Willie-O, it was a 00-18 named 'Woody'.

For me, there's just too much. I may find the words eventually. I think if Rick reads this, he won't know whether to be embarrassed or honored. He's the best friend I have and probably ever will have; the brother of my spirit. He knows this, but you, perhaps, do not.

Here's the short version. I guess I have to look at this with a very wide lens. He made certain predictions about where my life would lead and who I'd become. I knew at the time some of these weren't likely to happen, but Rick doesn't care much for being right. Those 'predictions' made me see possibilities and they made me believe in myself. It's as if he looked at me and saw this long shimmering road leading from where I stood into the distant land of 'could be'. What's really remarkable was that he made me believe that road was there too.

He once told me that if I was gonna make a mistake, I should make it LOUD! Every time the wimp part of me starts whispering "you're on unfamiliar ground - try to hide in the background," the Rick part of me, the true conscience, just gives me one of those looks.

Now, ask me if I'm talking about music.

Oh yeah - I also combine Bad Words. I'm working on some variations, but they don't work as well as Rick's favorite. I figure if I make frequent loud mistakes and travel enough, this ought to be a standard American phrase in 5 years or so. Perhaps one day, it will make it into Webster's.