On transitions

Hi Carrie,

This has been in my "drafts" folder since Greg passed.  Not having had a chance to know Greg directly, I hesitated to send it.  With love, this is for you and Phil and your family.
 -Bob


With transition, there is fear of what lies ahead,
and grieving for what we have and cherish.
There is anguish and there is growth
and some day, when the painful dust settles
of reaching for a hand you can no longer touch
and of seeing the smile that you can still see
and the constant reminders--the favorite meal, song and artist,
the conversations that ended and will end prematurely--
when the painful dust settles, there are gifts,
immeasurable treasure of memories, love,
and the legacies that remain.


We are with you in this time of loss and sorrow.  With sadness, courage and support, we are with you.

Eulogy for Greg, with love, Carrie

Greg was 42 years old, but lived like a 28-year-old: He and Frankie had bee married for less than two years, and only in their most drunken moments had they discussed the possibility of kids. He was an avid feminist and socialist-leaning leftie who loved lesbian folk rock, drank tall glasses of milk daily and never turned down a piece of berry pie.

Greg called shirts "tops" and wore them, unabashedly, in shades of pink and yellow. He was a closet Madonna fan, a closet Catholic, and, like the good Canadian he was, a devoted fan of curling. Greg loved, like the good Brooklyn tech-geek-hipster that he was, Facebook, Dodgeball, NYU's student tech exhibition, MOMA, Scrabble, picnics in Prospect Park , hipster bars, dive bars, crazy parties, live music and, most of all, dancing.

Greg danced, as one close friend so aptly put it, "like no one was watching." And that was how he lived all of his life. When he indulged, he did so in style, drinking until he'd closed the bar and everyone else had gone home. He'd periodically splurge at Barney's or somewhere in Soho . He was inclined to wear oversized wool sweaters in an homage to his Canadian roots. His and Frankie's house was filled with Canadian candy bars, as he insisted that American chocolate was shit. He loved milkshakes and hated peanut butter, really, anything with nuts in it, but peanut butter especially.

Greg collected people, usually displaced ones, and made them feel immediately at home with his generous and self-depricating manner. It was one of the reasons why he had such a devoted following at the hospital: All of Greg's close friends were considered his family.

Greg never picked a fight on his own behalf, but would defend the underdog at whatever cost. He spent a year in Ghana teaching computer literacy as part of his passionate belief that access to knowledge can help people create better lives for themselves. He worked at BN.com, AOL.com, and, strangely, the government of Qatar . Greg had just been accepted into a Masters program at Columbia , specializing in international human rights, which he would have started in the fall. He could be supremely generous, openhearted and kind -- and he could also be snarky, in the gayest of ways. Greg Sewell was funny and fresh and loved.

We miss you, Greg. Come visit us sometimes in the early morning hours of sleep, when we're most open, and we'll catch up. You've all kinds of new things to tell us about where you've been.

With great love.
CSB

Photos of Greg

Donations in honor of Greg Sewell

Dear friends,

For those who have asked, donations in honor of our beloved Greg Sewell may be made to Millennium Promise, a community-led development project aimed at helping rural African villages lift themselves out of extreme poverty.

All donations in Greg's name will be specifically earmarked for a cluster of six villages in central Ghana, where key initiatives include bed net distribution to combat the spread of malaria; training farmers in agricultural techniques; constructing and renovating health clinics; and providing safe water.

Greg spent a life-changing year in Ghana as a volunteer, teaching computer literacy as part of his passionate belief that access to knowledge can help people create better lives for themselves. His experience in Ghana set him on a course of volunteer work and galvanized his commitment to helping others less fortunate than himself. In September he would have started a Masters degree at Columbia, specializing in international human rights. Please help us continue Greg's work and his dreams of a healthier and more peaceful Africa with your kind contribution to Millennium Promise.

To make an on-line contribution in memory of Greg:

1. Visit the Millennium Promise website.
2. Mark the box, "Check if you would like to make an honor or memorial gift."
3. Once "memorial gift" has been selected, please enter in Greg's name in the space provided.

To make a donation by cheque, please make cheque* out to Millennium Promise and send to:

Millennium Promise
Attn: Cassandra Ryan
432 Park Avenue South, 13th Floor
New York, NY 10016

*Please add "In memory of Greg Sewell" in the memo line.

If you have any questions, please contact our friend Mattie Kennedy.

With deepest gratitude at this time of our incalculable loss,
Frances
(Wife of Greg Sewell, also known as Frankie)

Your great sorrow

Dear family and friends of Greg:

 

I was deeply saddened this morning when I read Carrie's eloquent letter, forwarded here by Sally Bancroft, and then learned that Greg died on Saturday.  What an overwhelming loss.  Greg couldn't have been very old, and certainly he must have fought mightily to make it through his devastating illness.  Perhaps the energy and loving thoughts of those who prayed for and pulled for Greg will help his survivors endure the pain of his being taken from you.  I am so very sorry.  Bart and I learn each day that our lives are perilously uncertain, and we give thanks for this time allowed us to love our friends, families and each other. 

