I'm pretty picky when it comes to chariable donations. I give to the United Way and Courage Center, because they are the two organizations I believe in and have seen their contributions up front and personal.
For several years after my work accident, I was unable to enjoy many things that life had to offer. My marriage consisted of maybe sitting on the same couch watching TV, me hooked to a online game and her caring for me when I had a seizure. I didn't spent three years locked in my duplex, but it felt like it. The daily routine was, wake-up, have a taxi bring me to work, hope that I didn't have a seizure at work, come home, play online game, go to bed. This was repeated over and over for about two years. How or why my wife never left me still boggles my mind. Maybe she still saw the athletic guy hitting home runs while spouting off metaphors and one-liners with Dangerfield tenacity and not the depressed, broken lump of life who spat at himself while looking in the mirror.
But something changed me.
Friends and Family.
People like Burnsie, E, BJ, Jay, Fuckin Rice, my sister-in-law, my parents, my brother and sister and of course my beautiful wife. They chipped away at the shell of depression with seemingly simple offers of going out to grab a beer or two or just coming over to hang out and watch Ferris Bueller's Day Off (my favorite movie). Then I found internet poker as I needed to ween myself from my gaming addiction, playing the play chip tables at EmpirePoker. Wanting to learn more I found the United Poker Forums with Roy Cooke and a poster there named Felicia Lee who would invite people to read about her tournament and cash game crushings in a writing tone that only she can pull off.
Eventually I took the leap from serial commentor (with the gracious help of a diminutive sage) to becoming a blogger myself. And here I found even more friends to chip away the last pieces of that dark gloom that surrounded me. The live WPBT events put me over the top, meeting these people in real life, and knocking back SoCos and Cap'n Cokes while slinging cards and jokes. Since I don't hear very well (I'm pretty much deaf with a thick MinnesOOOtan accent most of the time I don't understand myself when I speak) I have to rely on IMs and IRC chatting for the rest of the year, but have managed to have several long meaningful conversations that have helped me get back to being the geeky, skinny guy with smile on his face and a quip or two in his pocket.
An awakinging if you will.
So, when I heard through other bloggers that BG could use some help with his hospital bills it was like betting on the river while holding a Royal Flush. I hope that you get well soon Tony. I know that my $20 won't pay for much more then a macaroni and cheese lunch at the hospital, but if other bloggers hop into the fray as they've done in the past. Hopefully we'll put together enough cash to get you an extra block of j-e-l-l-o to go with lunch.
Your friend,
Dave
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