7th Anniversary

 One can remain steadfastly clamped on a resolve, a stance 

or mere practice as we happen to have it here, now ~ 

the belief in an afterlife will do that to you; 

and so we decided to put an end to this perpetual 

honoring of the dead - as they have simply crossed over 

and LIFE does not end with the perishing of the flesh. 

THE SOUL LIVES ON... and awaits, on the Other Side. 

And we sincerely believe -heck, we know- that this 

is what matters the most: THE SOUL. 

One can be faithful to all that, yes,  

and still make a few... exceptions, in this manner: 

FOR, SEVEN YEARS AGO, TODAY 

PAUL WALKER CROSSED OVER... 

And, yes - SEE YOU AGAIN; 

and most important and interesting of all 

among these videos found on YouTube here, 

is this one that talks about... his ghost: 

Some may say "it's not the real Paul Walker speaking" 

while most, perhaps, believe this to be impossible; 

and others, still - the most devout Believers - will proclaim 

that "God Would not allow him to make contact like that - 

to interfere in any way with the Living now that his 

allotted time - and mission - have gone..." 

But, logically... why would God Object to his slight interference 

and very minimalistic contribution, of sorts, now 

-even if just a word to instill faith, hope, belief in something more

into those materialistic souls out there that may be watching; 

into some hearts in desperate need of such a thing today- 

even if his mission here has indeed ended...? 

He can still do some good - 

as he would often ask of his entourage, incidentally, 

to "be good" until next he'd see them again... 

He can still inspire change, here - or, and even more 

important than that, he can inspire belief 

in a greater significance to it ALL... 

For there is still so much to do - to rectify, in this world; 

there is still so much wrong to be righted... 

There is so much good to do with organizations 

such as ROWW.ORG and Billfish.org 

that Paul Walker helped a lot in his living years... 

There is still so much that can be done. 

And there should be even more  

- to behold, to take part in - 

in the great thereafter. 

Paul knows all that ~ now. 

Pandemic Times

Yes - I did state that 

"no single soul" 

is all that exclusively special 

to warrant a spotlight 

on any sort of 

necrological site ~ 

but unusual times make for 

unusual -exceptional- cases... 

R.I.P. Dr. Lorna Breen 

Not since the 1918 Spanish Flu 

has the world been under the grip 

of a disease that paralyzes it 

in its whole - economically, 

socially and also, truth be told, 

it is stopped dead in its tracks 

(expression carefully chosen here) 

on its own self-destructive path 

ecologically and planetary-wise... 

Amidst all that has happened 

-numerous deaths in Italia, Spain again, 

China where it all began this time 

and the USofA, its new epicenter- 

a tragedy among the heroes of these events; 

the first responders - doctors, nurses, 

healthcare workers... 

The Essentials, shall we call them? 

A tragedy... by self-destruction. 

What were the odds, however, 

of finding another Lorna Breen 

singing the most appropriate of songs 

for this dire circumstance 

on the very same YouTube, now:   

And let us hope that there will not be 

any other similar tragedies - 

not namesake Dr. Lorna Lopez 

not anybody else 

among these first responders/

true heroes out there... 

those who deal with all the epidemics 

that afflict all of humanity - on a daily basis: 

For this is not the first pandemic 

we will be facing - 

meaning it will not be the last one either.

Thirty Years Ago - Today

"I'm sure we had to study composition or something like that at school, and they'd say 'This is the way you do it,' and that's the way I would have done it, so being blessed again with not knowing what was wrong or what was right, I went on my own way....So the structure sometimes has the chorus at the end of the song, and sometimes there is no chorus, it just goes...But that's always after the fact--as I'm writing, it all sounds natural and in sequence to me." - Roy Kelton Orbison

His birth name was Roy Kelton Orbison - and he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Foundation Hall of Fame one short year before his passing; in 1987 hence.
Date of Birth: 4/23/1936
Place of Birth: Vernon, TX
Date of Death: 12/06/1988
Place of Death: Hendersonville, TN

~ Gone Too Soon ~

...almost exactly as seen on Twitter... 

Verily, everyone goes "too soon"... 

the circumstances of the departure, 

sometimes, enhance that sentiment 

due to its outlandish... or ghastly nature. 

Such as this story coming from London, England; 

with the French nanny getting her life snuffed out 

so savagely... so senselessly. 

Evidence that you're never too cautious... 

Rest In Peace 

Sophie Lionnet 

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They paid for what they did to you. 