 

Carrie and Phil:  We send our love and deepest condolences to you and the rest of Greg's wonderful circle. 

 

Love,

Lynn Holaday

---

Planning your summer road trip? Check out AOL Travel Guides.

Greg's Facebook Profile

kindness

Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.

What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
the passengers eating maize and chicken will stare out the
window forever.

Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness, you must travel where the
Indian in a white poncho lies dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you,
how he too was someone
who journeyed through the night with plans and the simple
breath that kept
him alive.

Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside, you
must know sorrow
as the other deepest thing. You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.

Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day
to mail letters and purchase bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
it is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you every where
like a shadow or a friend.

--Naomi Shihab Nye

light a candle for Greg tonight

For those of us who can't be at Greg's memorial tonight, let's light a candle at home for him this evening, and maybe get some yellow flowers and a pie in his memory.

It's been hard to be far away - each of us alone in front of our computers - but I know we are connected by our feelings for him, and for our dear Elena.

Adina

hi from toronto

hi to frankie, and greg's family. this is sarah (katherine) here in toronto. frankie, we met at clive's wedding. i'm the singer/songwriter that has worked with clive over the last years to create the music that greg was such an awesome supporter of.

i was lucky enough to be back in touch with greg just before he got ill, he sent me your beautiful wedding photos frankie, and it was great to hear his latest plans - his happiness with his life came through so strongly in his writing.

want you to know my thoughts are with you.

sending love

sarah

Dear Greg

Dear Greg,

Certainly your time with us was way too short. It is beyond me to ask
the reasons why but more to deal with the "what is". What I do know is
that Phil and Carrie loved you deeply and unconditionally and you will
always be with them. I hope that you can visit them often and enjoy the
things they love with them...I am sure you will be with Phil when he is
out fishing, especially at Long Pond where you two had the chance to
spend time last summer revisiting those happy times of fishing together
as kids. Imprinted on my memory is the moving delivery of yours of the
Shakespeare sonnet at their wedding; I will never forget that. Please
know that Frankie will always be welcome in our home, here in Cumberland
or at Long Pond.

I hope you are happy wherever you are and that you will help us know
that in unexpected ways. Thank you for sharing yourself with us, if ever
so briefly, and for being part of Carrie's life. May you be peaceful and
feel the love that has been surrounding you these last few terrible
weeks. Sally B.

message to Greg from Estelle

Hey Greg, thinking of you on the yellow scooter heading out of BusyInternet. Sending Ghana sunshine and love your way. Estelle

Greg

Dear Greg,

 

We are praying for you and your family.

 

Monique Marcker

get well

hey greg...ruth here from many years ago.
elena told me you're sick..
she started with "you remember my friend greg..."
of course i remember you.
i STILL think of you everytime i was my glasses at the kitchen sink!!

i was out at grand bend yesterday, on lake huron, and played in the sand a bit
here's the message i sent out..surrounding you with love and healing rays...

please be well,
xoxox ruth

For Greg

We are all sending our good thoughts and strength to you Greg.

Greg! Our beloved Greg!

Dearest friends and family, who have been so incredibly supportive in an unbelievably difficult time:

I am devastated to say that, after 13 days of fighting for his life, we have lost the battle: Greg Sewell went into cardiac arrest at 12:10pm today and died within minutes.

Words really cannot express what we're all experiencing at this moment. Please hold us --especially Frankie, Greg's wife -- in your loving thoughts and prayers. We are all in shock.

Greg, thank you for staying with us for as long as you did. Come visit us sometimes. And don't forget to tell us how great it is wherever you are -- it might help us make sense of why you had to leave so soon.

We love you, Greg.

greg

Hello there
I'm a friend of Jill Riley and Kathleen Olmstead in Toronto.
They both sent me some info on Greg, and the condition he is in, and
just wanted to send this email and all the positive energy I can
muster.
It sounds like Greg is an awesome person, and very wonderful friend,
and I just want to extend many many heartfelt virtual hugs to a
complete stranger, as I know everyone everywhere deserves the power of
a hug.
As cheesy as it sounds, its the best thing for the soul!
Take much care, and I will keep thinking positive thoughts for Greg and
all of my friends of friends in brooklyn.

:)

Dear Greg...

...you don't know us, but you are certainly on our minds - we are friends of your friends, and we understand that you are in need of all the positive thoughts and love that you can get right now.

 

We'd like you to know that there is an incredible number of people who love you and need you to be strong and get better. Just the amount of love in the notes that we've seen tell us that you are a wonderful person, and we'd really, really like to meet you someday. So please stick around.

