Lost a good friend yesterday

[cbass]

My buddy Passed away while taking a nap in his chair yesterday.All to young and unexpectedly.He left behind a wife an three kids.

We jammed together a lot.Even though neither one of us were very good.He could hold down the rythym and sing.While i put down some mediocre leads.We still had a lot of fun.

He was in the junk business and was all the time bringing me "treasures". Organs old tube amps P.A.s radios uasualy not working.He was always so stoked when I could repair them.

I'm gonna miss you RIP buddy

[Teleguy61]

It's tough to lose a friend.
I'm sorry.

[M Fowler]

Sorry to hear of your loss all too familiar story these days unfortunately.

Mark

[selloutrr]

Sorry for your loss. Keep the good memories close and find some peace knowning he had a gentle passing.

[Cliff Schecht]

One of my best buddies from high school overdosed on 11/11/11 while I was working on an IC that was due in a few days. This was not in any way your typical drug user, he was the nicest most caring person I've known and one of the few people I made sure to stay in touch with throughout college. Everyone loved this guy and it really was a big blow to me and made me question many of the choices I have been making. I ended up saying fuck the IC and drove down to Austin for the visitation/funeral, there are some things that are more important..

Since then I've been dealing with really bad anxiety and depression that was triggered by being in such a stressful situation at school and finding out about my friend while working yet another 12 hour day. I quit my PhD program about a month after this because I realized it was not worth the effort at ALL and I wanted my life back. Things have been much more peaceful since my last final even though I'm struggling with the idea that I still have another full year of school left before my masters. I guess it isn't that bad though, one more year of paid for college life before I have to go get a big boy job..

Sorry to hear about your friend cbass .

[cbass]

Thanks for the kind words guys.I'm still trying to grasp that he's really gone.I can't imagine what his wife is going through.

Just for the record i wanted to say the my buddy didn't die from a drug overdose.He had a bad heart and was overweight had a terrible diet.We had done a lot of drugs when we were younger I'm sure that didn't help.He had also had a bad motorcycle crash a couple of years ago.I think It could have been a blood clot or something from the damage he sustained.

[LeftyStrat]

About a year ago I lost a friend who had been close since we were both 12 years old, I'm 53 now. He was the safest motorcyclist I have even known, but a drunk on a moped turned in front him and they both died.

He was kind and funny, and could just about make anyone smile.

But you know, in a lot of ways he's still with me. Rarely a day goes by without me thinking about him. His sense of humor still affects the way I look at the world. Our friendship is still alive.

Sorry for your loss. I don't think we get over losing someone close to us, we just get used to the sorrow.

[Gibsonman63]

I am sorry for your loss, Cbass, Lefty and Cliff. I have been fortunate and have not lost any really close friends. I lost my dad in 2005. His drafting table that he used for so many years is now my workbench for my amplifier projects. I can't sit at that bench without thinking about him.

Cliff, having balance in life is an important thing. I have seen too many good people lose families and relationships trying to do what seems like the right thing by sacrificing thier personal life for the good of the company only to realize that when times get tough, companies don't share the same loyalty. Follow your passions.

At the end of the day, people really do come first.

Hang in there, guys.

[Bob S]

I feel for you and your buddies family.
Lost my jam mate, George, suddenly 5 years ago. Not drugs or alchohol.
He was 2 months younger than me. Still think of him every day.
His wife is doing much better now, but it took a long time.
One day at a time.
Best wishes.
Bob

[Reeltarded]

I just turned 47 this month. I have been lucky enough to know some great friends, and just unlucky enough to have lost them all but for one.

Being the last man standing is a lonely feeling. My memories are only mine by now.

[Structo]

Sorry for you guys, it's a bad time of year to lose somebody.

My condolences to all and may you find peace.

[cbass]

He was only 47 .A point blank .357 mag to the face didn't kill him.Getin full on run over by a truck didn't kill him.Crashin into the courthouse goin 80MPH didn't kill him.More recently he plowed up about 50 yrds of ditch with his face when he wrecked his goldwing.Coma for 3 weeks shrugged it off like no big deal.
But Mcdonalds double cheese burgers,Frozen pizzas, sodas and cigs took him out.

[LeftyStrat]

He was only 47 .A point blank .357 mag to the face didn't kill him.Getin full on run over by a truck didn't kill him.Crashin into the courthouse goin 80MPH didn't kill him.More recently he plowed up about 50 yrds of ditch with his face when he wrecked his goldwing.Coma for 3 weeks shrugged it off like no big deal.
But Mcdonalds double cheese burgers,Frozen pizzas, sodas and cigs took him out.

Well he sounds like a badass and a great friend. I'd love to hear some details, especially crashing into a courthouse at 80. Sounds something like my younger days.

I grew up in South Carolina, and that is where my friend still lived. I now live in Seattle and his death came at a time when I really couldn't scrape up the funds to go to his funeral. Another friend stepped in and loaned me cash to go to the funeral. I got a chance to get up and speak, and tell all these great stories about the crazy things Joe and I did together. It healed me in a lot of ways, and many people came up to me after the funeral to thank me because it sparked the memories of great times they had had with him.

Sometimes the best path out of the grief of losing someone, is to see what a great blessing it was to have them in your life in the first place.

[LeftyStrat]

I just turned 47 this month. I have been lucky enough to know some great friends, and just unlucky enough to have lost them all but for one.

Being the last man standing is a lonely feeling. My memories are only mine by now.

My grandmother lived to 97. I could see the effect it had on her, losing every friend, every brother and sister, and even her oldest son.

I remember reading a story about a family that asked a Buddhist monk for a blessing and he said "Grandfather dies, Father dies, Son dies." They were outraged and he said "Any other order would not be a blessing."

We're all here such a short time, and I know nothing other than make friends and music.

[Cliff Schecht]

Cbass that's some pretty crazy stuff. I can't say that I went that far by my friend and I raised a lot of hell in our high school. Got some big permanent battle scars and ruined vehicles to prove it (both of us do).

Something that kinda kept my spirits up at the wake was getting handed a "my memories" card and not being able to fill it up with anything that wouldn't highly offend his family (they are Pentacostal which I always respected but it's an incredibly strict religion!). Some of our best stories were in no way appropriate for his parents to ever hear..

The suddenness of death can sometimes make one reconsider where they are at in life and where they want to be. Not a month after my friend died I quit my PhD and started searching for a real job (hoping to finish up my masters in may if my advisor doesn't bullshit me into staying longer). It really started to sink in that I am missing out on my friends and families lives by isolating myself with work. It also doesn't help at all seeing graduated students of Facebook making money and having fun while I kill myself for crap pay.. At least with a big boy EE job I will make good money killing myself and get (most) of my weekends off..