"I should have known that having a major body part removed would take a lot out of me."

Leah keeping Dan company at the hospital when I visited on Saturday.

 It appears that our favorite editor is going to be offline for an undetermined "while."

"I didn't think this would be as big a deal as it is," said Dan about his recent knee replacement surgery when he called to ask me to write this post.

"I should have anticipated that having a major body part removed would take a lot of me, but I didn't realize how much. Between the medication and the pain, I don't have a lot of lucid moments," he commented, but quickly added, "I'm sure I'll get comments asking if I had them before."

What Dan doesn't have right now is energy and focus. When he predicted that "I guess this year most of the election season will have to go on without me," I knew he was serious. I'll miss his insights, rants, and occasional ravings. I'm sure that those of you who like to argue with him - as well as those of you who (mostly) agree with him - will miss them, too.

Not to worry, though; Dan is being well taken care of by Leah, by his favorite ex-wife Christina, and by various and sundry friends, family, and passers-by. He'll be herded back to health by in-home nurses and physical therapists.

Dan asked me to write this so everyone who depends on him for their daily dose of piss and vinegar and sweetness and light will know that he's okay - just not as okay as he'd hoped he'd be.