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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Remembering Erin
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Simon
Editor
# 1
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Posted
I'm not going to say a lot, because today isn't a day for words. But just wanted to share a couple of threads from the old days to show Erin as she was then.
The first is a thread posted at the end of Hurricane Joanne in January 1999, when a troll - Joanne - posted hundreds of messages on our unprotected first board. Erin, Suse (older shipmates will remember her) and I spent a whole night deleting thousands of Joanne's posts as she posted them, and Erin and Suse ended the night by posting all the verses of "Amazing Grace" in celebration. The thread followed the next day and has the oldest post we still have from Erin...
http://bit.ly/whatthisboardmeans
The second thread, from May 2000, is the famous "What I love about my pets." I always appreciated it for its bright tone deteriorating into... well, something unmistakeably Erin.
http://bit.ly/whatiloveaboutmypets
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Eternal memory
Posts: 3787 | From: London | Registered: Mar 2001
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Chorister
Completely Frocked
# 473
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Posted
There is now an added poignancy to the First Celebrity Death Pool started in the Circus by, you've guessed it, Erin. In her own inimitable style.
None of us 'sick bastards' guessed that her 'turn to croak' would be so soon. ![[Votive]](graemlins/votive.gif)
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Retired, sitting back and watching others for a change.
Posts: 34626 | From: Cream Tealand | Registered: Jun 2001
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Stoo
Mighty Pirate
# 254
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Posted
I don't have a particular thread that's a memory.
I do know, however, that she taught a 20 year-old sanctimonious evangelical that often the most Christian response can be to call someone on their bullshit, and that this is in no way incompatible with turning the other cheek.
(I can't pretend even after 10 years that I have the balls to do this in 'real life' yet, but then, I've also heard this Christianity thing isn't supposed to be the path of least resistance, is it?)
Erin also taught me that Christianity and neo-conservative-libertarianism are not incompatible (remember - 20 year-old sanctimonious evo), and a genuine, raw, Christian faith can still disagree with me on wars, weapons and social responsibility.
Maybe the above lessons aren't uncommon ones to learn (though I suspect that might depend on whom you hang around with...), but Erin was the main influence in my faith-development here. Perhaps if we'd never interacted, that influence would have been someone else. Or perhaps I would still be waiting to learn these lessons.
Oh... Erin also taught me the words 'asshat', 'fucktard' and 'wah-mbulance' (which are all just great words to say), but not 'arsebiscuits'; that one was Wood.
Erin... we are poorer without you; individually and corporately. I'll try to remember to follow your example, to call out the bullshit, and call an asshat an asshat.
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This space left blank
Posts: 5266 | From: the director of "Bikini Traffic School" | Registered: May 2001
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Carex
Shipmate
# 9643
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Erin
Put your big girl panties on and deal with it.
Sounds like it should be a line from a Country Western song.
Not only a good response to others, but a worth motto for all of us at times.
Posts: 1425 | Registered: Jun 2005
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Rossweisse
High Church Valkyrie
# 2349
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Posted
I have a lot of memories - private discussions of the ghosts that protected her apartment stand out, among others - but I've tried to distill them into this post.
In a way, this is like Miss Molly's death, but at least with Molly, we knew it was coming; we saw it advance; we watched her fight. This is so horribly sudden, and that makes it even harder to handle.
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I'm not dead yet.
Posts: 15117 | From: Valhalla | Registered: Feb 2002
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Inanna
Ship's redhead
# 538
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Posted
Spot-on post, and beautifully written Rossweisse. Thanks.
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All shall be well
And all shall be well
And all manner of things shall be well.
Posts: 1495 | From: Royal Oak, MI | Registered: Jun 2001
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jedijudy
Organist of the Jedi Temple
# 333
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Posted
Not a thread, but a memory of the first PM Erin and I exchanged. It was the hamster ball. At least that's what we called it. PMs were flying all over the world, and one of the people I was to contact was Erin.
I put her message off until last, afraid she would reach through the computer screen (a CRT monitor in those ancient days) and mangle me. My life preservation theory was to keep under the radar at all costs.
That was my first glimpse of the compassionate, loving and funny young woman that I came to think of as a real friend.
Her mission, like everyone else's, was to make a quilt square, which we would put together with all the others to make a quilt for Miss_Molly... and to keep it hush-hush! Her response? First she assured me that she would keep the "Sekrit". Then she sent her square and waited while the hamster ball was prepared and delivered.
