A sadness pervades my being today. It's not so much that I feel sad, but more like the sadness you feel when you see a funeral procession going by or you hear about a dear friend's loss. Technically, nothing has happened to make you sad, but you are sad for the other people you cross paths with in life because of whatever circumstances they are in. Its like a weight bearing down on your shoulders because those who received the weight can't bear it alone. It is sad, heavy, and gloomy, yet I look out the window and the sun is shining and life is moving on.
In the past, I have been told that I sense things sometimes. It isn't frequent and I don't even come close to believing that I am clairvoyant or anything silly like that, but I definitely have felt when something was wrong with someone I am close to. Honestly, I believe all people can do this. Only some choose to ignore these energy connections we make with people or society as a whole. The point is, when I feel something like this, something that isn't my normal depression, the sadness or alarm that comes from outside myself and not inside, I take notice. Usually, I can tell if it is focused from one person (a close family member or friend), or if it is from a group of people/world event. This feels like something bigger than an individual person. Like a dark cloud has descended on part of the world today.
The problem - I don't know what or where it is from.
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Bipolar Musings of my life, humor, health, family, friends, and beliefs.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
Sneaky Hate Spiral
A wonderful friend of mine linked one of my favorite blogs about the Sneaky Hate Spiral and that was sooooo my day yesterday. And as I was telling her about what exactly happened, that got me to that OH. MY. GOD. EVERYTHING MUST DIE!!!! moment, it occurred to me -- this is exactly the kind of stuff people blog about!!!! And by "people" I mean everyone but me because I am a horrible blogger and I never think I have anything interesting to write about.
So, first, go read about the Sneaky Hate Spiral and then read about my day!
Back? Ok.
So that was totally me today! It all started with the cat playing with a toy - you know, the ones that have little bells in them to make them more fun for the cat and more annoying for the human? Yea, that one. No, I don't know why I bought it. I just know I likely though "OH! They will LUV playing with that!" Of course, it never occured to me they would love to play with it at ungodly hours and wake me up an hour before my alarm.
So, first, go read about the Sneaky Hate Spiral and then read about my day!
Back? Ok.
So that was totally me today! It all started with the cat playing with a toy - you know, the ones that have little bells in them to make them more fun for the cat and more annoying for the human? Yea, that one. No, I don't know why I bought it. I just know I likely though "OH! They will LUV playing with that!" Of course, it never occured to me they would love to play with it at ungodly hours and wake me up an hour before my alarm.
After I threw the toy across the room took the toy away hid the toy, then the neighbor was up and about upstairs and had unusually heavy feet today. Since it was obvious I wasn't going to be able to get back to sleep, I proceeded to lay in bed and hope for sleep. Yea. Didn't happen.
Suddenly, I heard the garbage truck and thought "OH NO! I forgot to take the cans out last night!" So there I go, bounding out of the house with my hair all askew in my pajamas (which consist of very short, thin shorts and barely an excuse for a tank top) with my boobs flopping this way and that because I had no bra on, just to pull the cans to the curb before the garbage man drives away and I am stuck with stinky, full cans for the next week. Yea, that had to have been a sight.
Then, for the life of me, I could not find my damn keys in any less than 15 minutes. When I finally got them and turned the car on, the the car radio was BLASTING only God knows what cause I hit that power button so fast I broke a nail which was quickly followed by a very unladylike word.
At this point, I am already 10 minutes late leaving the house so naturally, I hit every, single red light between home and my destination, only to realize I had the wrong destination. Yep. The stupid address in the stupid GPS was wrong. Totally NOT my fault. So I fix the GPS's screwup, cause again, not my fault, and I proceed to once again hit every,single red light between my false destination and my REAL destination. The traffic light gods hate me.
I am now 20 minutes late for my appointment and I find every single parking spot on the street was taken except one. Upon actually parking the car and exiting the vehicle, I find out that the stupid parking meter is broken. Grumbling, I move the car to another spot that happened to free itself of its previous vehicular occupant and this one had an electronic parking meter...across the street. Naturally, this is a busy street and there were lots of cars so I had to wait for the walk signal at the light. We already know how traffic lights feel about me today.
After sitting there for forever, I get across the stupid street to the meter and the thing didn't have the values of the buttons marked. Since I am already irritated and horribly late, I just push a bunch of them until it says I have paid the maximum amount, a mere 30 freaking minutes. Then wait at the evil light again to go back to the car to put the validation on the dash. Upon placing my parking validation on the dash, locking and closing the door, and turning around to look at the light, I realized I would have to wait...again...to go back to the other side of the street where my actual destination was. My head exploded inside.
I unlocked my car, got inside, shut the door, and screamed bloody murder and beat on my steering wheel for about 2 minutes straight.
Hate Spiral - 1. Alicia - 0.
.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Drugs, Money, and Rock & Roll - Part 3
Ok, I promise I am going to finish this time. The problem is it has now been sooooooo long that all the details have flown out of my head. Sorry about that.
So I ended with us having to get the house moved in something like 10 days from Tucson, AZ to good old San Francisco. Why you ask? Well, the answer is quite simple. D's work wanted him to start that soon. YAY! D has a job! Boo, I have to do all this moving crap.
Let's see, so I start calling around looking for moving quotes and find that most of the companies are WAY too friggin expensive. Therefore, I reserve a U-haul and start signing friends up to help us. Later, I will end up changing my mind and hiring a moving company anyway. Next step is finding a place to live and getting the house packed and moved, all in 10 days. Did I mention the movers pick up 3-4 days before your desired delivery date? So that is 6-7 days to find a place to live and pack the whole house. Keep in mind, I am still recovering from my nose surgery during all this.
