Condolences

My condolences go out to videoblogging pioneer John Amato,  who is mourning the loss of his father.

Despite living on opposite coasts, I’ve had the good fortune to meet and spend time with John on a couple of occasions. While our politics and personalities couldn’t be much more different, he’s one of the good guys, a warm, decent fellow who presumes the best of those with whom he disagrees.

Failing health complicated by botched surgery ended a very successful career as a saxophonist and make every day a struggle.  Rather than feeling sorry for himself and becoming embittered, he poured his passion into politics and, along the way, became one of the handful of bloggers who are truly indispensable, essentially inventing video blogging before the days of YouTube.

I never met John’s dad but, judging from his son, it was a life well lived and someone who will be missed.

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