 

We are sending healing vibes and prayers your way right now, and we won't stop until they reach you.

 

Know that your are truly and deeply loved.

 

Your friends,

 

Kelley and Andre

HK is routing for you

Hey Greg, Hello from Hong Kong! I wanted to make sure you know that there are a few billion people in the eastern hemisphere routing for you too. Just to give you a sense of the depth of support, I took a little stroll around my neighborhood this morning and took these photos. As you'll see, almost everyone I bumped into—my dry cleaner, the guy at Starbucks, and even the asshole who owns the dumpling shop on my corner (a.k.a. the dumping nazi)---asked me to send along their love and support. Seriously, you're bigger than Yao Ming over here. However, I also stopped by the Chinese temple behind my apartment, and frankly, some of the idols and statues there seemed pretty pissed. They've definitely have had enough of these "I'm so sick and weak" shenanigans and they really want you to get your ass out of bed. But they also reassured me that they've got a lot of the Eastern deities—Buddha and his homies ---working on your case and sending good qi, karma etc. your way. Tonight I'm going out for drinks with the Hong Kong curling team. I'll let you know if they have anything more to add. Love, Jane

Hang in there!

Hi Greg,
When I think of you, I have two vivid memories. The first is of you in a dark bar, in the middle of the night, dancing up a storm, wearing an ugly shirt. Though I think that's probably a combination of hundred nights swimming together from back in the day.
The second is of a night at the Jersey Shore (no, I'm not quite sure what either of us was doing there) when you and I were part of a splinter group that headed down to the beach, also in the middle of the night (you may or may not have been wearing an ugly shirt--that I don't remember). Anyway, I didn't realize when I took off with you guys that you were planning to go swimming at the beach. Did I mention it was the middle of the night? Anyway, we get to the beach, you strip down to your skivvies, and off you flee into the black abyss of sky and water. "Oh no! What is he doing?! Is he out of his mind? Will he be okay?" I panicked, as I watched parts of you flop and flail in the waves. Friends of yours who knew you much better than I did just laughed. "Oh, Greg will be okay. He's gotten himself into and out of much worse than this!" And so that's what I think of now.
Pull through, Greg. I know you can ride it out and I know you'll be just fine.
You and Frankie are in my thoughts and prayers.
With much love,
Francine

Greg,

 

There’s a yellow Vespa in Accra, Ghana with your name all over it.   OK, so it has a coat of red busyinternet paint all over it now, and it has a few dents and bruises, but it’s still your VESPA and we want to see you riding it again one day back here.  We’re thinking of you, and hoping very much that you hang in there, and get better soon. Best wishes from Mark, Chris, Divine, Estelle and the team in Ghana.

 

 

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mark Davies  +233 244 366969  GHANA

www.tradenet.biz   |   www.busyinternet.com   |   www.openmarkets.org

 

message for Greg

hi Carrie --

I'm a friend of Frances. Our mutual friend Danielle gave me the info for sending a message, which is below.

All love,

CAAF

Dear Greg,

We've never met, and yet I want so very much for you to get better!

I met Frances two years ago at Danielle and Andy's wedding. It was a joyful occasion, and Frances and I made friends in two seconds flat at the rehearsal dinner, which is, I think, the fastest I've ever made friends with anyone since kindergarten. Then, as you will remember, Frances set off last summer to Martha's Vineyard and we played at the seashore with Danielle. You were mentioned many, many times that weekend. I have heard so many stories about you, Greg. I know how dry and funny and smart you are, how good you are, the great affection you inspire in your friends, and how very much Frances loves you.

So it may seem strange to say, but yesterday afternoon I was thinking of you two. I was at the library, a very Frances place, and my thoughts flitted ahead to how I might get to see her in New York later this year and how that might be an opportunity to finally meet you, too, and how nice that would be. It was soon after this that Danielle called to tell me how ill you are.

My good thoughts are with you, Greg, and with the family and friends who are so worried about you. I am sending you strength and will to draw on. Hang on, come back, rest and be well again. There are so many people who love you -- and so many more waiting to know you.

Love,

Carrie Frye

a little TOO convenient

Well Greg, apparently the DaVinci Code threat didn't work. I'm a bit surprised. I figured the thought of Dan Brown going ad infinitum in your ear would make you jump up like a daffodil in springtime!

Think I've sussed your little scam though!

Let's take a little stroll down memory lane, shall we? This time last year. Somewhere in the middle east, surrounded by arabs with their rakishly adjusted headwear. Me with my mojitio, you with your overpriced champagne cocktail. "Gotta enjoy the good things in life" you said. (I have my doubts that being fed through a tube counts as a good thing, i may add!) I was doing my best to avoid attracting too much attention to the flood of tears streaming down my face. I'd heard while I was at the airport that Allen had taken a turn for the worse. His white cells were falling, infection was increasing and he was no longer responding to his antibiotics. His lungs were failing and they had to put him back on the breathing tube. I was a complete and utter mess, you were calm and comforting.