That was the first of many PMs and cards we shared over the years.
I will always treasure the memories of Erin's great love and dedication. And I will most of all treasure her friendship.
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Jasmine, little cat with a big heart.
Posts: 18017 | From: 'Twixt the 'Glades and the Gulf | Registered: Aug 2001
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Ye Olde Motherboarde
Ship's Mother and Singing Quilter
# 54
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Posted
All my memories with Erin are a bit on the private side, and behind the scenes, but I can tell you about the crazy side,
Something I can finally admit. The one thing that I remember the most - the B.C.B. aka "The Bored Colonial Brigade". Erin, Sue, Rachel, David Rayner and I used to derail threads. We seemed to be up at the strangest hours and with the old board, we would mess with threads posted during the day. We had nicknames for each other, and the craziness of our instant messages were priceless.
And Joanne, it was awful and I still have her e-mails to me. Let's just say, she was one lady that did not have all her oars in the water.
Also, you probably don't know about Suze's book, do you? (which started out as a story thread) It is great reading. ![[Biased]](wink.gif)
I'm sorry you don't know her at that time. I know some people were intimidated, but I was laughing like crazy when she was ripping shipmates to threads because there are a lot of us who knew better.
There is a shipmeet going on in paradise right now with Molly, TimC, Gambit, Kenwritez and Erin. Now that's what I call a quintet! ![[Snigger]](graemlins/snigger.gif)
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In Memory of Miss Molly, TimC, Gambit, KenWritez, koheleth, Leetle Masha, JLG, Genevieve, Erin, RuthW2, deuce2, Sidi and TonyCoxon, unbeliever, Morlader, Ken :tear: 20 years but who’s counting?..................
Posts: 4292 | From: Looking for more trouble to get into | Registered: May 2001
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iGeek
Number of the Feast
# 777
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Posted
Favorite msg from one of those threads about cats.
quote:
Name: Dana
Email: singingfool@netscape.net
Subject: RE: what I have decided after reading all your messages
Date: Tue May 30 02:41:36 2000 GMT
I NEVER, NEVER
will have any animals !!
Ever, Period !!!
How's that working for you MB? ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Loved Erin's recitation of trying to get a cat to take it's medicine.
Posts: 2150 | From: West End, Gulfopolis | Registered: Aug 2002
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Ye Olde Motherboarde
Ship's Mother and Singing Quilter
# 54
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Posted
DARN, Geek, you caught me in a lie. darn you. ![[Mad]](angryfire.gif) But I was young and foolish then. ![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif) I'll go and cut out my tongue now. Thank you.
Marrying JB, I suddenly had a family of a dog (now two dogs), a horse, and 2 children.
Really makes you realize you should NEVER SAY NEVER, doesn't it? . ![[Killing me]](graemlins/killingme.gif)
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In Memory of Miss Molly, TimC, Gambit, KenWritez, koheleth, Leetle Masha, JLG, Genevieve, Erin, RuthW2, deuce2, Sidi and TonyCoxon, unbeliever, Morlader, Ken :tear: 20 years but who’s counting?..................
Posts: 4292 | From: Looking for more trouble to get into | Registered: May 2001
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RooK
1 of 6
# 1852
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Posted
Well, shit. I've just gone through all the instant messages and emails from Erin I've kept, and none of them are fit for sharing.
But, take my word for it: they're awesome.
Posts: 15274 | From: Portland, Oregon, USA, Earth | Registered: Nov 2001
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Belisarius
Lord Bountiful of Admin (Emeritus) Delights
# 32
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Posted
Way back in neoworks times, Erin angered me on a thread by repeatedly trashing Austen, but I went into haughty mode and posted a measured disliking-something-doesn't-make-it-crap response. She replied "You're right, but you were obviously out sick when they taught that everything I hate is crap by definition" and added a smiley.
Infuriating to beguiling on the turn of a dime...
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Animals may be Evolution's Icing, but Bacteria are the Cake.
Andrew Knoll
Posts: 8080 | From: New York | Registered: May 2001
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comet
Snowball in Hell
# 10353
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Posted
Aw, Erin hated Jane Austen too?
*Sigh* love that woman.
