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He was born William Arnold Schneible, but people across the U.S. knew him better as “Wild Bill Cody.” He passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack at his home on Christmas Day 2012.

Born in Denver, February 8, 1949, he graduated from Cathedral High in 1967. Bill served honorably in the U.S. Coast Guard for nine years as a radioman and communications specialist.

Last night, we gathered at the Bully’s on the corner of Pyramid and McCarran in Sparks, to honor his legacy with the “1st Annual “Wild Bill Cody” Coors Cheer.  Bill was an avid fan of that particular brew as both were from Colorado.

While there, I took a few photographs of those in attendance. I also snapped a shot of a picture of him in his Madonna get-up, he used in a television commercial in the 80’s,  later posting it to Facebook.

That photo has gone viral as people from Ohio, Illinois, Colorado and Louisiana have reached out to say how much they enjoyed his antics and loved the man.

In Reno, he allowed himself to be buried alive for 56 hours in an oxygen-fed casket six feet underground, while broadcasting in front of Circus Circus to raise $20,000 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.  Later, he washed all 3,791 exterior windows at Circus-Circus for Camp Lotsafun.

Bill pogo’d 20 miles, pushed a peanut with his nose along Virginia Street, hit a golf ball from Carson City to the Reno Arch, sat in all 26,000 seats at the University of Nevada stadium, and collected 14 tons of food for the food bank by rocking in a rocking chair for 96 hours. Yeah — he was that kind of guy.

He’s resting at  Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver.

While meeting with the radio station’s program director, I also met our newest staff member whose taking on the massive task of bringing the station into the 21st century as our social-media specialist and consultant. She and I had only known of each other through blogging and Facebook.

As we shook hands, she questioned, “Oh, so you’re Dash?”

I immediately thought, “How the hell did she know I used to be a sprinter?”

Then she explained: “You always sign your news postings on Facebook with a dash mark before your last name.”

Mystery solved — and now — I have a new nickname.

The last time I made a New Year Resolution, I was in my teens I believe. I’ve never needed to make them as I pretty much do exactly as I say I will do and that’s the end of it.

Resolutions aside, in December I promised the writer in me that I’d keep my thoughts on politics to myself. I do find it hard to not write about and share my opinions on the state of my community, Nevada or our nation.

Jus’ thought I’d complain.

It becomes a small world when I think of how many people and placed in my life connect me with the U.S. space agency, NASA. From my Uncle Orville, to my Godfather Bud, as well as my friend Kay, and the fact that I live nearby the test site for the Saturn 5 rocket boosters.

But it does no good for me to tell about this when no one else writes down their stories. It’s ashame too, because there are so many great stories walking around and not being shared.

All I can do is stay at my tiny desk and work out the details of my life, but I cannot write about yours.

Arthur Miller divorced his first wife June 11th, 1956 after spending his six-week residency in Sutcliffe at the Pyramid Lake Guest Ranch. He married Marilyn Monroe about three weeks later.

While at the ranch he watched a group of cowboys round-up some wild horses. This inspired a short story in the October 1957 edition of Esquire magazine.

It later led to the screenplay that starred Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Montgomery Clift, Eli Wallach, Thelma Ritter, and Kevin McCarthy, and directed by John Huston and produced by Frank Taylor. The “World Premiere” was held January 31st, 1961 at the Granada Theater in downtown Reno.

Many people believe the film, while a tragic subject, also lead to tragic endings for many in the cast. While it is true only 12 days after filming wrapped, Gable died, other cast members went on working for years afterwards.

Marilyn, eventually divorced Miller on January 20, 1961, and started filming “Something’s Got to Give,” in 1962. She died August 5th, 1962 as result of a suicide, albeit under mysterious circumstances and the scenes from the film were later used in the 1963 documentary, “Marilyn,” narrated by Rock Hudson.

Clift’s film career also did not end with “The Misfits.” Released in late 1961, “Judgment at Nuremberg,” was followed a year later by John Huston’s “Freud,” with Clift’s last film, a 1966 French production billed as the “The Defector.”

