Emptybottle.org: Another Hiatus

Edit : Rather than spend another second here, I recommend without reservation that you go have a look at some of the photos of Japan taken by my friend Christopher Domitter. They are gorgeous, and deserve an even wider audience than they already enjoy. Here, here, here, and here. I had promised Christopher that I'd link to the galleries, but totally forgot. My apologies.

...

Uncharacteristically for a language-drunk bastard like myself, I find recently that I have very little to say. Life itself seems a great deal more important to me at the moment than the world-wide circlejerk that is blogging. Not to say that I won't fall back into the filthy habit again, of course. But right now, I think I'll leave off for a while.

I'm happy to have been able to do something that was actually important with this weblog over the last month or so, though I curse the events that enabled me to do so. There are literally thousands of people out there who know and love my friend Rick now, people who didn't even know that he existed before that f--king bomb went off. There are people for whom the evil that is afoot in the world has been personalized. And I've got to think this personalizing was a good thing, if as a result even one more of those people declared to himself or herself 'no more killing, damn it.'

I am inclined as a result of having done what I hope is some tangible good with this site to rethink what I want to achieve with it. You know, beyond wanking.

If you've come here to read or re-read the awful events of last month, and the outpouring of love and support that they triggered, the posts are here.

It's Remembrance Day in Canada tomorrow, and I think that's a fitting time for me to fall silent for a while. I thank everyone who has been so supportive of me and my friends, and of Rick's family over the past month - I thank you with all my heart. I'll be back when I feel like I have something worth saying (or when I get drunk and decide to tell more stories).

Uncle Tupelo - Life Worth Living

This song is sung for anyone that's listening
This song is for the broken-spirited man
This song is for anyone left standing
After the strain of a slow, sad end

It seems everybody wants what someone else has
There's sorrow enough for all
Just go in any bar and ask
With a beer in each hand and a smile in between
All around's a world grown mean

We've all had our ups and downs
It's been mostly down around here
Now this whole damn mess is becoming quite clear

Looks like we're all looking for a life worth livin'
That's why we drink ourselves to sleep
Yeah, we're all looking for a life worth livin'
That's why we pray for our souls to keep

There's nothing left now but broken pieces
Of one man's broken will to care
And in the end before all is said and done
How many others might follow him there?

This song is sung for anyone that's listening
This song is for the broken-spirited man
This song is for anyone left standing
After the strain of a slow, sad end

Midnight is comin' 'round
Still mostly down around here
Now this whole damn mess is becoming quite clear

Looks like we're all looking for a life worth livin'
That's why we drink ourselves to sleep
Yeah, we're all looking for a life worth livin'
That's why we pray for our souls to keep

Peace.

- Chris (aka Stav)

Reluctant Edit : I went back and read these threads from Metafilter tonight - when I heard about the explosion and the MeFi gang helped me track down information, and the thread that was started when one of my Meta-friends found out that Rick had died, and people bowed their heads in silence. I think I should point to them, and offer my thanks.

About This Post

What is this? Why am I here? What does it mean? Where should I go now?

Well, this is a post to the personal website Emptybottle.org. It was posted by your genial host stavrosthewonderchicken on November 10, 2002, and is titled Another Hiatus. It was published to the categories: Emergency, and Metablogging. In any of those places you might well find other similar things that will bring you Super Double Happiness.

Note: Super Double Happiness is not guaranteed. Void where prohibited by local regulation.

If you feel like it, why not join the personal publishing revolution and leave a comment

You can also subscribe to the comments feed for this post. Not sure why you'd want to, but I aim to please.

The previous entry on the site is Goodbye, and the next one is Like A Rat Out Of An Aqueduct.

Enjoy your stay, and please indulge sensibly.

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Comments: You got fingers, right?

15 Comments | 1 Trackbacks

1
dg said

Chris, I would love to have been introduced to Rick under any other circumstances, but was glad to have "known" him in any case. Good luck and may your God speed your way.

November 12, 2002 4:08 AM
2
psychicpants said

My sympathies.

November 12, 2002 8:08 AM
3
anna said

chris, what happened on your blog just shows the potential of the medium. perhaps one day when all the lunch bloggers ("ooo - i ate a bagel today!") and warbloggers finally fall to the wayside, what's left will be worth consuming. thanks again for sharing. the experience was truly powerful.