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Evil Dragon Lady, Breaker of Men's Constitutions
"It's hard to be religious when certain people are never incinerated by bolts of lightning.” -Calvin
Posts: 17024 | From: halfway between Seduction and Peril | Registered: Sep 2005
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Kelly Alves
Bunny with an axe
# 2522
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Posted
Remembered this today-- Mousethief and Golden key might remember as well. We were in the Ship's cafe one night, and I was reading one of the TICTH mutations when suddenly Erin posted on it. She was CTH some creepy movie or TV show she'd watched while she was home alone, and was prediction a sleepless, panic-filled night. She permitted suggestions as to how she could calm down. A few people responded.
"Come into the cafe," I posted.
There was no response, and I figured there wouldn't be, but a half hour or so later, she popped in. We greeted her, chatted a bit, then went back to what we'd been doing which was basically bullshitting around about nonsense. She hung out for about 20 minutes or so, then took her leave. We asked us if she felt better, and she said yes, that she thought she'd be able to sleep now.
Not a huge moment but just-- a nice bit of shared humanity.
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I cannot expect people to believe “
Jesus loves me, this I know” of they don’t believe “Kelly loves me, this I know.”
Kelly Alves, somewhere around 2003.
Posts: 35076 | From: Pura Californiana | Registered: Mar 2002
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Belisarius
Lord Bountiful of Admin (Emeritus) Delights
# 32
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by RooK:
Well, shit. I've just gone through all the instant messages and emails from Erin I've kept, and none of them are fit for sharing.
But, take my word for it: they're awesome.
You tease. Now I want to show off my PMs, but the non-confidential stuff is too tame.
[ 05. January 2011, 04:02: Message edited by: Belisarius ]
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Animals may be Evolution's Icing, but Bacteria are the Cake.
Andrew Knoll
Posts: 8080 | From: New York | Registered: May 2001
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comet
Snowball in Hell
# 10353
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Posted
Just looked through my emails also. Same thing- stuff I can share would be too tame and it's mostly pretty personal. The recent email where she "fired" me from hosting (not like that at all, actually. Was a good plan and mutually agreed on) is especially bittersweet because she talks of fully recovering from her illness.
Damn.
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Evil Dragon Lady, Breaker of Men's Constitutions
"It's hard to be religious when certain people are never incinerated by bolts of lightning.” -Calvin
Posts: 17024 | From: halfway between Seduction and Peril | Registered: Sep 2005
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Gill H
Shipmate
# 68
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Posted
Lovely to look through the 'What this board means' and remember characters from the past (RLee ... now there was a character for you! And Raoul Cinquanza too.)
Wonder what they're all doing now?
[ 05. January 2011, 05:54: Message edited by: Gill H ]
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*sigh* We can’t all be Alan Cresswell.
- Lyda Rose
Posts: 9313 | From: London | Registered: May 2001
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Chapelhead
I am
# 21
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Posted
I can't claim any personal connection with Erin - the closest I got was when I was included in a list of Shipmates whose posts she respected (many years ago, but still one of my high-points on SoF).
However, what I will remember her for is her commitment to this community. Sometimes people found her brand of 'tough love' a bit on the tough side, but what struck me about it was that, when she tore someone a new orifice, it was usually because they had offended against the community - by trolling, sock-puppetry, starting a turf war or whatever. It was in defence of this community that she was most passionate, a community she cared about deeply and which, it is clear, cared about her too.
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At times like this I find myself thinking, what would the Amish do?
Posts: 9123 | From: Near where I was before. | Registered: Aug 2001
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Chorister
Completely Frocked
# 473
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Posted
'What this board means' is completely relevant today as it was 12 years ago when it was written. I had a computer then, but didn't have the internet until the following year, when I found SOF to my delight, talking about 'Mystery Worship' and 'Gold Teeth'. True to form, it has continued to talk about crazy and relevant topics ever since.
Who remembers the time when Erin shipped packets of Oreos to anyone who wanted them? What generosity! She even sent mint ones, my favourites. ![[Cool]](cool.gif) In reply, I sent her a little model alligator falling asleep on top of a book. Rest in peace, Erin.
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Retired, sitting back and watching others for a change.
Posts: 34626 | From: Cream Tealand | Registered: Jun 2001
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Gill H
Shipmate
# 68
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Posted
The last PM I sent Erin was just over a month ago. I told her we were visiting Florida, and I'd wave from the plane when we flew over Jacksonville.
I did. I'm so glad I did.
During the holiday there were record low temperatures in Florida, and according to the TV news Jacksonville got it worse than many. Every time I saw the weather report, my first thought was of a chilly, cheesed-off Gator.
