Thinking About Friends This Evening...

[Richard Kaufman]

It's an odd time of year--that period between Christmas and New Year's. The old year is pretty much gone, but not quite. Offices are quiet.

I am sitting at my desk and thinking about friends who've died in the past few months and are suddenly not here as the new year is about to start.

It was not unexpected that Bob Elliott, Ron Wilson, and Charles Reynolds would die. All were ill, and old, or both ill and old. The hooded figure with the scythe was visible to them in the distance, drawing closer, for quite some time. We miss them, but we knew their time was short.

David Alexander, only 66, was a shock. I find myself picturing him running up the stairs to the attic of his rental apartment, thinking about fixing the rush of water leaking down, and then my thoughts stop and jump to his wife, hearing the thud of his body hitting the floor. He died alone, unexpectedly, at a moment he never saw coming. He should have been in his home in Aurora, Illinois tonight, getting ready to celebrate the new year tomorrow. He should be sitting at his desk, finishing up one of the many books and projects he'd been working on for years.

He should still be here.

And I'm thinking about that this evening.

[Jeff Pierce Magic]

Richard, 2010 has been a crappy year for magic and for me personally. I lost my Father, my dog and my wife lost her Mother. The sooner it's over the better.

Jeff

[Diego]

I was thinking the other day about calling David about something he would find interesting...and realized I can't.

Thanks David...and Thank You Penny, thinking of you.

[Sam Kesler]

I want to believe you only go when it's your time or for some reason we will never know.

I was electrocuted ten years ago when I leaned up against a 110V wire chewed bare by rodents. I'm left-handed. Pliers in my left hand caused the electricity to exit my left ring finger (hole size of a quarter). If it exited my right hand it would have stopped my heart and I would be dead.

I now have two beautiful grandkids and cherish every moment. I like to think their lives are somehow richer by me being here. Wishing you and your family a healthy and prosperous 2011.

Grandpa Sam

[M.Lee]

Our NY Magic community took one hell of a hit this yr
I miss my dear friend Frank Brents very much ......
May we keep them all in our prayers in the New Yr and Always.

MICHAEL LEE

[Robert Allen]

I'm sorry for your loss Richard.

None of us want to be the first to go in our circle of friends. No one wants to be the last one either though :(.

[Magic Newswire]

And I feel the same in spite of the fact that I knew only a few of these in any way. When you report on magic news, there are times when you feel frustrated when day after day it is "Broken Wand" This and "Broken Wand" that. We need to mark the passing of so many greats in our field, and yet I weaken when I am forced to do so too often.

On the other hand, I celebrate the fact that we have people like Tom Mullica with us after the struggle with cancer that he has been through and look around me hoping to find as many reasons to celebrate as I do to grieve.

May 2011 be a better year for us all!

[Dan Magyari]

Thanks to you all for the reminder to make time to "be with" the people we care about, while we still can.