It's been a while...

Yes, I've been gone a while and yes I'm sorry. I've gotten the occasional email asking where part 2 of the strip club article is or when I'm going to release an audio version of the book. It seems someone is listening and someone likes my voice. So where do I begin?
At the beginning. The last few months have been brutal on my psyche and the family as well. If you follow any of my other feeds like tumblr, Facebook, or Google+ you know why. My mom passed away a few weeks ago.
The months before her passing were a roller coaster of anguish, regret, mourning, anger, and pain. Alzheimer's, dementia, and the associated disorders are the most insidious disease that I can imagine. Over the years the disease robs the afflicted of her identity, friends, family, and even the ability to communicate.
Someone posted about how romantic that film "The Notebook" was and I ripped their head off in a public forum. I apologized, but as far as I'm concerned Nicholas Sparks is the devil. Yes I know that it's just a book and a film. Cancer isn't fucking romantic either and anyone who plays cancer for romantic comedy needs to be beaten with a mallet, in my opinion.
Added to this stress I was preparing and beginning my trip this year. Needless to say it, but I've been more than a bit distracted. I apologize if you were the person who felt slighted. Hopefully all of the drama of the last year is finished.
We live in hope.