There was a memorial service for a former college roommate of ours this past weekend. We didn't go for a couple of reasons. One, we really didn't want to see any of the strangers who would call themselves friends that would come out of the woodwork to wail at the injustice of life cut short. These people called themselves our friends but were really nothing more than drinking/bed buddies. I mean, there were some good times there but I've learned since that friends are those who are there for you and who will stand by and take care of you, when you can't take care of yourself. None of the people who might have attended the ceremony were our friends then, nor will they be our friends in the future. One of the healthiest things Blixx & I ever did was move the Hell out of Fitchburg and cut ties with these co-dependant wackos. It was too easy to fall into that pattern again. The memorial was for Todd, a former apartment mate, who killed himself last year. He was always troubled but wouldn't accept help. If there is a higher plain, I hope he's in it and has some sort of other worldly understanding of his life and the mistakes he made. I just don't need to be in that room of mixed nuts in order to say it. He chose to distance himself from all of us in the last few years so I take it he meant to keep it that way. I hope he finally finds peace. The Blast Furnace gives a few more details - I count myself as one of those who declined the invitation. He can pass judgements all he wants - he was always better at that than seeing the reality of a situation.