Andy's passing has really got to me. How strange when you consider that we never met. We lived and worked a scant 40 miles apart yet our schedules or maybe just the feeling that tomorrow was another day prevented us from making the little effort it would take to meet. Tomorrow never came. This man never had a harsh word for any of us. His postings were always upbeat, positive, humorous and even handed. He never cried the blues nor did he exult in anyone's sporting misfortunes. If you asked him for advice on accounting issues or the stock market he would give it to you as if he was talking to a trusted friend, not as if you were stupid or naieve in these matters as I certainly was in many instances. He set the bar pretty high. What an incredible place SkyBox is. It's a virtual water cooler, an oasis from the work day that we all stumbled into and never left. Most of us have never laid eyes on the others and yet, each day, we find ourselves returning. We share our sports stories, we extol our personal team and individual favorites and take swipes at everyone elses. But it's morphed into much more than that. We share our birthdays, vacations, game trips, family developments and, in this case, our tragedies. Some of us checked in here ten years or more ago( on Prodigy). It's the "Hotel California" with a twist; in this case you can check in any time you like but you will never WANT to leave. We have all ages and all backgrounds. Our members range from the east coast to the Pacific, from Florida to Michigan. Our professions are as varied as our locales. We came here for a love of sports. We stayed here for the friendships we have cultivated over many years. So what is Andy's legacy on SkyBox? To me, it's a greater appreciation for all of you. It's a feeling of embarrassment when I think of some of the things I have posted in anger or frustration. It's hope that at some time I may have posted something that made you laugh, informed you, gave you a glimpse inside of myself or, most importantly, made you think what I thought of Andy that, damn, he seems like an OK guy, I'd like to meet him. The next time I'm tempted to post something mean spirited or stupid, I'm going to think of AJNJ. And I'm going to make an effort to meet as many of you as possible. Tomorrow may never come. Thanks to all of you.
Very well said George. I couldn't say it better and I wholeheartedly agree with all of your fine points. My own recent abruption in my hectic echedule (leg injury) has given me a harsh reminder of how fragile good health is. Rest in peace AJ...
Mike's (and George's) posts got me thinking too... Even though I spent several days down in south Florida with him, I don't think I told this guy how much I appreciate him... I will tomorrow!
George, An excellent post and reminds me of DLW, an avid Indiana fan and very knowledgeable. (Basketball) Dennis passed away several years ago from a long bout with cancer. We never met but I always felt very close to him and he shared his pending death with me, long before it occurred. Don
If I may add to this, I'd like to share what I think my father was all about. Tell your loved ones how much you love them. Tell them all the time, even in those fast paced moment where you have to run out the door because the traps of life are pulling you in 10 directions. Stop for moment and be sure to always tell them you love them. When you meet new people, pay attention to them and accept the gifts of friendship that they offer. Everyone you meet, whether in person or otherwise, affects your life and you affect theirs. Make sure that affect is a positive one. Smile, my dad always did. It made everyone around him smile. But most importantly! LIVE!! My dad worked hard at his accounting practice, but he always allowed himself plenty of time to live. He traveled, he fished, he spent quality time with my stepmother, he spent quality time with me, he spent quality time with his family. He never neglected anything or anyone for the sake of work. We only get one life. In the case of my father, it was a very short one. Make sure that you can look back on your life knowing that you truly enjoyed it and that you made a real difference on other peoples lives. That was my dad. That's why we love him so much.
This is an incredible thread that we need to keep. I went to the administration area but haven't figured out how to pin it to the top, but maybe Tom or Terry knows and can tell me if I need to do it in the future. These are wonderful thoughts that choke me up and as Tailback has said bring tears to the eyes. Skybox is a special place for me topics like this make it even more special. Gator Bill
This reminds me of when my Dad passed away. He smiled to everyone, joked with people, friendly-flirted, showed interest, basically had a way of interacting that everyone had a smile on their face or was laughing as he left. We always took it for granted until after he passed and we were doing the mundane errands of handling bank account stuff. My sister and I went to the bank to have our names added on our parents account or something, and over the routine exchange we mentioned that it was because our father died. At some point she connected who we were talking about and exclained "Kirk died?!" and really teared up. It was all she could do to keep it together enough to finish the process. That made it really hit us how much his kind of personality affects people that most of us treat as nameless-faceless stops on an errand list. With yesterday's news of AJNJ's passing, and also that a friend was just diagnosed with breast cancer, it really helped light a fire for us to stop hemming and hawing about deciding on what, if any, mini-trips we wanted to take. Take them all! Next weekend we're going to Clemson's homecoming to visit friends, after that is a weekend at the in-laws (and getting spoiled rotten!), and after that is a weekend at Epcot's Food & Wine Festival with my Mother. The lawn might not get mowed for a month, but at least our pet sitter will earn plenty of Christmas cash! Advice taken!! Wendy
I can't tell you how many times I've read Wendy's post today and then looked at the picture of Scott and his dad. I'm going home next weekend.
My father passed since I have been a member of this board and I will never forget the kind words, e-mails, flowers and well wishes that I received from folks I never met beyond my own keyboard. This is truly a special place and we are all fortunate to have found it. Thank you to everyone who makes special efforts (especially the moderators) to keep it the oasis it is.
Unless there are any objections, this topic will be changed from an announcement to a regular post on January 1st. After that cate, it will slowly fade away unless replied to.