You told me how proud you were of me for standing by him during his illness You said how lucky he was to be surrounded by family and friends like me. You assured me that he could feel the love and support around him.

So it all seems a little TOO convenient that a year later you are now in the same situation!!! The jig is up Mister! I know you are just in this for the attention! Well you've got it! Everyone is suitably freaked out. You've got people from all over the world focusing all their good thoughts and positive energy on you. You have a blushing bride who could probably REALLY use a good night sleep in her own house, in her own bed with her own husband. You can now get away with anything short of murder and all people will say is 'Oh well, I'm just glad he's alive' for at least the next 5-10 years! Buck up, cowboy, snap out of it! You've milked it for all it's worth, time to go home now. Time to get back to the all the 'good things in life'

K?

Love you

Laura xxx

Sending you lots of love, Greg

Dear Greg,

As I told Frances today, I am looking forward to the look of wry bewilderment pass over your face sometime in the near future when I tell you that today I held your hand and whispered a few sweet nothings to you. I also relish the possibility of sending in the Wau Wau Sisters, resplendent in clown-porn mufti, with flowers and a song-a-gram of dubious taste as soon as you are sitting up in bed and ready to grin your full grin.

Get better, luvvie. You are young and strong and have so may many people who love you dearly. Frances loves and misses you so much. I am sending you as much power as I can to stay strong, let yourself rest and heal, rest and heal until you are ready for the next step. But get back here for the wonderful days you have waiting for you once you are through this terrible thing.

I am picturing you and Frances coming to visit us in the summer. Frances and I drag you and Andy to one yickety place after another--dusty bookstores, ridiculous teashops. At the end of the day we go to the beach and you dive into the ocean and go under and come up cold and wet, shivering and laughing and laughing.

Much, much love, Greg,

Danielle

The World Cup is a few months away...

Greg, Matthew and I are thinking of you constantly. We know how tired you must be, but: take your energy from all of the people who love you and need you to get well. And Greg, the World Cup qualifying matches are only a couple of months away. England drew a pretty good group. Have you been following it? I figure Croatia will be the big competition, but maybe 2010 will be the year England doesn't embarrass themselves. I'll make you a deal: you get better, and the beers for the first England match are on me. And I won't argue with you about dentists.

I've been praying for you, Greg, and I'll keep praying. There are candles burning for you in London and there will be as long as we wait for good news.

Love, Molly

Greg: Special Delivery

Greg, sweetie,

Yeah. Listen. About this whole "sickness" thing you've got going on. Nobody likes it. Seriously. You gotta cut it out. That's enough now.

And when you get well enough, we'll tell you all the crazy things we've been doing in your honour while you've been "out." Like a few days ago, I went to Le Notre and ordered an Orange Mechanic because it reminds me of you. And also because, as you know, the word "mechanic" always makes me a little hot. 

Admittedly, it isn't my favourite drink. But I drank it for you, baby. All for you. And as I did, I imagined that it wasn't me drinking it, but you. And that as it moved from your mouth to your throat, down to your stomach, it was taking with you all the healing energy of all the sunshine in all the land.

Indeed, I've been sending you all kinds of healing energy. And not just in the abstract. I am really quite specific about it all. I've developed the kind of process that only those who are both distraught and unemployed can come up with. It involves a very clear mental image I have of you lying in the sun at the Ritz (getting progressively pinker, as I recall). I summon up that image, and then I turn my hands into two of those really cool showerheads that "rain" the water down. And muster all the white light I can from within me, and from all over the Universe, and I rain it all over you, baby. Slowly, deliberately, starting from your head and moving all the way down your body until I get to your toes.

And then when I am finished with that, I tuck into your chest cavity and give a special bath to your lungs, imagining that I am delicately massaging them with white light until they are healthy and happy and pink.

In my mind, when I am done, there is a slight smile on your lips over there in your hospital bed.

Val thinks I am crazy. But even though you are out cold, I see that you are sending me stuff back. Thanks to you, I've started practicing yoga again. It had been about 10 months. But I could see as soon as I started with this rainshower business that I needed to summon a great deal of concentration, and I could only think of one way of getting there. So I took my dusty mat out of the corner.

I needed a reason to go back. And you gave me the most compelling one I can imagine. I feel a bit like you are saving me, lamb. And I hope that I can help do the same for you.

Keep up your antennae up. There are special deliveries of love and strength and wellness coming your way. Everybody is working on making you better. You don't have to do this alone.

Let's lick this thing, shall we? And then…then there will be dancing.

