Remembering Lord Manwoody

[Ser Camaris]

Professor MICHAEL WHINCOP

12/12/1968-25/6/2003

So, it has been 11 years. Wow. it's hard to believe that. There are most likely many more people on the board who have no idea who Lord Manwoody was than there are those who remember. Time passes, things change, that's the way the world works.

But, it is a measure of the man Michael was that even now, over a decade after his far too premature death, that he still comes up in conversation whenever the BWB gathers, when us old fogeys talk about the "good old days". There is even a memorial lecture named in his honour.

He has not been forgotten.

I wonder whether he would still be on the board were he alive? Would he have watched the TV show? What would he have thought? Would we still be touch?

I am sure that, were he still a mod, that Michael would have handled the influx of new faces with his usual equanimity, his grace towards those who did the right thing, his acerbic wit deflating those who pushed the boundaries of the rules that govern this wonderful community.

Death freezes people in a moment of time. It means that those who remain have to be careful not place them on a pedestal, or claim them for themselves, or impsoe their own ideas on ideas and desires on where that person's life would have gone.

I try not to do that. I try not to put words in his mouth, or claim ownership of his legacy, or pretend that we were closer than we were. That's not why I do this every year. It's because I believe Michael is worth remembering, his life worth commemortating and this is my small way of doing that.

I don't know what Michael would be doing now, or where he would be, or how he would feel about whatever is going on in the world here and the world outside. I hope we would have still been friends 11 years on. I hope he would have been happy for all my successes and given me persepctive on all my failures. He was good at that. All I do know is that I miss him, and I remember him.

For anyone who wants to know more about Michael, you can read his eulogy here. I don't know if anyone knew Michael fully, he was a complex man, but it is a start.

Tonight, when I get home, I will be raising a glass of Laphroaig in his honour. I hope I will not be alone, that across the world, across timezones, that others will be doing the same. He wouldn't want sadness or melancholy, in fact he would probably be impatient of such things, and with this post. He would much rather people enjoying life, and good Scotch, I think.

There is a song that was getting a lot of airtime around the time I heard about his death. For that reason, whenever I hear it I always think of him. That, and the fact that the lyrics also have a meaning that speaks of loss and sorrow. More importantly, they speak of the promise that death is not an ending, and I hope that, as the song says, one day we will meet again. Until then, we will not forget you, Michael.

"Into The West"

Lay down
Your sweet and weary head
Night is falling
You’ve come to journey's end
Sleep now
And dream of the ones who came before
They are calling
From across the distant shore

Why do you weep?
What are these tears upon your face?
Soon you will see
All of your fears will pass away
Safe in my arms
You're only sleeping

[Chorus]
What can you see
On the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea
A pale moon rises
The ships have come to carry you home

And all will turn
To silver glass
A light on the water
All souls pass

Hope fades
Into the world of night
Through shadows falling
Out of memory and time
Don't say: «We have come now to the end»
White shores are calling
You and I will meet again

And you'll be here in my arms
Just sleeping

[Chorus]

And all will turn
To silver glass
A light on the water
Grey ships pass
Into the West

[Gertrude]

Beautiful, as always.

I didn't know him. I joined the boards right after his passing and knew him only through the memories of others. This was in my early days of internet forums and this event impressed upon me real sense of friendship and community the internet can create. So I will also raise a glass in remembrance of Lord Manwoody and the people who still honor his memory.

[KiDisaster]

Being a floob I obviously never knew or spoke to the man. Despite that it's very touching that 11 years later you continue to honor his memory this way, he must have been a truly great person.

I wasn't going to drink tonight, but I'll raise a glass for Lord Manwoody as well.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

Rest in peace Lord Manwoody.

[Lyanna Stark]

RIP Lord Manwoody.

Michael was an amazing person. Sparkling wit, an intelligence that awed, thoughtfulness and sharp barbs all rolled into one. Above all he was a very kind person and he is dearly missed. I am glad I got to meet him and spend time in his company.

[KAH]

Rest in Peace, Lord Manwoody.

[Whitestripe]

Rest in peace, my friend. I think of you often.

[Xray the Enforcer]

RIP Lord Manwoody.

And all of the love and grace that the world can provide to you, Ser Cam. I am so grateful that I've gotten to know you over the years.

[Relic]

Cheers, MW. Hope you are resting in peace.

:cheers:

Thank you Cam.

[Tears of Lys]

I would have liked to have known him. I somehow think I would have been too reticent to engage him, though. "Towering intellect" is something I admire, but find intimidating.

If the worth of a person's life can be judged by the impression they made on others, then your friend's life was important indeed.

[Prince of the North]

Rest in peace, Lord Manwoody. And thank you for the remembrance, Ser Camaris.

[Raja]

Rest in peace, Lord Manwoody.

[TrackerNeil]

Thanks for this, Ser Cam.

[The Notorious]

Thank you Camaris for the remembrance of Manwoody.

[King Tyrion I]

I didn't know him, but he must have been an awesome person indeed.

I'll also raise a glass in his honor.

RIP.

:cheers:

[Whiskeyjack]

As always - very well said, Ser Camaris.

[Lyanna Stark]

I would have liked to have known him. I somehow think I would have been too reticent to engage him, though. "Towering intellect" is something I admire, but find intimidating.

That was the thing though, he was very easy to engage with and had a gift for making people feel seen and heard. Despite his own formidable intellect he wasn't intimidating in that way, quite the opposite. It was something quite rare. :)

[1918me]

He was before my time, but it's clear how much of an profound impression he's left on the board. RIP, Lord Manwoody.

[Tears of Lys]

That was the thing though, he was very easy to engage with and had a gift for making people feel seen and heard. Despite his own formidable intellect he wasn't intimidating in that way, quite the opposite. It was something quite rare. :)

Are there any surviving posts floating around in the ether? Maybe on EZboard?

I've naturally seen him remembered annually as long as I can remember being a "boarder." And I've always been curious and wanted to know more.

[Gillio]

I didn't know him, but I feel the loss of him from what Cam and others say of him.

RIP Lord Manwoody.

:cheers: