At 11:56 this morning, just about the time that Yo Yo Ma was beginning to belt out “Simple Gifts”, my loving mother lost her four year battle with breast cancer. I guess she thought she was leaving the country in more capable hands and, just about the time that Barack was getting ready to take over, she was finally able to let go.

My mom and me at a Portland Sea Dogs game in 2008.
Barbara Livingston - August 10, 1945 - January 20, 2009

Barbara Livingston was a beautiful woman with a beautiful soul and a wonderful mother. She will for sure be missed, but she will not go quietly, nor will she ever be forgotten.

As she had done all of my life — whenever I picked up a new hobby or fascination, she did her best to learn all she could about my new-found interests in order to keep pace with me. When I discovered good beer, so did she. And so we enjoyed a good number of great brews together these last few years; moments I will cherish forever.

Thank you, Mom, for all you have done for me. I hope that I will be able to continue to lead the life you dreamt for me and to do right by you for as long as I am able. It has been an honor and a privilege to be your son. I love you.

Happy New Year, everyone. I hope you all had a safe but delicious, beer-filled New Year’s Eve. I just wanted to take a second and thank the thousands of you who visited blogaboutbeer.com during 2008; thank you for coming, for reading and for your on-going support.

General readership and especially RSS subscribers continued to climb at an impressive clip all year and I can only hope 2009 will be as successful on the site as this past year was. Thank you!

Here’s to you and yours for a very prosperous and healthful ’09. la’chaim!

I believe Captain Hops from Beer Haiku Daily said it best way back on April 26th when he went through what I’m going through this weekend:

My world in shambles
And everything boxed away
Beer still takes me home

That’s right – we’re moving this weekend. While not all that far (literally, from the 3rd floor to the first floor of the same building), it’s amazing how boxing everything up and moving everything downstairs throws things into shambles. Thankfully I was able to keep a 6-pack of homebrew from being boxed up, and it’s helping me get through all the schlepping.

I also may or may not have much internet access during the next week (and hopefully not any longer, although it’s a slight possibility), so I apologize in advance if there’s a lack of posting around here.

Have a great, safe, beer-filled weekend everyone. Cheers!

I hope by now that you’ve noticed the new look & feel of blogaboutbeer.com (if you only read through a RSS reader every day, definitely click through and check out the changes!) – it’s my attempt to make everything a little more attractive and user-friendly. I’d love to hear some feedback on the new look, including the new logo.

Also, if you look to your right, you’ll see a new iFrame widget with 5 of the newest beer-themed how-to videos from wonderhowto.com – blog about beer’s newest sponsor (to find out how you can sponsor blogaboutbeer.com, click here). Please check out the videos and show your support.

As always, thanks for reading and keep checking back for future improvements.

Cheers,
Luke

Just a quick side-note to beg for your nomination for best Portland Blog in the The Portland Phoenix’s Best of Portland competition. Nominations are open now through February 14th (when the actual voting begins). Just visit: http://thephoenix.com/theBest/portland/ and click on the “City Life” section. Thanks for your support!