Monastery in Mourning

[Opsa]

Dear Toadfish and Visitors,

Today, June 22nd 2009, we learned that one of our founding members, known here as Sibling Chatty, has died.

Chatty was one of the strongest personalities with whom I have ever been in contact. Her sense of humor was endless. She made me laugh out loud. Her generosity was truly inspiring. She gave even when she only had a little to give.  Her passions were fierce. If you were ever in a tangle you would want Chatty on your side. She was the kind of warrior you could be sure would stop a bullet for you.

Chatty had cancer, but she never felt sorry for herself. She mentioned it only as a matter of fact. She fought it, as she fought anything else that got in her way- with her whole being. And she still found more than enough strength to fight battles for others, too. Just within the past few months she managed to help a battered spouse find a home and stop some jerk from hitting his little kid in a parking lot. Any foe was a foe of hers. Cancer was no different from any of them. She was fearless. She was our hero.

So if we seem a little low key these days, please be patient. We will be taking some time to recover from the loss of someone we will always remember and hold dear.

Chatty, thank you for being our sibling. We will always remember you and will remember to take up the smiting stick wherever we know you would. Your fight is not over! We love you forever.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Thank you Opsanus. 

Well said.

[Earthling]

Goodbye, Sibling Chatty. Rest in peace.

[Bluenose]

Farewell dear friend.

[The Meromorph]

Rest in Peace, sweet warrior,
your duty bravely done,
We do not count your life well lost,
but your honor as well won.







For Dan:


Blessed be, and soft, the hand,
that soothes the sorrow from your brow,
'til gentle voices join in song,
and merry meet again.

[Darlica]

No words left only the feeling of a great loss.




See you in Nangijala some day!*



/Darlica


*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Brothers_Lionheart

[Aggie]

"Come, hearken then, ere voice of dread
with bitter tidings laden,
Shall summon to unwelcome bed
A melancholy maiden!
We are but older children, dear,
Who fret to find our bedtime near."

[Griffin NoName]

The long game is over but another just begun in some other place.

[stellinacadente]

Chatty, my only regret is that I have only but a brief time you and still you inspired me immensely!

Thank you sweet sibling for your life of Light.

I won't say good-bye because I know that you always be here with us!

Love

Stelli!

[goat starer]

like all of you Chatty was kind to me when i was at my lowest ebb. There is not much to add to what Opsanus has said. She made me laugh.. at the moment she is making me cry.... but the laughing will win.

love

Goat

[optyx1]

Dear Toadfish

For the first time I decided to register and post.

My name is Dan. I'm the one that Chatty often referred to as her Semi-insignificant other.

I wanted to thank everyone here for your kind words about the most special person I've ever known.  She loved this forum and the people on it.

Some people have been surprised to learn that she wanted no funeral service.  I'll use her words:  "I refuse to be the guest of honor at any party where I can't have the last word".

Someone like Dee Dee comes along rarely and I'm honored to have been allowed to be part of her life.

As we used to say in the '60's: peace and love to all.

Dan

[Darlica]

Thank you for coming here to post that Dan.

We probably are a bunch of complete strangers to you, but as we mourn Chatty/Dee Dee our thoughts also goes to you, to your loss.
You where a significant part of her life that much was clear although she was very private and never spoke much about your relationship.


My deepest condolences (and vibes and hugs if you want them).

Darlica



If you feel comfortable here please stay around you are most welcome, not just as Dee Dee's SO but in your own right.

[Griffin NoName]

Thank you Dan from me too for posting here and I echo what Darlica has said.

Often I find myself at a loss for words about what Chatty meant to me.

I hope you can find some small comfort from knowing how much she meant to so many people.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Well-come, Dan

It is with a heavy spirit that you attend our humble dwelling, but I hope the weight is somewhat lighter, for having shared it with others whom also loved Chatty.

I, too, hope you will choose to abide awhile, and if it suits you, remain.

You would be most welcome, regardless:  Chatty has oft spoken of you, and I think I speak for others, if I say that we know you already-- if only a bit.   I'd like you to feel most welcome.

[Bruder Cuzzen]

Hello Dan ,

It's good to hear your voice , a part of Chatty is still with us .
I'm so glad to have had the honor of sending a few things to Chatty when I did , I hope it gave a measure of gladness , if only for a little while .

