Today Mom called to tell me that a few days ago my Aunt Carol Lee had passed away. I knew her most of my life since she lived with her Mom who lived next to Nana (my Mom's mom). She enjoyed drawing and painting and would often show me her new creations.
To quote J. Michael Straczynski:
The more important and intimate the emotion the fewer words are required to express it.
For instance in dating - Will you go out with me - 6 words
Think I care about you - 5 words
You matter to me - 4 words
I love you - 3 words
Marry me - 2 words
What's left? What is the one most intimate word you can say to someone.
It is goodbye.
To Aunt Carol Lee I say Goodbye.
I was surfing the web and noticed that Andreas Katsulas died last month on Feb 13 of lung cancer. He received a Master's Degree in Theater. He acted in many sci-fi tv shows. His most memorable is the character G'Kar on Babylon 5. Here are some links about him.
An entry from J. Michael Straczynski (the creator of Babylon 5)
Andreas Katsulas on sci-fi channel page
Well the end of April became sparce after the car accident on April 22. I crossed an intercession and got hit on the drivers side door by an SUV going 50 mph. My car slid and hit the curb. I was able to get out of the car on the passenger side. The cops were getting my info, the wife of the guy who was driving was yelling and being hysterical. As soon as I was done talking to the cops I noticed the wife was gone and so was the ambulance. Not a single medical person made sure I was ok. I was taken by one of the cops (who is a student at the college) to the dance (which was were I was going to before I got hit) to meet a friend. I was forced to go to the hospital by my friend Carissa. (Hey I was still in shock. I thought, "Hey I only hurt on my side.") We grabbed my friend George on the way. I was checked out. Nothing major was wrong, only a sore side. So I was prescribed some happy pills which I took for a few days.
My car is totaled. I miss my car but that car sacrificed itself for me to be able to walk away from that accident. It was with me through all my adventures in Marin. Well I guess it is time for a new life and a new direction with a new car.
Here is an article about him:
Pope John Paul II
Here is info about the papal succession:
The Papal Succession
Karl Haas, who brought classical music to millions of daily listeners through his syndicated radio program, "Adventures in Good Music," died Sunday. I use to listen to him many times when I was in school. The reruns of his program is still being broadcast on public radio stations.
Here is an article about him:
The most dominant television talk-show host in history died with emphysema today.
Here is an article about him:
Here is a link about him.
This has been a strange, fun, unusual and sad trip back home. While most of the days have been fun, today was a sad day. When I had arrived here at the Long Beach airport last week I had heard that my dad's mom had passed away. Today was the funeral. I was asked to play the piano before, after and some during the funeral. It is a sad thing when a parent is gone. Now both of my dad's parents have crossed the great divide. Now it is just he and his sister. It was a nice service. I will say that it really does not hit you until you look inside the casket and see the person yourself. Many of us went back to my dad's sister for a reception. As I said, a strange trip back home.
Christopher Reeve passed away on Sunday of heart failure. He will be remember for is roll of Superman in the 4 Superman movies. I also remember him in the very funny movie, Noises Off. He was will also be remembered as a tireless advocate for a host of disabled, social and medical causes.
Here is an article about him:
Here are some links about him.
Christopher Reeve, A Role Model
Composer David Raksin who composed the great melody of "Laura" died of heart failure on Monday, August 9, at his home in Van Nuys, CA. He was 92 and had been in failing health for the past several weeks.
Here are some links about him.
Award-winning film and TV composer Jerry Goldsmith died July 21 of cancer in Beverly Hills, Calif. He was 75.
I had the opportunity to meet him a few years ago when I saw him conduct his music with the Pasadena Symphony. I even got his autograph. He was an amazing and versatile composer and he will be greatly missed.
Here is a little background of Goldsmith.
Goldsmith's long and distinguished career included a best original score Academy Award for the 1976 movie "The Omen." He also received several Academy Award nominations for best original score, including "Mulan," "L.A. Confidential," "Hoosiers," "Poltergeist," "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," "Chinatown," "Patton" and "Planet of the Apes."
Additionally, he won four Emmy awards for his work on the television series "Star Trek: Voyager," the 1981 miniseries "Masada," the 1975 TV-movie "Babe" and the 1974 miniseries "QB VII."
Born in Los Angeles on February 10, 1929, Goldsmith began his composing career in the late 1940s in radio and television. In the 1950s, he wrote music for such radio shows as "CBS Radio Workshop" and "Romance." He went on to write music for numerous TV series, including "The Twilight Zone," "Perry Mason," "Gunsmoke" and "Dr. Kildare."
Goldsmith also composed the fanfare for the Academy Awards television broadcast. His most recent score was for the 2003 movie "Looney Tunes: Back in Action."
He is survived by his wife, Carol, and five children.
Here are some more links about him.
Filmtracks' Tribute to Jerry Goldsmith
Jerry Goldsmith - Film and TV Composer
Richard Biggs passed away on Saturday May 22, 2004. He was known for playing Dr. Stephen Franklin on the incredible science fiction TV show Babylon 5.
Here is an article about him:
Richard Biggs
Here is a sound file of him from Babylon 5:
Richard Biggs from Babyon 5
Another person died on Monday who filled the screen with his presence. Paul Winfield also had a powerful and authoritative voice. I personally remember him most as a general and Dr. Franklin's dad on the great science fiction series Babylon 5.
Here is an article about him:
Paul Winfield
Here is a sound file of him from Babylon 5:
Paul Winfield from Babyon 5
I found out this past Tuesday that the master American monologist Spalding Gray had died. It is amazing that there are people performing on stage with all these lights and special effects but are communicating nothing of substance to the audience. If one strips the performer down to just themselves alone on the stage, the performance would actually be boring. Spalding Gray had something to communicate to an audience whether you agreed with him or not and he did it just by sitting behind a desk.
Here is an article about him:
Spalding Gray
Here is an interview of him in back in 1998.
Interview