Thank Brynn for these. . . and enjoy.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
november
This weekend the fam and whomever could make it (I could not) went up to Buncombe Hollow to dedicate the stones set there. Erik had planned this a long time ago, and now it exists for real. Perhaps photos will be forthcoming.
It feels good to think of that project completed and ready to share.
It feels good to think of that project completed and ready to share.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
more thoughts of e
(Andree here) I promised more of the reflections our friends shared about the 14th. Let me start with Art. . .
* * *
Thank you Andy,
I feel him everyday in everything I do and know as you that we are all blessed to have him in our lives and a part of everything we do.
My best to the entire Family and warm thoughts of Erik to all.
Best regards,
Art
* * *
And Andy Collen adds. . .
* * *
Just so you know... both Amy and I road to the beach and all we could talk about was how much we missed those awesome production fire pit meetings. Never in my life have I ever met anyone that had a true understanding of what Amy and I do and how to help. Erik was a wealth of information and inspiration for us all.
I started making mead with some of his old equipment....as a one time attempt and now I find myself for some unknown reason thinking about what I could do for the next batch. I can't stop.... I know that is not me in there... rather Erik channeling through me. Hee! Hee! With a sparkle in my eye... Every time I go down stairs to the Mead vault I think of Erik and every time I need to sample the batch... I remember those times Erik just could not contain him self to share the latest brew. My latest and newest attempt is a huge batch of Ginger Mead. I feel now that every time I am racking the mead or drinking with some friends... Erik is there with me. This my way of finally accepting the reality the Erik is no longer with us... but to find a thing that I can do that I can share with Erik's spirit makes me enjoy him so much.... All I can say to everyone is come on over and lets have some MEAD! Hee! Hee! Let me know if anyone is having a party.... !
Love you all!
* * *
There is just a bit more to add, but I will save that for its own.
* * *
Thank you Andy,
I feel him everyday in everything I do and know as you that we are all blessed to have him in our lives and a part of everything we do.
My best to the entire Family and warm thoughts of Erik to all.
Best regards,
Art
* * *
And Andy Collen adds. . .
* * *
Just so you know... both Amy and I road to the beach and all we could talk about was how much we missed those awesome production fire pit meetings. Never in my life have I ever met anyone that had a true understanding of what Amy and I do and how to help. Erik was a wealth of information and inspiration for us all.
I started making mead with some of his old equipment....as a one time attempt and now I find myself for some unknown reason thinking about what I could do for the next batch. I can't stop.... I know that is not me in there... rather Erik channeling through me. Hee! Hee! With a sparkle in my eye... Every time I go down stairs to the Mead vault I think of Erik and every time I need to sample the batch... I remember those times Erik just could not contain him self to share the latest brew. My latest and newest attempt is a huge batch of Ginger Mead. I feel now that every time I am racking the mead or drinking with some friends... Erik is there with me. This my way of finally accepting the reality the Erik is no longer with us... but to find a thing that I can do that I can share with Erik's spirit makes me enjoy him so much.... All I can say to everyone is come on over and lets have some MEAD! Hee! Hee! Let me know if anyone is having a party.... !
Love you all!
* * *
There is just a bit more to add, but I will save that for its own.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
andrew: "my thoughts of e"
(Andree here again) There were many emails around the 14th of August, bittersweet and grateful and sad, missing E and happy we had him for a while.
Andrew Rotchford started the ball rolling, and I'd like tonight to post one of the threads. There's a couple more, and I promise to post those very soon indeed.
***
ABSENCE.....
I can't believe it's been two years since our good friend left us. We all miss our brother every day, he is in our thoughts and part of our daily conversation, just as if he is still here. It's days like this that remind us that he is in fact...absent. Knowing this, we will always miss our brother, this is a melancholy truth that we will all share for the rest of our days. He defiantly set the bar for all of us, a bar that he challenges all of us to follow and to move forward, exceeding our own perceived limitations and abilities. As long as we keep his amazing zest for life and his uncompromising example of friendship alive in our minds, his drive, humor, philosophy and personal goals will continue on. It's not a cure for the absence we feel, its just a brightly colored sticky band aid that we all wear until we possibly see that big guy again. On that day, I believe as always (per typical selfless Erik) he would be very interested to hear what we have done with our lives. It would be great to tell him once again "Thank you, because of your friendship, confidence, sound advice and by your excellent example we have accomplished things that we would have never thought possible had we not known you. Best of all, we achieved them all with a sense of balance and distinction."