I love you,

Sandra "Boom-Boom" Kahale

A web of love for Greg

Greg,
I don't know you, but you're my fellow human being, and dearly
beloved of my friend, Carrie. Do I need to tell you how precious life
is? I think not, as you are fighting for it with such tenacity. Do I
need to tell you how many people love you, and how much? Surely you
can see that. The love of those closest to you has extended to form a
giant web, pulling in me and others who haven't even met you. The
love is very powerful, it surrounds you and it asks you to keep on
living. The world would be poorer without you, and you have more
living yet to do.

So come back to us, don't go away. You will make many people deeply
happy. Come back, and maybe I'll get to meet you one day. Come back
and play and live and love more.

We are all pulling for you.

With Love,
Anne

Gregory, my dearest friend

I have been talking to you all day long in my head, now it's time to put a few thoughts down here for someone to share with you. That someone better have a nice calm reading voice because there's a whack of messages here for you, all posted over the last day or two. I am going to thank all those who've posted because I know it is comforting to all of us who are in need and it is making a difference. I am so glad to know how many people out there in the stratosphere understand how just special you are and how much we need you with us. 

Greg, you'll have to forgive me if I can't be witty and wry. I know you love me anyway even though witty banter is not my strongest attribute, especially when I'm just the teensiest bit terrified. I'm here to represent the "I've known and loved Greg for many years and he's an intimate part of my very being" crowd. We've been a bit silent on this blog, mainly because many of us are holding vigil at your side, and anyway we are busy working hard to embrace hope and quell our fear.

I don't have to tell you what you mean to me, dear sir. You know already, and I spent an afternoon recently reminding you of every possible detail of our friendship that I could remember. It took a long time and had us on adventures in several continents, to beaches and mountains and concerts and many too many seedy bars to list… You can thank Clive for that trip, by the way, since he had just told me about some study he'd read about the effects of memory-sharing on the brain activity of unconscious people.

Of course it would be Clive who could walk into this situation with a waft of obscure knowledge that he enthusiastically pulls out of his mental pocket at the right time. And speaking of him, I want to let you know, he and your brothers are doing a good job managing all the somewhat alarming medical information and parceling it out carefully where it's needed. He's processing what this strange turn of events means to him, and he's been very brave about pouring his heart out to a few of us while trying to make sense of it all. It's quite impressive really. But Greg, you know, he is someone else who really truly needs you. Kirsten called it a "bromance" between you two which made me chuckle. 

You are entirely irreplaceable to all of us in the Team Greg – Old School Division (and to many many others) my dear boy and we need you to wake up so we can tell you more about it. I'm sending out all the light and love to you my rusty old heart can produce. Hang in friend. 

Elena

(and the next post is from me too, I just got a bit weepy at the end and forgot to add my name)

 

Get back here, Mr. Sewell!

Dear Greg,

It's Elise Vogel here. I'm pretty sure the last time I saw you was a
year and a half ago in the fall, I think; I was sitting on a bench in
the ball field at the corner of Houston and Sixth Avenue watching my
friends' kids run around after school; it was a lovely afternoon. You
were walking west along Houston and stopped and gave me a quizzical
look through the chain link fence and asked me what the hell I was
doing there.

So, now it's my turn: What the hell are you doing there?

Remember the margarita party we had in the office back at the old B&N
office? I brought the harvest gold Osterizer blender from the beach
house into the city; The Captain and I set up the bar on what would
one day be Leighton's desk; Mark Haggarty and Jamie Barnett made
appetizers called "Heavenly Mallets" -- marshmallows on toothpicks!
-- and we all drank and laughed and built a weird, wonderful family
out of the brilliant bunch of people that made up the early days of
bn.com. We all were so incredibly lucky to have been thrown together
in that weird little maze of carpeted cubicles! Now we all seem to
be gathered again -- here, for you, demanding that you get your butt
back to us so we can throw you party. All you have to do is show up!
I'll bring the blender.

Sure, you and I have been a long time out of touch, but I'm telling
you right now that we need you here. Please get better. I'll be
thinking of you and praying.

Love, Elise xo

Carrots and showtunes

Hi again Greg, 

Leo happened upon a book tucked away in the backseat today. It's called The Carrot Seed and I thought it might be a good one to share with you. Its colour scheme is mostly yellow, and that's the sunny colour I associate most with you. It's about a boy who just keeps believing in what he can do when everyone else says he can't. In the end he gets a giant carrot that's strangely pinkish in colour (so it must be a very special heritage variety and will probably win him 1^st place at the NITTYGRITTY-BRAMACHINGWINGDING or whatever that particular highlight of the Bramalea social calendar is called).

 Here's the text. You kind of have to picture whimsical drawings of a determined little boy in overalls to go with it.

A little boy planted a carrot seed.

His mother said, "I'm afraid it won't come up."

His father said, "I'm afraid it won't come up."

