» On 10/01/2021 12:30:00 AM Mountain Standard Time, Alan wrote:
Hoosier Daddy. 

In America: Remember is the website for an art exhibition which "blankets the National Mall with over 660,000 white flags, showing the magnitude of our loss as a nation, while honoring each person who has died from COVID-19." This installation covers 20 acres beneath the Washington Monument. Search their Dedicated Flag Map for "Kevin Allen Densmore" to see the location of my buddy Kevin's flag. You can also search their COVID Lost Loved Ones map for "Kevin Allen Densmore" and scroll down to see the photo of Kevin that's also embedded on this blog.

LATER - click the VER VIDEO button on this page to see a 1:42 time-lapse clip of the COVID-19 memorial created from grains of hourglass sand by:

http://acrackinthehourglass.net

Background: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2021/oct/28/rafael-lozano-hemmer-covid-19-memorial-mexico

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» On 4/01/2020 12:01:00 AM Mountain Standard Time, Alan wrote:
Kevinito. 

Starting in the late 1980s, I worked side-by-side with an amazing guy named Kevin Allen Densmore. He was a hoot. We also had quite a bit of interaction outside of work, like dinners and a Mahlathini/Mahotella concert, where we danced in the aisles. Later, he introduced me to the BBS (an early chatroom) that he liked, just before he was diagnosed with HIV. That's when he embarked on a meth binge and dropped out of sight. Our boss said she would have to fire him, unless he called in sick, so I got on the phone and pleaded with him. No dice. I lost track of him for awhile. When we re-connected, I introduced him to my new wife. Anikó really liked Kevin, which surprised me, because she had never met a gay man in Hungary.

Kevin slowly pulled his life back together. He got a butch job driving big rigs and bought a house in Indianapolis. Then, in late 2016, he met the love of his life and they lived happily ever after... for a few years, at least. Kevin took up some interesting hobbies, like bodybuilding and knitting. He was a talented knitter, but I think he spent time at the gym in an attempt to convince himself that he was powerful, invincible. However, he worked very hard and sculpted an impressive body, especially for a sexagenarian. [I'm sure Kevin would enjoy being described with that word; he turned 63 last July.] 😉

Then, on March 27th, he was hospitalized with COVID-19. On March 30th, he was moved to the ICU and placed on a ventilator. As if that wasn't enough, he later had a major stroke which paralyzed his left side and then developed a massive blood clot in his right leg. The docs put him in a chemically-induced coma and say he will likely end up in a nursing home, if he survives the virus. Please send a good thought in his direction.

--Picture [click to enlarge] taken on January 18, 2020. Kevin said it was his first professional photo session.

UPDATE: July 20, 1956 - April 8, 2020; age 63. We deeply mourn his passing. Kevin was a shooting star who burned out much too soon. Obituary 1, 2.

SEPTEMBER 2021: In America: Remember is the website for an art exhibition which "blankets the National Mall with over 660,000 white flags, showing the magnitude of our loss as a nation, while honoring each person who has died from COVID-19." This installation covers 20 acres beneath the Washington Monument. Search their Dedicated Flag Map for "Kevin Allen Densmore" to see the location of Kevin's flag. You can also search their COVID Lost Loved Ones map for "Kevin Allen Densmore" and see the photo of Kevin that's also embedded here. Also: hourglass sand memorial, Facebook account.

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» On 3/07/2019 07:50:00 AM Mountain Standard Time, Alan wrote:
John Tucky (14 Sep 1958 - 01 Mar 2019; Age 60). 

I just received word that a dear friend passed away. Liver failure. He lived alone, and was discovered by a neighbor.

John and I processed words for a large law firm in Los Angeles during the 80s and 90s. He also did graphics projects on the side, and I programmed macro productivity systems. The firm rewarded us both with bonuses for the extra work, and we were relatively happy with our lot in life. We both enjoyed working for our female boss, a lovely woman who put up with our horsesh*t... er... idiosyncrasies, and kept the attorneys off our backs. We both had a passion for writing screenplays, and we both enjoyed sharing a social drink or three. Then our boss announced she was planning to leave for greener pastures, and we began to sense the impending collapse of our comfy little world.

The woman chosen to replace her was one of our co-workers, and we both knew she was a stone-cold b*tch. John was smart enough to develop a model-kit business that he could run from his own home, and I tried to trick myself into believing that I could get along with the b*tch. Right up until the day I got fired.

John commiserated with me during my period of unemployment, and I helped him program the HTML for the first draft of his website - but he learned fast, and was soon doing his own webmastering. A few years later, after I got married and moved one state to the right, he had transferred his online business presence over to Facebook, and we reconnected.

John loved the horror genre, and even though I generally dislike violent stories, I have to admit his horror screenplays are works of art. I sent him a link ("Creepy anatomical jewelry and housewares") last month, with the comment: "This should be right up your alley..." I think he must have enjoyed it, because he allowed it to appear on his timeline and clicked on the "Haha" laughing emoji.

As it turns out, that was the last time we... yeah.

R.I.P., my old friend.

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» On 3/06/2019 09:00:00 PM Mountain Standard Time, Alan wrote:
Susan Lyn Gentile (05 Apr 1956 - 04 Jan 2010; Age 53). 

Susan Lyn Gentile, 53, formerly of Kenosha [WI], late of Valley Village, CA, passed away Monday, January 4, 2010, in California from complications of surgery. Born in Kenosha on April 5, 1956, she was the daughter of Richard and Mary (Morrone) Gentile. She attended St. Mary’s Grade School and graduated from Tremper High School and the University of West Los Angeles Law School as a paralegal. Susan worked as a secretary for Abbott Laboratories until moving to Los Angeles, CA, in 1978. She worked for various law firms in Los Angeles, recently for Latham and Watkins as a S.E.C. Analyst. Susan was an avid reader. She loved to snow-ski and hike in the canyons of California. Surviving are her parents, Richard and Mary Gentile of Kenosha; a brother, Richard Gentile, Jr. of Albuquerque, NM; a sister, Janet Gentile of Brookfield, WI; a brother, Michael (Michaelene) Gentile of Grayslake, IL; six nieces, Dina, Leah, Andrea, Rachel, Mariah and Jenna; and two nephews, Michael Gentile II and Merrick. A private memorial service was held at Proko Funeral Home, officiated by Fr. John Richetta.

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