowing and some light home repair. Some of my audio club members have brought over some really cool records refusing to take them home. At the beginning of this thread when the weight of the world seemed to be on my shoulders this community lifted me up by reaching out in so many different ways. It is amazing. What can I say? Thanks seems so shallow but that's the best I can do. Can I pay you guys back? Not unless I become the recipient of a divine miracle. I think we have all learned a great deal from this thread. Being self-sufficient for a lifetime and taking pride in meeting my own needs became a barrier to being a gracious recipient. I've learned. A few of you have become really close friends and have even taken the time to meet me in person one way or another.

Feeling as well as I do Barb and I are going to Portland, Oregon for a few days in May. We'll be staying downtown and hopefully will be having some memorable times. Later, after Paul completes his stay here Vetterone and I will be going to Dallas to meet Alber Porter and listen to his cutting edge system. Life's good and a lot of you guys are responsible for making it so.

Joe, it's funny about A Love Supreme. I'm so glad you are reading the book. I've played that record many times since it showed up in my mailbox. It gets better with each play and seems to have opened the door for understanding some of his Meditations recordings. I hope you enjoy the read as well and that it opens musical doors for you too.

Whatch out what you offer Jeff. My two favorite genre's are jazz and blues. I have a huge selection of each and I never feel I have enough. That's kind of greedy on my part but I can excuse myself. It is for the love of the music. Right?

Tomorrow I start my next three week barrage of poisons pumped into my body. It's not that bad this time around and there are few side effects. I'll be coming home afterward to listen non-stop for about 18 hours. If one can't sleep then play some tunes!! Best to all and thanks for keeping this thread alive.

P.S. Let's all give Paul Frumkin a big hand for being awarded the "Best New Component" award last Saturday night by Stereo Times. Liquid as a component is a remarkable achievement in my book. Way to go Paul. We early beta testers knew it would go this far.

Lugnut, I attended the Stereo Times awards party in NYC, honoring Paul Frumkin. Audiogon plans to post my images covering the event so we can all congratulate him.

I am really looking forward to the visit from you and Vetterone, I have a great Mexican food place picked out and hope will be a great experience for you guys.

Pat,
Even though I e-mailed you privately today, in response to your generous, unsolicited sharing of thoughts about another thread, in which I had asked a question,I want to be part of this thread. To say that this thread has had a shuddering, shattering and, I would venture, absolutely unforgettable impact on the members of this group, is a gross understatement; reading it is a lesson in hope for mankind, exemplified and led by your stark, ruthlessly honest and searing love for life and its finest values. You inspire us and I only wish you well. "Dum spiro, spero" (while there's life, there's hope) is obviously your mantra and I, together with the friends who know you personally, hope and pray that we can face these trials together for years to come.

Good afternon Mr.Lugnut, I am very happy to learn that you enjoy some of the same music as I do. I am somewhat envious of you, who wouldn't want to take a listen to the famous Porter Audio System? Albert could probably charge admission. I hope your day is going well and you have time to sit back and listen to some tunes.
what are some of your favorites? right now I am listing to(and I can't get enough of)Jay McShan, really great stuff. And then it starts branching out to guys that he is playing with, such as Gerry Mulligan. Does it ever stop? And then you have another favorite of mine, Johnny Hodges, again there goes another tree. Duke and how many people did he have through his career? I am really just a beginner in all of the big band blues thing, I have liked the style all of my life but I thought it was rock. Now looking back some of my favorites have been blues related, Stones, Climax Blues(duh), Savoy Brown and of course Eric Clapton. It has been just the past few years getting into 'high end" that I have ventured out of rock. I was just telling my wife, Colleen, the other day "I can't believe that I am actually listening to Mel Torme and enjoying it"
Sorry, I didn't mean to write a book, I am normally a one liner.
Later,
Jeff

I am in awe of this thread, which I just discovered today.
It's so great to see how many members of the Audiogon community are pulling together and supporting "Lugnut".
It has brought out the best people and the best IN people posting here, as they discuss their true feelings and share their thoughts about friendship, generosity, fighting and surviving cancer, and of course this crazy, beloved hobby of ours and love of music. (another kind of therapy that we all use on a regular basis) It really humanizes the Forum, as we realize that there are real people on the other side of that keyboard we're pecking away-at. (That's a good thing to remember when you're preparing to fire-off a nasty-gram at someone here.)
I haven't read anything this inspirational since Lance Armstong's book, "It's Not About the Bike", concerning his fight with cancer.
Pat, I wish you the best of luck in your continuing battle with cancer. You don't have to come back and win the Tour de France, just hang-in there and keep talkin' to us!