November 12, 2002 8:26 AM
4
Mitch said

Words always seem a bit less than they should be at times like this so I'll just say I'm very sorry for your loss. I hope things get better soon.

November 12, 2002 9:35 AM
5
Jamie said

I hope you can find some peace in the next while. Thanks again for everything. See you in January.

November 12, 2002 6:13 PM
6
steve said

Come back soon. There'll still be a place by the fire, a bottle by your side, and a whole lot of folks eager to hear your stories.

November 13, 2002 8:19 AM
7
Oliver said

Here's the short speech I gave for our mate Rick at the memorial : My name is Oliver Hamilton and I knew Rick for just over 19 years and we will continue to know Rick through each of our fond memories of our friendships with Rick. We first met in 1984 at University of British Columbia. It is difficult to encapsulate my long and rich friendship with Rick in only a few words â It would truly take much, much more to adequately convey the meaning of our friendship. However, I want to share just a few of the ways that Rick was unique and special to meâ¦ From all that you have heard and shared with one another here, each one of you will know that Rick had many, many facets, or aspects, to his wonderful personality. Rick had something to offer each of his highly diverse group of friends. In fact, Rick had something to offer everyone he met. Humour â Rickâs sense of humour stands out for me more than anything else. Rick was clever, insightful, and ironic, but never â ever, mean spirited or spiteful. He was a jester whose humour lightened all of our loads. Ambitious â Now, I do not mean this in the conventional sense of the word. We know that Rick was the exact opposite of that. He had not time for material possession but all the time in the world for life and living and sharingâ¦ I mean this in the experiential sense: Rick showed us how to embrace life and live life to its fullest and yet he made time for each of us. Diversity â To say the least, Rickâs scope of knowledge and interests were wide-ranging. Rick and I shared thoughts and opinions on such cerebral topics as economic theory, politics, philosophy, music, art and literature, not to mention to subtleties of SCTV episodes and Mike Meyerâs Austin Powers movies. Over the many years that I had the good fortune to know Rick, it was clear by his actions, at every turn, that he cared deeply about his friends and family. Rick Always had time; Always listened â which in my case is certainly saying something! â Always was supportive and never judgemental. Again, Rick was never judgemental, except against those who were judgemental themselves. By being here today, we have in, in a small way, recognised and returned some of Rickâs generosity in celebrating his life together. God Bless you Rickâ¦May you continue your journey in Peace and may your Love lift each of us as we carry on with our journeys in this earthly world. Rick you have given each of us much to aspire toâ¦THANK YOU. Thank you for your Love that will live on with each us. -Oliver.

November 13, 2002 9:46 PM
8
adam said

Peace. Take a well-deserved break.

November 14, 2002 3:58 PM
9
Bene Diction said

You did a brave and honourable service and helped many of us understand the reality of Bali and the depth of friendship. Rest. Grieve. And thank you so much for your fidelity.

November 15, 2002 12:26 AM
10
dan said

Godspeed Rick, in whatever happens after this life. I never knew you, but I have come to care. And thanks for pretty much everything you've ever written here Chris. I'll still be hanging around if and when you get back to it.

November 16, 2002 10:13 AM
11
Senn said

Chris, you did your friend proud, and I too want to thank you for the chance to know Rick, albeit all too briefly. Thanks also for the many laughs and the many times you've caused me to dust off my thinking cap. All the best, mate.

November 17, 2002 5:19 AM
12
Greg.G said

My condolences to all. I never knew Rick but now feel a sense of loss that he no longer walks this earth with us. Thanks to Chris. A great honor you have done to your friends memory.We should all be so lucky to have friends like you.Take care.

November 19, 2002 9:15 AM
13
Donna said

I've just found out the terrible news about Rick and somehow found this site on the internet. Just seeing the postings from Oliver & Chris (whom I briefly met through Rick over 10 years ago in London)has bought the essence of my friend back to me. We have been out of physical contact for some time and that is now my loss, fortunately I've kept all his letters over the years and that will help. My heart & sympathies go out to everyone who knew and loved Rick and the world must mourn the loss of such a unique person. God speed Rickmeister, love always, Donna

December 3, 2002 2:36 AM
14
kris said

Miss your words, wonderchicken.

December 7, 2002 8:29 PM
15
john_son said

Seconded

December 19, 2002 3:33 AM

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