Next, I start figuring out transferring my schooling to California. I am thinking this should be easy since I am attending University of Phoenix. Guess what. It isn't. See, California has more stringent requirements for their teachers. Something about needing a Master's Degree or something like that. I forget the details now. The part I DO remember is that I can transfer just fine. Only problem is instead of finishing in 1 1/2 years, it will now take 3 1/2 to 4 years?!?! Oh. Hell. No. Because you know I don't already have enough stress on my plate. Naturally, I start spinning in my head til I get to talk to D about it.
When I finally get to talk to D, the solution seemed simple enough. I stay in Tucson to finish school while he goes to San Francisco to work and we just fly back and forth to visit each other. Awesome. It is silly to keep a 2-bedroom apartment for just one of me, so I rent a studio, choose the items to stay with me (futon, dresser, TV, and some kitchenware. That's it), and continue on my merry little way packing everything else. I get it all planned out that I will spend the next 3-4 months in Tucson getting all my observation hours out of the way, then spend 6 months in SF with the hubby, then spend the remaining 6-8 months in Tucson finishing up my program and student teaching. And then the scrambling begins all while trying to coordinate a 1000-mile move.
So we have 6-7 days. We hop in the car, drive straight through to Sacramento (14 hours in case you were wondering), and crash for 6 hours at my brother's house. We then spend the next 48 hours looking at more than a dozen potential places to live in the San Francisco area. Guess which one we picked. Yup! The second to last place. (It's awesome by the way). By the time we finish in SF and get back to Tucson (driving straight through again), we have 3 days to pack before the movers get there. Somehow we get it done with the help of friends, but I'm exhausted, my nose hurts, my body hurts, and I did I mention, I'm exhausted?
So, the movers arrive the day after we finish packing. They get everything loaded. They say 2-3 days for delivery. Cool. So we can take our time a little on the way back to SF to meet them at the new house. We load up the animals and head off to mom and dad's in Sacramento. Oh, I forgot, we brought the dog out to stay with my brother the previous weekend when we were house-hunting. He kept her for the move, thank goodness. Can you imagine trying to keep track of a 75-lb boxer/lab during all this? Yea, right.
We drive straight through...again. We sleep when we get there. The cats are freaked out as expected. We are exhausted and all we want is sleep, but no, we have to go back into the city to sign the lease on the new place and pay our rent. Then we go back to mom and dad's and have them feed us that night. The next day, we head to our new home and set up shop to wait for the movers...who don't show up for an extra 2 days. That's right. 5 days to get our stuff. All I have to say is thank goodness we brought the air mattress and I booked my flight home through Southwest Air so I could change my return flight easily.
With no time to unpack or anything, we get the boxes and furniture in the house somewhat how we want it, do the move-in inspection, make a list for the landlord and Alicia has to run away to catch her plane. Leaving D with boxes everywhere sucked. Then my flight was delayed and my ride could no longer get me. This is about the time when I start asking "why me?!?!" Luckily, another friends said she could get me so I didn't have to pay for a cab ride home. Thank you! Finally got home and to bed at 2am with class the following night and no homework done. Awesome.
Which brings us back to the school issue. Remember how I was going to do 3-4 months in Tucson to get all my observation out of the way and then spend 6 months in Cali? Yea, later I figure out I planned that out totally wrong because, guess what. Those 3-4 months fall during summer break. No classes to observe. Crap. I then have to figure out how to work it out so I can actually get some time with my husband. The solution:
June - Tucson
July and August - SF (8 weeks online classes)
September through December - Tucson, but home for holidays
End of December through Beginning of January - SF (2 weeks)
Mid-January through May - Tucson
June and July - hopefully SF but that may change
August through November - Tucson
December - home to SF for good. Merry Christmas!
Can we say stressful? Yea. Welcome to my life.
But guess what! I survived! I am still alive and kicking! And I didn't kill anyone! I totally rocked this move.
.
So I ended with us having to get the house moved in something like 10 days from Tucson, AZ to good old San Francisco. Why you ask? Well, the answer is quite simple. D's work wanted him to start that soon. YAY! D has a job! Boo, I have to do all this moving crap.
Let's see, so I start calling around looking for moving quotes and find that most of the companies are WAY too friggin expensive. Therefore, I reserve a U-haul and start signing friends up to help us. Later, I will end up changing my mind and hiring a moving company anyway. Next step is finding a place to live and getting the house packed and moved, all in 10 days. Did I mention the movers pick up 3-4 days before your desired delivery date? So that is 6-7 days to find a place to live and pack the whole house. Keep in mind, I am still recovering from my nose surgery during all this.
Next, I start figuring out transferring my schooling to California. I am thinking this should be easy since I am attending University of Phoenix. Guess what. It isn't. See, California has more stringent requirements for their teachers. Something about needing a Master's Degree or something like that. I forget the details now. The part I DO remember is that I can transfer just fine. Only problem is instead of finishing in 1 1/2 years, it will now take 3 1/2 to 4 years?!?! Oh. Hell. No. Because you know I don't already have enough stress on my plate. Naturally, I start spinning in my head til I get to talk to D about it.
When I finally get to talk to D, the solution seemed simple enough. I stay in Tucson to finish school while he goes to San Francisco to work and we just fly back and forth to visit each other. Awesome. It is silly to keep a 2-bedroom apartment for just one of me, so I rent a studio, choose the items to stay with me (futon, dresser, TV, and some kitchenware. That's it), and continue on my merry little way packing everything else. I get it all planned out that I will spend the next 3-4 months in Tucson getting all my observation hours out of the way, then spend 6 months in SF with the hubby, then spend the remaining 6-8 months in Tucson finishing up my program and student teaching. And then the scrambling begins all while trying to coordinate a 1000-mile move.
