We had so many conversations about Octavia Butler, and she was the only person I'd met that really dug the hell out of her.

Oh dear. I'd been thinking ita has reminded me of OEB: a brilliant and fierce black woman with head trauma passing far too soon, leaving me bereft of so many words I wanted to read... Of course she'd read those books.

Wish I could bring boxes and help pack. I am sure everyone will so appreciate getting mementos from her estate.

I love the idea of some of ita's more valuable items going toward the charity.

I keep going over to where WtVPPLtL sits on my shelf, and opening it up to random pages, ita hunting. Sometimes I cry, but mostly I am so grateful that Allyson took the time to document the growth of this place, and its builders.

Um, so my boss just sent me this [link]

(she had asked ita's name earlier)

WOW!

I was this close to making it through the week without crying at work too.

yeah.

I only hope, when it's my turn(Hopefully far from now--this isn't foreshadowing, people) I have a quarter of the reach that she did.

Oh. That's. Yeah. Thank you for linking it.

That is beautiful, and stunning. And... gah. It's not just us, and not just her family. Everyone who knew her wants to make everyone who didn't know about it and wish they had; we all just want to grab everyone and say, "Look. Look. Here she was. Her she is. How unlikely is she? But she is."

The combined prettiness of the hair of everyone in ita's apartment shimmers with the light of a thousand burning suns.