Can you see him smiling? I can...
Andy
RESPONSE FROM DAD:
Well said Andrew, my lad. He is in our thoughts all thru the day and every day.
Thank you...
Terry
ANDREW:
Thanks Terry,
I did however find a weird spell check snafu that I did not notice until later. It changed (He definitely set the bar for all of us) to (He defiantly set the bar for all of us).
Well, I guess in Erik's case, they both work. He was always challenging the status quo, that's what made him so damn cool!!
Maybe Erik was doing a little Ghost Writing helping me with the appropriate syntax. Say hello to Donna and everyone for us.
Talk to you soon,
Andrew
Andrew Rotchford started the ball rolling, and I'd like tonight to post one of the threads. There's a couple more, and I promise to post those very soon indeed.
***
ABSENCE.....
I can't believe it's been two years since our good friend left us. We all miss our brother every day, he is in our thoughts and part of our daily conversation, just as if he is still here. It's days like this that remind us that he is in fact...absent. Knowing this, we will always miss our brother, this is a melancholy truth that we will all share for the rest of our days. He defiantly set the bar for all of us, a bar that he challenges all of us to follow and to move forward, exceeding our own perceived limitations and abilities. As long as we keep his amazing zest for life and his uncompromising example of friendship alive in our minds, his drive, humor, philosophy and personal goals will continue on. It's not a cure for the absence we feel, its just a brightly colored sticky band aid that we all wear until we possibly see that big guy again. On that day, I believe as always (per typical selfless Erik) he would be very interested to hear what we have done with our lives. It would be great to tell him once again "Thank you, because of your friendship, confidence, sound advice and by your excellent example we have accomplished things that we would have never thought possible had we not known you. Best of all, we achieved them all with a sense of balance and distinction."
Can you see him smiling? I can...
Andy
RESPONSE FROM DAD:
Well said Andrew, my lad. He is in our thoughts all thru the day and every day.
Thank you...
Terry
ANDREW:
Thanks Terry,
I did however find a weird spell check snafu that I did not notice until later. It changed (He definitely set the bar for all of us) to (He defiantly set the bar for all of us).
Well, I guess in Erik's case, they both work. He was always challenging the status quo, that's what made him so damn cool!!
Maybe Erik was doing a little Ghost Writing helping me with the appropriate syntax. Say hello to Donna and everyone for us.
Talk to you soon,
Andrew
Friday, August 13, 2010
two years
Hey Erik!This is from your birthday in 1986. What's it like where you are now? What sort of stuff do you know? You probably have Finnegan back now. I'm sure. Do you have a firepit there?
I wonder what you think when you see us. We're fine, sometimes not exactly fine, you know, all things considered. Still scooting around on the earth's crust wondering what the hell happened. You sent a couple of messages we couldn't ignore; of course you figured out something. Is that you in all those shining bubbles that keep popping up in the photos now? Because those didn't happen before. We're pretty sure they're you. They have smiley faces.
We do the best we can, not knowing what else to do. But that's the terrestrial plane for you, huh? Till we get to where you are, each in turn, we all miss you in our own way. We think of you every day. And it looks a lot like you're thinking of us.