And they will pay some more ~ 

once they die. 

Reflections On Separation...

When the time comes - suddenly and without warning; or even with warning but all too soon - and it is always too soon, no matter what the circumstances are... When that loved one departs and leaves you behind - lest it is the other way around... What, then?

For those who depart - there is but discovery and bliss; diminished by sorrow, certainly at first - for they did not want to leave like that, abandon their loved ones so soon... so brutally, sometimes.  But then they realize that it is all as it should be - that there is Order in the Chaos. And they let themselves go with it - going with the cosmic flow that will take them back where the life energy that animates them originated from.

For there is no death to energy - you know that, right? Science, even that breed that aims to disprove and discredit other fields of knowledge, cannot deny this: energy displaces itself, but never dissipates entirely - not even at the time of death. Rigor Mortis strickens the corpse as its energy leaves - but it is leaving the vessel, for parts unknown. It is not dissolving into thin air - no.

And so freed from the mortal coil, the energy - the spirit, the soul; call it what you will - it rises and reaches out for the Great Beyond - for the Cosmos Beckons!

But what of those who remain? Remaining "alive" in the sense that we know - here, in the material world.  What of those, then - what of us?

We blog, to make sense of it? We meditate, we read, we study, we talk about it - talking helps the grieving process and the healing one as well...

Deaths come in threes, they say: back-to-back-to-back we lost trios recently - way too soon.

"Avicii" dies so young, at 28 --- days later, it's Bob Dorough who follows through, at 94. In-between the two extremes, the music world lost Yvonne Staples - does anyone even remember her --- hmm? Ultimately, it does not even matter indeed: these three and many others like them are all off to play beautiful music --- in the afterlife! We imagine and presume, of course...

In the "pillars and foundations of our little worlds" category, Barbara Bush passed away, leaving the Bush Clan in disarray - she was certifiably the glue that held it all together, the true leader of that family - a fact that was confirmed by the priest presiding at the ceremony during his eulogy for her...

On the very same day, another funeral for another lady who held her family together through it all --- my favorite aunt, Tia Margarida. Her obituary, written by my dearest cousin, states all that - and more. She -my aunt- was inestimable and her loss is huge for the entire clan as well; alas, the time had come. The hour had been set --- so it is...

Bruno Sammartino completed this trifecta for the Reaper here --- he was, aside from the Hogans and the Flairs of his business, the consummate wrestling professional that held the McMahon Circus together during the couple of decades that preceded the "big TV era" which paved the way for pay-per-view extravaganza, the huge money there was to be made there and all that...

And, ironically enough, I was just wondering, the other day, howcome his was one of the very few action figures that I had left from that era, still on display in my study, somehow...

... along with Bruno, I have Bobby --- a figure to the likeness of one 

Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, 

who also passed away not so long ago... 

Third one left from the collection: Terry Funk. 

He still lives. He was left behind... 

Does he wonder why...?  What do you think?

I really doubt that the new employees of that circus there were truly all teary-eyed like that at the sad announcement of Mr. Sammartino's passing --- I wouldn't really know, of course, as I no longer follow their product, but I highly doubt the veracity of this image right here:

Barbara Bush and Tia Margarida passed away roughly at the same age - but Queen Elizabeth II remains to celebrate her 92nd birthday - and her big royal anniversary is coming up too, celebrated by a new stamp from her, ah, other subjects - in Canada!  (She is still the Queen of Canada - don't you forget it. Canada Post does not...)

Never mind the fact that they appear to be off by one year --- 

the crux of the question here is... when will it end? 

The reign... the title... the life? 

The British have prepared for this for decades - 

as they saw Portugal slay their royals, 

others come and go, accessing their respective crowns 

in various European countries with monarchy still, 

just like the soon-to-be fragmented again 

"United Kingdom" --- as nothing is forever. 

Prince Charles was supposed to inherit the throne 

in the Queen's living years... 

That will not happen now - it was never meant to be. 

What will it be when the time comes... there? 

Each separation brings back the specter of death into our lives --- the daily routine becomes that much more difficult to face as it all takes a semblance of futility all of a sudden; as in "why even bother, we're not going to be around to enjoy the fruits of our efforts anyway!"

We fail to see any sense in any of it, especially when we are in the thick of things --- going through all the emotions, that roller-coaster ride of upheavals, torment and decisions to be hastily made, sometimes - with the consequences looming already right ahead of you...

