..."We are here to accept the impossible.. that a life force this big and powerful is gone so abruptly..."

Jarrod's boss and CEO of Xap.com, Allen Firstenberg, passed away last week. We went to his funeral yesterday. It was a very moving service attended by many, many family and friends who knew and loved Allen. I hardly think there was a dry eye during the beautiful eulogies. I know my heart ached when I listed to his daughter, Julie, describe how joyful, generous and kind her father was. I didn't know him as well as I'd have liked to, but my husband truly respected him and I did too. He had a profound effect upon our lives and whenever I spoke to him, he was incredibly friendly and gregarious. He even promised to throw a party with the company when I passed the bar, and sympathized with what I was going through because his daughter Julie endured it too. The Firstenbergs are a family of the best kinds of people on this earth, gifted and talented but humble and genuinely sincere - full of integrity and values. I will miss Allen, his laughter and his humor. I already feel the urge to emulate so much of the way he lived his life - with positivity and activity. It really is impossible to believe he's gone.. maybe because he never truly will be. We all were so affected by him, even those of us who wish we had known him better, so I guess he's never really going to be gone.

Goodbye, Allen. Like Jarrod said, I know you're probably up there challenging God to ping-pong - and beating him!