Just imagine, will you try
I can see that you've opened your mind
Silver linings can disappear, but they always shine
It's always a Mystery, not what it seems to be
It's always a Mystery, just like you and me
You KNOW I had to throw in some Dio, buddy.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
ode to erik, by dad
HE LIVED IN A NICE HOUSE
HAD FAMILY BY THE SCORE
HE WAS IN HIS INDUSTRY
A CAPTAIN WHO GAVE MORE
O, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
INDEED, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
HE WORKED FOR HIS FAMILY
WAS ALWAYS FOR THEM, THERE
HE ANSWERED THEIR FAIR NEEDS
WITH SMILE AND LOVING CARE
O, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
INDEED, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
HIS FRIENDS, THEY DID LOVE HIM
FOR HIS LOYALTY AND WIT
HIS MOVEMENTS AMONGST THEM
GAVE MEMORIES OF GOOD FIT
O, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
INDEED, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
AS LIFE MOVED ON WITH HIM
HIS BLESSINGS DID HE COUNT
THE FUTURE, IT DID LOVE HIM
BUT FATE IT WAS IN DOUBT
O, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
INDEED, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
THE MIRACLE AS HE NAMED IT
CAME TO HIM WITHOUT WAIT
ALL SCIENCE IN THE WORLD
COULD NOT UNDO HIS FATE
O, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
INDEED, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
SO WITH GRACE AND SUCH COURAGE
DID THIS LAD THEN ABIDE
‘TILL ONE DAY DID HE SMILE
LAID HIS HEAD DOWN AND DIED
BUT O, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
INDEED, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
HAD FAMILY BY THE SCORE
HE WAS IN HIS INDUSTRY
A CAPTAIN WHO GAVE MORE
O, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
INDEED, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
HE WORKED FOR HIS FAMILY
WAS ALWAYS FOR THEM, THERE
HE ANSWERED THEIR FAIR NEEDS
WITH SMILE AND LOVING CARE
O, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
INDEED, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
HIS FRIENDS, THEY DID LOVE HIM
FOR HIS LOYALTY AND WIT
HIS MOVEMENTS AMONGST THEM
GAVE MEMORIES OF GOOD FIT
O, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
INDEED, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
AS LIFE MOVED ON WITH HIM
HIS BLESSINGS DID HE COUNT
THE FUTURE, IT DID LOVE HIM
BUT FATE IT WAS IN DOUBT
O, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
INDEED, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
THE MIRACLE AS HE NAMED IT
CAME TO HIM WITHOUT WAIT
ALL SCIENCE IN THE WORLD
COULD NOT UNDO HIS FATE
O, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
INDEED, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
SO WITH GRACE AND SUCH COURAGE
DID THIS LAD THEN ABIDE
‘TILL ONE DAY DID HE SMILE
LAID HIS HEAD DOWN AND DIED
BUT O, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
INDEED, WHAT A LUCKY MAN HE WAS
Sunday, January 31, 2010
dean says
(Andree here: Got this from Dean a couple days back, and it goes to show if enough people are sensing the same thing, it's hardly our imagination. Here you go.)
The other day I was driving around, thinking to myself. I had been listening to the Coast to Coast am radio show, a popular 4-hour nightly talk show about things other-than-else. Subject matter includes all paranormal news on Bigfoot, UFOs, psi activity, gov't coverups, the pyramids, etc. Erik and I used to love listening to this show while working on projects late into the night.
The guest they had on this night had just written a book about near-death experiences, and as a Ph.D, he was blown away by the descriptions of 'the other side' that folks brought back with them. Not very many had 'traditional' recollections of pearly gates, streets of gold, that kinda stuff... he said in over 10,000 cases he investigated, most had visions of other worldly landscapes, non-traditional architechture and cities, indescribable colors, incredible outdoor views of huge mountain ranges, canyons, and even different colored oceans and one guy was in an area with 2 suns.
This got me thinking again about what several of us have seen/heard/felt from E since last year, he's definitely making him presence known to us still stuck here... but I was trying to imagine the places he's able to explore and all the sights and sounds. Traveling with no limitations or time constraints. A few days later I read Andree's latest post on the Erik blog, with similar ideas and the journey thing... other folks thinking the same things too, out there?
Anyway, I felt the need to write this long-winded set-up today after looking to my left and seeing the Erik Rising printed tribute, hanging on my wall. Inside are Erik's rules of awesomeness:
Value of Time
Success of Perserverance
Dignity of Simplicity
Worth of Character
Power of Kindness
Influence of Example
Obligation of Duty
Wisdom of Economy
Virtue of Practice
Improvement of Talent
As I was thinking of all the cool in the universe stuff Erik is viewing, I saw that if you take the first letters of all these phrases, you can spell:
Wow! V.I.P. Vids!
I'm sure he's getting the grand tour!
The other day I was driving around, thinking to myself. I had been listening to the Coast to Coast am radio show, a popular 4-hour nightly talk show about things other-than-else. Subject matter includes all paranormal news on Bigfoot, UFOs, psi activity, gov't coverups, the pyramids, etc. Erik and I used to love listening to this show while working on projects late into the night.
