Unexpected Trips

Since October 5 I've taken several expected trips: To Michigan, Missouri, Illinois and Colorado.

Ohio wasn't supposed to be on the list.

Where is it written that unexpected trips are always for bad reasons? Perhaps in college I took off for someplace with no warning just to do it without the impetus of a bad reason. I can't think of any. Certainly can't think of one since being an adult I've taken many weekend road trips and traveled in this country, Europe and Central and South America. All were planned, expected trips.

I took an unexpected trip to Ohio with the LTR to be with our family after his father suffered a massive stroke from which he will not recover.

I'm trying to decide if death is an expected trip or an unexpected one? We all know it's a trip we will take someday, but the moment when that final journey occurs is random, beyond control. Unexpected.

Or maybe, death -- like birth -- is a trip that is both unexpected and expected. We know it's going to happen, it's only the exact moment that is unexpected.

And maybe, death -- like birth -- is just a traumatic journey from one world to the next.

I hope so.

And if that is so, when my father-in-law finally makes that ultimate expected and unexpected trip, I do know this much: he's going to bring the next world a helluva lot more laughter.

Bon voyage, Dad.

Exit Falwell

The voice of, as John McCain said when he had a spine, "an agent of intolerance" is silenced.

Some in the gay blogosphere are piling on, dredging up many of Falwell's eggregious qoutes marginalizing gays and using scripture to condemn whole groups of Americans.

Enough. Let his hate be buried with him. If we return hatred for hate, gleefully dancing on his grave, how are we any better?

There are still enough living bigots to confront, and confront them we should. We should just let Falwell go...the worms have him now.