About Lugnut -- Patrick Malone

Howard,

I will be rooting for Lance big time. It's funny how his cancer actually changed his body so that he is a better rider. Proof that good things come out of what seems to be bad events. Something really good is going to come out of what is happening to me too. I don't know what it is, and I may never know, but it will happen. It's obvious that this thread has had a large impact of many of us. I've gained so much and I think that maybe a lot of people have experienced getting kicked around by life through me without having gone through anything so profound themselves. Others have shared their own previous and current heartaches. It should be obvious by now that we need not be lonely. We need to also keep in mind the perfect balance we've been given. At times grief may seem overwhelming, encompassing our entire existence, but so many wonderful things happen to us during our time here on earth. Let's just forget about the trials and tribulations I'm experiencing and get behind a cycling legend.

If I can actually come see you do you think Dean would make his green, oddly shaped head appear for pleasure as well? I haven't heard from him in a long time and wonder how he's doing with his new job. I bet he misses fixing up those world class bossoms he previously worked on.

Lance says that he wants to be remembered first as a cancer survivor, because that has shaped his life more than anything else. He certainly would never have won the Tour de France had he not gotten cancer. He didn't have the body, and he certainly didn't have the mind, not for a three-week stage race. Thank you for sharing all of your powerful perspectives, Pat. It's amazing how an experience like yours, when expressed so eloquently, can bring such a richness to all of us who have only these threads as our history with you.

We will have to make sure that Dean and Tvad (Grant) make the trip up if you come for a visit. Now that would be a real treat. Have you been to San Francisco? Nothing like a sunny day on the beach at the Marina, with the Golden Gate overpowering the view just to our left.

Hi Pat,

Enjoy the weekend!

:^).....Pat

Howard,

One time I tried to visit Fisherman's Warf in San Francisco. This was in 1976. My sister was married to a Navy man stationed north of town. Here I was, a 26 year old Nebraska boy with my wife of three years taking care of my nineteen year old sister and her equally young new mate. We drove down to the the warf area looking for a place to park our car. Parking was impossible close by so I began the routine of driving further and further away figuring we could walk any distance back and forth. After I began the zig zag unphill looking for parking I found a parking lot in the middle of a block with no signs prohibiting it's use. The four of us unloaded from the car and locked it up. After making sure the car was locked and again looking for any indication that I wasn't supposed to park there we turned to step onto the sidewalk. Directly across the street a merchant was clearly visible behind the counter of his shop, both doors being held wide open. This guy was leaning on the counter with both elbows spread wide, his hands holding his head up. Directly above his head, like a mounted trophy fish, was a double headed dildo about four feet long, extremely detailed like its organic counterpart. Hmmm. Okay, I figure that porn shops are normal but a little taken aback at this public display of his wares. Onto the sidewalk we stepped. After walking about twenty feet a door flew open in front of us and a body came tumbling out. Picking himself up in record time this guy comes right up to me with his face about six inches in front of mine and says, "Don't go in there. They turn you on and won't let you do anything about it!" I must have just looked at him in stunned silence so he left. We proceeded to walk a few feet when I saw two of the most gorgeous, drop dead looking women I've ever seen, dressed like they were going to a ball or something walking toward us from the crosswalk at the end of the block. Big hair, low cut, slinky dresses with tons of cleavage exposed and thigh high slits in their evening gowns was how they were dressed. At a half block away and even with the distraction of how they were dressed I could see their faces were made up like movie stars. Man, these two were incredible. As the distance between us decreased I was even more impressed until my eyes stopped concentrating on their faces AND chests. And, what wonderful chests they had too. I was really taking them in from head to toe until I realized they had buldges between their legs. In shock at the sight and utterly confused these two, ummmm women, walked right up to the four of us and asked if we would all like to have sex with them. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK. That was more than this poor little old country boy could take! Feeling responsible for the entire group I hurried us back to the car and left San Francisco pronto. At least as pronto as one can do in a Datsun B 210.

Am I in for more of that if I come over Howard?

This was a very memoral trip. I took a glider ride in Fairfield. It was in the middle of the drought so the thermals were incredible. The pilot was sixteen and his Dad was up at the time trying to set a distance record in a glider. He was pumped up and so was I. I asked him if he'd put the thing through its paces for me and that question parlayed a twenty minute ride to one lasting nearly and hour and a half doing everything I can imagine one can do to make it exciting. I loved it. Still, that didn't get my heart pounding the way it was in San Francisco. Never again have I felt like a piece of fresh meat.