So we have 6-7 days. We hop in the car, drive straight through to Sacramento (14 hours in case you were wondering), and crash for 6 hours at my brother's house. We then spend the next 48 hours looking at more than a dozen potential places to live in the San Francisco area. Guess which one we picked. Yup! The second to last place. (It's awesome by the way). By the time we finish in SF and get back to Tucson (driving straight through again), we have 3 days to pack before the movers get there. Somehow we get it done with the help of friends, but I'm exhausted, my nose hurts, my body hurts, and I did I mention, I'm exhausted?
So, the movers arrive the day after we finish packing. They get everything loaded. They say 2-3 days for delivery. Cool. So we can take our time a little on the way back to SF to meet them at the new house. We load up the animals and head off to mom and dad's in Sacramento. Oh, I forgot, we brought the dog out to stay with my brother the previous weekend when we were house-hunting. He kept her for the move, thank goodness. Can you imagine trying to keep track of a 75-lb boxer/lab during all this? Yea, right.
We drive straight through...again. We sleep when we get there. The cats are freaked out as expected. We are exhausted and all we want is sleep, but no, we have to go back into the city to sign the lease on the new place and pay our rent. Then we go back to mom and dad's and have them feed us that night. The next day, we head to our new home and set up shop to wait for the movers...who don't show up for an extra 2 days. That's right. 5 days to get our stuff. All I have to say is thank goodness we brought the air mattress and I booked my flight home through Southwest Air so I could change my return flight easily.
With no time to unpack or anything, we get the boxes and furniture in the house somewhat how we want it, do the move-in inspection, make a list for the landlord and Alicia has to run away to catch her plane. Leaving D with boxes everywhere sucked. Then my flight was delayed and my ride could no longer get me. This is about the time when I start asking "why me?!?!" Luckily, another friends said she could get me so I didn't have to pay for a cab ride home. Thank you! Finally got home and to bed at 2am with class the following night and no homework done. Awesome.
Which brings us back to the school issue. Remember how I was going to do 3-4 months in Tucson to get all my observation out of the way and then spend 6 months in Cali? Yea, later I figure out I planned that out totally wrong because, guess what. Those 3-4 months fall during summer break. No classes to observe. Crap. I then have to figure out how to work it out so I can actually get some time with my husband. The solution:
June - Tucson
July and August - SF (8 weeks online classes)
September through December - Tucson, but home for holidays
End of December through Beginning of January - SF (2 weeks)
Mid-January through May - Tucson
June and July - hopefully SF but that may change
August through November - Tucson
December - home to SF for good. Merry Christmas!
Can we say stressful? Yea. Welcome to my life.
But guess what! I survived! I am still alive and kicking! And I didn't kill anyone! I totally rocked this move.
.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Drugs, Money, and Rock and Roll - Part 2
Check it out! I finally got around to creating Part 2 of this saga! Only problem is I didn't take notes or anything, so this might be kinda short. And most of you probably know this part anyway.
So after I finally get to a fully functional, fairly drug-free state after my nose wasbroken fixed, I get to start dealing with the next adventure. April 1st, my husband's company announces massive layoffs and office closures. April Fools? Nope. It wasn't that surprising. We knew there was a change coming, we just didn't think it was coming so soon and we didn't think it was going to be in the form of the unemployment line.
Positive - D was already interviewing with many companies.
Negative - We knew we were going to have to move. Again. And likely to some place cold. *cry*
Naturally, the hubby has a hard time deciphering paperwork like Cobra benefits, severance packages, etc. Luckily, my head was fairly fog-free so I could help with that. I spent the next week (or was it two?), living day to day,worrying wondering where we would end up living, taking D back and forth to the airport to fly places for interviews, and trying to figure out what the hell I am going to do about school. Then D got a job! One he was excited about too! Bonus! The destination? San Francisco.
Positive - Close to my family again and good friends. Finally, fresh, fantastic sushi, and clam chowder!
Negative - It's FREAKING COLD! And cloudy. And windy. And COLD. This oughta be fun.
Awesome. So then we started to contemplate the upcoming changes and where we wanted to live in the San Francisco area. Time to rock and roll and get this house moved! In 10 days. Wait. WHAT?!?! 10 day?!?! Aw hell. I hate having to rush things...
...to be continued in Part 3!
.
So after I finally get to a fully functional, fairly drug-free state after my nose was
Positive - D was already interviewing with many companies.
Negative - We knew we were going to have to move. Again. And likely to some place cold. *cry*
Naturally, the hubby has a hard time deciphering paperwork like Cobra benefits, severance packages, etc. Luckily, my head was fairly fog-free so I could help with that. I spent the next week (or was it two?), living day to day,
Positive - Close to my family again and good friends. Finally, fresh, fantastic sushi, and clam chowder!
Negative - It's FREAKING COLD! And cloudy. And windy. And COLD. This oughta be fun.
Awesome. So then we started to contemplate the upcoming changes and where we wanted to live in the San Francisco area. Time to rock and roll and get this house moved! In 10 days. Wait. WHAT?!?! 10 day?!?! Aw hell. I hate having to rush things...
...to be continued in Part 3!
.
Monday, May 30, 2011
The Model of a Life Well-Lived
Today, I said goodbye to a person very dear to me. I laughed and I cried. If you knew him, you would understand why. A father-figure, a friend, a family member, a brother, a father, a confident, a roll model, and a husband. Gary Granico. He touched the hearts of many and he enriched the lives of so many more. He lived life to the fullest and never backed down. He was the first with a wise-crack and never left your side. He showed me the model of a well-lived life.
