Gordie Howe, 1928–2016

He remains the only professional hockey player to play in six different decades: full-time from 1945-1980, when he retired at age 52—wait, pause there. 52.

And then he skated one shift for a professional minor league team in 1997, when he was almost 70. Six decades. Gordie Howe died today at the age of 88.
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A Thought About Prince

Officially, he released 39 albums in 37 years. Often, these were solo albums as the term would imply: albums on which he made sounds with his own hands on his instruments and singing his own words and music. This does not include live albums, “hits” compilations, or all the songs he sold other artists.

Legend has it that there is as much unreleased music yet to be heard by the public. His most recent album came out in December 2015.

When Prince died today, it was a shock because 57 is 57, after all; because he has been touring with an acclaimed solo acoustic show; because when news broke about a hospitalization last week with dehydration from the flu, he handled the publicity with some cheeky Tweets and Instagram photos. This weekend, he did something he often did at his home/studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota (Paisley Park): host a dance party at $10 per ticket at which he performed.
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Thank You, Charlie B.

Two years ago today, a friend of mine passed. Charles F. Brennan, III—my friend Charlie (November 2, 1960 ‒ April 7, 2014)—was my sponsor for a time.

His funeral mass card carried a quote from Emerson: “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”

At the top is a copy of The Serenity Prayer in Irish, whoch we found in his apartment:

An Phaidir Suaimhneas
A Dhia,
deonaigh dom an suaimhneas
chun glacadh le rudaí
nach féidir liom a athrú,
misneach chun rudaí a athrú nuair is féidir,
agus gaois
chun an difríocht a aithint.

What follows was first published two years ago. Thank you for reading it:
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