Oh man, this is a blow. She was such a strong and distinct personality, and I really admired her and cheered her on. I'm so shocked and sad that she's gone.
Amyparker, much love to you. I remember reading and loving the fics you two wrote together years ago. Two Ladies of Quality, wasn't that your nom de plume? I really looked up to you both as women who were smart and thoughtful and competent and grownup, and who also wrote and read fanfic and had very high standards for it. Something about that was so appealing and exciting to me, that you could be Real Adults who also loved this thing that most people would call silly or trivial, this thing that I also loved. Of course, that was a big part of the appeal of this whole community, but I remember noticing that about you two in particular in the early days.
I seriously was imagining, once clean, I could have a good solitary life like hers, which I so admired.
You can, Sophia, and I believe that you will.
amyparker, you're absolutely not derailing. I am so glad to read your words again, and so sorry that this is the reason why.
I can't believe the shittiness of the FB algorithm, and how it failed all of us. I'm another person for whom Connie was part of the fabric of this community, and who was used to seeing her drop in and out, posting sometimes more and sometimes less depending on everything from fandom to nosy bosses to life stress--and, more recently, posting less often because her offline life had begun to shift and she had more things pulling her away from her screen than toward it.
So I didn't notice when a few weeks went by, and I never saw any posts to or about her but the two that Hec shared with her after she'd already passed. I'm sick and sad and furious, for her and for everyone.
Same. I thoroughly enjoyed the Penna. log post by Hec, didn't notice that Connie hadn't replied but when she didn't reply to Toni's art deco post, I went looking.
I'm wordless still except, what everyone said. Oh she'll be missed.
Java Cat, thank you for looking and letting us know.
Kate P., thank you so much; that anyone else got a kick out of our work was always a source of delight.
Sophia, you had your priorities absolutely in order.
And now I got to anger and unfairness.
"Another thread pulled out of our fraying weave."
Sometimes, when a thread is pulled, it makes the fabric tighter. Our collective love for ours who have gone on can do that.
Like flea and Katrina Bee, I'll be going down to the river tomorrow to burn something appropriate.
I've been thinking a lot about what I remember of conversations with Connie and the heartache that was her life for so long with health issues, and then loneliness. And, perhaps because I am a solitary crone as well, I can't bring myself to feel bad about the short time she had to enjoy the openness that her life became. I'm just grateful that she got there at all.
Everyone's messages here and on FB have brought a few tears today.
There is beauty in that sadness and I'm grateful to be connected to you all.
Yes, beekaytee. I really am comforted in the belief that Connie had found a level of contentment and even happiness with her life after long struggles. That does help.