I met Gary through my brother playing baseball. Gary's son and my brother ended up on the same little league baseball team. Gary and my dad bonded instantly. I believe I was about 10 at the time. From there, it grew into a blending of families involving baseball, fudgesicles, nights at Straw Hat Pizza, and BBQs, just to be followed by ties that bind as strong as blood, camping and houseboat trips, nights on the town, and family parties. Yes, our families became close. To my brother and I, a second father. To my dad, a brother.
A long-time vet of the Airforce, we fittingly said goodbye to Gary on this Memorial Day. May he rest in peace.
To help you get a feeling for how special this guy is, here are some words from friends who wrote in the guest book:
May 27, 2011
Debbie, John, Jeana, Linda, Toni Lynn & Family.
Gary was my cousin and my friend. He had a gift that if you were his friend you were his family. There was always 7 steps to Gary. I admired that he would color outside the lines, because that's who he was and he was endeared for being himself. He was a giver and his lust for life was contagious. I have so many fond memories of being in Chester with Gary and the rest of our cousins.
He will be missed by all. The world has lost a ray of sunshine.
Your Loving Cousin,
Joan
May 27, 2011
rest in peace Gary.
~
don babcock,
sutter creek, California
May 27, 2011
Gary, you will be truly missed. It was a pleasure knowing, working, and playing with you. I have many fond memories of you and will truly miss you. R.I.P. my brother.
~
Michael Foley,
a.k.a. Foo Foo,
Salida, California
May 27, 2011
Gary was my sons little league coach in Rosemont. He was a great guy and had a great passion for coaching all of our kids. I will miss seeing him at that the local pizza parlor (straw hat). As they say " only the good die young". Gary will be missed by a lot of people in the Rosemont area.
~
The Cobb family.
May 27, 2011
We love you Gary and will miss your contagious laugh and your humongous smile! Life will not be the same without you but we know you are now at peace and out of pain. Love Jon, Kylie, and Abigail
~
Kylie Villalva (Latimer),
Sacramento, California
May 27, 2011
Please accept my most heartfelt sympathies for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with your family during this difficult time.
~
Alissa Morotti,
Sacramento, California
May 27, 2011
Debbie, John, Jeana and the Granico & Cheek families,My heart is filled with sadness at the loss of Gary. He really was a remarkable person. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.
~
Denise Pellerin-Johnson,
Sacramento, California
May 27, 2011
Toni and Linda and family. I'm so sorry for your loss. In my teenage years I received the name " Baby Stowe" from Gary. He made a big impact in my life. He was a big brother figure to me, gave me advice and let me know I did matter in this world, he made me fill special. He opened his home to me when I needed a place to live, and eat and sleep. I have lots of good, fun and crazy memories with Gary that will always make me laugh, especially rafting trips down the American River. He was good man. God Bless you and your family. You are all in my Thoughts.
~
Lisa Gentry ( Baby Stowe)
May 27, 2011
Gary the things i learned from you and the good talks we had i will never forget. Spring training, Chester and most of all coaching. we had some great times. Thank you for everything.
~
Sid Lucero,
Sacramento, California
May 27, 2011
Gary was not only every young man who went through Rosemont Little League's mentor and coach but like a father as well. He touched many lives and left a mark and a place in their heart.
"The coach's main job is 20 percent technical and 80 percent inspirational."
~Franz Stampfl
God Bless you Debbie, John and Jeana for sharing Gary (dad) with us all!
~
Teresa and J.P. Savage,
Sacramento, California
May 27, 2011
We are sorry to hear about your loss. Our hearts, thoughts and prayers are with your family during this difficult time. God is now taking care of Gary for he was a good father, husband, and a friend to all he met.
Winnie, Jeni, Maria, Susan and Tere
~
Winnie Cooper,
Rocklin, California
May 27, 2011
Gary was my cousin and my friend. Anyone who was his friend they became his family. He was a wonderful husband and caring Dad. He appreciated all the colors this world had to offer. Debbie, John, Jeana, Linda, Toni, & Family, wishing you comfort and love during this sad time.
~
Your Cousin Joan
May 27, 2011
Dear Toni and Linda --- I am so sorry to hear about Gary's passing. He will be missed. He was always one of my favorite childhood friends. My thoughts and prayers are with you at this time.
~
Love, Sharon Dorsey
Sacramento, California
May 27, 2011
Hey Bud - We are so glad our paths crossed with yours in this life! You were definitely one in a million and we think you knew at least a milliion people! You will be missed by them all. There's one thing that has to be said, it was always amazing how the tenor of a room, the garage, the golf course or where ever you were, changed when you showed up. Thanks for being our friend Gary and having us in your life...you will never be fogotten. God bless you and your family. Rest in peace my friend! Mike and Susan Levitt
May 27, 2011
Granico Family, I am so sorry for your loss. Gary was an inspiration to many young kids who were a part of Rosemont Little League. He always made my son Justin laugh and gave him more confidence than any other baseball coach. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
~
Debbie Smith,
Sacramento, California
May 27, 2011
Gary
I will miss you old friend, I truly enjoyed our days at Hiram Johnson (Class of '69). R.I.P.
~
Pat Dowden,
Loomis, California
May 27, 2011
Debbie, John, Jeana, Gary was not only the best Husband, Father and Family man, he was also a great friend. He is now with God and others we have lost recently. My heart and prayers go out to all of your family. We will truely miss him in our lives.
~
Kathy, Keith Jouganatos
May 27, 2011
Our heartfelt condolences go out to the entire Granico family. We will all miss Gary and his fun ways deeply. He was a great, friend, mentor and coach to a lot of us. We had many fun adventures coaching baseball and having post games talks over a brew or two (most likely more…lol). The Chester fishing trips to Lake Almanor were the best. I still remember Gary’s face when Kenny Rogers, Rodney and I pulled up to his gasless boat on the lake with fuel. Priceless! Thanks Gary for all the fun times!