And his big brother said, "It won't come up."

Every day the little boy pulled up the weeds around the seed and sprinkled the ground with water. But nothing came up.

And nothing came up.

Everyone kept saying it wouldn't come up.

But he still pulled up the weeds around it every day and sprinkled the ground with water.

And then, one day,

A carrot came up,

Just as the little boy had known it would.

 

Ok, so that's a little story from Leo for you.... I read him Olivia tonight and we dedicated it to you. By the way, he wants you to know that "a night train is one that picks up the people waiting at the station at night" and that "a lamppost is a lamp that you sit on". 

Greg, everywhere I go, I hear ridiculous songs that you have belted out at one time or another, particularly in the morning. I hope someone manages to tune your radio to an appropriate station (I couldn't get the reception), or maybe brings in some Bonnie Tyler, Pat Benatar, Sinead, Madonna or old showtunes. 

I remembered a story you told me about a long train ride in Europe, back before we even met. The train was packed and you had to stand for hours. To pass the time you concentrated on trying to remember all the lyrics to Meatloaf's Paradise by the Dashboard Light. And you can probably still recite them. (Of course we also once attempted this as an ill-fated karaoke duet at the old Gladstone but enough about that evening!). 

I think that you should try this trick now to help get you through this uncomfortable and challenging situation. Pick a great ballad and concentrate, I know you'll get through it and finally remember all the words. I am waiting here with baited breath to find out what you pick and hear you sing it start to finish.

I love you Greg.

WTF, over?

Greg,
FoF (Friend of Frankie) looking forward to you beating this thing. I know you can. Please let me know what if anything I can do.

Adam

Adam McKeown

a few thoughts from Canada

Dearest Greg,

We are so sorry to hear that you have been ill.  We have thought of you and Frankie so often since our visit with you last year. Our vacation there was wonderful.  Remember, we brought you some of your favourite cookies - President's Choice something or other!  When I'm out shopping and pass the cookie section, I often smile and think of you and Frankie.

We are well here.  I don't know if you know, but we are adopting another little girl. Her name is Mariah. She is ten months old and we have had her since she was six months old.  She is not a private adoption like Maggie was.  We are working with the Children's Aid Society. Her birth mother is mentally ill and a drug user; Mariah is her fourth child that has been taken away.  We are hopeful that the courts will work quickly and make Mariah ours permanently soon, as we are only fostering right now, with a view to adoption.  She is an absolute gem and fits into our lives so well.  Maggie is both nasty and lovely (sometimes in the same breath) as only siblings can be.

Bryan is still teaching grade three and loves it. He and his class have recently visited a sugar bush and gathered sap to make their own maple syrup.  They have been boiling it for days on end and should each get a teaspoon of a taste by the time it has boiled down to real maple syrup. I told him Aunt Jemima makes a good syrup, but he is persistent in doing it the hard way!

How is Jake/Puff Daddy? The first time Bryan and I met Jake was when Frances was living with that chick on College Ave. (What was that girl's name? She was very pretty in a sleek, Audrey Hepburn meets Mary Tyler Moore kind of way) Anyway, back to Jake. Frankie started to tell us that she was looking after a friend's cat and dragged, literally dragged this thing out from under her bed. We couldn't see a face at first, just a gianormous fuzzy caterpillar body. She turned him around and we were sort of silent for a moment. Then Bryan said, "Frankie, you aren't babysitting a cat, someone's left you an owl." Enter Jake/Puff Daddy.  Frankie must have really brought the best out of Jake, because the next time we saw him, he came slinking (very timidly and quietly, mind you) out to us!!!

Frankie, remember when you lived there you were addicted to that great computer game, "Titanic"?  Did you know I bought it later and STILL drag it out now and again to play it? (Okay, I haven't done it since we've had kids - as I would just like to sleep and well, really just sleep when we have spare time now) I loved that game.  

Our girls are very busy. Maggie will turn three this month. She is stunningly beautiful but can be a real buggar. Her vocabulary is immense, she's precocious, and she wears clothing for a five year old, so people are always guessing she is older than she is.  She has just had her first ballet lesson.  She was the youngest little girl there and clung to me for the first half, but then managed to go over to where, "Miss Alee", the teacher was standing. Miss Alee wanted them to listen to the music and dance however they wanted. The music was from Beauty and The Beast (of course - a room full of bloody pre-school princesses, what do you expect?) Well, Maggie just stood there, clutching her bunny, Michael (he goes everywhere Maggie does) and watched other little girls dance like little fairies and princesses, in awe. In fairness to Maggie, she had never seen ballerinas dance. So when, half way through the song, she started to gyrate like something out of Saturday Night Fever, with her eyes closed mind you, who could keep a straight face??? All of the other parents started to look at me and giggle. I have NO IDEA where she picked up this kind of dancing, with her shoulders dipping and diving to the the beat and her hips moving alternately! It wouldn't have been so bad if she had done it faster, (and with her eyes open) but she did is slowly! I was mortified. She, however, loved it and is dying to go back next Wednesday. Bryan will be taking her.