[optyx1]

Thanks all for the welcome.

I will check in now and then, but I'm more a reader than writer.  I don't have Chatty's facility with the written word (or, for that matter, the spoken word).  I've often told people that I have a tested IQ of 147 and I'm the stupid one.

Remember--just because I write little that doesn't mean I'm not paying attention.

Chatty told me so much about this place and those who inhabit it that I really do feel I'm among friends.

May the deity of your choice smite the other guy.

Dan

[Griffin NoName]

Hi again Dan

We have a number of "readers" who for various reasons post little or rarely.... I like to think we are being cared for by benevolent forces and after all, silence in a Monastery is to be expected. You bring us comfort that an important part of Chatty is still with us and I hope we can do the same for you.

[Bluenose]

Hi Dan,

I don't for a moment imagine that I can fully understand how you feel, but I know that it would also be impossible for me to express how much Chatty meant to me personally.  This may seem strange for someone on the other end of an Internet link from the other side of the world, but there it is.  So I would like to offer you my sincerest personal condolences and good wishes for the future.  I'm sure Chatty would not want any of us to sit around and mope, she would want us to remember the good times.  And there were plenty of those.  She made us laugh.  She made us wonder at the strength of her character.  She helped us when we were having a hard time.  We loved her for it.  If we just try a little to be more like her the world would surely be a better place.  I think "what would Chatty say?" will prove to be, in the future, a very good way of working out what's right in difficult circumstances.  We can only try to live up to her example.

Dan, rest assured you are most welcome here.  Chatty spoke of you often enough that I feel like I know you already.  But I would like the opportunity to realy get to know you, if you would like to stay around in this little corner of the Interwebs.  Welcome.  As for the amount you may post, we appreciate quality here, so never feel that there is a need for you to say more than you feel you need or want to.

Your friend,

Sibling Bluenose

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

Dan

I'll avoid repeating what other siblings have said in better words than I could. I just want to say thank you for coming here and post which I'm sure isn't an easy thing to do right now.

As sibling Bluenose said, it is hard to express how important she was for us in general but for me in particular even if we never met in person.

Thank you again.

N

[Opsa]

Dan,

I can't begin to tell you how wonderful it is to see you here. I feel like we've found an old friend and it is tremendously encouraging. Thank you.

Your Pal
Opsa

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

Dan,
Welcome. However often you choose to post, you're always welcome here.

Chatty,
We'll miss you! I'm so sad to see you gone but I'm very glad have known you for the time I did.

[Alchemist]

My heart goes to all of you.

I've not been a massive poster over here but Chatty (and a few others) welcomed me with open arms (fools ;p)

I don't know what else to say

[Opsa]

Alchie!

So glad to see you, even in this sad time.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Dear Toadfish and Visitors,

Today, June 22nd 2009, we learned that one of our founding members, known here as Sibling Chatty, has died.

Chatty was one of the strongest personalities with whom I have ever been in contact. Her sense of humor was endless. She made me laugh out loud. Her generosity was truly inspiring. She gave even when she only had a little to give.  Her passions were fierce. If you were ever in a tangle you would want Chatty on your side. She was the kind of warrior you could be sure would stop a bullet for you.

Chatty had cancer, but she never felt sorry for herself. She mentioned it only as a matter of fact. She fought it, as she fought anything else that got in her way- with her whole being. And she still found more than enough strength to fight battles for others, too. Just within the past few months she managed to help a battered spouse find a home and stop some jerk from hitting his little kid in a parking lot. Any foe was a foe of hers. Cancer was no different from any of them. She was fearless. She was our hero.

So if we seem a little low key these days, please be patient. We will be taking some time to recover from the loss of someone we will always remember and hold dear.

Chatty, thank you for being our sibling. We will always remember you and will remember to take up the smiting stick wherever we know you would. Your fight is not over! We love you forever.

Opsanus?  I really liked your memorial statement.  I would like to see it posted on the Facebook Monastery page, as a wall posting.

I could do that, but it would have my name on it, instead of yours.

I would rather it had yours, as you are the author.

Thanks

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=11287972798

[Opsa]

Thank you, B-of-Q. I bowed out of Facebook some time ago, but you may certainly post it. I'd appreciate that.

[Aphos]

http://geology.com/nasa/aurora/aurora-borealis-curtains-alaska.jpg

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Thank you, B-of-Q. I bowed out of Facebook some time ago, but you may certainly post it. I'd appreciate that.

