The Big Al Good Mojo thread

[gibson-r8]

Good to hear from you man.

 

[rick c]

Hi Al: I'm late joining the mojo thread. Thanks for all your valuable contributions; you have been of great help to me. I enjoy your blunt and to-the-point posts. It looks like I'm moving again after 8 months of unemployment so I took some pictures to update my insurance files today and thought you may get a laugh from my weird, mixed bag below. At the back, a 72 Yamaha FG-140, a 99 Hohner G3-T, a 98 Martin Backpacker, a 79 Shergold Custom Double, a 96 Ibanez SR1306, a Takamine 91 EN10C-12 and front row, a 90 Takamine NP18C, a 2016 EBMM Majesty, an 87 Les Paul Custom, an 88 ES-335 and an 80 ES-Artist. There's usually 4 or 5 out on stands with some rotation in and out of cases. Anyhow, please stay strong, a fellow Canuk, Rick.

 

[Big Al]

What a great box of crayons!! What sonic soundscapes await, I can only wonder. I am very familiar with a few of those colors and was surprised, (pleasantly), to see them. The Yamaha was sooooo close!!

 

[Musicman]

Good to see your still kicking Big Al! Sorry what you're going through and hope the sun still shines!

 

[Steve Craw]

Time to bump this thread. Here's to you Big Al !

 

[gibson-r8]

Thinking of you brother Al

 

[Big Al]

Not doing well and in constant pain. Pretty worthless, all told. I hang in there and I can deal with pain but being useless sucks your soul away.

 

[peeninety]

I hear you. Keep on keeping on, brother; we all love you.

 

[Big Daddy Class]

Useless and worthless are only in your own mind. You are a wealth of information and an inspiration to many. And best I can tell, fairly hard to kill!

 

[Big Al]

Useless and worthless is everything but my mind. I know how to do everything I can no longer do. I'm just a flippin' book now. You cannot know how pathetic it is. I don't exist. I am a stranger. All gone. Wasted

 

[Strings Jr.]

Useless and worthless is everything but my mind. I know how to do everything I can no longer do. I'm just a flippin' book now. You cannot know how pathetic it is. I don't exist. I am a stranger. All gone. Wasted

Sorry Big Al, but I strongly disagree.

Your body may not be the same as it used to be, but you have a strong mind and it's full of knowledge that is priceless. You still have the ability to help a lot of people. You are an inspiration to me and many others here. Please, never give up!!

 

[CoyotesGator]

You are important to me, Al.

I very much value your insight and presence here.

 

[ourmaninthenorth]

I completely accept and embrace your synopsis Big 'Un.

In our current position, I'm hearing the exact same thing from other people, regularly. Not a hint of self pity or melodrama from anyone, just simple stark plain facts.

I hope when my time comes, as it surely will, my brain goes at the same time as my body....in some quarters the overarching opinion is my brain will have the least distance to travel....some right cheeky fookers about don't you think??

I frankly don't know how anyone bears this stuff with a clear sane mind.

Maybe it's because they have a clear and sane mind.

Al, you'll find me easy to reach, and I'll bet you a dollar to a bucket of shit that I can out talk you....

Easy Brother.

 

[peeninety]

Hey Big Al; I'm thinking of you this evening. Love you buddy.

 

[Mattyboy75]

I know I dont know you Al, but I love your insipid, beat around the bush, never really speaking your mind style ?.
Always love a thread you are involved in.

 

[Sol]

Big Al, I can hear the despair in your words, and the maddening frustration and fury you must feel to be so limited by your body, in a mind sharp, alert and untouched by disease.

Your last two posts will worry far more members that just me.

Please share your sense of despair with those closest to you, if you haven't already. You need to know how loved you are by those that love you the most. Hang in there Al.

 

[Brian Krashpad]

Big Al, I can hear the despair in your words, and the maddening frustration and fury you must feel to be so limited by your body, in a mind sharp, alert and untouched by disease.

Your last two posts will worry far more members that just me.

Please share your sense of despair with those closest to you, if you haven't already. You need to know how loved you are by those that love you the most. Hang in there Al.

^This.

I cannot begin to understand your frustration. But I have lost too many friends to similar feelings.

 

[El Gringo]

Miss You Big Al !

 

[corpse]

I had a good chat with Big Al- there are certain topics I consider myself very knowledgeable about and one of them is snakes. Al knows more about snakes than I do- which is really hard to believe. I have given antibiotic injections to sick pythons, separated two snakes where one was ingesting the other- and still frequently give panicking neighbors "is this dangerous" advice, almost weekly.
Al knows a lot about snakes.
He would never ask for this, but I wonder if there is someone here who could help. Could someone fabricate an external shell for Al's left upper arm- with a pressure attachment at the shoulder (maybe around the neck like a guitar strap) that comes down to the forearm? I imagine at the elbow/around the forearm it would turn 90 degrees and have some elastomer sleeve. His upper arm has no structure to it- but if he could have a solid shell he could pivot his torso to move his left arm some. I think his left shoulder still works ok. He would never ask for this- but i would on his behalf.

 

[jrgtr42]

He would never ask for this, but I wonder if there is someone here who could help. Could someone fabricate an external shell for Al's left upper arm- with a pressure attachment at the shoulder (maybe around the neck like a guitar strap) that comes down to the forearm? I imagine at the elbow/around the forearm it would turn 90 degrees and have some elastomer sleeve. His upper arm has no structure to it- but if he could have a solid shell he could pivot his torso to move his left arm some. I think his left shoulder still works ok. He would never ask for this- but i would on his behalf.

I was wondering about that a while ago.
I'm no biomechanical engineer, (Jim) but |I was wondering if a sort of external brace would be of any assistance for him. Something that could strap across the shoulder, and basically go down either side of the arm, to a joint at the elbow, attaching with a wrap just below.