And then when we found Green & Black's in the AMC cinema at Disney, guess what was my first thought? Yep, 'Must tell Erin'. That's how she got in your consciousness.
Actually I think I am responsible for the love affair with G&B Maya Gold. I sent her some once, and she immediately appointed me her dealer.
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*sigh* We can’t all be Alan Cresswell.
- Lyda Rose
Posts: 9313 | From: London | Registered: May 2001
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Robert Armin
All licens'd fool
# 182
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Posted
The following is an extract from PM in October 2001. It's Erin, at a time when I was at my lowest: quote:
I am glad that the Ship is helping you in some small way. It's a good place, for the most part, and the people really do care. Sometimes they're so gosh-darned earnest about it that you want to smack them, but I'd rather that than total callousness.
The Ship helped me through my divorce, btw. I remember the day I moved out of my apartment -- a few people knew what my plans were, but not many. When I got everything hooked up (at like three in the morning) and checked my email, I had a message from every single person whom I'd told. Given that that was the worst night of my life, those messages meant the world to me. A couple of people were up on AOL instant messenger, waiting to see if I was okay, and stayed up with me until I was falling asleep at the keyboard.
So they're good people, and I'm glad that's helping you in whatever way it can.
Good luck, and you have my prayers.
The 'gator with a heart of gold.
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Keeping fit was an obsession with Fr Moity .... He did chin ups in the vestry, calisthenics in the pulpit, and had developed a series of Tai-Chi exercises to correspond with ritual movements of the Mass. The Antipope Robert Rankin
Posts: 8927 | From: In the pack | Registered: May 2001
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Wood
The Milkman of Human Kindness
# 7
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Posted
When my dad died, suddenly, Erin organised people on the board — people she actually had serious differences with — to organise a wreath.
I am sad that she is gone. That's all.
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Narcissism.
Posts: 7842 | From: Wood Towers | Registered: Apr 2001
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Spike
Mostly Harmless
# 36
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Posted
Just in case anyone was wondering how the 'Gator tag came about, here's a short history lesson. Are you sitting comfortably?
Way back in about 2001 or 2002 we had a shipmeet at the Museum Tavern in London. Back in those days, the whole Ship community was much smaller than it is now and there were only 3 Admins - Simon, Erin and David. We were talking about the Ship and somebody (I don't remember who, but I think it may have been Ham'n'eggs) described Erin as "Simon's pet alligator".
I'm sure that would then have been forgotten forever, but a day or two later, Erin sent an email to all of the hosts with a questionnaire about how the boards were run and about the roles of the hosts & admins. The questions included what we saw our roles to be and how we thought others perceived us. One of the questions near the end was specifically about Erin and was something like "How do you think shipmates perceive ME"? I replied "I'm sure you won't mind, but at the London Shipmeet at the weekend, someone described you as 'Simon's pet alligator'"
She thought that was hilarious and immediately used it as her sig. From there it just stuck. Shortly afterwards, the board software was upgraded to allow avatars among other things, and Simon (I believe) designed the alligator avatar we've all come to know and love.
The rest, as they say, is history!
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"May you get to heaven before the devil knows you're dead" - Irish blessing
Posts: 12860 | From: The Valley of Crocuses | Registered: May 2001
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Viola
Administrator
# 20
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Posted
Yup - she really was the most astonishingly generous person towards people she'd never met in 'Real Life'.
It had occurred to me a few days ago, that this was the first year Erin hadn't sent me a Christmas card. I mean - in my book that in itself is above and beyond niceness to your hosts & admins, when you've never met them, and they live on a different continent. And they were always surprisingly cute cards - and her handwriting was surprisingly, well - girlish - I suppose. The first year she sent me a card, it was full of that glittery stuff - little bits of tin foil in some festive shape or other. I'd made the mistake of opening it in the car, and that damn tin foil went everywhere. I was finding it for weeks in my clothes. I sent her a 'furious' thank you email, vowing to be more careful how I opened any correspondence from her in the future. She replied graciously, hoping I was still enjoying the gift that keeps on giving, as I picked more silver Christmas trees from my hair.
And she sent gifts as well. I need to find the little cake baking book she sent me. I don't really bake, but maybe I need to start.
Terrifying (and witty) on board, fair and generous in (well protected) private.
