Jason Joins the Big Cocktail Lounge in the Sky

Another wonderful Infomaniac Bitch, JASON of Night is half gone has joined our "In Memoriam" sidebar. 

Jason

I never met Jason so let's give the podium to someone who did have that pleasure: Hayward of MSIH. Over to you, Hayward... 

I met Jason at the holiday party of a mutual friend in 2009. We sipped cocktails and traded small talk. He was intelligent, personable and cleverly funny—an ideal guest.  Most of all behind that sharp wit Jason was kind.

We talked about careers, and I remember how he lit up when he spoke of his students. He had me in stitches with tales of their mishaps, but it was clear the stories came from how deeply he cared about their success. He politely listened as I spoke of the riveting world of software engineering, which demonstrates he was a man of extraordinary patience.

The conversation veered to writing, and somehow I got his blog address. That’s how I discovered this crazy world of Infomaniac. It’s his fault, in the best way.  Mostly I’m glad his writings remain, something to keep us connected.

The next year’s holiday party came, then the year after, and the year after that.  Years are now decades.  There were Mardi Gras gatherings here and there too. Seems every time our worlds collided, a cocktail was involved. Pure coincidence, I’m sure.  

His death was unexpected, from natural causes according to our mutual friend. Jason has left a significant void in the hearts of his students and friends.   So I raise my glass to him. Cheers, my friend. Thanks for the laughs. I’ll see you at the great holiday party eventually. Save me a drink—and for God’s sake, make it a good one.

- end of Hayward's tribute - 

Thank you, Hayward.

And now a description from Jason's own lips when asked about himself:

jason is a former international teenage singing sensation of the post-disco era.

After a tragic fall from grace (*allegedly* involving a diet coke bottle and Brooke Shields) found himself dissolute and overfed, earning dimes by teaching young women how to "shake it, but not break it." 

 
He returned to his trailer on the bayou to live out his sad, lonely life, hunting squirrel and alligator.

Here he is in his overfed and dissolute middle age, still drinking diet coke and lamenting the past, clasping that pillow like it was Brooke Shield's pretty head."

Click to enlarge Jason's profile.

 

When asked why he named his blog "Night is half gone" Jason replied:

Why name this journal "night is half gone" you ask?
Well, one because it was the first thing that came to my mind at the ungodly hour of 2:50 am. But it's also a line from one of my favorite poems by the ancient
Greek Poet Sappho:

The Moon and the Pleiades
are set. Night is half
gone and time speeds by.
I lie in bed, alone.  

Thanks, Jason, for all the love and laughter you brought to Infomaniac Bitches and others all over this planet.

Click here to visit or revisit Jason's blog.