A pause, this evening...
A few comments to an earlier post (as well as a couple of well-meaning emails) have tweaked me slightly for, *ahem* showing off (regarding either current project mobility and/or high-profile acquaintances), and to be perfectly honest, that was exactly what I was doing.
Someone in my family died today, and I'm trying not to let it settle in. So I'm posting about Lazy Sunday stuff, and sending Christmas presents, and several pages of silly fun comics.
He was the person that began teaching me Tae Kwon Do when I was twelve; and he died today of Lou Gehrig's Disease.
And others in my family are more affected, today, because I'm not done processing it.
This journal is my news source, and soap box, and personal stage - and I rarely share personal things here, unless they're important.
And, for those other family members and friends who are reading this - it seems only appropriate now, that the scrappy character in THE INDIGO KING is named 'Fred'. But it's killing me that he'll never get to read it.
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klwilliams
2007-12-17 07:04 am UTC (link)
I'm so sorry. My best friend died at the end of September, and I still haven't dealt with it. I'll think of tae kwon do when I read about Fred in THE INDIGO KING.
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coppervale
2007-12-17 07:15 am UTC (link)
Well, that did it. I just burst into tears reading that.
Fred (the people Fred) introduced me to SF in large part as well. He was an Andre Norton buff, and a Darkover fan as well.
My Fred (the badger Fred) is smarter than others realize.
And that's just two thoughts colliding in my head, and I totally get the 'not dealing with it' thing, and I appreciate the comment, Karen. A lot.
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rosefox
2007-12-17 07:12 am UTC (link)
I'm very sorry for your loss.
I hope you get every opportunity to handle and express (or evade or deny) your eventual grief in the ways that feel right to you. It's your journal. Don't worry about what other people think.
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coppervale
2007-12-17 07:17 am UTC (link)
Thank you.
There will probably be a chance in a week or so - he and his wife gave me my favorite Christmas present ever: THE SMITHSONIAN BOOK OF COMIC BOOK COMICS.
Still have it. Still adore it. Still think of them when I read it.
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copperwise
2007-12-17 07:29 am UTC (link)
I'm very sorry for your loss.
And showing off is a perfectly acceptable use of your journal. Personally, I love it when my art/writing/music friends post tantalizing things. It gives me something to look forward to. You are on my very short list (with Theo Black, Tony DeTerlizzi, and Ari Berk) of people whom I hope to someday have illustrate something of mine. Show off more!
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coppervale
2007-12-17 07:32 am UTC (link)
Thank you - on a couple of counts!
(Hope your recovery continues apace!)
'Tantalizing' was part of my thought process (on the public side of things) as in: what IS he up to with those Henson people?
Among other things.
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translatorius
2007-12-17 07:48 am UTC (link)
Usually not at a loss of words, I can now only say that I'm very sorry of your loss and offer you my deepest condolences. Oh my ...
Neither do I know you in person ("only" through your work and the journal here) nor did I get the chance of knowing Fred personally, but I'm sure he ignited a lot of things in you that still thrive and flourish in you and are part of the wonderful person and artist you've become.
And unless these things in you die away, you can be sure that Fred will always be with you - and thus also with us, your readers and fans.
I thank Fred for that.
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coppervale
2007-12-17 07:50 am UTC (link)
Thanks for this.
It's been coming a while, and he's gotten bad just in the last few weeks (as in, needing around the clock care), but it's still rattling to the core. He wasn't sixty, yet. Way too young.
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translatorius
2007-12-17 08:04 am UTC (link)
If you love somebody, it somehow always will be to early if he has to go, regardless of age. And the circumstances are not of real importance. It's one of the bad bargains we get from being alive. Loss ... Everything, literally, only being temporarily ...
But on the other hand there's always the memory of the things one has shared with the person that isn't there anymore. And if you do not give these precious feelings and memories, you'll cut something out of that bad bargain - preserving something from being temporary by making it everlasting.
I'm sure you can do the trick.
So sorry, but I'll have to sign off for now - have to leave for work; gonna be a little late already, but that's ... temporary :-).
Best wishes,
translatorius aka Michael
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victoria_lane
2007-12-17 11:34 am UTC (link)
.........yeah. Successful people aren't allowed to mention their good fortune because it might make insecure people feel insignificant.
Those people need to get a grip.
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zalena
2007-12-17 12:53 pm UTC (link)
My grandmother succumbed to ALS after conquering breast cancer. It is such a terrible disease it makes me angry that we still know so little about it and that research for it is underfunded. I'm sorry for your loss.
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_stranger_here
2007-12-17 01:32 pm UTC (link)
I'm so sorry. I hope the holidays will give you some time and space to mourn your loss.
As for the showing-off thing: don't sweat it. It's nice to see people doing well and enjoying it. I read your tone as shared (and a bit fanboy-ish) glee that professionally, you were having a good year, which made me smile.
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godswraith
2007-12-17 01:40 pm UTC (link)
Ah, so sorry to hear of your loss.I am a firm believer in things going on, of good never being dinminished just changed. But for all that, our sorrow is real, and I am sad for yours.
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tltrent
2007-12-17 03:13 pm UTC (link)
Agh, very sorry to hear. Do what you need to do to feel better, whether it's showing off or lazing around. Personally, I always love knowing who people know and reveling in the fun they have. So, no worries. Grieve well.
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