The guest they had on this night had just written a book about near-death experiences, and as a Ph.D, he was blown away by the descriptions of 'the other side' that folks brought back with them. Not very many had 'traditional' recollections of pearly gates, streets of gold, that kinda stuff... he said in over 10,000 cases he investigated, most had visions of other worldly landscapes, non-traditional architechture and cities, indescribable colors, incredible outdoor views of huge mountain ranges, canyons, and even different colored oceans and one guy was in an area with 2 suns.
This got me thinking again about what several of us have seen/heard/felt from E since last year, he's definitely making him presence known to us still stuck here... but I was trying to imagine the places he's able to explore and all the sights and sounds. Traveling with no limitations or time constraints. A few days later I read Andree's latest post on the Erik blog, with similar ideas and the journey thing... other folks thinking the same things too, out there?
Anyway, I felt the need to write this long-winded set-up today after looking to my left and seeing the Erik Rising printed tribute, hanging on my wall. Inside are Erik's rules of awesomeness:
Value of Time
Success of Perserverance
Dignity of Simplicity
Worth of Character
Power of Kindness
Influence of Example
Obligation of Duty
Wisdom of Economy
Virtue of Practice
Improvement of Talent
As I was thinking of all the cool in the universe stuff Erik is viewing, I saw that if you take the first letters of all these phrases, you can spell:
Wow! V.I.P. Vids!
I'm sure he's getting the grand tour!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Prom 1984
E and Julie von Holt!Hans had an interesting observation to make, and I think you would enjoy:
Look at Erik's hands and feet....His hands are beat up looking from working
on stuff and picking at them. Right foot askew. Either nervously supinated
or that typical hard on the the outsides of his shoes Erik stance.
on stuff and picking at them. Right foot askew. Either nervously supinated
or that typical hard on the the outsides of his shoes Erik stance.
Friday, January 1, 2010
new year's day 2010
Hi everyone. Andree here.
It's become increasingly difficult for me to do this blog, you've no doubt figured. But today is - I use present tense on purpose - Erik's birthday.
E isn't here where we can handily see him, but he IS present. When we think of him and laugh, or see something excellently cool and weird he would love, or any time at all we think "Oh man, Erik would dig that" -- Erik is digging that.
The other day, weirdest thing, I was by myself on the internet again looking up some arcane thingy or other as I do, and somebody whapped me on the left shoulder in a most familiar way: I am talking to you, heyheyhey, over here.
Just think, where he is now, wherever that is, he understands all kinds of things he always wanted to wrap his head around. As human beings, we have our limitations as we scoot about on the terrestrial plane. To lose those, we lose our limited understanding and the limited machine that housed it. And of course we don't know from different down here, so we are scared; we don't have the tools to read loss as freedom. Not yet. Imagine how much E might like to tell us if we were able to process the information.
I'm not saying "don't be sad." Damn, I'd be the last person to tell you that -- I'm saying, it's like saying bon voyage and being sad you couldn't go on the trip, and then understanding you could so.
If you hadn't known sorrow, you couldn't recognize joy. Expect joy in 2010, my friends. Think of it as practice for jamming with E again.
It's become increasingly difficult for me to do this blog, you've no doubt figured. But today is - I use present tense on purpose - Erik's birthday.
E isn't here where we can handily see him, but he IS present. When we think of him and laugh, or see something excellently cool and weird he would love, or any time at all we think "Oh man, Erik would dig that" -- Erik is digging that.
The other day, weirdest thing, I was by myself on the internet again looking up some arcane thingy or other as I do, and somebody whapped me on the left shoulder in a most familiar way: I am talking to you, heyheyhey, over here.
Just think, where he is now, wherever that is, he understands all kinds of things he always wanted to wrap his head around. As human beings, we have our limitations as we scoot about on the terrestrial plane. To lose those, we lose our limited understanding and the limited machine that housed it. And of course we don't know from different down here, so we are scared; we don't have the tools to read loss as freedom. Not yet. Imagine how much E might like to tell us if we were able to process the information.
I'm not saying "don't be sad." Damn, I'd be the last person to tell you that -- I'm saying, it's like saying bon voyage and being sad you couldn't go on the trip, and then understanding you could so.
If you hadn't known sorrow, you couldn't recognize joy. Expect joy in 2010, my friends. Think of it as practice for jamming with E again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
