Satirist Art Buchwald is dead at 81.

I've been following Buchwald's progress for a while now, since he decided to stop dialysis treatments for his failing kidneys at about this time last year.

I like that Buchwald stuck around much longer than he was expected to. It gives me hope that a good sense of humor really means a lot in this world.

Last year, he told USA Today that "Dying is easy. Parking is impossible," about a month after he moved into hospice care, preparing to die.

The Pulitzer winner faced mortality with grace and humor I believe few will match, asking, "I have no idea where I'm going but here's the real question: What am I doing here in the first place?"

Buchwald was an inspiration in life as a writer and eye on politics. But he was also an inspiration, to me, in his death. He kept writing and even though he knew his time was drawing to a close, he didn't seem to lose that spark of originality and cleverness for which he built his career. Don't believe me? Check out this piece he wrote for the Washington Post.

So long, O Wit of Washington. Hope you found a good parking spot.