One foot in the ether

I just finished reading The Great Shark Hunt by that wonderful mad man, Hunter S. Thompson. This prompted a little research to fill in some blanks on the man and his story. I found a few interesting facts that I'd like to share.

1. He began his professional writing career only a couple hours drive from my hometown, working as sports editor for Eglin Airforce Base's The Command Courier.
2. He stole elk antlers from Ernest Hemingway's cabin while doing research for a story on his suicide.
3. "In 1970, Thompson ran for sheriff of Pitkin County, Colorado, as part of a group of citizens running for local offices on the "Freak Power" ticket. The platform included promoting the decriminalization of drugs (for personal use only, not trafficking, as he disapproved of profiteering), tearing up the streets and turning them into grassy pedestrian malls, banning any building so tall as to obscure the view of the mountains, and renaming Aspen "Fat City" to deter investors. Thompson, having shaved his head, referred to the Republican candidate as "my long-haired opponent", as he wore a crew cut."-- from the Wikipedia article
4. He planned his funeral himself and it proceeded according to his wishes; it was funded by his friend, Johnny Depp, and climaxed in his ashes being shot from a canon placed on top a tower with a picture of a double thumbed fist holding a peyote button(he used this graphic in his run for mayor) while Bob Dylan's Mr. Tambourine played.

The man had a wild, crazy, and surrealistic life. His writing is hilarious even while he highlighted many aspects to be critical of in American culture.

I would have loved to have had a chance to party and play with firearms with him.....maybe we can at the big party in the sky.