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"If ye love me, keep my commandments" John 14:15
"Commandment number one: shut the hell up." Erin Etheredge 1971-2010
Posts: 4345 | From: West of England | Registered: May 2001
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Matrix
Shipmate
# 3452
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Posted
From the Styx thread:
quote:
Originally posted by Chorister:
quote:
Originally posted by Matrix:
Wow, this just sucks.
We'll miss you croc
Mx
Don't think she can't zap you from Heaven for calling her a croc....
I wasn't going to comment on my post, but kinda felt it needed an explanation, it could seem like an insult.
Very early in my time here I got myself planked for being silly enough to argue with Erin when she was pissed off and frightened about possible terrorist threats in the US.
I came back, and she was kind enough to agree that she may have been a little hasty. I joked about pulling croc teeth out of my ass for the week, and that the scarring was healing nicely. For the years that followed when I posted more prolifically than I do now I'd always refer to her as croc, and it was an affectionate jibe.
I've not been around much in recent years, but still read the boards, and am sad that such an amazing presence will be lost from this strange ship.
Grace and peace
M
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Maybe that's all a family really is; a group of people who miss the same imaginary place. - Garden State
Posts: 3847 | From: The courts of the King | Registered: Oct 2002
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Adeodatus
Shipmate
# 4992
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Posted
Erin called me to Hell! ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
I won't bore everyone with the details, but it involved a genuine disagreement in a Purgatory thread, and Erin wanted to take the discussion to the "gloves off" level. She was clear-headed and morally passionate in a way that left me on the starting blocks. It was only then that I learned for myself what until then I'd known only by hearsay: if Erin calls you an asshat, it's because you're being an asshat.
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"What is broken, repair with gold."
Posts: 9779 | From: Manchester | Registered: Sep 2003
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Spike
Mostly Harmless
# 36
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Adeodatus:
It was only then that I learned for myself what until then I'd known only by hearsay: if Erin calls you an asshat, it's because you're being an asshat.
My sig for a long time was quote from Chorister - "The truth, as I see it, is that when Erin calls someone a fuckwit, it's usually the case"
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"May you get to heaven before the devil knows you're dead" - Irish blessing
Posts: 12860 | From: The Valley of Crocuses | Registered: May 2001
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Wood
The Milkman of Human Kindness
# 7
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Viola:
The first year she sent me a card, it was full of that glittery stuff - little bits of tin foil in some festive shape or other. I'd made the mistake of opening it in the car, and that damn tin foil went everywhere. I was finding it for weeks in my clothes. I sent her a 'furious' thank you email, vowing to be more careful how I opened any correspondence from her in the future.
I remember thanking her for the festive anthrax one year.
She sent me a book about rowing one year.
I dropped off here some time ago, really. It's been a few years since I hosted, and a few years since we even spoke. You just expect people to go on without you.
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Narcissism.
Posts: 7842 | From: Wood Towers | Registered: Apr 2001
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Niteowl
Hopeless Insomniac
# 15841
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Posted
I've only been a member less than 6 months, but one thing I picked up immediately was that Erin was a force of nature on this site and you ignored her at your own peril. I enjoyed reading her posts, be they the highly thoughtful serious posts on issues or the reaming out of someone who deserved it. I only had one interaction with her in a thread where she disagreed with me,thankfully very nicely disagreed with me.
I often hear that you can't make real friends on the 'net or that what you do online doesn't really matter. I've gained some dear friends in my years online and reading the myriad of posts by those who have loved Erin and are mourning her loss show that as well. The ship wouldn't be what it is - a true community where people of faith and no faith can gather and post without fear without her years of hard work. A damned good tribute to the power of one person. May she rest in peace. She will be remembered always.
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"love all, trust few, do wrong to no one"
Wm. Shakespeare
Posts: 2437 | From: U.S. | Registered: Aug 2010
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Huia
Shipmate
# 3473
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Posted
Thanks to Ferijen's post I just read the whole "Calling Erin to Hell" thread.
Vintage Erin - as always.
I will miss her acerbic wit.
Huia
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Charity gives food from the table, Justice gives a place at the table.
Posts: 10382 | From: Te Wai Pounamu | Registered: Oct 2002
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Spawn
Shipmate
# 4867
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Ferijen:
Erin, stating the obvious that is now no longer quite so true
quote:
It's more fun playing in my playground because it's MY playground, dumbass
It was fun being at the receiving end of her invective. I am so saddened by her death and the fact that there'll be no more posts like the above.
