2011
3-8-2011
Let's see... another year Dad... not much happened really. End of last year a friend was diagnosed with Leukemia, is still alive, but has only had one round of Chemo and still needs some more so their fight isn't over yet. I didn't get the vacation I want for the 5th year in a row, uh... still single, no kids, no new vehicle, no new living situation, really just nothing happened this past year. In 3 days on your anniversary I get to go see the last film from a director I like at Clowes and then he's doing a Q&A after so that should be fun, but it IS happening durnig March so I'm sure disaster will happen somewhere. Second week of March and it's going quite lousy already. I guess life just slows down as you get older. Still miss you as much as ever.
Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am in a thousand winds that blow,
I am the softly falling snow.
I am the gentle showers of rain,
I am the fields of ripening grain.
I am in the morning hush,
I am in the graceful rush
Of beautiful birds in circling flight,
I am the starshine of the night.
I am in the flowers that bloom,
I am in a quiet room.
I am in the birds that sing,
I am in each lovely thing.
Do not stand at my grave bereft
I am not there. I have not left.
2010
3-1-2010
Well Dad, your anniversary is coming up again... 10 days to go... what happened this year, let's see.
Bought 2 SKS and have been firing them at Danville conservation club, had a taurus revolver for a bit then traded it (for one of the sks), dated a woman with 2 kids for a few months only to get a Dear John letter in less than 120 characters... so ended the hopes and dreams of a nearly 12 year interest. I moved out to be closer to her, then moved back in a few weeks after that ended.
Started growing a beard in December of 09, cut several inches off of it a few days ago after an IMPD (the mergd result of the Marion Co. Sherrifs and IPD) officer profiled me and followed me around k-mart, wearing it fairly short now and it looks respectable.
The truck has exhaust issues so it's been parked since about June, been driving a 2005 Dodge Neon since. Quite possibly in the next month or two a law will be ont he books making employers allow employees to carry to work if it's secured in their car... if this happens I'll be putting a shotgun mount in the trunk and putting a pump-action pistol grip in the trunk.
The Colts made it to the Superbowl again, lost this time though. Other than that not much new this past year... still haven't continued the family name, and don't have anyone willing to be the mother of the next Mercer male. Until next year, I miss you dad.
2009
3-3-2009
Dad,
We have a new president, Barack Hussein Obama II, his father was Kenyan, his mother American and their is still a dispute and many lawsuits over the fact that he has not proven that he was born in Hawaii as claimed, and that in fact he may have been born in Kenya, when his mother was a minor making him not a natural-born citizen, so not capable of being president.
I had a good year I suppose, we buried Grandpa Jack in December, he fell while cleaning windows and then suffered a stroke in the hospital, by the time I found out and went to see him he was already mostly gone. He passed a little after. Dick told some fun stories at the funeral, including the story of you two and the mushroom.
The mushroom! I have the mushroom! For whatever reason there was no will, and Marilyn auctioned the house and everything in it off, however Dick grabbed the mushroom for me and it is now in the living room and I see it every day. It will be a fun story for my children and grand-children when I get around to having them.
I went over and visited with Dick for several hours one day, that is when he gave me the mushroom. I now have him writing down everything he can think of as far as my ancestors so I can work on the Mercer branch of the family tree. I had good luck on Mary's maternal side and traced them back to the mid 1700's, turns out someone on that line fought for a PA infantry company in the Revolution.
That is really all I have this year, it seems I have less to talk about every year as I get older and big events in my life come less often. 8 more days and it will have been 11 years... I miss you. The only thing I have this year to look forward to is I plan on going and camping at a very large Medieval Re-enactment type thing for a week with Josh (a friend I met through Aaron after you died, ah and I don't see Aaron any more, and seldom hear from him on the internet) Seeing Jack in the hospital was hard as he was on the same floor as you, and he was just a shell. I don't think he had any idea who I was, or anyone else for that matter. I miss you dad.
-Ryan Carl Mercer.
2008
3-10-2008
Well dad... tomorrow it will have been 10 years. I miss you.
Lets see... what has happened this past year... 356 days ago I said "Joe isn't doing all that great, I imagine he'll be joining you sometime this year." turns out I was right Joe died, I"m sure he's up there with you. I did some more York Rite work, have been inactive in Blue Lodge and the other bodies... maybe I'll get involved this year, I don't know though... You know me, I'm fairly solitary.. The new dog is still weird, she's quite a character, it's best just to imagine a wild breed of dog, as despite being one fo the oldest domesticated breeds... Basenji's are still very much like wild dogs, and it can even be argued if they were ever even domesticated. I don't really talk to Aaron anymore... we haven't really seen each other much in several years. I've probably seen him a dozen times in 3 or 4 years. We just went different ways.I'm working for FedEx... I was last year at this time... I've had some offers for other jobs, and as much better as they would have been... for some reason i've stayed where I am just becuase my co-workers are fun, although they are quitting at a fairly steady pace.
Not a whole lot really went on this past year. Joe died, I found out two months and two days after it happened. He was there at your funeral, but I didn't get to be at his becuase I just didn't know. Damnit I feel like I failed him... I hadn't heard from him in a few months (you see we electronically mialed each other every few weeks) and one night I was in bed and just had a weird feeling... I got up, emailed him instantly... and it returned undeliverable, but before it could I had already found his obituary and was crying pretty bad. Tell him I'm sorry that I never made it up to Fort Wayne, I promised him all the time after you died that I'd come up and we'd have lunch... I never made it up, and I missed his funeral. It was private anyway. Tell him I'll make it up to him many many years from now when I join you two rascals up there. Here is what is left of him amonst the living "JOSEPH B. PRONESTI, 78, of Fort Wayne, died Friday, June 22, 2007, at Hospice Home. He was born on July 23, 1928, in Fort Wayne. He served in the U.S. Navy, and was Deputy Sheriff for the Allen County Sheriff Department for 22 years, retiring in 1992. Surviving are his sons,Joseph M. (Karen) Pronesti, Bruce Pronesti and Doug Pronesti; family member, Lisa Miller; and grandchildren, Nicholas Pronesti and Taylor Pronesti. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth (Cronkite); and his parents, Vincenzina (Morille) and Pasquale Pronesti. Private service. Burial in Catholic Cemetery. Memorials to Visiting Nurse and Hospice Home.
"
Well, here it is past my bedtime and I'm crying. It's been another long and hard year without you dad. I miss you and while I hope I have many many long years alive, I can't wait to see you again.
Your son,
-Ryan Carl Mercer.
2007
3-1-2007
Well dad, 10 more days till your anniversary... not much has happened this year. Not much at all, I decided to do york rite instead of scottish rite. I wanted to see the lectures acted out more instead of just read through. Joe isn't doing all that great, I imagine he'll be joining you sometime this year. Lets see, we have new dog, she is kinda weird. Billy is living with us again for a bit and that is really about all that is new.
Yeah I know, these pics are pretty fuzzy, but can you believe this... I took pictures of the photos with my TELEPHONE! Yeah, you got it my TELEPHONE can you believe that, oh man these phones now days are crazy.