Listen Greg, we miss you and look forward to another visit soon. Please, please take care of yourself. Bryan told me after our last visit, that he has never seen Frankie looking so great/happy/content. Between you and I, I don't think it's Jake. 

Much love and talk to you soon,

Lynn, Bryan

Maggie and (for her debut to the bibby smith family) Mariah

Goddammit

GREG, what the fuck? Stop fuckin' around and get off your ass and get
rid of this thing. You fuck.

We love you.
Jamie

Like a Crazy Foreigner

Hey Greg,

Ron here.

I've been singing to myself the soft low mantra of pies and pink shirts and milkshakes that I promised I'd write for you as a sort of Australian songline.

In Melbourne and in Sydney I've tried to repeat it for most of my walks (I refuse to say walkabout), and plan to be singing it in Brisbane and even Warnambool (that is if youre not fully recovered by then).

I hope you realize that it makes me come across as an insane mumbling foreigner here and that along with my bad Aussie accent these people don't need another reason to punch me in the face.

Be strong, get better, and I'll teach you the song when next we meet in NYC or Toronto or hell for that matter we can come back to Warnambool.

BIG LOVE to you.

xo,

RJH

 

Nacho Libre candle in your honor

Hello, Mr. Greg-Man:

I share a camp with Ms. Mattie and Mr. Joey. Lovely, lively, light-filled people. Mattie's sent her letter of your "now." And so I send you my love and good good thoughts for your now to be a better place filled with all good things and people who love and need you.
Lighting a Jack Black Nacho Libre candle in your honor...

Nancy

things you should know

Greg,

Chantal’s Mike here.

Neil from Brooklyn pointed out you are a Newcastle fan, so I thought I should bring you up to speed. Keegan finally did it. After a long run of set backs Newcastle have turned a corner and thrashed Tottenham 4 -1. A stunning display.

When you turn your corner, you’ll have to come up to Toronto and come to a Toronto FC match – our team is shite but the fans are incredible. A lot like all your fans.

You and I have not had much chance to get to know each other yet, but Frankie picked you and that’s all I need to know.

I am not a religious man by any stretch, I haven’t seen the inside of a church in years… but I have had a quiet word with the man upstairs for you.

You have our love and strength.

can't get you out of my head and heart

Hi Greg,

This is Jessica, Carrie's cousin on her dad's side. I have been trying to think of just the right thing to say, and I am finding it hard to think with my head, its all in my heart. I think we have met before, at least at Carrie and Phil's wedding, and also the 4th of July in Portland. The thing is, I have read the blogs and clearly you are loved and adored. I want you to get well and to do all the things people want you to do with them. I love Carrie and Phil not just as family, but as really good friends, and I know how much you mean to them both, so that means everything to me as well. In my heart I am sending all the light and love I can for you. I am talking to gods and goddesses I havent called upon in a long time to rally for you. Even though we have only met a few times, I can't get you out of my head and heart, so that must mean something.

Be well.

Jessica

a girly yellow

hey greg. it's sarah sternberg. sarah rosell. same thing. i miss you! the last time we saw each other was for an afternoon walk in central park to see the gates. i was pregnant with nina, and you thought that was neat. we haven't seen each other since then, but i think about you often. dan and i still laugh about you accusing him of only liking the color battleship gray, after he teased you for painting your apartment a girly yellow. you will be happy to know that our bedroom is lavender, and dan did the choosing! please summon all your strength (your battleship gray strength!) and get through this. there are so many people who need you, me included. even though we've been out of touch, your friendship is very important to me. you make me giggle better than any girlfriend i've ever had! please get well.

Will you sign my official Greg jersey?

Hi Greg,

Neil from Brooklyn here.

I read the entire blog this evening. I've never been compelled to read an entire blog before, so this is actually saying something. Let me tell you, that sucker is long, and there's no pictures, either. It's just an endless string of messages from everyone you've ever met, saying that they - and everyone they know - are pulling for you. And it's one of the most miraculous things I've ever seen.

I did notice a severe dearth of sports metaphors, however, so you must be craving one by now. Here goes:

Three years ago, Liverpool FC were in a massive final with AC Milan. (Now I know you're a Newcastle boy, so forgive me – remember: it's a metaphor!). Anyway, Milan was heavily favored to win, and in the first half they ran riot and scored three goals. No one had ever come back from three goals down in a European final. But Liverpool did. They tied the game in regulation, fought a goalless extra time, and won on penalties.

