“Every now and then when your life gets complicated and the weasels start closing in, the only cure is to load up on heinous chemicals and then drive like a bastard from Hollywood to Las Vegas ... with the music at top volume and at least a pint of ether.”

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Football season is over...

Despite the initial excitement of creating a blog that may help to collate a list of Aussie Hunter fans over the coming months, I haven't felt like posting much lately and there is a reason for that. Tonight however, in a quiet moment, I began thinking of Hunter. Or more specifically, what Hunter was thinking on that fateful day in February 2005. "Football season is over...."

I have spent the past fortnight watching a close friend
of over twenty five years - indeed, one of the good old boys - go through the agonising diagnosis of a terminal illness which has taken the sparkle and lifeblood from him at the speed of lightning. From being his old self to The End in a period of a month perhaps, and in the most horrid state of suffering. The shockwaves have penetrated my closest circle of friends and we are all in a state of disbelief and numbness. Which brings me back to Hunter.

I often read Anita's blog and can still feel her pain; the inconsolable loss of her best friend and husband. To have the additional stress of knowing that her beloved Hunter took his own life must have sometimes been almost too much to bear and yet, in seeing how my friend's spirit is disintegrating so rapidly, I wonder how I would react in his, or Hunter's, situation. I read somewhere on a website tonight that Hunter had terminal cancer and that contributed to his final decision. I am not sure if that is true. I simply thought that he wanted to end his pain, his anger at the world and needless to say, other more personal battles.

Hunter's suicide note read: "
Football season is over.... No More Games. No More Bombs. No More Walking. No More Fun. No More Swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 more than I needed or wanted. Boring. I am always bitchy. No Fun -- for anybody. 67. You are getting Greedy. Act your old age. Relax -- This won't hurt."

Many of us still mourn Hunter who even in his own eyes lived 17 years more than he needed. My friend is 51.... just 51. I mourn for him because unless a miracle occurs, he won't even see 52 let alone 67. Football season for him also, is over. And the irony there, the crazy mad AFL (Australian Football League) supporter that he is, his team may as well stop playing for season 2008, they have no chance. And so it seems, nor does he.

I cannot be judgemental on what Hunter did. I admire him far too much to criticise his actions. If there is a Heaven though, I do hope that Hunter is the doorman at the Pearly Gates - with a few glasses of whiskey in hand. One each for the two good old boys. Selah....

POSTSCRIPT AUGUST 17, 2008. My friend Mark passed away on August 13th after a tragic month long battle with cancer. May he rest in peace.

Friday, July 18, 2008

Happy Birthday to the Good Doctor

,.
Yes today is the day! Hunter would have been 71..... It is sad that he is no longer with us in body but in spirit, he lives on stronger than ever. The freaks of the world will celebrate in their own warped way, in every corner of the world.

Myself, well I have plans today to start with a good ol' boy glass of Kentucky Whiskey and then once the stomach is lined, a shot or two of absinthe just for good measure. After that I should be in fine form to sit down, after booting my two teenage sons out of the room, to a furiously loud session of watching Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas .... If something's worth doing, it's worth doing right! I just hope that I don't end up in the middle of a ******* reptile zoo...

My new book from John arrived today (of all days!) so after I have watched the movie, if I am still even partially coherent, I will begin my "Kitchen Readings".


I do note that the date on this posting is July 17, well in Australia, it is the 18th.... just a little confusion to add to the fire. Does that mean I can celebrate for two days...? Ah Hunter, wherever you may be, I do hope that your soul is at peace. Happy Birthday Doc!

Monday, July 14, 2008

Better to have felt fire in the nuts than nothing at all...

Yes "Fire in the Nuts" is indeed a special piece of Hunter literature.... in fact, if I had nuts, I would be feeling fire in them right now.

Buy the ticket, take the ride! Well, I bought my ticket last week and the ride has not stopped since... I fear, fellow fiends, that I have met my match..... Super Geek (AKA Mitch) has been frantically emailing and without a word of a lie, it's almost as if the emails have come directly from Hunter himself (wherever he may be......)

What an amazing experience the last few days have been.... I think that Gonzoism is rampant; it is simply that I had lost touch..... perhaps even lost faith that Australia had more than a handful of fiendish fans... I was wrong. There are many - let the freak list begin!! The party is not worth having with only three of us... (well, it could be) however that would mean more absinthe and bourbon for all of us... but I am not sure my liver is up to the task!

Anyway I will ponder that, but for now, here's a little piece of Hunter wisdom: "If you're going to be crazy, you have to get paid for it or else you're going to be locked up."

Selah

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder....

It never ceases to amaze me just how much "smaller" the world seems these days due to the internet. I am talking about how I have been reacquainted with a few dedicated Hunter fans that reside outside of Australia - Ron and Marty, and of course, John.

Now these three guys are remarkable in their handiwork - you can see Ron and Marty's sites in my links section. Very comprehensive and sure to provide hours of reading when you can't be stuffed doing anything else on these cold winter days and nights. As for John, I have bought quite a few items from him in the past and he remains my favourite Hunter book "seller". My latest purchase from him was just last week - Kitchen Readings - which I am sure is already somewhere between Australia and the US as I write this sentence. It's a weird little community we live in (us Hunter freaks).... despite the distance, we share the same bond.

It is coming up to Hunter's birthday again. Another year that he is gone but his legacy obviously still remains in so many of his fans. I will be sitting down and having a few shots of absinthe on the day of his birthday, probably reading my latest book acquisition, or failing that, watching Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas. Sounds like a good plan!

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Where are we all?

Hello everyone - this is a blog page to unite fellow Hunter fiends in Australia with the view to perhaps one day, organise a party in honour of the late and great Hunter S.

I have heard from a fellow freak in Colorado that there are many of us here in Oz, and yet, I have only met about three people in person (as opposed to the many Hunter fans worldwide on the internet) that I can sit down and openly discuss Hunter related topics with for hours... the rest of the people I meet think I am mad. They do not understand Gonzo and probably never will.

There are many forums and websites to link to, but for now, I just want to get a page up and running and the following weeks will provide more time to spend getting organised with it. In the meantime if you visit and you too are a Freak - feel free to place a comment on the page or email me.

Selah