But life is worth the living; worth the trials and tribulations all on their own merit --- as they are adventures setting us up for the bigger one - out there!  Whether you don't believe in the afterlife or do, it matters not; see, your life energy will move on, whether you think it does or does not. You will be forced to embark upon this "Great Beyond Adventure" whether you believe or do not! And that is the most beautiful part of it all: whether you leave with many points unresolved or not, all will be said and dealt with --- in due time. And your time being set - both here as beyond - as the life energy that animates you is part of a Greater Whole which regulates the entire known and unknown Universe... you cannot escape it. And, as the author of a not-so famous book said, choosing that as the tile of his book... You Cannot Die. 

You do not believe me? That's okay. 

Angels will tell you --- once you cross over, 

into their territory...!

Until then, one of them 

has the exact same message for you 

as she always does...

Those who have died - are not dead. 

And we are alive today - cannot die --- ever! 

Whether it is a good thing 

or a bad one for us 

remains to be seen; 

it is different 

for each and every one of us... 

See you 

in the afterlife!

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Dead Celebs Everywhere

2016 seems to have been the most murderous year ever for celebrities - but that is surely very deceiving. However, that it was devastating for countless fans out there is undeniable: a number of so-called ''stars'' from the music world departed one after the other this year and the pace of it was unprecedented. In rapid succession, gone were Glenn Frey, David Bowie, Prince to name but three and, just when the year was running out and we thought the carnage was over, George Michael as well...? No one expected that - no one saw it coming.

So-called ''stars'' from the film industry also were biting the big one in tragic ways that were unseen until now: how touching is that when a mother passes away about a single day after her daughter unexpectedly dies? Debbie & Carrie, back-to-back: this is enough to cry the whole night until the new year comes through...

Morbid humor will come through instead, however - and that is what this blog is all about; well, in part it is; the other part is a strong belief in an afterlife... But that's beyond (quite so!) the point right now... So the question is this: how far is too far?

On social media, we have seen jokes about 2016 gunning to kill off as many celebrities as it can: it has spawned even a GoFundMe page meant to jokingly ''protect Betty White from 2016...

Betty White is already a certain age - that certain age which, once attained, one cannot help but to think that the end is nearer and nearer each and every day... Why remind her that she ''could be next'' like this...? How tasteless and cruel can one be...?  And yet, some found it very funny...

Even more tasteless was the bit about Ted Nugent, also a certain age, ''found still alive'' and that being ''shocking'' for so many...

The lugubrious blog does not condone such things - and it certainly doesn't want to be confused for ''one of those'' that started doing this back in 2004 and contributed in such a sad process of desensitizing of the masses. Death is a serious matter. Losing a loved one is a horrible experience. Imagine dying yourself, when you expect to have so much more time for all of your... projects and dreams? No one has gone there and come back; not ''completely'' gone and returned to describe... no. We can only see this from our side of things and, seen from here, it is the saddest thing there is.  Of course we have an added perspective: we BELIEVE... there is something else, something beyond this material plane of existence. Debbie Reynolds said, just before dying, that she wanted to ''be with Carrie'' - and she let herself go. She died of a broken heart, there is no doubt about that; the pain of seeing her child die was too much. And her heart stopped beating as well...

Her soul separated from that ball and chain that held her down here for 80-some years... Singing in the rain... Dancing... Performing... She was born to do that, down here, certainly; but she was first and foremost a SOUL BORN IN THE STARS - the true stars, up there; like each and every one of us. So many souls that err, due to conditioning, their surroundings, the material shell (aka the body) that they are ENTRAPPED IN... verily!

And she is free from that now - she is up there. And so is Carrie. Yes.

...as seen on YouTube - look for it yourselves in 2017!

Shortly after her passing, Carrie Fisher garnered quite the impressive collection of tributes, some more moving than others; some a hell of a lot more tactful than others, too! Insipid Steve Martin, a so-called talent if there ever was one, concocted a tweet that further emphasized how much of a twit he really is: he stated that, when he was a young man, Carrie appeared to him as the cutest thing there ever was - and I barely paraphrase. Later, he added, she showed him she had wit, too. OH. WOW. The obtuse old oaf! He objectifies her at first, admitting that all he saw was a pretty little doll when his hormones were raging... Then he maladroitly admits that, in his obfuscating view, she displayed wits ''later on'' - when she lost her looks, right? I am sure the idiot thought he was sharing a beautiful bit there... A truly beautiful tribute would have stated that she was always beautiful and always witty - and that she will be missed, most by those that knew her best... which may or may not have included him! That is not the point though: feminists lambasted him, others thought she was retweeted his bit, if she could do so from beyond the grave...!  NONE saw the problem with his comment: his separation of two Carries: the desirable one and then a mature, witty one...

