It is with great sadness that I share with you that a friend in the blog universe has passed away. Jenn See apparently died of a heart aneurysm early this morning.

Jenn See was part of the triumvirate of the Following My Fish site along with Mysfit and Oldben. I cannot begin to express my sadness. It is hard to describe what a relationship is when you do not meet someone in person but converse solely through the internet. Are they a friend, an acquaintance, what? There is an absence of completeness to a relationship in which you do not see the person face to face and yet there is a depth of relationship that is achieved when you share of yourself with others and have them do the same with you.

Part of my goal in starting to blog was to meet others with interests similar to mine…interests that are not necessarily shared by everyone around me…and in turn to discover new interests through my interactions with others. That in a nutshell is exactly what happened with my relationship with Jenn See. Shared interests in the work of Neil Gaiman is what led me to her site in the first place.

Jenn See was…is…a constant source of inspiration. Her photography site Tourist of Everything never ceases to amaze. Jenn See was a girl who carried her camera with her everywhere and could not only see but capture beauty and wonder in the most simple things. Her portraits of people were always so candid, and so real. Jenn See wrote incredible poetry as well and had an artistic soul. When I told Mary about Jenn See’s death this morning she commented on the opening image to today’s Friday Favorites. The heart picture turned out to be an oddly appropriate visual representation of just what Jenn See was. From her heart poured inspiration and artistic expression that grew and blossomed and sowed seeds into the lives of those who came into contact with her. At least that is what happened to me in the context of this online world and I’m sure it was that way for those she really knew and who were a part of her life.

I have ached all day. Not for my loss, it is selfish to even consider that I have lost anything. It is for Jenn See’s family, her friends (especially you Mysfit) and for Oldben. All I could think of today was how I would feel if I lost Mary. I couldn’t imagine life without her and those thoughts have had me hurting for you all day. I wish I knew words to say to make things better…to make things right…but I don’t know anything to say that will comfort you. I’m so very, very sorry.

Its is strange how the world works. The first comment that I could find on my site from Jenn See was her recommending the music of Regina Spektor (something I am extremely grateful for) and in an odd bit of symmetry one of the last posts she ever made was about Regina’s latest album, Begin to Hope. The last “conversation” that I had with Jenn See was in regards to the Neil Gaiman/Terry Pratchett novel Good Omens, a book that will forever be associated in my mind with her: “carl v! good omens rocks!
okay, that’s enough exclamations, but seriously, i just reread it for the first time in awhile (gave away every paperback copy i’ve had, & hadn’t picked up the new one i bought to be signed because i was enjoying its pristine condition for awhile…) & it really is smashing.”

I don’t know what Jenn See was doing during her last hours on earth but it hurts to think of a book laying by the bedside table never to be finished. Poems not yet completed. Pictures on her camera that were meant to be posted. Treasure life people. And treasure your relationships with others in person and online. You never know how much you can touch people with what you say and do. That has come home so strongly today. Love those around you and live, really live, because no matter the years you have on this earth life is short. I will miss the inspiration of Jenn See’s life and art tremendously. Please send your thoughts and prayers out to her friends and family. They desperately need them in this hour of devastation.

Its that time of year again, Summer Solstice, the midsummer night. The longest day of the year (hope it doesn’t feel like it at work!) This day calls to mind the land of faeries and fairy tales and since Mary and I recently returned from our own mini fairy tale vacation I figured it was about time to share.

Drink to me only with thine eyes,
And I will pledge with mine;
Or leave a kiss but in the cup,
And I’ll not look for wine.
Ben Jonson (1573–1637)

We once again spent two glories nights basking in the comfort of the Hermann Hill Inn. Upon arrival you are greeted with a smile and a snack:

Continue reading Midsummer Dreams →

Science has never drummed up quite as effective
a tranquilizing agent as a sunny spring day.
– W. Earl Hall

It is that time of year that Mary and I have been looking forward to since last June, our week long respite from the worries and troubles of employment and our wine country trip to the Hermann Hill Vineyard and Inn.

Like last year this vacation (which started Friday in my opinion despite a rather wicked cold I came down with) has begun much like last years…we crammed in as much theatrical entertainment as we could. Friday night Mary and I watched the unrated Mr. and Mrs. Smith (added some real fun Vince Vaughn stuff in and a nice alternate ending) and 28 Days Later (Mary hadn’t seen this excellent zombie flick).

Saturday and Sunday we savored each and every minute introducing our daughter to the first season of Firefly (minus the best little whorehouse in the galaxy episode). This was only our second time watching the series and it made what happens in Serenity so much more poignant. Our 14 year old is a Browncoat. I’m so proud!

The women-folk left me for a couple days starting Sunday night so I made good on working on the pile o’ dvds that friends had loaned me and finished the rest of the Sin City and Shakespeare in Love extras, watched the recut edition of Sin City, watched Gladiator for the first time (yes, I can be lame sometimes….loved it!), and watched a very well done, quirky, but extremely disturbing Korean film called Old Boy.

And now it is Wednesday and we are off to drink wine, eat good food, read books, shop, and probably catch some movies. Thus I won’t be around for a few days. Friday Favorites will return next week. And, knock on wood, when I return I’ll have pictures of our trip from my newly purchased digital camera:

(Kodak p850)

Have a great rest of the week everyone!

(preview picture for tomorrow’s Friday Favorites)

“There’s never enough time to do all the nothing you want.”
~Calvin (from Calvin and Hobbes fame)

Is it really only Thursday? Aye Caramba! I am seriously envying children and summer vacation right now. Especially kids who are old enough to entertain themselves and actually enjoy summer vacation.

I truly believe that this is one area where we are cheated as adults. We should get at least one, true, I’m-a-kid-and-school-is-out summer vacation as adults. There should be some way to deposit just one of those childhood summers in the future bank to be used at a later date.

Can you imagine? Having June, July and August to play in the sun, read books, watch movies, putter around in the yard, have day long excursions with your friends, camp out, swim in the creek, have imaginary adventures. I would love to do that as an adult. The closest I came to anything like that was last year when Tori was gone for a week and Mary and I took that week off to watch movies, read, veg out and go on our bed and breakfast jaunt.

We’ve been robbed, my adult friends. If anyone can figure out a way to get this inequity worked out please let me know!

In summer we live out of doors, and have only impulses and feelings, which are all for action, and must wait commonly for the stillness and longer nights of autumn and winter before any thought will subside; we are sensible that behind the rustling leaves, and the stacks of grain, and the bare clusters of the grape, there is the field of a wholly new life, which no man has lived; that even this earth was made for more mysterious and nobler inhabitants than men and women. In the hues of October sunsets, we see the portals to other mansions than those which we occupy.
~Henry David Thoreau

Since the days of old mankind has been searching for the mythical fountain of youth. It seems that since the beginning of time folks have been trying to remain young and live longer, if not forever. I feel the same way. However, and I can only speak for myself here, I am lazy. The work involved in, say, bathing in the blood of virgins Elizabeth Bathory style or becoming a creature of the night is more than I want to do. I like my sleep. With today’s medical advancements we know that exercise can also slow the aging process and extend life. Exercise? I mean really, I’d rather bathe in blood.

Imagine then my excitement when I read a study proving the health benefits, for men at least, of something that I can really get excited about:

Continue reading Your Cup Runneth Over →