For Auld Lang Syne “times gone by”
Anyone who reads my blogs can pick up on the fact that I love to write. Pictures are awesome to help make a point or add to the written word, but I love more to have the reader see the words and understand the meaning in them. I give people credit that we are not just 20 second mindless creatures who only stay on something 20 seconds before we must be lulled into staying with flashy pictures and light commentary day in and day out. I realize it works because movie, tv, internet companies do it every day and draw people in.
I realize too that a number of people just clicked off because it went more than 20 seconds and that immediate gratification wasn’t met. Oh well! The rest are hopefully in for a treat.
Today I am going to put way more pictures on my blog than usual and less writing because I want you the reader to take a moment with each and every photo to think of a moment of “times gone by” as we approach the new year. As I am putting things into boxes and going over the year in review, I realize the new relationships formed and some left behind. Some people I knew very well, others I just tremendously respected their craft and could count on a good laugh or maybe a moment of introspection because of them.
So enjoy and “well drink a cup of kindness yet for times gone by.”
Thanks for those “7 words” my man you had the courage to stand up and who could ever forget the “garage sale” bit.
George Carlin
May 13, 1937- June 22, 2008
So many great movies, but even greater and God bless you for all the charity work you did and the lives you helped improve.
Paul Newman
Jan 26, 1925-Sept 26, 2008
“Let my people go…”
“Take your stinking dirty paws off me you damn dirty ape..”
Charlton Heston
Oct 4, 1923- April 5, 2008
Everytime I go out diving I think of you in the back of my head…
“We’re gonna need a bigger boat.”
Roy Scheider
Nov 10, 1932- Feb 10, 2008
As a fellow newsman I always held your work in high regard. You’ll be missed.
Tim Russert
May 7, 1950- June 13, 2008
The Blues got a little sadder when the world lost you my man.
Bo Diddley
Dec 30, 1928- June 2, 2008
You left way too soon Mac. Thanks for all the laughs.
Bernie Mac
Oct 5, 1957- Aug 9, 2008
Musician, actor, humanitarian and nobody could forget you “are one bad mutha.” Thanks for everything. R.I.P
Isaac Hayes
Aug 20, 1942- Aug 10, 2008
You were just getting started…
Heath Ledger
April 4, 1979- Jan 22, 2008
Should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind. This is just a few of the people 2008 saw leave this world. Many more great people whether family, friends or people you barely knew went as well. Take the time to remember their memory. And since this IS a baseball blog and even though he is not dead but gone. Wish you and your family well in your new digs Matty. I’ll never forget that slide.
Rocky Mountain Way...Outside Coors looking in 
Good post. I think I’ll miss Bernie Mac most of all out of those you listed. Ledger did die in a phenomenal way though, that will be remembered for a long time.
http://theconsumptionof.mlblogs.com
Joey- yeah Mac was awesome and even in bit roles like Bad Santa I loved him. He was awesome at standup too.
Tom
http://rockymountainway.mlblogs.com
Heath Ledger was a great man. I’m really gonna miss him. And as a Padre fan, I would never forget Holiday’s slide back in ’07. I still can’t believe that he got traded to Athletics! Anyways, good luck to Matt Holiday next year in Oakland.
http://hyunyoung.mlblogs.com
Hyun- The saddest part to ledger is how many more roles could he have done and made great. We’ll never know.
tom
http://rockymountainway.mlblogs.com
That was a great blog! So many wonderful memories, so many laughs and so many tears. Thanks for reminding us of what is most important – the people in our lives. Let’s hope we always “drink a cup of kindness”.
Happy New Year.
Julia
http://werbiefitz.mlblogs.com/
Julia- I think we could all use a little more kindness in these tough times and hopefully more people like newman and carlin, etc come along and make us laugh.
tom
http://rockymountainway.mlblogs.com
Great job! And nice tribute to Holliday, too. Though I will never be able to forget that slide either, for me it was a nightmare while it was huge excitement for you. Great game last night, by the way. I have no idea what happened to this Chargers team, but I think it had something to do with a little talk from LT. But, you know, it’s kind of like when the Rox overtook the Padres in 07, except it’s the other way around and a different sport 🙂 Funny how things like that work out, huh?
http://kaybee.mlblogs.com
Now now Kaybee I give the Chargers all the credit in the world. They came out and they wanted to play where as the Broncos just sucked. They deserved to lose that game and worse they gave up near the end. That was just sickening. You never give up and that was the difference in the padres/rockies play in, neither team gave up and that’s why it was a classic.I will always tip my cap to that padres team but I wouldn’t do the same for the Broncs last night. You just don’t give up. We’ll see what teams comes to play Indi next week and good luck to the Bolts!
tom
http://rockymountainway.mlblogs.com
Nice toast to those we lost. I still can’t believe Paul Newman’s gone. As I wrote in a post right after he died, he lived near me in CT and I used to see him around. He was such cool guy but also a totally kind human being. Now, having just rented “Dark Knight” on DVD the other night, Heath Ledger is haunting me. He was amazing as the Joker in that movie. I bet he gets a posthumous Oscar. Best to you for the New Year, Tom.
– http://janeheller.mlblogs.com
Thanks Jane same to you. Heath was a good actor and it’s always sad when you lose talent way before you should. We’ll see about the Oscar, it should be a good argument.
tom
http://rockymountainway.mlblogs.com
Poor Heath,
He WAS just getting started, and his role as the Joker was outstanding. Very menacing, if they make a third Batman movie, it won’t be the same (especially because Ledger was supposed to be in it originally, and the movie ended the way it did because he died before it finished filming). Great tribute to all the others like Mac and Russert, etc.
-Elizabeth
http://redsoxgirl46.mlblogs.com
Elizabeth-That’s cool you appreciated russert makes me like miami red sox fans all the more!
tom
http://rockymountainway.mlblogs.com
Charlton Heston married a gal (Lydia Clarke) from near my hometown…Two Rivers, Wisconsin.
I’ve always had a fondness for that man and his biggest passion…the NRA!
Great tribute.
http://thehappyyoungster.mlblogs.com/
Happy- great piece of trivia. I had no idea where his wife was from and I’m sure it will come in handy in some trivia someday. Thanks!
tom
http://rockymountainway.mlblogs.com
Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.
http://www.nicetick.com
– Air Jordan