I'll do so, with "Opsanus tau" at the end, then.

It is done.  Due to the limitations of Facebook (length) I made a couple of minor edits, but the essential message is exactly as you wrote it.

[anthrobabe]

Dan,

She lives on -- truly she does-- thank you for stopping by.
You are most welcome at any time.

[Alchemist]

Alchie!

So glad to see you, even in this sad time.

Likewise (and thanks )

I wish I'd been here (if you know what I mean) - I doubt I'd have help but, well, you know?

I hate stuff like this. It makes me so mad (and so FU*KING FRUSTRATED!) that we have to die.

It's such a waste

[Opsa]

But it's really not a waste. The best things about us are the things that keep going around in the living world. No matter how worthless we may seem to ourselves, there's always something worthwhile that we've taught to someone, somehow. The rest is just chemicals

[Lindorm]

Having only had a brief acquaintance with Sibling Chatty from these forums, I can't say that I knew her very well. What struck me about Chatty, was her straightforwardness, her friendliness and her intelligence.  I am glad that I got to meet her, even for just a little bit.

[Bruder Cuzzen]

I still don't want to believe that Chatty is gone .
It doesn't seem fair that God ( or whatever ) would be so selfish as to take her away from us , when she had so much to offer the world with  her wisdom ( I knew she was smart ... but an IQ of 180 + !!! ) .
I will stay so honored and blessed to have been among one so exalted before God , so humble , kind , intelligent and witty .

Dan , you must be fine man , for Chatty to chose you to be by her side .
I still have packages for her nephews and nieces . In the last PM's I had  with our dearest Chatty , she suggested I didn't send anything more because of the expense of postage , but I still want to ( thanks to Darren once again for his help ( You are a good man Darren ! . Bless ye ! ) .

I hope you finish with the renovations with the house you both shared and the garden as well .

All the best to you Dan , and I hope you post here often , for it will keep as a reminder for me that a part of Chatty is still with us , I get teary eyed when I see your user name on the board , but it is a sadness that I can live with .

[Opsa]

Maybe God (or whatever) wasn't being selfish, though. Maybe we were, to have wanted to keep her here even when she was ill. But we couldn't help it, we loved her. No hard feelings- just glad ones, to have been lucky enough to be here when she was around.

[nefyuBB]

* sniff sniff *

NO FAIR ! * sniff *

I wuz hoping Anty Chatty wood be here to weed alla me nunsince * sniff *.
I wantid to make her laff at alla me butchuring ob tha Inglish langwij an' me cleffer puns an silly stuff lik dat * sniff *
NO FAIR !

[Black Bart]

Well said Nef Yoo.  I should have payed tribute to Auntie Dee Dee on this thread earlier instead of trying to carry on as normal.  Many heart felt tributes have been written on Venganza as well including 'The Black Spot'.

[anthrobabe]

'Ello there Bart me matey-- good to see you as always.

[Swatopluk]

Many heart felt tributes have been written on Venganza as well including 'The Black Spot'.

Some people could be quite unhappy about that Carry On!

[DaveL]

Why should they be Both boards are full of good people. She was loved as much there as she is here, and always will be.

[Aggie]

Just the establishment, maybe.

It's been so long since I was over there I don't know if the establishment is still established! 

[Swatopluk]

Yes, I meant those people whose actions resulted in us leaving.
I wonder how many of the posters over there do not even know what happened and who that DD person was (esp. since she insisted on being removed from the member list).

[Earthling]

Comment removed.

Please accept my apologies for wandering off topic.

[Darlica]

Out of respect for Chatty could we please try to avoid thread drifting here?

If anyone wants to share or discuss that particular story I suggest you do so by PM, I don't think the Open Water and in particular this thread is the right place for that.



/D

[Opsa]

Thank you, Darlica. I agree.

I stop and think about Chatty frequently. I am grateful for how she influenced us.

[Earthling]

Sorry, Darlica. I meant no disrespect. I only had the shortest period of overlap with Chatty, and she still managed to affect me greatly. Hers was (is?) truly a powerful soul, deserving of all our respect. I'll go back and fix my earlier post.

[pieces o nine]

This is very sad news. Chatty was always kind to me.

My condolences to her family and close friends; she will be missed.