After some 20 years in the movie business, Thelma Ritter died February 5th, 1969, her last appearance being on “The Jerry Lewis Show,” January 23rd, 1968. Kevin McCarthy went on to starring in another 23 television and film productions before his death September 11th, 2010.

Oddly, McCarthy’s final appearance in, “The Ghastly Love of Johnny X,” was released nearly two-years after his death.

As for Eli Wallach, he continues to work.  In 2010, Wallach portrayed Julie Steinhardt , in  “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps,” directed by Oliver Stone, and starring Michael Douglas and Shia LeBeouf.

“Can’t never got anything done,” my late Grandpa used to say.

Those that you think of as being lucky, are generally those willing to try, who take chances, put themselves on the line. Often people talk themselves out of an opportunity, convinced there’s little possibility of success.

But worst of all are those of who truly believe was can’t do something, because with a “can’t” attitude, it’s a certain bet we won’t.

Jus’ try before you can’t.

Maybe I do have only the intelligence of a Neanderthal, after all I don’t understand the television show, “Sex in the City.” I sat with my wife and our house mate and watched two episodes and while they laughed and giggled, I missed it.

The show is purportedly about four independent women living in New York City. However for being so liberated, they’re all in search of a perfect relationship with a man.

I don’t get the dichotomy.

Afterwards, I sat an watched five half-hour episodes of the cartoon, “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” The series follows the adventures of a twelve-year-old boy and his friends, who must bring peace and unity to the world by ending the Fire Lord’s war against the other three nations.

Bending water, earth, fire and air in cartoon form, makes more sense to me than Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte’s realistic lives. Yeah, you can call me a Neanderthal.

Yes, I engaged the enemy in battle and killed him. And I was close to someone who was either killed or wounded.

This is not your fault.

Both fear and death surrounded me time and again. In fact the Pentagon has a plan in place in case I’m killed in action.

Anxiety, insomnia, and guilt are part of my existence.

When I returned home, you expected me to pick up my life where I left off. Well, so did I.

Adapt and over come.

Neither of us knew what the toll would be. How could we – as you were never in combat and I had never survived such stress before?

Too much alcohol, sex with any woman willing, and thoughts of suicide — all coping mechanisms.

No, this is not our fault and I’ve never considered blaming anyone, not even the military. It is simply the price paid for “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

Ask me now — I’d be willingly to do it all again.

One of my favorite military unit motto’s is, “These things we do, so others may live.” I like it because it’s not only simple and direct, but it says so much about the character of those service members who are the U.S. Air Force’s Pararescue.

Time and again I see it after a disaster: Us opening our hearts, our homes, and our wallets to help others – in most cases complete strangers. On a smaller scale – we help each other in times of need, even rising up to commit acts of heroism when the situation calls for it.

We all have it within us the ability and the want to help others. I find it sad to see that this is forgotten until disaster strikes.

We were heading east on Highway 70, somewhere between the small California settlement Chilcoot and Hallelujah Junction, enjoying the scenery, when I noticed the light blue wrecker, its yellow-orange light bar flashing above its cab. It was steadily gaining on us and I was preparing to slowdown and pull to the far right to let it pass.

Jus’ as I looked back from my rearview mirror to the road in front of me, fear washed over me as a four-wheel drive truck came rushing head long at us. The vehicle was passing a row of six cars as it bore down on us.

With little time to think, only to react, I dropped off to the right of the two-lane highway, giving the larger pick-up jus’ enough room to speed by. As soon as it passed us, I gently pulled back onto the asphalt, counting my blessing at having avoided what I felt was a certain fatal accident for us.

Then I looked in my rearview mirror to see if the four-wheel truck had completed passing the row of cars. While it had, it surprised me to see that the wrecker that had been there a minute ago, was no longer in sight.

“Did you see a turn-off anywhere back there?” I asked Kay.

“No,” she answered, “But then I wasn’t really paying attention to that.”

My curiosity piqued, I made a u-turn in the middle of the roadway and drove back beyond where we’d driven off the road. There were no turn-offs, side-roads or even pull-outs along the highway.

I still have no idea where the wrecker disappeared too, unless like Kay suggested, “It was never really there.”