I haven’t said much about them in recent days because I wanted to be sure. Those brain zaps and withdrawals I was going through from the zoloft? It is done. Every once in a while I’ll get an occasional little zap but for the past several days, my body has been zap free. I made it.

I guess the WD’s took about 3 weeks to totally leave my system and those middle days were some of the worst and most hardest I’ve ever experienced. However, now I am on the other side. I can feel my emotions again. I no longer feel like the shell of the person I was under the influence. Sadness, happiness, anger, calm and frustration all fill me in ways I had since forgotten. But that’s a good thing. Seriously.

I am happy to feel my full range of emotions because now I can finally learn how to deal with them and not just pop a pill to control or subside them. I feel like a normal person again and not like a zombie. For some these medications are required and for others the effects are what that person needs. I applaud you for recognizing this need or finding this comfort. For me, I don’t want to be dependent on anything but myself and those I choose to surround myself with.

I know that hard times will be harder, but I also look forward to fun times that are more enjoyable. If all goes well, those fun times will greatly outnumber the hard. Even though the holiday that often gets me into a funk every year is upon me, I think this one will be like any other before. Well, at least unlike any of the past 3 since I’ve been medicated!

I want to thank each and every one of you who gave my unwavering support and advice through all this. Especially those of you who reached out via private messages. Your support and encouragement really helped me fight through the tougher times.

Thank you and welcome to the new Hockeyman.

Often times I have found myself seeing people in the media of all kinds and thought how I would not just like to meet them, but hang out with them for a couple hours. Maybe a couple beers and some good conversation. I’ve met some celebs in passing and seen others, but none I would really like to just sit and hang out with.

One time I even saw Justin Timberlake in my work paring lot and he was talking to another N’Sync boy about how Brittney was cheating on him during her movie shoot. It was sometime ago before his solo stardom. He was parked a few cars from mine, we made eye contact and I just kept going. Honestly, I didn’t like him much at the time and had nothing to say to him. Today I would say hello.

Anyway, back to my list. Here are, in no particular order, who I would like to sit and just hang out with for a couple hours. The only rule is they must be alive today.

• Bill Clinton
  Not because I want juicy details or anything of the sort. He just seems like a pleasurable person to have a conversation with. I’d like to ask him what it’s like to live in the white house and be in that position. What kind of stuff he craved the most the first day out and what he missed the most after a week on the job. Simple things. But I’d like to talk to a President of my voting generation and W is just a putz.
• Ben Folds
  This guy writes some of my favorite music in the world and he’s pretty nerdy. I would like to ask him about his creation processes and new ideas. He doesn’t seem to take himself too seriously so I think it would be kinda fun as well.
• Kid Rock
  This guy is hands down one of the best live performers I have ever seen. I have seen hundreds and he sits very high on my list of showmen. Even if you don’t like his music, you will like his show. Also, I bet a couple hours with this dude would be a wicked cool party. I bet he’s got some amazingly crazy but fun stories.
• Whomever is really in charge of the Vatican library
  Perhaps maybe a tour of things that people don’t usually get to see. I don’t wanna touch or hold anything really, but I would like to see some of it’s treasures with my own eyes. This also goes for the American national archives. I love history, but I love looking at history even more. My favorite site in London during a tour was a wall that was still standing built by the Romans during the height of the empire. Holy crap that was cool. Second was Westminster Abbey even though I got yelled at for having my hat on!
• Cameron Crowe
  Cameron Crowe makes great films with even better soundtracks. I would like to hang out with him and pick his brain for a while. Talk music, maybe offer some ideas I have visualized over certain songs and see what he’s cooing up next.
• Kevin Smith
  Another movie making guy, but his writing amazes me. No one does conversational dialect better in my opinion. Also, he writes some amazingly funny shit and is definitely down to Earth.
• Steve Jobs
  Let’s face it, this guy is brilliant. I am a total Mac addict but I would really just like to thank him for making excellent products that have changed my life. Honestly, the iPod? It changed my life forever. I love music and I love to listen to music everywhere, he gave me a device that allows me to do so along with many other things.
• Dean Koontz
  I haven’t read all of his books by any means, but the one’s I have read have been pure enjoyment. He created my favorite literary character, Odd Thomas. I would really like to spend a couple hours talking all things Odd with him. I relate to Odd in a strange way and would like to learn more.
• Brad Pitt
  I want to meet this guy because I can’t think of another actor that has made a movie I didn’t like in his career. I could care less about his wife and exes, I wanna know how he picks these roles, and how he delivers the character so perfectly. Yet, he’s never won any major oscars for his work. I wonder why that is.
• Mike Bossy
  The greatest goal scorer ever in the NHL. Even Gretzky said this about him. He played for my New York Islanders. I would like stories unheard by the media. Plus he may bring a really cool gift with him!

This list is highly likely to be incomplete. There are plenty more musicians I’d like to hang out with and several others in other areas as well. My comedian was George Carlin but he passed away this year. For now though, I’ll just go with these. Who’s on your list? No limit, no set number, just must be alive today.

Mine? Mine were in the Gulf of Mexico. It was 75 degrees outside and the water a bit chilly, but only at first.