~
Stefan OConnor,
Rosemont, California
May 27, 2011
I was shocked when my mom called to tell me about Gary. I hope you are all doing as well as can be expected at time like this. One of my first thoughts were of Larry, he would have been heart broken to have experienced this loss. Hopefully he and Gary are somewhere starting their on Fantasy Football League, smokin' a cigars and talkin' sports!!! My heart aches for all of you. Gary was a great guy, always a joy to be around. Hold on to your memories they will keep you strong.
~
Paula Alvarado Smith.
May 28, 2011
Granico Family,
Our deepest symapthy for your loss. My God bless you and your family during this sad time. Our thoughts and prayers are with you!
~
Rico & Antoinette Morotti,
Gold River, California
May 28, 2011
Debbie,John,Jeana,Linda,Toni Lyn,I am So sorry for the loss of Gary. I have fond memories of Gary's younger days. He was loving and a delite to be with. The memories of Chester will always be with me.He will be missed.
Love and God Bless. We will meet again Gary.
~
Love you, Aunt Jo
May 28, 2011
I am very saddened to hear about Gary's passing. It has been so many years since I last saw him as I moved out of the area but I always think about him. Gary was a great friend and an inspiring teammate. Not only was he a great coach and teacher of the game but a tremendous player. He was a big part of our "Express" Softball family. We had so much fun together and I will always remember his smile, his laugh and his gold glove. I miss you "Snake" and will always cherish the great times we had. May God Bless you, watch over you and give you peace!
~
TC Martin,
Green Bay, Wisconsin
May 28, 2011
It's raining in seattle! The yankees are in town! I never saw anyone play third base or shortstop, better than Gary! What a glove. lucky
~
larry pirch,
seattle, Washington
May 28, 2011
MAY YOUR SOUL REST IN ETERNAL PEACE
~
ED JONES,
SACRAMENTO, California
May 28, 2011
My heart is broken but I know you are free and not in pain any more. Thank you for always being there for me...good times and bad. I know you and Doug have a line in the water and a beer in your hand. Love you my brother.....Shorty
~
Shorty
May 28, 2011
I knew when I first saw Gary and signed up for Baseball that this guy was a special guy. What I didn't know, was how much Gary would touch me and my Family.
It has been said that you are fortunate if, in a lifetime, you can meet enough great people to count on one hand. In my lifetime I have had the opportunity to meet alot of people both business and leisure.I also think I am fortunate to have many friends, but Gary Granico was my "One Hander". He stands as one of those men you can count on one hand.
As Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet " He was a man. Take him for all and all. We shall not look upon his like again."
Rest in peace my Brother you will be thought of every day.
~
Mike Hamburg
May 29, 2011
Peace to you Gary, you are so sweet.
~
Laura Bishop,
Roseville, California
May 29, 2011
the world will stop spinning!
i'm a little lost for words this morning!
but i thought of this..
god will blink.. the world will stop spinning and baseball will bow their heads and tip their hats...
ug
~
USAF gonnella,
scottsdale, Arizona
May 29, 2011
hello im eric gunnarson gary/ snake and i were best friends back in the day my heart is very sad i cried i havent seen or will ever c gary again 4 30 years we all had nick names mine was trout im sorry i or we never had time to get together i only know in my heart he was a great man i remember the times we had as friends and i will cherish those times im sorry 4 your lose i dont know u but in my heart i feel your pain thats the wrong word i feel your lose only know we were friends u can ask others of me miles and time seperate friends the last time i saw gary it was as if we had never been apart 30 years ago i loved him as my brother and we were we just went different ways in life to his family i say im sorry and if u wish u can call me id like that 778 886 6029 im in canada GOD bless u all garys friend gunnar
~
eric gunnarson,
blaine, Washington
May 29, 2011
Our time shared as baseball dads was much appreciated by me and will always be remembered. Your and Debbie's kindnesses toward Steven are not forgotten. You are missed.
~
Glenn Thompson
May 30, 2011
Gary was there for the lives and deaths of my Great Grandfather, Great grandmother and Great Uncle. He will always be remembered, by me, as a kind, worm hearted Man, who was always there in a time of need.
Thank you for all you've ever done for my Family, Gary. You will be missed by many. We love you.
~
Kayla Kardokus,
Rancho Cordova, California
May 30, 2011
My prayers go out to the family and friends of Gary. I was in Turkey with Gary and played ball with him. Very sad to hear he is gone. God bless him.
~
Dennis Avery,
Litchfield, Michigan
May 30, 2011
Gary, thanks for the memories. The many nights at Crabshaw listening to the 'Skins' will stay with me always.....
~
Norm Longtin,
Omo Ranch, California
.
I met Gary through my brother playing baseball. Gary's son and my brother ended up on the same little league baseball team. Gary and my dad bonded instantly. I believe I was about 10 at the time. From there, it grew into a blending of families involving baseball, fudgesicles, nights at Straw Hat Pizza, and BBQs, just to be followed by ties that bind as strong as blood, camping and houseboat trips, nights on the town, and family parties. Yes, our families became close. To my brother and I, a second father. To my dad, a brother.
A long-time vet of the Airforce, we fittingly said goodbye to Gary on this Memorial Day. May he rest in peace.
 | |||
| Gary "the Snake" Granico |
August 28, 1951 - May 24, 2011
Born August 28, 1951 in Sacramento to Tony and Jean Granico. Gary passed away on May 24th surrounded by his loving family. He is survived by Debbie, his devoted wife of 29 years, his son John, and his daughter Jeana. He was the brother of Linda and Toni, the uncle of Zack, Cason, and Shawn, and the brother in law of Jeri and Mike. Gary served in the USAF for 4 years and retired after 40 years of service from the Dept. of Defense. His greatest passions besides his family were fishing and coaching more little leaguers than we can count. He was blessed with many lifelong friends that will miss him dearly.
