by Ian Punnett

First of all, you'll have to pardon the disjointedness of the following blog:  I dreamt it early on Tuesday morning and I'm trying now to get it down as best as possible.

In fact, when Margery turned to me at about 4:15am and said, "You ever plan on getting up?" I'm not sure exactly how I phrased it but in my mind I said something like, "Hey, I'm blogging here."

This is what I remember from my alpha state:  Thank you to Andrew Zimmern for being such fun during the "Chit-Chatterday" broadcast.  It was a pleasure to share air with you but after watching "Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern" on Monday night before I went to bed, I'm not sure I want to share a meal.

So let me say this now:

Should we ever be out to eat, Andrew, no conch penis for me, please.  Watching you eat conch penis on TV is entertaining but none for me, please.  Not even a little conch penis in my salad as a garnish or chopped up in a conch-dog.  If  the restaurant where we are eating are serving conch penis fritters all wrapped up in deep fried batter and served with dipping sauces, you can have mine.  After watching "Bizarre Foods" the other night, I have a new life goal:  To live out my years 100% Conch Penis Free.

Oh yeah, and no "jellied moose nose" for me either.  Ever.  I shouldn't even have to stipulate that but just in case . . .

Also, thank you for all the responses to my blog about "loss."  More thoughts are coming on that soon, I just don't feel like writing about that yet.  Glad many of you have.

Our "Ian and Margery State Fair Field Trip" was so wildly successful beyond anybody's expectations that Margery and I must say "y'all rock" again.  It was hard to pick a favorite event but my favorite moment everyday was when the participants put on their name tags and grabbed the yellow, knotted rope just before we started walking.  "Wow, there really is a rope!" was heard often.

There was one more piece in my dream-blog but that one escapes me now so in its place I offer you this " Christian theological reminder" from Colleen:

Who was the third man to walk on water?

1st was Jesus.

2nd was apostle Peter

The third was this guy:

by Ian Punnett

I've been away from the blog for a while.  While I have avidly read others and follow up commentary in the various chats, I have had so much on the plate to chew over over things on line.

The family, the show, the fair, church stuff, it's all been a much lately.

Then I got the word last night that a friend of mine that I had worked with a couple times (never in the Twin Cities) had been killed when his car left the road and landed upside down thirty feet down the embankment.

My friend was a newlywed who's had a couple of tough breaks lately.  Many years ahead thinking of my friend and what might have been if he had made that turn.  I'll miss him.

And so I was already in that grieving place when I got this e-mail this morning about somebody else in mourning that I wanted to share.

It's so well written that I think it speaks for itself--and sums up how many of us feel when a loved one dies, like my friend Jeremy and this boy, Sam:

Ian:

I often wonder what the meaning of life really is all about... why do some die and some live... what good would ever come out of a 4 year child suffering and dying after months in the hospital and after 4 major surgeries... I listen to your show every morning and I am glued to the "happy boy!"  I believe that happy boy is for me... to make me happy and to start the day off on the right foot.  I believe that everyone should have their happy boy moment what ever that may be... but where was the happy boy for poor little Sam and his family?  From the day he was born at the mere weight of 4 lbs to the only 20 lbs at 4 years of age... where was his happy boy? ... but as I look back and think about my memories of this beautiful little boy... I think back of a "happy boy."  Sam was a boy that smiled and smiled often... in fact when I think about my many encounters with Sam... it has always been the joy and excitement in his face that has made the visit less painful...Perhaps the meaning of his life was not so much what we could do for him and his family but what he did for us...  Sam was here to give joy to his parents, to his family and to all of us that came in contact with him... Sam was a fragile little boy , but had the strength to carry on and even through everything ... still found time to smile... Moments before Sam died, his mother came up to him and as she said his name... he looked up at her and with the little strength he had... he smiled... As  I grieve... my emotions get the best of me and I often ask why... but as I look through it all... I see that the one constant is that Sam was brought to this Earth to make us all appreciate our families a little more and whatever is going on in our lives... we need to take the time to smile.... in my book Sam is the "true" meaning of a happy boy!  May God bless Sam and his family.

"D"

"D":

There are answers to your questions but I am inclined to just hold on those for a while.  In the meantime, I'll just be with you in the questions and look forward to seeing what other mights have to say.

God bless, D, and remember that you cannot "do grief" wrong.