I'm Going To Miss Chris

I didn't always agree with Christopher Hitchens.  He thought going into Iraq was a GOOD idea.  And he could come across as sort of a, "foppish",  privileged prick who had been thrown out of some of the best schools in England.  But he was right about most stuff.

I've read two of his books.  God Is Not Great, and, Hitch 22. 

He nailed it, as far as I'm concerned in, the first one.  The second one was maybe a little self Agrandizing, but it was still a good read.  I read it on my last flight from Paris to SLC.  Made the 10 hours go by quickly.

He died today of cancer, caused, most probably by his smoking.  As was, well, IS? Mine.  We all make our beds, despite knowing what we know, and at some point, we must lie in them.  Even if they are six feet under.

I don't know if there is any OTHER cause of esophageal cancer than smoking.  I can't imagine one.

My bladder cancer on the other hand, has TWO leading causes.  Smoking.  Which I did from the time I was in college to about nine or ten years ago.  And to think, I was worried about my LUNGS!  Who'd have thunk it?

And exposure to chemicals at work.  Well, considering I spent about two nights a month in the 1990's standing around in some meth lab that I or my partner had stumbled into, while waiting for the DEA to come and clean it up, I think I scored on BOTH counts there.

And like Hitchens, I hope I beat it.  But we both knew that win or lose, there is nothing after this life.  And you need to live it to the fullest while you can.

I can't tolerate the, "chemo" therapy for my cancer.  Too painful.  My doctor told me I have a 40/60 chance of a relapse if I don't do it.  I'll take my 20% chance of NOT getting sick again, since he said the second surgery showed NO cancer in the biopsy.

And I'm not smoking a pack of Canadian, "Cig's" every day and I don't spend ANY time hanging out in meth labs anymore.

I'm trying to take better care of myself, but I'm pretty much set in my ways.

So, if it turns out that at some point in the next year or so, I have cancer again?  I'm going to pull a Christopher Hitchens and, "Light up another cigarette". 

If I'm going to die anyway?  Might as well enjoy something I really used to like.

Rest in peace, Chris Hitchens.  You told the truth, and you told it well.