I was stunned when John got the email last night, and just couldn't believe it. Mike and Lena your in our prayers.<br><br>

Oh my, that's just awful. My thoughts and prayers are with his family now.<br><br>Mike lived life to the fullest. He will be missed.<br><br>

My card has even more meaning now.<br><br><br>

Sad and terrible news. It just stuns me that one of us will be gone forever.<br><br>MikeB will be missed. <br><br>[color:blue]All your sock puppets are belong to us</font color=blue>

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>What will become of his website? Would it be appropriate to archive it? Would that be a good thing? Or is that indicative of an inability to let go?<p><hr></blockquote><p>While I can certainly see the "healing" benefits of doing this, and a mosaic of his pictures sounds wonderful, I can't help but looking back on my situation.<br><br>I have a lot of photos that I posted on my .Mac site of my sister shortly after she passed away. When I posted them I thought it would someone make it easier... time has proven that it doesn't help much. Nothing I can post will change anything, and I must simply move one. It simply delays the "moving on" process and keeps our minds occupied with something other than what it should be.<br><br>I think what we should do is take this as a very serious reminder that we are here for but a short time. That time can and should be better spent doing the things we love to do with the people we love to do them with. Mike certainly understood this, as we all know by looking at photos of his new house, his sailboat and the trips he took with his wife. <br><br>But we should also see that he, like the rest of us here, CHOSE to be here with each other. Mike conveyed to me several times how sickened he was with the state of the forums at MC and to some extent here at MM. Not because he disliked the people here, but more the way that the people who CHOSE to be with each other day after day treated each other in a way that they would never consider treating someone in their own home.<br><br>More to the point, when I look back at the thread where everyone sent me their condolences after my sister passed, and I look at everyone who posted here in this thread, it's obvious that despite any differences we have, we still CHOOSE to be here rather than somewhere else. That must say something about us. It's silly to say we're like a family, because we're not. But we are friends, and while friends do have disagreements, they do stick together and value the time they have together. <br><br>Mike chose to be here posting away until he couldn't do it anymore, and that fact should hit home with all of us.<br><br>God bless you Mike, go in peace.<br><br>

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p> It's silly to say we're like a family, because we're not. But we are friends, and while friends do have disagreements, they do stick together and value the time they have together.<p><hr></blockquote><p>I understand what you're saying here, I don't think it's silly to think of us as a family. At least, that's how I see it, right or wrong. Some of us are here, every day, sharing our lives with one another. Some of us drop by only time to time. Some of us leave for good clips at a time and some leave permanently. In other words, the dynamics of a family. And just like a family, at moments like this, we all come together and grieve for one of our own. <br><br>****************<br><br>[color:red]VOTE for President George W. Bush on November 2, 2004</font color=red>

I am so deeply sorry to hear about Mike. He and I also knocked heads, yet I always enjoyed talking with him.<br><br>My heartfelt prayers go out to him and his loved ones.<br><br>

He will be missed by many. We had started talking a bit right before he has got the bad news I guess, right around the time I bought the bike. I remember him telling me how he would be too scared to ride one of them cause they are so dangerous. Well Mike, life is short either way, and I know you had fun in yours and lived it as a wonderful dream. We will all see you later...<br><br>_________________________________________<br>You expect me to sign here or somethin?

You may be right, Gizmo, or it may be something that just means different things to different folks. For now, let's just open the dialogue. If it starts heading in that direction, we can just leave it as a nice idea that wouldn't be feasible. But let's talk about it and give it some consideration. <br><br>For now, check my thread at MacCentral about the idea of a gallery in the form of a "Hall of Fame" for not only preserving the work of deceased members, but also possibly even for revolving displays of work of living members as well. We could call it the MikeB Gallery at the MC or MM Hall of Fame. <br><br>This may be premature, but I'd hate to lose Mike's pictures while procrastinating about discussing this. Like I said, if it's a bad idea, just tell me. I'm only proposing something because I care about some form of memorial for Mike, and I know he's not going to be the last. We're a community, and this is one area we simply haven't considered before. We need something.<br><br>MacGizmo, also remember that we're not collectively memorializing our sister or brother or spouse. It won't be as if we can't move on. I realize what you're saying, and it's something more of a problem when the deceased is so close to you. To most of us, a site that memorialized MikeB, and anyone else who passes away in the future, would probably be a very positive thing, and would give us a way to touch base with those we want to remember. We're not in danger of not moving on, because we're not emotionally bonded to Mike other than as a friend and fellow community member. It's just that I don't like the idea of moving on completely--such that our departed friends are forgotten. <br><br>Geez, I feel terrible about talking about this. It just occurred to me that Mike is probably still with us, and yet we're talking as though he is already deceased. Well, if things are as bad as they appear to be, but Mike is still alive, I hope there is some way he can know that we're talking about him and maybe even bringing change to the forums in his honor. <br><br><br>Shooshie<br><br>[color:green]Pictures and things</font color=green>

I see lots of ideas for 'group' projects and tributes, but even with the best of intentions these things always turn to sh*t.<br><br>If you feel that strongly about the situation, I would suggest a personal tribute done on your own time and accord. Based on all my own experiences with online collaborations, it usually turns into a bickering circus of creative mish-mosh, that won't do anyone any good.<br><br>Some might argue "No, we wouldn't *allow* this to turn to sh*t, it's for a 'good' cause..." Sorry, but I don't believe that for a second. If I recall, wasn't the first MC mosaic created for a CP charity? <br><br>Not trying to trample on people's memories and inspirations here- all I'm saying is that this shouldn't turn into another round of "Let's all do something creative and badger everyone involved to hurry up and finish their part of the deal". <br><br>Do something in remembrance based on your OWN emotions...<br><br>[color:white]God speed, mikeb. Go drive a Porsche in the big Autobahn in the sky...</font color=white>