Bittersweet.

Twenty three months ago on May 29, 2016, my friend Ray died. Many people knew him as the blogger Gay_Cynic, and he was a dear friend to me and many others in my blogger community for nearly a decade. Ray was a tireless advocate for a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the Second Amendment, and in addition to whatever other blogger gatherings our group could muster, we also met at the St. Louis and Houston NRAAMs. For the Houston NRAAM, Ray and I organized a gathering that was very well attended by many fine folk. 

One thing Ray and I were fond of doing was casting forward to think of how we would throw a big grand party for friends attending the NRAAM in Dallas, which happens this weekend. Rather than brood on the party that might have been, I have kept my head in my studies and tried not to think about it too much. But I know that he will be on my mind a great deal this weekend. He would have loved the fact that both the POTUS and Veep will be attending. He would have loved the dickens out of interacting with protesters, as he did to great comic effect at the Houston con. 

I know there will be a thousand instants when you will flash through my mind this weekend, Ray. I miss you. It won't be such a great party without you, but we'll muddle on as best we can.