May 18, 1980. 38 years ago today the world seemed about to end for me. I was in central Washington state when Mount St. Helens lashed out with ominous roiling volcano fury. Spooky swirling ash clouds, mid-day mid-night, trapped, detached from the world. Much later, once I got to know what was important to the cool kids, I learned that Ian Curtis of Joy Division ended his life also on May 18, 1980. I only just recently made that connection. Continue reading →