Wow. If there's one person who helped me more than anyone on this board, it was VG. When I would think of how this forum influenced my early teenage years, the first person I would think of is him. And lately, he was the levelheaded one who I always looked to for girl advice...
I don't know what to say. I've been tearing myself apart for the last hour since I've heard. I feel like I've lost a brother. Mark made us all better people by constantly challenging us. Everyone on 5/8 is a better person, in some way, for having interacted with him. I will miss him greatly and don't know how this forum will get along without him.
When I was debating cutting Kristin out of my life because she was to move away in a few months he put it in perspective for me. He told me that if I enjoyed being with her I should be with her while I could. It's a simple way of looking at it but it helped me look at the situation in a better light. RIP Mark.
In a strange way it makes me wonder whos next, I mean a few days ago he was posting fine, living his normal life, and now hes gone.
I remember back in the day when he left (or got banned?) and came back as Alethea. I missed him for the time he was gone then. now it just feels like a part of 5/8 is missing completely.
What the hell? This can't be real... I log on this morning to see everyone with his avatar... then I see this thread... thinking it has to be an elaborate joke after the Kat thing... I'm speechless, this can't be... He was one of my favourite posters. I can't believe this. I just can't.
Ya know, when things like this happen, it really makes you realize how quickly life can end. A 25-year old guy's life gets cut short because one motorist failed to yield to a pedestrian on a crosswalk. How fucking sad is that? Seize the day, indeed.
I really didn't know him that well, but I've been here for all his pseydonyms. He seemed like a good guy and he probably was. This is really sad and it came as a shock when I saw the news on another forum! At first I didn't recognise who it was but when I did, I wasn't sure how to react. My condolences go out to his family.
Type something out...delete it. I'm glad you all bear the avatar, it'll give the illusion that one of the world's great minds hasn't been taken from us, albeit a paltry one at best. He was a kind, aritculate, relentless and thoughtful man, and I feel sorry for anyone who did not get to meet him. Condolences to his family who no doubt know his qualities better than I.
Is this the main board? http://www.projekction.net/phpBB3/index.php?sid=31400f126277a76a4eae63bd03aeb2f9
I still have the card he sent me with 20 canadian dollars in it, as payment for an iPod I sent him. It was a cute little card, it struck me as odd that someone would go to such care for a person he didn't even know.
FUCK. Probably one of my top favourite three or four posters. I just feel like crying now, I only just noticed this thread. R.I.P. Don't really know what else to say, but this has left me feeling considerably empty inside. My condolences go to everyone who knew him much more closely than I did, this must be horrible for them.
There is no official King Crimson forum, as far as I know. I remember when VG made a thread about Robert Fripp responding to one of his comments though. He said it was the best day of his life.
It's weird, earlier today the thought jumped into my head that I hadn't seen him post anything recently. Typically he and I were on the opposite sides of many discussions (in MD, GD, and, of course, P/R). Overall, we probably agreed 30-40% of the time on whatever we were discussing. However, that other 60-70% of the time it could get a bit contentious. The most intense/fierce/ridiculous debate, involving the morality/ethics of downloading music, saw him completely flabbergast me. I couldn't comprehend his position (and still can't) and was extremely frustrated that he didn't agree with me. I'm not going to characterize my response, but basically he didn't appreciate it. This actually caused him to put me on "ignore" for a few days. I remember how I felt when I found out he had un-ignored me (he sort of showed he unblocked me in a subtle way). VG seemingly had no reservations about blocking anyone who he felt didn't offer anything as a poster or who didn't respect him (evening encouraging others to block him with a link in his signature). When he unblocked me it really sent an unspoken message of respect. Not only his respect, but his admission/acknowledgment of my own respect for him. Things like that do not go unnoticed by me and they are certainly appreciated. That being said, this news is certainly hitting me hard. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't feel this much sadness if it had been most other people on this board. Mark came across as a complete human being. He clearly had things to offer the world. He clearly was working towards and achieving many of his goals. I remember being happy for him when he posted about getting into the school/program he wanted. I now grieve for his loss of life. There is nothing fair or just about this. There is no silver lining. This is, plain and simple, a tragedy.
Oh fuck, I can't stop crying. Tomorow I am going to go and buy my first King Crimson album, though I'm not sure when I'll ever summon the courage to listen to it.
When Evan messaged me asking if I'd heard what happened to VG, I figured something bad had happened. I'm deeply saddened that it was this bad. Although I haven't been a member of any of the DT.net satellite communities for almost a year now, a loss like this still hits home. I respect(ed) VG as much as anyone on the forums, and his intelligence is something we can all aspire to. I am simply glad that his girlfriend knew how important VG was to us, and made the effort to tell us what had happened. Although someone going missing on the internet isn't the same as someone going missing in 'real' life, his absence still would have been noted and questions asked. At least we know, and rather than having him fade, we'll be inspired to celebrate what he brought to us. It's not the greatest tribute, but it's as much as any of us can hope for. Rest in peace, friend.
This will sound so dumb, but everytime I scroll down and see his avatar, part of me thinks/hopes it's him, posting as normal.
I have tears in my eyes, this is such a tragedy. I think I've only really just come to terms with this. My sincerest condolences to all his friends and family. He will be sorely missed from this world. Listening to ItCotKC, up to Epitaph.
I still can't believe how much of an impact this is having on me. He was close to me, but I never thought that I would go through the kind of depression that i'm going through right now. I can't make food, I can't write my paper..I'm just....blah.
