Doghouse Riley

The worst thing about the internet is that it vastly expands the number of people whose suffering can crack you. Doghouse Riley has died - Douglas Case by name, was a blogger out of Indiana who has been a must read for years. He was always funny and sharp, on politics, bikes, Indiana-ness, education, you name it - I followed him to his blog from Roy Edroso's place, where he was funny and sharp, and stood out amidst one of the funniest and sharpest comments sections on the net... It is something how someone I never knew, never interacted with as anything other than a reader, can seem that important to you - but reading about his passing felt to me like a board to the back of the head. You maybe have become used to it with famous professionals, the Roger Eberts of the world, but the internet expands the pool so much....

Of course the best thing about the internet is that I know about so many people out there, that I will never meet, or interact with as anything but a reader, and who will still have made my life better. He was a joy to read, his blog absolutely essential. I will miss him.