To help you get a feeling for how special this guy is, here are some words from friends who wrote in the guest book:
May 27, 2011
Debbie, John, Jeana, Linda, Toni Lynn & Family.
Gary was my cousin and my friend. He had a gift that if you were his friend you were his family. There was always 7 steps to Gary. I admired that he would color outside the lines, because that's who he was and he was endeared for being himself. He was a giver and his lust for life was contagious. I have so many fond memories of being in Chester with Gary and the rest of our cousins.
He will be missed by all. The world has lost a ray of sunshine.
Your Loving Cousin,
Joan
May 27, 2011
rest in peace Gary.
~
don babcock,
sutter creek, California
May 27, 2011
Gary, you will be truly missed. It was a pleasure knowing, working, and playing with you. I have many fond memories of you and will truly miss you. R.I.P. my brother.
~
Michael Foley,
a.k.a. Foo Foo,
Salida, California
May 27, 2011
Gary was my sons little league coach in Rosemont. He was a great guy and had a great passion for coaching all of our kids. I will miss seeing him at that the local pizza parlor (straw hat). As they say " only the good die young". Gary will be missed by a lot of people in the Rosemont area.
~
The Cobb family.
May 27, 2011
We love you Gary and will miss your contagious laugh and your humongous smile! Life will not be the same without you but we know you are now at peace and out of pain. Love Jon, Kylie, and Abigail
~
Kylie Villalva (Latimer),
Sacramento, California
May 27, 2011
Please accept my most heartfelt sympathies for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with your family during this difficult time.
~
Alissa Morotti,
Sacramento, California
May 27, 2011
Debbie, John, Jeana and the Granico & Cheek families,My heart is filled with sadness at the loss of Gary. He really was a remarkable person. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.
~
Denise Pellerin-Johnson,
Sacramento, California
May 27, 2011
Toni and Linda and family. I'm so sorry for your loss. In my teenage years I received the name " Baby Stowe" from Gary. He made a big impact in my life. He was a big brother figure to me, gave me advice and let me know I did matter in this world, he made me fill special. He opened his home to me when I needed a place to live, and eat and sleep. I have lots of good, fun and crazy memories with Gary that will always make me laugh, especially rafting trips down the American River. He was good man. God Bless you and your family. You are all in my Thoughts.
~
Lisa Gentry ( Baby Stowe)
May 27, 2011
Gary the things i learned from you and the good talks we had i will never forget. Spring training, Chester and most of all coaching. we had some great times. Thank you for everything.
~
Sid Lucero,
Sacramento, California
May 27, 2011
Gary was not only every young man who went through Rosemont Little League's mentor and coach but like a father as well. He touched many lives and left a mark and a place in their heart.
"The coach's main job is 20 percent technical and 80 percent inspirational."
~Franz Stampfl
God Bless you Debbie, John and Jeana for sharing Gary (dad) with us all!
~
Teresa and J.P. Savage,
Sacramento, California
May 27, 2011
We are sorry to hear about your loss. Our hearts, thoughts and prayers are with your family during this difficult time. God is now taking care of Gary for he was a good father, husband, and a friend to all he met.
Winnie, Jeni, Maria, Susan and Tere
~
Winnie Cooper,
Rocklin, California
May 27, 2011
Gary was my cousin and my friend. Anyone who was his friend they became his family. He was a wonderful husband and caring Dad. He appreciated all the colors this world had to offer. Debbie, John, Jeana, Linda, Toni, & Family, wishing you comfort and love during this sad time.
~
Your Cousin Joan
May 27, 2011
Dear Toni and Linda --- I am so sorry to hear about Gary's passing. He will be missed. He was always one of my favorite childhood friends. My thoughts and prayers are with you at this time.
~
Love, Sharon Dorsey
Sacramento, California
May 27, 2011
Hey Bud - We are so glad our paths crossed with yours in this life! You were definitely one in a million and we think you knew at least a milliion people! You will be missed by them all. There's one thing that has to be said, it was always amazing how the tenor of a room, the garage, the golf course or where ever you were, changed when you showed up. Thanks for being our friend Gary and having us in your life...you will never be fogotten. God bless you and your family. Rest in peace my friend! Mike and Susan Levitt
May 27, 2011
Granico Family, I am so sorry for your loss. Gary was an inspiration to many young kids who were a part of Rosemont Little League. He always made my son Justin laugh and gave him more confidence than any other baseball coach. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
~
Debbie Smith,
Sacramento, California
May 27, 2011
Gary
I will miss you old friend, I truly enjoyed our days at Hiram Johnson (Class of '69). R.I.P.
~
Pat Dowden,
Loomis, California
May 27, 2011
Debbie, John, Jeana, Gary was not only the best Husband, Father and Family man, he was also a great friend. He is now with God and others we have lost recently. My heart and prayers go out to all of your family. We will truely miss him in our lives.
~
Kathy, Keith Jouganatos
May 27, 2011
Our heartfelt condolences go out to the entire Granico family. We will all miss Gary and his fun ways deeply. He was a great, friend, mentor and coach to a lot of us. We had many fun adventures coaching baseball and having post games talks over a brew or two (most likely more…lol). The Chester fishing trips to Lake Almanor were the best. I still remember Gary’s face when Kenny Rogers, Rodney and I pulled up to his gasless boat on the lake with fuel. Priceless! Thanks Gary for all the fun times!
