Tomorrow night, at GLBT Games Night, they’re going to have some moments of remembrance for Matt Arrington, who died on December 23, 2004. I am going out of town just after noon on Friday, so can’t make it. I’ve sent the following to Matt Stokes, who’s organizing.
Hi Matt, here is my remembrance of Matt Arrington. Please feel free to share it with the group.
I really, really liked Matt. I wonder now if he even knew that, which makes me a little bit sad.
I can’t think about him without smiling. Gregarious. Fun. Smart little fucker, too. 🙂
Even though I always refer to “those guys” who play “those strategy games” with a little (playful) roll of my eyes, it really is with a sense of awe that what I experience as work, and I mean a lot of work, they experience as play. Those of you who are still here playing “those games” should know this, as, obviously, “time waits for no man” to say such things. I admire your minds.
I will remember Matt explaining the rules, often complicated ones, to newcomers to Games Night, or to the regulars about a new game — but mostly I will remember Matt as a fine human being that I feel honored to have shared some time with here.
Farewell my friend.
David, please accept my deepest condolences for your loss. And if you ever feel Matt “slipping away,” call me, and tell me a story about him. I’d love to hear it, and that’s the only way we have to keep our departed loved ones with us. I’m sincere about this offer. My phone number is 233-0593.
Thanks for passing on my thoughts, Matt.
John Martin
On a lighter note, I responded to a Socratic Forum survey today. This was the gist of it:
This survey wanted feedback on three ads about an Italian liqueur. The first one showed a handsome Italian man embracing a beautiful Italian woman, and the words to the ad were in an oval circle and talked about how this liqueur could add passion to your life.
My feedback on this one was that it didn’t excite “passion” in me, but that I did find the gentleman very attractive.
The second variation of the ad had four people sitting at a table. The two kitty corner (or is it catty corner?) on one side to each other, a man and a woman were leaning together as if he were telling her a secret. At the other corner of the table two men were doing the same thing. For the man/woman couple the angle was such that you could see his lips right up to her ear. The angle of the man/man couple was such that the one man’s head was behind the back of the other man’s head so you couldn’t see if he was actually touching him, but they were very close.
My feedback on this one was, “As a gay man, I like the fact that there are two men being somewhat intimate in this ad. It makes me feel like I’m included in the audience of the message.”
The third variation on the ad had two couples (two women, two men) at a table with the women sitting across from each other and the men sitting across from each other. Everyone is smiling or laughing, but no one is touching. Again, the oval circle had the write-up about how great this liqueur was.
My feedback on this one was: “I can’t get past the fact that you have used the wrong “its” in the copy of the ad. You have, “It’s taste is tangy…” It should be “Its taste is tangy…”
Bless my mess.
I got my hair cut today.
I did two loads of laundry this evening.