Birth Celebrated

May 24th, 2008
Last weekend was an amazing, healing series of celebration and remembrance. On Saturday, my room mates held a shower for their soon to be born son Xander. We were lucky enough to have a spectacular day of early Summer weather and fired up a massive tableau of BBQ in the backyard.


Greg manning the double grill set up in the backyard of 92 Clingman

To usher in the newborn, the attendees gathered by the stone firepit and offered advice, love and thoughts to Logan and Ginger. It was great to have friends, family and supporters gathered at the house including Logan's sister with her family and Ginger's father Graham and step mom.


Logan's sister and her family (front) and Ginger's dad and step-mom (back)


Ginger smiling and eight months pregnant with Zander


Mama Sarah Wells sharing her thoughts with the parents to be

We also hosted the early arrivals for Dan's memorial including Cindy Meier and her fiance Matt on the way to their wedding in Switzerland, Dave Putnam up from Bula Surf Shop in Aruba, Bil Decker from Philly, Yoni Sandler just back from The Phillippines and DJ Leeds down from Greenpoint Brooklyn (new hipster capital of NYC).


The almost newlyweds


bosom buddies

Memorial Program

Here is the insert from the program of Dan's memorial Service:

Post from Dayna Lucas, Dan's mom

The outpouring of love and support from so many people that knew Dan really do help us deal with our terrible loss.  My profound feelings of guilt and horror are slowly but surely turning to a sadness that will remain but also to acceptance.

I know that Dan did have a full life.  He had a fierceness and stubborness and intensity that could be exasperating, but he also had a brightness and sweetness in his approach to life and to relationships that was endearing.  He was enthusiastic about so many things and people and he did have a  pride in his accomplishments.  He loved the outdoors and all kinds of music; he was a wonderful writer and an insightful reader.  He was passionate about all kinds of learning.  He knew how to be a good friend and a good team player in sports and in academics.  He knew how to love and I know that he knew that he was loved.

Dan courageously fought mental illness for much of his life.  Although at the end, he was overcome by irrational thoughts and feelings that led to a violent and senseless act, I know that he is now at peace. I know that he mattered not only to us, his family, but also to his and our many friends and acquaintances.  Thank you all so much for sharing your memories with us on this blog.

Memorial Details -- May 25 in Asheville

May 5, 2008
I just wanted to give everyone the details on Dan's memorial service on Sunday, May 25th. It will take place from 5pm to 7pm at the Flood Gallery & Art Center at 109 Roberts Street in the River Arts District of Asheville. Billy Roberts and Kate Green will conduct a short ceremony. There will be plenty of food and drink.

Driving Directions:
From Downtown Asheville, go west on Patton Ave.
Turn Left onto Clingman Ave, towards the Riverlink Bridge.
Go one block past the GREY EAGLE.
Turn Right on Roberts Street.
Flood Gallery is located on the second floor of the Phil Mechanic Building, on the corner of Clingman Ave. and Roberts Street.

Dan spent his last New Year's Eve at the Flood with a small group of friends including Sean Pace/Jinx who did an amazing live performance art piece involving a blowtorch, ten thousand firecrackers, a biscuit and a metal/paper mache bomb sculpture.

If you would like to attend the memorial, or know others who may, please have them rsvp to me if they have not already. I can help arrange transportation and lodging.

More information on Paxil and withdrawal symptoms

Many of you have asked about Dan and the medication he was taking called Paxil to deal with his Depression. Here is an entry in Wikipedia about withdrawal symptoms due to the drug.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paroxetine#Withdrawal_syndrome

We do not know if Dan completely stopped his Paxil intake or just reduced it, but clearly this could have had a major role in his suicide...very sad to me.

Another one of Dan's passions revisited: Yoyoing!

Thursday May 1st, 2008
Got back to Asheville last night. Many thanks to Billy to picking me up in Chapel Hill. The Subaru needs a new engine which will be replaced next week.

In the meantime, Max Jones, one of Dan's room mates at UNC-Asheville and best friends reminded me about Dan's passion for yoyoing. He got quite good and amazed me and my friends countless times showing us the latest intricate tricks.

Max posted the blog below on yoyoing.com that I wanted to share with you:
http://yoyoing.com/news//viewpost.php?post=304796

I lost a good friend last week. I don’t think any of you knew Dan but I’m sure some of you touched his life without knowing it. Dan was a kayaking buddy of mine from college and the only person I ever exposed to yo-yoing that really embraced it and learned how to play. He never went to any events and while he lurked on the forums occasionally, I don’t think he registered for a single one.

Dan was working on his PhD in physical chemistry at UC Berkeley and I hadn’t talked to him since around xmas 2007 when we got to hang out for a few days. The picture below was taken around then at my house in Knoxville, TN (from left to right: Me, Dan, James). Its funny how now I can’t look at that picture without wishing I was embracing my friends more instead of standing off to the side with my hands in my pockets.

Anyway, I don’t want to ramble. I just wanted to let the yo-yoing community know that it lost a member, even if no one knew he was there.

I gave Dan a NM4 that I got from Pyrotechnic a while back and it was his main throw. I wonder if I can get that back to have something to remember him by (not to regain material possessions).

I’m sorry my first post in months is a sad one. For the record, I still read the boards frequently and throw daily, I’ve just got a lot going on with school.

Hope everyone is well. Lots of love to the NC crew. Everyone go hug your friends.

-Max