~
Stefan OConnor,
Rosemont, California
May 27, 2011
I was shocked when my mom called to tell me about Gary. I hope you are all doing as well as can be expected at time like this. One of my first thoughts were of Larry, he would have been heart broken to have experienced this loss. Hopefully he and Gary are somewhere starting their on Fantasy Football League, smokin' a cigars and talkin' sports!!! My heart aches for all of you. Gary was a great guy, always a joy to be around. Hold on to your memories they will keep you strong.
~
Paula Alvarado Smith.
May 28, 2011
Granico Family,
Our deepest symapthy for your loss. My God bless you and your family during this sad time. Our thoughts and prayers are with you!
~
Rico & Antoinette Morotti,
Gold River, California
May 28, 2011
Debbie,John,Jeana,Linda,Toni Lyn,I am So sorry for the loss of Gary. I have fond memories of Gary's younger days. He was loving and a delite to be with. The memories of Chester will always be with me.He will be missed.
Love and God Bless. We will meet again Gary.
~
Love you, Aunt Jo
May 28, 2011
I am very saddened to hear about Gary's passing. It has been so many years since I last saw him as I moved out of the area but I always think about him. Gary was a great friend and an inspiring teammate. Not only was he a great coach and teacher of the game but a tremendous player. He was a big part of our "Express" Softball family. We had so much fun together and I will always remember his smile, his laugh and his gold glove. I miss you "Snake" and will always cherish the great times we had. May God Bless you, watch over you and give you peace!
~
TC Martin,
Green Bay, Wisconsin
May 28, 2011
It's raining in seattle! The yankees are in town! I never saw anyone play third base or shortstop, better than Gary! What a glove. lucky
~
larry pirch,
seattle, Washington
May 28, 2011
MAY YOUR SOUL REST IN ETERNAL PEACE
~
ED JONES,
SACRAMENTO, California
May 28, 2011
My heart is broken but I know you are free and not in pain any more. Thank you for always being there for me...good times and bad. I know you and Doug have a line in the water and a beer in your hand. Love you my brother.....Shorty
~
Shorty
May 28, 2011
I knew when I first saw Gary and signed up for Baseball that this guy was a special guy. What I didn't know, was how much Gary would touch me and my Family.
It has been said that you are fortunate if, in a lifetime, you can meet enough great people to count on one hand. In my lifetime I have had the opportunity to meet alot of people both business and leisure.I also think I am fortunate to have many friends, but Gary Granico was my "One Hander". He stands as one of those men you can count on one hand.
As Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet " He was a man. Take him for all and all. We shall not look upon his like again."
Rest in peace my Brother you will be thought of every day.
~
Mike Hamburg
May 29, 2011
Peace to you Gary, you are so sweet.
~
Laura Bishop,
Roseville, California
May 29, 2011
the world will stop spinning!
i'm a little lost for words this morning!
but i thought of this..
god will blink.. the world will stop spinning and baseball will bow their heads and tip their hats...
ug
~
USAF gonnella,
scottsdale, Arizona
May 29, 2011
hello im eric gunnarson gary/ snake and i were best friends back in the day my heart is very sad i cried i havent seen or will ever c gary again 4 30 years we all had nick names mine was trout im sorry i or we never had time to get together i only know in my heart he was a great man i remember the times we had as friends and i will cherish those times im sorry 4 your lose i dont know u but in my heart i feel your pain thats the wrong word i feel your lose only know we were friends u can ask others of me miles and time seperate friends the last time i saw gary it was as if we had never been apart 30 years ago i loved him as my brother and we were we just went different ways in life to his family i say im sorry and if u wish u can call me id like that 778 886 6029 im in canada GOD bless u all garys friend gunnar
~
eric gunnarson,
blaine, Washington
May 29, 2011
Our time shared as baseball dads was much appreciated by me and will always be remembered. Your and Debbie's kindnesses toward Steven are not forgotten. You are missed.
~
Glenn Thompson
May 30, 2011
Gary was there for the lives and deaths of my Great Grandfather, Great grandmother and Great Uncle. He will always be remembered, by me, as a kind, worm hearted Man, who was always there in a time of need.
Thank you for all you've ever done for my Family, Gary. You will be missed by many. We love you.
~
Kayla Kardokus,
Rancho Cordova, California
May 30, 2011
My prayers go out to the family and friends of Gary. I was in Turkey with Gary and played ball with him. Very sad to hear he is gone. God bless him.
~
Dennis Avery,
Litchfield, Michigan
May 30, 2011
Gary, thanks for the memories. The many nights at Crabshaw listening to the 'Skins' will stay with me always.....
~
Norm Longtin,
Omo Ranch, California
.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Drugs, Money, and Rock and Roll - Part 1
Yea, yea, yea. I know it has been over a month since I posted but I was busy! So now I am posting because I promised...and I don't break promises. But, since a LOT of shit has been going on, this is going to come in several parts.
Let's start with the "Drugs" part of this. If you recall, I was scheduled to have sinus surgery. Specifically, they were doing a septoplasty and a sinus drainage. What is a septoplasty you ask? Essentially it is where you PAY someone to BREAK. YOUR. NOSE. Yes, I paid someone to break my nose. Why? Because the inside was more crooked than Lombard Street in San Francisco and I couldn't breathe properly. The only way to fix it is to break it and reset it. Let me just say...Not. Fun.
Then there was the sinus drainage. I had a horrible sinus infection that was not going away no matter what drugs they gave me so they scraped it out. Doesn't that sound lovely? How would you like to have someone scrape your sinuses clean? Again...Not. Fun.
Now you may be asking yourself, what does a person look like after they have had thistorture procedure done? Well, wonder no more!