She didn't hold grudges - at least against me - I have a pm from her offering to have my babies on a rare occasion when she agreed with me on something.
Posts: 3447 | From: North Devon | Registered: Aug 2003
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mdijon
Shipmate
# 8520
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Spawn:
I have a pm from her offering to have my babies
I guess you have to remember she didn't always mean it.
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mdijon nojidm uoɿıqɯ ɯqıɿou
ɯqıɿou uoɿıqɯ nojidm mdijon
Posts: 12277 | From: UK | Registered: Sep 2004
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Spawn
Shipmate
# 4867
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by mdijon:
quote:
Originally posted by Spawn:
I have a pm from her offering to have my babies
I guess you have to remember she didn't always mean it.
Thank God she didn't - can you imagine red squishy crocs messing up the Ship?
Posts: 3447 | From: North Devon | Registered: Aug 2003
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Tubbs
Miss Congeniality
# 440
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Viola:
Yup - she really was the most astonishingly generous person towards people she'd never met in 'Real Life'.
It had occurred to me a few days ago, that this was the first year Erin hadn't sent me a Christmas card. I mean - in my book that in itself is above and beyond niceness to your hosts & admins, when you've never met them, and they live on a different continent. And they were always surprisingly cute cards - and her handwriting was surprisingly, well - girlish - I suppose. The first year she sent me a card, it was full of that glittery stuff - little bits of tin foil in some festive shape or other. I'd made the mistake of opening it in the car, and that damn tin foil went everywhere. I was finding it for weeks in my clothes. I sent her a 'furious' thank you email, vowing to be more careful how I opened any correspondence from her in the future. She replied graciously, hoping I was still enjoying the gift that keeps on giving, as I picked more silver Christmas trees from my hair.
And she sent gifts as well. I need to find the little cake baking book she sent me. I don't really bake, but maybe I need to start.
Terrifying (and witty) on board, fair and generous in (well protected) private.
I got one of Erin's booby trapped Christmas cards as well. I was hoovering up those Christmas sprinkles for weeks afterwards. Just when you thought you'd got them all, you'd find a few more!
She reminded me a bit of a swan - she made it all look effortless on the surface, but she worked darned hard to make things as they should be behind the scenes.
She was one of the wisest and fairest people I've ever known. She had an amazing ability to get to the heart of the matter with a few well choosen words.
She was also extremely kind and caring. Few people may know this, but she read the prayer thread regularly as she said that was how you really learnt what was going on.
Rambling ... must stop ... I simply can't believe that someone so full of life is no longer here. May she rest in peace and rise in glory.
Tubbs
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"It's better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than open it up and remove all doubt" - Dennis Thatcher. My blog. Decide for yourself which I am
Posts: 12701 | From: Someplace strange | Registered: Jun 2001
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Lamb Chopped
Ship's kebab
# 5528
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by comet:
Aw, Erin hated Jane Austen too?
*Sigh* love that woman.
Well, everyone has their issues.
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Er, this is what I've been up to (book).
Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down!
Posts: 20059 | From: off in left field somewhere | Registered: Feb 2004
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Jen.
Godless Liberal
# 3131
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Tubbs:
I got one of Erin's booby trapped Christmas cards as well. I was hoovering up those Christmas sprinkles for weeks afterwards. Just when you thought you'd got them all, you'd find a few more!
Yep - I never recieved one, but Stoo did. I don't think I ever managed to get all that glitter up!
I was surprised as she didn't seem the glitter-in-cards type, but then you never know do you? I certainly didn't. I, like most, only knew the erin off the public boards, not who she actually was. To say I'm sad about not knowing her any more would be one of the biggest understatements.
I'm another one who erin probably had no awareness about the existance of (except possibly a distantly remembered 'I'm Drunk' thread in hell, and an ill-advised sig) but that doesn't seem to have lessened the impact the news has had on me/us.
jen
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Was Jenny Ann, but fancied being more minimal.
Posts: 5318 | From: Manchester, England | Registered: Aug 2002
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Spike
Mostly Harmless
# 36
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Viola:
The first year she sent me a card, it was full of that glittery stuff - little bits of tin foil in some festive shape or other. I'd made the mistake of opening it in the car, and that damn tin foil went everywhere.
The first time I got one of them, I lived in a flat that had a communal area to pick up post. Guess where I opened the card?
After that, I always made sure to open the card in the flat!
