As Facebook Users Die, Ghosts Reach Out

[PPI Brian]

Found this article on Google and thought it was worth sharing with our PPI forum family:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/18/technology/18death.html?src=busln

[PPI Karl]

Interesting.  I wondered when this issue would start being addressed.  Actually, I'm kind of grateful that MySpace hasn't taken down Glenn's profile, or that Missy didn't close his account (which might be outside of her abilities).  Frankly, I kind of like seeing Glenn's profile pic among PPI's Top Friends.  However, periodically I receive messages from MyLife.com (or maybe Classmates.com; I forget which) that bring me the good news:  "We found Michael Wiorek!!!"  I lost my best friend of thirty years, Mike, in March, 1999 and have never really recovered from the pain of that loss.  It stings to see that message at first; you forget sometimes just how much you can miss someone.  However, it does continue to remind me of him and give me the impetus to reflect and think about where, if anyplace, he is.  (FAO Debra:  Cue up another one of my Underworld dreams.  )

[PPI Debra]

Interesting.  I wondered when this issue would start being addressed.  Actually, I'm kind of grateful that MySpace hasn't taken down Glenn's profile, or that Missy didn't close his account (which might be outside of her abilities).  Frankly, I kind of like seeing Glenn's profile pic among PPI's Top Friends.  However, periodically I receive messages from MyLife.com (or maybe Classmates.com; I forget which) that bring me the good news:  "We found Michael Wiorek!!!"  I lost my best friend of thirty years, Mike, in March, 1999 and have never really recovered from the pain of that loss.  It stings to see that message at first; you forget sometimes just how much you can miss someone.  However, it does continue to remind me of him and give me the impetus to reflect and think about where, if anyplace, he is.  (FAO Debra:  Cue up another one of my Underworld dreams.  )

Karl,
I really think some of us have repeated themes in our lives. For you (and myself) it seems to be liminality.  I feel that it's a rich, poetic,creatively stimulating theme!
Please feel free to call me if you want to "work" the underworld dreams.

So sad that your your best friend left prematurely....That feeling of grief never leaves us who are left behind.

[PPI Karl]

Interesting.  I wondered when this issue would start being addressed.  Actually, I'm kind of grateful that MySpace hasn't taken down Glenn's profile, or that Missy didn't close his account (which might be outside of her abilities).  Frankly, I kind of like seeing Glenn's profile pic among PPI's Top Friends.  However, periodically I receive messages from MyLife.com (or maybe Classmates.com; I forget which) that bring me the good news:  "We found Michael Wiorek!!!"  I lost my best friend of thirty years, Mike, in March, 1999 and have never really recovered from the pain of that loss.  It stings to see that message at first; you forget sometimes just how much you can miss someone.  However, it does continue to remind me of him and give me the impetus to reflect and think about where, if anyplace, he is.  (FAO Debra:  Cue up another one of my Underworld dreams.  )

Karl,
I really think some of us have repeated themes in our lives. For you (and myself) it seems to be liminality.  I feel that it's a rich, poetic,creatively stimulating theme!
Please feel free to call me if you want to "work" the underworld dreams.

So sad that your your best friend left prematurely....That feeling of grief never leaves us who are left behind.

Yeah, that was the death that pulled the rug out from under me, for many reasons.  I'd known Mike since the second grade, and he became my best friend in my freshman year of high school--one of those unlikely pairings because we were so different in grade school.  I moved out to California because he moved out the year before with his partner. We lived together as best friends only, but people kind of perceived us as a couple because we always talked about buying a house together and, well, setting up house--despite the fact that he was in a committed relationship with someone who, eventually, betrayed him in epic fashion.  Mike's and my friendship was never anything more than platonic, but clearly there was a strong emotional attachment between us.  It was almost soul-killing for me to lose him.  I would love to get together some time and schmooze about about liminality.  (Though they don't share a common derivation, the similarity between "limnal" and "liminal" is always a wonderful "Aha!" moment for my students when we discuss Beowulf's journey to the cavern beneath the lake.)  I'd like to hear about your own dreams and your interpretations of some of my frequent post-mortal journeys. 

[PPI Debra]

[/quote]

Karl,
I really think some of us have repeated themes in our lives. For you (and myself) it seems to be liminality.  I feel that it's a rich, poetic,creatively stimulating theme!
Please feel free to call me if you want to "work" the underworld dreams.

So sad that your your best friend left prematurely....That feeling of grief never leaves us who are left behind.[/quote]
Yeah, that was the death that pulled the rug out from under me, for many reasons.  I'd known Mike since the second grade, and he became my best friend in my freshman year of high school--one of those unlikely pairings because we were so different in grade school.  I moved out to California because he moved out the year before with his partner. We lived together as best friends only, but people kind of perceived us as a couple because we always talked about buying a house together and, well, setting up house--despite the fact that he was in a committed relationship with someone who, eventually, betrayed him in epic fashion.  Mike's and my friendship was never anything more than platonic, but clearly there was a strong emotional attachment between us.  It was almost soul-killing for me to lose him.  I would love to get together some time and schmooze about about liminality.  (Though they don't share a common derivation, the similarity between "limnal" and "liminal" is always a wonderful "Aha!" moment for my students when we discuss Beowulf's journey to the cavern beneath the lake.)  I'd like to hear about your own dreams and your interpretations of some of my frequent post-mortal journeys. 
[/quote]

Say "when"! (You are always welcome at my home.)