THE HEDGEHOG BLOG
...nothing here is promised, not one day... Lin-Manuel Miranda


A week later (okay 8 days) - part one
Previous Entry :: Next Entry

Read/Post Comments (0)
Share on Facebook
The Memorial for Stu was held on February 15. It was lovely, and not long enough by my way of thinking. I wish I'd talked less and asked others to talk more, but I've got the best, and most comlete memories of Stu, I guess, so I could add to what people said. I am the keeper of the Stu archive in life, I guess.

A gathering in Boston at Boskone the Freezing was held at the same time and many glasses (bifocals?) were lifted in his memory and honor. That was so terrific and I thank all of you who gathered in his name.

It's still difficult for me to put thoughts together. I know I sound clear and competent; it's a role I fall into to cope. I sound very together when talking with professionals, acquaintances. Then I don't sleep and don't talk for a day or so - except to Stu. And the fuzzies. I sort of realized last night that each toy that Stu gave me was an aspect of his personality, so it feels good to be surrounded by them. It adds to the layer of Stu that surrounds me, which I feel all the time.

The event took place at a local fairly drab comunity center. But the amazing energy that took over from the time we got in and set up (we, hah) to the time we left was good. We had displays of Stu's artwork - random stuff, some favorites of mine, a range of his interests, of the years, of styles - and fanzines and other artifacts to look at. We had a "potlatch" giveaway table for some of Stu's wonderful ties, some tee shirts and some CDs. We also displayed maybe a dozen or more tee shirts with Shiffman designs or, in at least one case, Shiffman collaborating with his good friend Ken Fletcher. These shirts were guarded by a small collection of soft toys - some of the most enduring, silliest, squishy animals that I was given over the past 25 years.

There was terrific food - thank you all. I am so grateful that we had stuff to eat and drink. I tasted great stuff, I know I did.

But here's what I know now. For me, at least, closure isn't happening. I am not exactly surprised. It doesn't all stop and get resolved. But nothing changed for me. I hope beyond hope that it helped many friends, present in body or spirit, in Boston or Seattle, or New York, or Toronto or St. Paul or California, to start saying good-bye to Stu Shiffman, someone who was at the center of our lives as fans and friends. Nothing changed for me. Don't be concerned. How could it? It hasn't been three months since Stu died. There is so much of him present in the world, in my life.

I owe thanks and name-dropping to dozens of people and will do that soon. I'm having enough shoulder problems that I'm trying very hard (yeah right) to limit my time on the computer. But know that I know you were there. I never got around to finding that guestbook I had tucked away, so you'll have to put up with my swiss cheese memory for now.

But thank you. Thank you. Thank you for being there, for wanting to be there. Thank you for senidng messages, for having a drink, for telling a story, for taking away an item that will serve to remind you of Stu.


Read/Post Comments (0)

Previous Entry :: Next Entry

Back to Top

Powered by JournalScape © 2001-2010 JournalScape.com. All rights reserved.
All content rights reserved by the author.
custsupport@journalscape.com