Thursday, November 25, 2010

Best wishes,,,

I hope the video works.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeK_aAWjmfw

This is my last post here at the Grip and there are a few things I need to say before I go.

I’m indebted to many people here. I’m grateful that I was ever invited. I’m grateful for the sense of family that the Grip provides. And I’m grateful for all the commentators who are kind enough to take time out of their busy schedules to make us bloggers feel as though what we’ve got to say has been worth reading. You wouldn’t believe how important some of those comments can be to a writer’s confidence and self-esteem. Thank you. Considering I’m writing this on thanksgiving, it’s ironic that there is a lot here for which to be thankful.

I truly wish I could continue writing here at the Grip. However, as the saying goes, wish in one hand and shit in the other, and see which fills up first. I don’t need to participate in that experiment to understand that wishing won’t help me to any great extent.

I’ve got one or two things happening in my life right now. Things that are making my existence ‘interesting.’ I’m using the word ‘interesting’ here in the same sense it’s used in that fabled curse, when some bastard wishes you a life lived in ‘interesting times.’ Well, at the moment, my life is distressingly interesting. I won‘t bore you with the details. The bottom line is that it would be imprudent to carry on blogging at the moment when there are other aspects of my life that seem to be redefining the word ‘crisis.’ However, I’m reassured by the words of the truism: what doesn’t kill you only prolongs the inevitable.

I believe that Mike Kimera is going to be filling in the Thursday slot from next week. I do hope regular readers will make him feel welcome. I also hope no one will mind if I occasionally visit when circumstances allow because this is one group of friends with whom I want to remain in contact.

And I’m going to sign off with a poem from one of my favourite poets.


A Dream Within a Dream
by Edgar Allan Poe

Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow-
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.

I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand-
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep- while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?

Best wishes to you all…

Ash x

14 comments:

  1. Ash,

    You will be missed. I've enjoyed your posts so much, but I do understand how life tends to get in the way of things like blogging.

    I am a long time fan of Poe's work and appreciate the poem you selected.

    I wish you all the best, and hope for a favorable outcome of the challenges you confront.

    Craig

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  2. 'Distressingly interesting', 'crisis', and 'prolonging the inevitable' doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun, but I hope you do find lighter moments, and find ways of dealing with the challenges.

    I don't comment a whole lot on here but I've enjoyed your posts over the last few months, since I found this blog.

    Best wishes for the future.

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  3. Hi Ash!

    I'm sorry to hear you're going through some rough times. I hope things get better. It would be nice if life would leave us more in peace to write or paint or whatever we do, but its like that for all of us. Please come back often and stay in touch with us. Be our guest blogger and jam with us. Don;t let us forget you. Thanks once again for the book reviews too, I've always appreciated it.

    Happy trails Ash.

    Garce

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  4. Ash, I'm so sorry things are going badly in your life. I'd dared to hope your moving on might be for happy reasons (and I wrote the introduction to my piece that's going up Saturday from that hopeful perspective—so I apologize if it rings false). Please accept my deepest wishes for a speedy and thorough improvement in your situation.

    You're a great writer and a great guy, and please let me know if there's ever anything I can do for you.

    hugs,
    Jeremy

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  5. Ash - I'll miss your posts here. I hope this doesn't presage your disappearance from other lists. Even if you have to drop out of the writer's sphere for a while, know that you'll be welcomed back the second you return.
    Best of everything to you, because you deserve it.
    (let's see - hugs are out, so are kisses, so how about a firm handshake and wink?)

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  6. One of the reasons why I'm going to miss the Grip so much is because you people just make me feel so special.

    Thanks to all ofyou for taking time out of your thanksgiving to comment. It's much appreciated.

    Craig: Thanks for the good wishes. I've enjoyed reading your insightful responses and comments. It's good to know we share an affection for Poe.

    Fulani: I'm hoping the lighter moments come too - they're long overdue. Thank you for the good wishes.

    Garce: I will always be happy to come back and jam with the OGAG crowd. Please make sure there's a microphone stand waiting for my return.

    Jeremy: I didn't think there was anything your post that rang false. And I asked you to be my final guest blogger here because the respect I've got for you is pretty much echoes the words you said about me. Thank you.

    Kathleen: I want hugs and kisses. Stuff the handshake and, unless you mistyped that final word, I don't really want a wink either ;-)

    Best,

    Ash

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  7. Ash - I wasn't aware that was something one did to/for another person.

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  8. Ash,

    As one of the long time readers and past posters on the Grip, I've got to say, this place won't be the same without your special brand of insightful mayhem. I do hope whatever Distressingly interesting crisis that's affecting your life passes quickly and to your liking.

    Take care and I wish you all the very best.

    Hugs

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  9. I'm so sorry to hear that you won't be posting here any more. I have long enjoyed your ebullient wit and found every one of your posts interesting and refreshing. You will be missed - I hope you'll be back. Best of luck fighting the RL demons.

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  10. The place won't be the same without you. If there is anything I can do to help you get through those interesting times remember I'm just up the road. Friends in need aren't always a pain in the ass.

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  11. Kathleen: that's what friends do for each other ;-)

    Jude: Thank you.

    Justine: If the team here will have me back, as soon as I've vanquished RL, I'll be back with a vengeance.

    Tracey: Don't be surprised if I take you up on that offer. I've got your email address.

    And I've got to tell you all. I've genuinely been moved to tears reading through these mails today. This means I'm either menopausal (which is a possibility) or I've overlooked the fact that there are some beautiful people here on the Grip and I'm lucky to have made such decent friends.

    Best,

    Ash

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  12. Ah, I've known that song for years and always liked it.

    It is/was because of you that I started visiting the Grip regularly, Ash, and it has been a joy and delight to read your words each week.

    I hope it goes without saying, but even so I'd like to say anyway that I wish you all the best in all situations in your experience now and always.

    Thanks for everything.

    Xoxox,
    Em

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  13. Em,

    I first came across this track on an episode of Buffy. It moved me to tears then, and has always been one of my favourites ever since.

    I'm pleased you found the Grip because of me, and I trust you'll still be reading and occasionally contributing when circumstances allow me to return.

    One of the many things I'm going to miss about the Grip is the chance to exchange thoughts and ideas with this era's greatest phenomena: friends I've never met.

    Thank you for the good wishes,

    Sincerely,

    Ash

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  14. Ashley,

    XOXOXOX

    Don't be a stranger!

    Hugs,
    Lisabet

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