But to come back (and conclude) on the core subject here: what is acceptable and what is not?

We all know true scum: we know them personally, so we know what they are. Maybe we perceive them as such and they are just like us, in fact: only different shades of gray - there are so many, after all, right? Enough for a franchise of bad movies, at least... But that's another story!

So why can't we push this envelope further than the Ted Nugent bit, seen on social media...?

Why can't we say something like ''NOOOO -NOT CARRIE! WHY DIDN'T THAT BITCH WHATSHERNAME DIE INSTEAD - WHYYYY???'' or maybe something else, like ''Dear Death: next time you wanna target somebody famous or that I know, may you please consider this jerk... and that other blasted wretch... and, oh yeah, pleeeeease, this moron... BUT YOU GIVE US CARRIE BACK NOW!!!''

Why don't we or shouldn't we do that...?

Because... there is Greater Scheme, a Greater Plan than all this - and those whose time comes, though it may seem odd to us and preferable that a whole other bunch bites the dust instead, well it comes to be that way for the best... of those who depart themselves, primarily.

Just ask the Departed... Oh, right, you cannot. (Nonewithstanding any séance that may have claimed otherwise...!)

There is a reason why they don't come back once they have departed...

They like it there better than they ever liked it down here - yes, even Carrie...

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Bereavement In Springfield

As we remain on track to materialize this career plan of ours 

that involves doing voice-over work for bigger and better things 

(of the more meaningful kind - right!) 

and as said plan appears to be more and more 

in the order of ''all those fruitless searches'' 

(as Pete used to sing... And still does - no?) 

we are saddened to hear of the passing of a giant  

in this line of work and industry overall: 

an inspiration... a diva of narration and voice-over magic 

- and another one we will never have the chance to 

collaborate with - ever. 

Hence, all these reasons are good 

to make an exception, once again, 

here, on the lugubrious blog... (1)

70 is still too soon to DIE... in our eyes.

REST IN PEACE, MRS. WALLACE 

Jesus Loves you more... well, now you know!

... couldn't resist it: the temptation was too great... 

To add some songs from the repertoire of one 

MARISHA WALLACE... 

especially a song titled BEFORE I GO... 

to this commemorative post for 

MARCIA WALLACE... 

who, we know, wouldn't mind - at all. 

(1) - as you may not know, or need a reminder of, from time to time (and we sure do post here only from time to time, too, so...) the lugubrious blog has strived to make the Elysium Fields of Dreams of the Afterlife as much the even-playing fields by avoiding to pinpoint any single passing in particular, as if it meant more than any number of the other passings; we are all equal before the Grim Reaper and ONLY GOD Knows who is worthier... ONLY HIM Will pass that Judgment. Until then... well, we reserve the right to pass on to you some educated guesses on who we should truly mourn, of course - but, otherwise, this blog will do things differently than your usual run-of-the-mill necrological listings, online or on paper...   Thank you.  

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Gone Too Soon...

And they shouldn't have
left us at all...

"Rebecca Schaeffer, who played Patti on CBS TV's 'My Sister Sam,' poses in a 1987 publicity photo. The man convicted of stalking and killing Schaeffer in 1989 was stabbed repeatedly on Friday, July 27, 2007 by another inmate in the prison where he is serving a life sentence, corrections officials said." (AP Photo/HO)

LONDON (Reuters) - "This Kurdish woman was brutally raped, stamped on and strangled by members of her family and their friends in an "honor killing" carried out at her London home because she had fallen in love with the wrong man. Banaz Mahmod, 20, was subjected to the 2-1/2 hour ordeal before she was garroted with a bootlace. Her body was stuffed into a suitcase and taken about 100 miles to Birmingham where it was buried in the back garden of a house. Her badly decomposed body was found in April 2006, three months after the killing."




