RIP Hunter S Thompson

I woke up this morning to read that Hunter S Thompson had committed suicide. While he lived a long and wild life it's always sad to hear people end their lives prematurely. Especially when you consider that Hunter S Thompson was believe it or not, very inspirational. It was reading "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," that I was inspired to go to college and become a journalist. That was also the first book I ever read cover to cover without the usual assistance of Cliff Notes. He showed me that you can infiltrate the system, party continually, and be brilliant all the while. In fact, the last conference I went to, I went to the registration picked up my tote bag full of notes and ruminants of workshops, and I went back to the Inn by the Sea and partied for 3 straight days never once going back to the conference. True Fear and Loathing style, I came back with the story, "The conference was good but I was expecting a little more, I wish I brought some teachers with me, they would have benefited from the message." It's the quest for happiness through intoxication, it's the quest for the American dream, it takes it's toll in the most usual and tragic ways.