I'm Back!
After an exceptionally long hiatus (my bad), a Prodigal DUer has returned.
Hello, and good tidings to all who know me. To those who don't, it's my pleasure to meet you.
Eons ago, I was a Moderator here, now I find many of my fellow DU'ers are on the Memoriam Page, this saddens me deeply.
What saddens me more, is that there will be another name added to that list, unhappycamper who passed from this
plane, April 12, 2023.
I met him via DU some 20 years ago, we served together on many stints as Moderators, he from Boston, me from Nebraska.
I went to Boston to recover from pneumonia at the VA there and was to spend two weeks. That turned into just over 12 years.
He was not just my brother-in-arms, he was family. I stayed in his Condo for those years, we shared stories, wished we were a lot younger as we drove through Boston and saw "them new fangled women folk" that didn't exist when we were younger (what the hell happened???)
On October 2, 2022, I found him on the Living Room floor, he had had a stroke. After calling 911, I took his vitals, made him comfortable and he was coherent. 9 days after he was admitted to Mass Gen Hospital (he was doing well, standing and getting some function to his affected side), a clot created an aneurysm, which blew and everything went catastrophic. I was his Health Care Proxy and POA.
Five months ago, another DUer, and Moderator, Treasonous Bastard also a one time Moderator, and my actual older brother passed from this plane. Type 2 Diabetes robbed him of sight in his left eye due to macular detachment, and he was taking that long walk into Dementia.
When I happened upon DU, via an email, I scrolled down and saw the Memoriam page. We didn't have that in my days on DU, and we were losing people, damn good people. Kephra, oneighty, maddiejoan, ElizabethEdwards, blondeatlast, aliengirl, NNNOHLI, Bartcop, opihimoimoi, pinto, JeffR, William Pitt, madfloridian, nevergiveup, The Magistrate.
I worked with these people, and knew them as part of the larger cause, they, like all Duers, are part of something greater than ourselves.
We are family.
Skinner has retired, EarlG answered my email (I know, things are hectic, 45 is a bigger butt nugget than anyone imagined could happen) and I've been working my butt off in NE for Harris/Walz, FWIW: There is but a single DJT lawn sign in Lincoln NE and well over 250 Harris/Walz!
OK, I'm up to date, back on DU, and ready to go to work for the Cause. Let's do this and keep a healthy Constitutional republic alive and well!
rasputin1952 is in the fight!
= new reply since forum marked as read
I’m so sorry for your/our recent losses. Thanks for your hard work in Nebraska and May you be rewarded with a strong, winning cornhuskers football season this year. 
I had to chuckle when earlG called me ras in his post, I hadn't seen that in a long time! 
I'm sorry you lost your close friend and then 5 months ago your older brother. Unfortunaetly as we age so do our friends and family. But it is always a hit to the heart when we do lose a close family member or dear friend.
Glad you're back rasputin1952.
and thanks for letting us know about unhappycamper and treasonous bastard.. I've wondered.. may they rest in peace.
Later this afternoon I'll be having my personal Beer, Beam Metalfest and I'll happily raise a glass to you. 
You're absolutely right. DU is an expansive family (as expansive as this website - 
)
I got misty-eyed.
Many of those listed I Moderated with back in the old days.
I would walk past Mary's apt every day.
I never met any of them (although it would have been a pleasure to meet Mary). 
I feel like I should be hunting trolls again...ah, the good old days. 
I was born in Fremont, NE, and my dad's family emigrated from Sweden and homesteaded in Oakland.
Glad to have you here. I look forward to reading your posts!
Condolences on your losses of Treasonous Bastard and unhappycamper. They were lucky to have you in their lives. 
Take good care of yourself — and I hope to see more of you. 
I recognize your name, and many of those referred to in memoriam.
Look forward to seeing you here! 
I'm so sorry to hear about unhappycamper and your brother. Both were good people and good Democrats.
Anyway, it's good to see you back and in fighting form for next Tuesday and whatever happens after that.
you finally got to retire!
Backing the Forum days, it was as if you never thought you'd get there. 
Sheesh - some of those names from earlier days! I especially remember Kephra - one of the first DUers I connected with!
the things that go on.
I have a radio show that is out of Boston College, the ACLU in Boston is a heavyweight, Sierra Club, Audubon, Occupy, and a host of Peace groups that I finally got to agree on a few things, so we could work together (the egotism overrode the mission).
Kephra, pinto, The Magistrate, so many.
Good reason to keep going, keeping them in my memory recharges me, the mission goes on.
what a long strange trip it's been 
I'm sorry to hear about unhappy camper and TreasonousBastard. I swear it feels like TreasonousBastard was just here a moment ago, but when I looked it was the beginning of the year... that time lapse is how you know you're over 50 now! 🤪
Once you get your sea legs again you should consider trying out MIRT. Most of those left here who were mods pass through there upon occasion. I bet you'll like it.
of time, rasputin . I'm so sorry about your friends.
Welcome back! 
I started exactly one year after you did.. It has been a long amazing ride for our Democracy. Meeting Kindred Spirits along the way from all over our Country and the World.
I want to add another name from the Memoriam list who I miss so much every single day.
Her name on DU is Me.. she passed August 10, 2023. I never met her outside of here.. she lived in Manhattan and I'm on Kauai.. but we PM all the time and sent each other cards for birthdays and Christmas.
And, it feels really good to be able to write about her now.
To all our DU Friends who have Passed.
about Me on DU, Elessar Zappa. Mahalo for letting me know
And Mahalo for your kind words.. 💙
I joined in 2008 when I was very involved locally in the Obama campaign. I had a haitus for several years also, while raising children and all the activities that come with that. Now that they are older, and I was mortified about losing Roe, I joined back up too. Luckily my username survived whatever fiasco took DU down in 2016 or so.
We could use you on MIRT!
I too, recognize all three names. So sorry for your losses, as well as ours.
We are all in this together. Glad you are back to be with us.
unhappycamper
Treasonous Bastard
mentioned above. Welcome back. Glad you are still on this side of the dirt as I am as glad I still am, been rocky lately. It is always good to see someone you have not seen in some time. Thank you for all you did while away. It is really good to see you back. I don't post much but have been here forever it seems.
I feel like I fell out of bed and landed on Cloud 9 seeing all of us "Oldies!"
I was stationed at Ft Sam for a while. San Antonio was great back then (we're talking the early 70s).
The Riverwalk was one of my favorite places to wind down.