The body of Ali Hamed, who was killed in a raid in Baghdad by U.S. troops, is prepared to be washed for burial in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, 160 kilometers (100 miles) south of Baghdad, Iraq on Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007. U.S. ground forces and attack helicopters killed an estimated 49 militants during a raid on Baghdad's Sadr City Shiite enclave to capture a militia chief who lead a kidnapping ring, the military said. Iraqi officials said at least 13 people were killed, including women and children. The military said ground forces were unaware of any civilians killed in the Sadr City strike, and the vast difference in reported death tolls could not immediately be reconciled. (AP Photo/Alaa al-Marjani)

ÈVE COURNOYER 
(1969-2012) 
Click on the above image
for a voice straight from
the Great Beyond:
Ève singing a lullaby.
Courtesy of
Benoit Rocheleau
from Yamachiche, QC.
and Soundcloud.

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+++ Santo Pai +++

With the precious help of a few key mementos 

-the angels which garnered his casket; 

that picture of his and one of our Lord; 

the framed picture of his patron saint 

the portrait of Our Lady of Fatima

and his very own as well, another one 

taken by me, lo, so many years ago- 

I think of thee today, 

father.

Father's Day will never be the same for me

- without you here.

Although I know 

that you are still here. 

E eu nunca me esquecerei...

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Pimentel - R.I.P.

Two more of our Clan have crossed over to everlasting truth...

Maria Da Graça Pimentel

(com sô 41 anos de idade)

and Bernardo *Bernardinho* Pimentel

Necrologias courtesy of A Voz de Portugal - the only paper I have ever seen put the opening of a brand-new FUNERAL PARLOR as its front page news! The Portuguese know what matters the most... Indubitably. Com toda certesa. 

O Senhor Deus Todo Poderoso welcomed you with open arms, Maria Da Graça - and me, I wish I had actually been related to you... On the photo gracing the necrological article, your smile seems so angelic. That is more than I can say about several of my actual female relatives...! 

(Not in re: their smiles; rather, their angelic attributes - or lack thereof.)

As for B.P. - para dizer toda verdade, it is not quite mentioned in A Voz... But that is not really surprising, though; coming from a branch of la familia that doesn't disclose important news to those that they should, how can we blame them of having failed at the task of properly notifying the local paper too..? It must have slipped their minds...

Nâo se pode dizer nada mesmo.

As with the rest of the departees, literally every single one of those that have been mentioned here, on this lugubrious blog, and all those who were NOT, also, I can only wish this: get all the Answers, the Answers with a capital "A" - now that you've crossed over and finally gotten to the Other Side, to the Great Beyond...

Where everything is possible - where everything becomes clear...

Like R.E.M. sang (relatively) (so) well - tis the only song I truly ever liked from them: "The Great Beyond" indeed! You can listen to it (more than a few times too) on the playlist found at the very bottom of this page; scroll all the way down, do not be afraid!

And here are the words...


"The Great Beyond"

I've watched the stars fall silent from your eyes
All the sights that I have seen
I can't believe that I believed I wished
That you could see
There's a new planet in the solar system
There is nothing up my sleeve

I'm pushing an elephant up the stairs
I'm tossing up punch lines that were never there
Over my shoulder a piano falls
Crashing to the ground

In all this talk of time
Talk is fine
But I don't want to stay around
Why can't we pantomime, just close our eyes
And sleep sweet dreams
Me and you with wings on our feet

I'm pushing an elephant up the stairs
I'm tossing up punch lines that were never there
Over my shoulder a piano falls
Crashing to the ground

I'm breaking through
I'm bending spoons
I'm keeping flowers in full bloom
I'm looking for answers from the great beyond

I want the hummingbirds, the dancing bears
Sweetest dreams of you
I Look into the stars
I Look into the moon

I'm pushing an elephant up the stairs
I'm tossing up punch lines that were never there
Over my shoulder a piano falls
Crashing to the ground

I'm breaking through
I'm bending spoons
I'm keeping flowers in full bloom
I'm looking for answers from the great beyond

I'm breaking through
I'm bending spoons
I'm keeping flowers in full bloom
I'm looking for answers from the great
Answers from the great, answers

I'm breaking through
I'm bending spoons
I'm keeping flowers in full bloom
I'm looking for answers from the great beyond

I'm breaking through
I'm bending spoons
I'm keeping flowers in full bloom
I'm looking for answers from the great
Answers from the great, answers

I'm breaking through
I'm bending spoons
I'm keeping flowers in full bloom
I'm looking for answers from the great beyond

[ REM LYRICS at www.AZLyrics.com ]

Thanks, AZLyrics.com...

Thanks Playlist.com... (I think)

Thanks Blogger!

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