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About Lugnut -- Patrick Malone

Many of us have come to know Patrick Malone (Lugnut) as a friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and kind individual. He is a frequent and enthusiastic contributor to our analog discussion forum. He has initiated only 17 threads, but responded to 559 threads. I would guess that many, if not most, of us can recall a time when Pat replied with helpful advice to a question we posted or helped us track down a rare recording. I have come to love Pat as a friend, and to respect him as a man, and I suspect many of you share those feelings.

Today I write to share difficult news with you. Pat has been diagnosed with an aggressive stomach cancer. It has yet to be determined whether surgery will even be worth it. If surgery is performed, most or all of the stomach will be removed, and Pat would face a difficult and long post-op period in the hospital. The medical course is still uncertain, but will be determined soon. Whatever is decided, it will not be easy or pleasant.

Something may be planned in the future to assist the family. For now, Pat could use some of the friendship he so often and willingly showed us. You can email Pat at: lugnut50@msn.com. You can also mail cards, letters ... or whatever. You may email me for Pat's mailing address. My email is: pfrumkin1@comcast.net.

I hope to spend a few days with Pat in Idaho or Nebraska (from which he hails) soon. Between this news, my legal work, getting ready for family arriving for the holidays, Audio Intelligent, and trying to make plans to visit Pat, my head is spinning. If you email me and I don't respond, please understand that I am not ignoring you, but rather simply do not have time to reply.

Pat may or may not have time to respond to posts here, to emails, or to cards mailed to him. But he has asked me to convey to each and every one of you that he has cherished your friendship, your comradery, and sharing our common hobby on this great website.

As we prepare for our holiday season celebrations, and look forward to -- as we should -- enjoying this time of year, I ask that you keep Pat and his family in mind ... and softly offer up, in quiet moments in the still of night and early morning, prayers for Pat and his family. God bless.

Warmest regards to all,
Paul Frumkin
paul_frumkin
jphii
485 posts
 
Pat,

I'm going to try to make it, but with my schedule lately it is going to be tough. I'll keep you udated.

Joe
zaikesman
3,017 posts
 
Pat: Likewise, but I won't be surprised if I never go to an audio show (less'n maybe they hold one in DC, and even then I wouldn't bet on it). I'd probably feel I'd had enough of that scene and split inside of 30 minutes, ha! (I like to think of myself as having a low tolerance for ostentatious displays of rampant bourgeois consumerism - not to mention 'audiophile music' ;^) Then again, this one's your first eh?...I guess there's still time for me to eventually be corrupted...Nah!!!

P.S. - Enjoy yourself! :-)
lugnut
1,190 posts
 
Alex,

Aw shucks, come on, allow yourself to be corrupted a little. I figure that I can bring from this affair those little things that don't represent bourgeois consumerism but great value. I must say though that excellence generally doesn't come cheap and I would love to own a couple of pieces I've auditioned that are top flight money wise but I still consider a bargain. The Schroder Reference tone arm is one example. It's not a bad buy at all if you are young since it's a once in a lifetime purchase. Besides, other than my audio fix my life is pretty simple and extravagance free.

Did I mention how much I've enjoyed the CDP? Also, a local friend is giving me a Triangle DAC to try out and if it's an improvement I can have it. Finding a home for the CDP and tuner has been a challenge since the available real estate for set up never acounted for these additions. I've finally figured out a permanent location for this stuff and only need to order some longish interconnects in safe lengths to pull it all together.

I should have bought some of those other Nina Simone albums in Berkely. I really love her piano and her voice is just about as good as it gets. I'm interested in hearing the work she is better known for.

Joe, I really hope to see you there. I could bail out if I'm feeling really lousy but I don't think that will happen. Deep down inside I just don't want to appear sick for fear of making others uncomfortable. Considering I've always been appearance challenged this won't be hard to pull off. LOL.

Ampster (Jeff) from my college days is coming from Lincoln, Nebraska to hook up with us. Barb and I are also bringing a local friend I built a system for. I've already created a mini-audio monster with him so I figure I might as well push him into the stratosphere range for audio wants. He he. The equipment is secondary to me by a long ways. The friends I've made here mean more to me than I can convey. Each of you in your own way has made this journey so much easier and you've propped me up at times when I really needed it. Hopefully, this will nudge me along to being the man I want to be at this time in my life.
zaikesman
3,017 posts
 
Said mostly tounge-in-cheek Pat - fact is, I've already been corrupted beyond my ostensible comfort zone :-)

Speaking of which, should I laugh or cry to learn that you're off and running with tweaking the humble CDP? Next it'll be digital interconnects, jitter-boxes and power-conditioning! Forgive me Barb, I knew not what I've done!! (Alright, I won't be able to claim that after what I'm about to say next: I know from experience going the very same route, with the very same CDP, that upgrading to a dedicated transport makes at least as much difference as adding an outboard DAC. However, far be it from me to tell a man fighting cancer he should resist getting his kicks any way he damn well pleases! But do me a favor and simply give Barb the CDP with my apologies if things do progress out of control ;^)
lugnut
1,190 posts
 
I must give the DAC a try since it's free if it works well. Beyond that, nothing more except softward ocassionally. I did order some Bluejeans interconnects for both it and the tuner. Nothing special. Don't want this digital stuff to compete with my analog. ROTFLMAO.
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