Goodbye, Mork...

I had to add just this one more, for posterity.  It's just too perfect.

Carpe Diem, My Captain...

I really don't understand why the death of Robin Williams is hitting me so hard.  As shocked as I was to hear of his death, I was (and still remain) almost as shocked by the depth of my reaction to it.  I mean, sure I've felt saddened by the death of other celebrities before.  I remember being particularly saddened by the death of Heath Ledger, and more recently, Philip Seymour Hoffman.  But I've never been moved to tears like this before.  Celebrities are, by nature, almost fictional characters to us themselves; always removed from our actual lives by cameras and screens.  (I think that might have something to do with why it feels so strange whenever you see one in person - it's almost like TV or a movie coming to life!)  And since we don't really know them personally, there's only so much their death can move us.

Or so I thought.

I don't know why this one hurts so much.  Maybe it's because I grew up with him?  Because I've enjoyed him so much for my entire life?  I remember the rainbow Mork suspenders I had when I was five years old.  (My first cosplay, I guess?)  I remember seeing Popeye in the theaters with my parents just a few years later, and loving it completely.  I have the same memories of Good Morning, Vietnam.  And Hook.  (Oh, Peter Pan!  Why did you have to grow up?!)  I watched Mrs. Doubtfire and Jumanji over and over, just because of the way it delighted both the boy and the man in me at the same time.

And I've seen Dead Poets Society so many times I can practically quote the whole movie.  I don't know when I'll be able to watch that one again now.  At the very least, I know I'll never be able to see it the same way again.

Maybe it's because it was apparently a suicide?  It's possible.  Might be the connection to my own mother's death.  But I haven't reacted this way to other suicides or overdoses, so why this one?  Maybe it's just the fact that suicide adds that final crack of heartbreak to the story.  We didn't just lose one of the greats forever; we lost him to himself, to his own demons, to his own sickness.  It feels like there must've been something that could've saved him.  It feels like it didn't have to end this way.  And it touches us all because, let's face it, haven't each and every one of us been there, or somewhere close to it, at least once in our lives?  But if we could survive it, then why couldn't he?

I think it's true that there are few things more sad in this life, than a funny man, with a broken heart.  His mentor, Jonathan Winters, knew that only too well.  But he survived it anyways.  It's too bad he couldn't be there to help his friend, who clearly needed him more than anyone knew.

Like so, so many of us today, I feel the need to pour my heart out to the memory of this funny man, who's been there my whole life, in some vain and desperate attempt to figure out just what in the fuck it means to live without him now.

Below, I've collected some of my favorites that other people have been sharing today.  Some are funny, some are poignant, some are heart-breaking.  But they all made me feel something.  And that's helped, at least a little.

Here's hoping it can do the same for any of you.

Every time I hear a siren I still say "that's my ride." Thank you Robin Williams. I wish your ride had not arrived.
— John Hodgman (@hodgman) August 11, 2014

Spontaneous tribute appearing at the bench in Boston, made famous from the scene in Good Will Hunting.

We mourn the loss of our friend Robin Williams, who always made us laugh and smile. pic.twitter.com/UOY8LTjVRA
— Sesame Street (@sesamestreet) August 11, 2014

"Robin Williams is not dead, he is just waiting in the jungle until somebody rolls a 5 or 8." -testingonetwothreetesting, via imgur



"One of the funniest people alive died from sadness." - chili1179, via imgur

Nanu nanu.
— SarcasticRover (@SarcasticRover) August 11, 2014

Come on in Rob. I got you.
— Jesus Christ (@jesus) August 11, 2014

The first comment on this image, from NancyNevada, I think says it all:  "When Peter Pan dies, don't tell us to grow up."

Goodbye pal.  Thanks for everything.
— Louis C.K. (@louisck) August 12, 2014

This was reportedly posted to Disney's FB page this morning.  Heart-wrenching.

"But doctor, I AM Pagliacci." That's the only way this makes sense. Can't stand thinking of him being that sad. #RIPRobinWilliams
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) August 11, 2014

And finally, this is how I always want to remember him:



Your barbaric YAWP! was heard around the world, sir, and inspired MILLIONS.

And you will always be my captain.

Beyond the Garden Gates...

It's late, on a beautiful, lazy Sunday, and I don't have the energy to say much.  But I wanted to share something with you here.  Today was Frederick's annual Beyond the Garden Gates Tour, where selected downtown residents let the public into their backyards to view some of the city's hidden treasures.  Some of the gardens were beautiful, some were rather bland, but it was a perfect May afternoon, and I had a wonderful time strolling through my little town and getting to see some things I normally couldn't.

I took some pictures, and I thought I'd post them here.

Notice the hanging balls - they are traditional Japanese Kokedama Moss Balls.  There are two more in the lanterns in the foreground.  This beautiful garden, and the beautiful home it is attached to, belong to the gentleman in the black beret.  He is apparently Australian, from his accent.

I really enjoyed the modern look of the back of his house, and the iron staircase on the left.

Pretty garden, but could've used some shade.  Notice the upper porch on the side of the house.  You see those all over the place around here.  You can see one in the background of the image with the Australian beret'd fellow above, in fact.

Same garden as above, but a view of their neighbors, and another of the classic, Mid-Atlantic/Southern Colonial upper-deck side-balconies.

Pretty modern fountain from the same garden.

Not actually a part of the tour, but just a house I passed along the way.  I liked the "witchy" look of it.  If you zoom in on the tree on the right, you'll see one of those kitschy "tree faces" attached to it.  I think it works for this place, in a way that it usually doesn't for others.

I think this was favorite garden of the tour.  I really loved this one.  It was beautiful everywhere I looked.

Upper-deck porch, again.  I really love these, and really hope to have one myself some day.

Still the same garden, you can see this shady conversation area in the background of the pool shot above.  SO PRETTY.

The front entrance of the above garden, filled with several interesting pieces of modern sculpture, in various media.  Notice the ubiquitous Siddhartha Buddha in the background.

This little guy is on your left immediately upon entering the above garden.  He appears to be carved from an old tree stump.  The finishing touch that guaranteed this was to be my favorite garden of the day.

Again, not part of the tour, but just something I noticed on my way from one garden to another.  This is a delivery box for South Mountain Creamery.  Apparently, this resident gets milk and/or butter delivered by a milkman.  I love my town!

Notice the elf-home facade at the foot of this old tree.  Cute.