A small note of sad

It's always sad when you hear of someone passing away due to addiction problems. It's sad when it's someone from your home-city and someone high profile. It's really sad when it happens only blocks from where you live and you walk passed, seeing all the flowers and pictures that people have accumulated. A bunch of us walked passed the hotel on our way home, not on purpose, but because we all live so close. It was sad to see the pictures, the notes, the drawings, the flowers, the poems.

It's VERY easy to find drugs in this city. It's something a lot of people have access to - or know someone who knows someone etc...
I have noticed even more so lately how easy it is to find substances in this city, especially in certain types of industries, and a lot around people who have a ton of extra cash on hand. I've been to two parties in the past month where various forms have been offered to me. I was stunned especially by who was offering -people who I knew did these things in the past, but people I obviously didn't and will not have THAT type of relationship with.  Interesting. It's not for me.
But for some people, it's a release. My release is different. I prefer a good run, a good workout - a night out with girlfriends. My substance of choice is alcohol when I'm not working out and even then, I don't abuse it. But.. some people do. I have friends who drink VERY hard, almost every night and have a hard time saying no. Don't get me wrong, I don't say no that often myself, but I have a cut-off that usually is followed by mounds of water, ESPECIALLY if I have a workout/run/hike/activity the next day. And if you know me, you know I have a workout/run/hike/activity most days of the week. To be honest, that's my substance of choice - activity.
I digress...
It's sad when someone passes due to inner demons and addiction. It's so sad when the person who passed was a star of a show that children watched - but what it does bring in is conversation to hopefully help those who could go down this path and stop them from their own sad demise.
There is going to be a little vigil for him in this same location from where I took this picture this Friday.