There ya have it. Two hours after surgery when you are home and laying on the couch, the lights are really, really bright. If you have ever had a migraine, then you can relate to this kind of light sensitivity. Hence the sunglasses. Also note the bright orange earplugs. Yup, sound sensitivity. But my favorite part about this whole thing was definitely the face tampon under my nose. I had to keep that on until my nose "stopped leaking." Yes, that is the technical term. I thought it was totally sexy and I just might start a new fashion line with it! We will even throw in the free goal post drawing on your forehead!
And then came recovery. Though the pain was not as bad as I expected, it still hurt pretty bad. But I had this wonderful prescription called Vicodin. So I spent 4 days in a drug-induced haze where I slept 16-18 hours a day. I am also told I tried to sort out some school stuff while drugged up, I tried cooking, and some various other things I do not recall. What I DO recall is the nausea, dizziness, and pain. But we will move past that to the point where I ditched the vicodin and itscrappy uncomfortable side effects.
Next came functioning in the world WITHOUT the face tampon!
Now when I say I functioned in the world without a face tampon, I use the term "function" loosely. Essentially it meant sitting up on the couch instead of laying down and occasionally walking around the apartment complex because I was getting cabin fever. It never ended up more than that because my balance was still off and the dizziness came and went without any warning. Finally, about a week after surgery, the dizziness and balance issues started resolving. Shitty Perfect timing considering the next adventure I needed to start dealing with...
.
Let's start with the "Drugs" part of this. If you recall, I was scheduled to have sinus surgery. Specifically, they were doing a septoplasty and a sinus drainage. What is a septoplasty you ask? Essentially it is where you PAY someone to BREAK. YOUR. NOSE. Yes, I paid someone to break my nose. Why? Because the inside was more crooked than Lombard Street in San Francisco and I couldn't breathe properly. The only way to fix it is to break it and reset it. Let me just say...Not. Fun.
Then there was the sinus drainage. I had a horrible sinus infection that was not going away no matter what drugs they gave me so they scraped it out. Doesn't that sound lovely? How would you like to have someone scrape your sinuses clean? Again...Not. Fun.
Now you may be asking yourself, what does a person look like after they have had this
 |
| I swear if someone doesn't turn off the lights, I am stabbing them with a rusty fork. |
 |
| Yes, that means you. |
And then came recovery. Though the pain was not as bad as I expected, it still hurt pretty bad. But I had this wonderful prescription called Vicodin. So I spent 4 days in a drug-induced haze where I slept 16-18 hours a day. I am also told I tried to sort out some school stuff while drugged up, I tried cooking, and some various other things I do not recall. What I DO recall is the nausea, dizziness, and pain. But we will move past that to the point where I ditched the vicodin and its
Next came functioning in the world WITHOUT the face tampon!
 |
| Yes, that is a swollen nose and black eye forming. |
 |
| Oh wait! You were wondering about that black thing coming out of my nose. |
 |
| That black thing would be the end of my stitches which are taped to my face. Don't I look HAWT!!!! |
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Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Learning Who My *Real* Friends Are
Ever thought you knew someone, and then one day you find out they totally aren't who you thought they were? Ever thought you could count on someone and then when you really needed them, they weren't there? That was my night last night. I needed a friend, and I chose to take a chance and call on someone and they weren't there. Then when they finally showed up, well, lets just say I was disappointed. A very dear friend is dying and I get to hear about how parts of my life are screwed up. Yea. Helpful. Oh if they only knew all the shit I did for them and the crap I went through.
Today, I have a migraine, so I went back to bed to take a little nap and I am woken up by a text message from this same person essentially saying I screwed up somehow and I am now written out of their life forever. Do you think they tell me what it was I did? No. Do you think they give me a chance to refute whatever accusation is going on here? No. Do you think they respond when I ask what the hell I did this time? No.
Well guess what. I don't give a damn anymore. I do not have the mental or emotional energy to deal with this kind of childish bull shit anymore. I have more important things in my life to deal with. I have a husband who was laid off and is looking for a new job. I have school that is kicking my ass because I am taking double classes right now. I am having sinus surgery in a week. I have rheumatoid arthritis that I have to manage without one of my medications because of that surgery. I have a dear family friend, someone who is family despite the lack of blood relation, who I have known since I was 8, who is dying of lung cancer and may be leaving this world any day now. I have a best friend who I fear is on the verge of collapse because of all the shit she has going on in her life. I have my own insecurities and esteem issues to deal with. So you wanna write me off without telling me what I did? Fine. Good riddance. Have a nice life, cause I don't give a good God damn anymore.
.
Today, I have a migraine, so I went back to bed to take a little nap and I am woken up by a text message from this same person essentially saying I screwed up somehow and I am now written out of their life forever. Do you think they tell me what it was I did? No. Do you think they give me a chance to refute whatever accusation is going on here? No. Do you think they respond when I ask what the hell I did this time? No.
Well guess what. I don't give a damn anymore. I do not have the mental or emotional energy to deal with this kind of childish bull shit anymore. I have more important things in my life to deal with. I have a husband who was laid off and is looking for a new job. I have school that is kicking my ass because I am taking double classes right now. I am having sinus surgery in a week. I have rheumatoid arthritis that I have to manage without one of my medications because of that surgery. I have a dear family friend, someone who is family despite the lack of blood relation, who I have known since I was 8, who is dying of lung cancer and may be leaving this world any day now. I have a best friend who I fear is on the verge of collapse because of all the shit she has going on in her life. I have my own insecurities and esteem issues to deal with. So you wanna write me off without telling me what I did? Fine. Good riddance. Have a nice life, cause I don't give a good God damn anymore.
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