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"May you get to heaven before the devil knows you're dead" - Irish blessing
Posts: 12860 | From: The Valley of Crocuses | Registered: May 2001
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Tubbs
Miss Congeniality
# 440
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Jenny Ann:
quote:
Originally posted by Tubbs:
I got one of Erin's booby trapped Christmas cards as well. I was hoovering up those Christmas sprinkles for weeks afterwards. Just when you thought you'd got them all, you'd find a few more!
Yep - I never recieved one, but Stoo did. I don't think I ever managed to get all that glitter up!
I was surprised as she didn't seem the glitter-in-cards type, but then you never know do you? I certainly didn't.
...
jen
I always imagined her howling with laughter at the thought of our faces when we opened the card and ended up with a floor full of shiny ...
Tubbs
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"It's better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than open it up and remove all doubt" - Dennis Thatcher. My blog. Decide for yourself which I am
Posts: 12701 | From: Someplace strange | Registered: Jun 2001
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
I'm sure when we finally threw out the old sofa clearing out the flat that there were still bits of that glittery stuff stuck down the back, years later.
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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Nightlamp
Shipmate
# 266
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Posted
It was of course Erin who I exchanged pm's over hosting hell in particular a night when we were being spammed heavily. But most memorable time was in the Cafe as we chatted about various things but in particular my loathing of cows which she seemed to find very funny. She also used to PM me when she enjoyed my put downs in hell.
She had the admirable quality of loathing Lifeman.
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I don't know what you are talking about so it couldn't have been that important- Nightlamp
Posts: 8442 | From: Midlands | Registered: May 2001
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Jools
Shipmate
# 6137
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Posted
Haven't been around for ages - but just heard the news.
Respect......
You're a legend Erin
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serenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace within it
Posts: 248 | From: Somerset, England | Registered: May 2004
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Tractor Girl
Shipmate
# 8863
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Posted
No memories of such, just an awareness from early on that Erin was a legendary figure and one of two people who really "were the Ship" if you get what I mean.
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Patience, Firmness and Perseverance were my only weapons; and those I resolved to use to the utmost - Anne Bronte
Posts: 1114 | From: The field of life | Registered: Dec 2004
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Sine Nomine
Ship's backstabbing bastard
# 66
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Posted
In earlier days I liked to refer to Erin as 'madam' or 'madam Etheredge' and that's still how I think of her. 'Madam E.' for short. The ship became a duller place for me when she became less evident on the regular boards.
One thing I particularly remember – an act of kindness – once when something was going to happen she knew would be upsetting to me, she made sure I knew about it privately in advance so I wouldn't log onto the ship and find out about it without being prepared. She was going to do what she was going to do but at the same time was considerate of my feelings.
And what I think was our first interaction…when I first joined and starting posting for some reason I thought it cute to withhold personal information – to be a 'poster of mystery' I suppose. (Yes, I know. In the years since you've learned a lot more about me than you cared to know.) In any case after maybe a month or two I finally posted something that made my sex clear and Erin immediately posted "I thought you were a girl!"
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Precious, Precious, Sweet, Sweet Daddy...
Posts: 16639 | From: lat. 36.24/lon. 86.84 | Registered: Dec 2002
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Belisarius
Lord Bountiful of Admin (Emeritus) Delights
# 32
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Posted
My glitter stayed in the card when I opened it. I guess I'm just more careful than you lot.
I might even still have it packed away with the other cards.
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Animals may be Evolution's Icing, but Bacteria are the Cake.
Andrew Knoll
Posts: 8080 | From: New York | Registered: May 2001
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Rossweisse
High Church Valkyrie
# 2349
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Lamb Chopped:
quote:
Originally posted by comet:
Aw, Erin hated Jane Austen too?
*Sigh* love that woman.
Well, everyone has their issues.
Indeed.
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I'm not dead yet.
Posts: 15117 | From: Valhalla | Registered: Feb 2002
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Laura
General nuisance
# 10
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Posted
Ah, the glitter card! I have a book she sent me a long time ago, illustrated by Susan --- can't remember her name. Called "Sisters Forever" - must have been back in 2000-2001, after we'd shared a great deal (including late night phone calls full of rant and moan). I can't find it now, which is incredibly distressing. It is probably in one of our moving boxes still unpacked.
I was a latecomer to the BCB, but what fun that was!
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Love is the only sane and satisfactory answer to the problem of human existence. - Erich Fromm
Posts: 16883 | From: East Coast, USA | Registered: Apr 2001
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