You are Liverpool. You're down 3-0. But it's only half time. The game's not over yet. You have the equivalent of a 60,000-strong army of fans who have complete and total faith in your ability, desire, and determination to win. We've all got our official Greg jerseys on. Some of us have Greg scarves. Four guys have your name painted on their chests. We're all hoarse from chanting songs about you, but we're not going to stop until you beat this thing.

Neil Harris
Friend of Phil and Carrie

For Greg

Dear Greg,

All the old B&N.com folks are pulling for you, as you’ll see from the posts on your blog. I just want you to know how many people remember working with you so fondly, and we are all thinking of you and your family today. Please keep fighting! The Grand Army Plaza Farmer’s Market is about to start getting the good stuff again, the trees in the Botanic Garden are starting to flower, it’s about to be time to start rollerblading in Prospect Park again, it’s a glorious time to be living in Brooklyn. I’m hoping with all my heart that you’ll be able to enjoy it. We’ll all be waiting and watching for good news.

Kate Zeman

Hang in there, Greg!!

Greg - Hi. This is Frost Keaton. We used to work at barnes & noble.com. And strangely enough, I go to school w/ your sister-in-law Carrie and have become good friends with her over this past year.

So I feel a bit like I'm in bizarr-o world right now. First off - I had no idea that my friend Carrie SEWELL-Bancroft was any relation to you whatsoever. That's Shock #1. Shock #2 is to then put all these pieces together and figure out that I actually know the person in these heartfelt emails she's been writing. Shock #3 is to read your blog and see all these people write about you that we used to work with. Wow! I would so much have rather re-connected with everyone over better circumstances...but I think your full recovery would be just the circumstance that would make these reconnections stellar!

I know we didn't know each other all that well back in bn.com days. But I certainly remember who you are. I think the first time I met you was at a party at Sarah Steinberg's place in the west village. That must have been about 10 years ago. How's that for a time warp?!?! But now due to all these strange random turn of events I feel like I have a much closer bond to you.

So listen - you've got to get better. I know you will. There's so much energy pouring out through these postings putting positive healing your way. It's been so great hearing all these wonderful stories about you - and reading from all these old friends of ours. I would love nothing more than to hear how you made a full and speedy recovery, and celebrate it at some old watering hole like the Art Bar with you and all our old bn.com colleagues. That would absolutely rule! Make that happen!! What a fantastic reunion that would be!!!

I know you'll pull through, Frost

Like this book I'm reading these days: Can't Stop, Won't Stop.

 Carrie and Phil -

Eleanor informed me over the past couple of weeks of the health problems Greg is facing. As peculiar as this situation is and getting words of support from strangers, I wanted to send you a small note, make a sign and wish the best for Greg, Frankie, both of you, and all the other friends and family members facing this situation. I hope that you don't forget how meaningful the support network you build through days for Greg and everyone around.

I sincerely Greg to recover soon, all of you to spend more brilliant and inspiring times altogether.

Take care,
gael

pizza

hi greg,

it's kelly, a friend of phil and carrie via neil, my fiance. i met you a couple of times and i remember your voice being the same as phil's. and i remember taking a photo of a text message on your phone at lucali - the amazing pizza place in carroll gardens. i thought i might entice you with a memory of that perfectly thin-crusted, brick-oven pizza. that night our pizza had onions, peppers, basil, and some impeccably placed garlic all over it. i think another pie had crisp pepperoni and was steaming when it arrived at our table. i think we all stuffed ourselves that evening, but in a good way.

there are pizzas waiting for you back here greg. you need to come back and enjoy them, with your family and with your friends who all need and love you. i hope we can share a pizza when you do. i am thinking of you each day.

kelly

what the...?

Hi Greg, Jen Moyse here. I don't know if you'd remember me from the bn.com days except as the one who redlined all your copy and then argued with you about it later. I think it's crap that an illness is the instigator here, so I won't thank you now for making me a better editor...I'd much rather do that in person. In any case, one of the things I vividly remember about you is that you are *not* a guy to back down from a fight (in the best way, of course). So get that stubbornness in gear, muster up everything you've got, and kick this thing, please! You barely know me, but I simply insist that you get up off that bed, out of that room, and back into the scene so I can come visit, reconnect, celebrate your cleverness, and marvel at the *massive* amount of friends you have clearly collected. Yes, it's a deal: I will fly 3000 miles, ply you with food and beverages, and even apologize for bad copy edits just for the opportunity to say hello. So get up, please. xo Jen

Jeez louise, Greg!

Greg, it's Jen Jarett. (I'm putting my name at the beginning, because I'm under the impression that these notes are going to be read to you, and if you don't know who's saying stuff until the end, it will have to be read to you twice, and I'm not that great of a writer to warrant that.) So what's up? Oh, I kid. I've heard some of what's going on, and you sound like you're in worse shape than the day after we crashed that bn.com party that was held in the office, and we were all way too hungover to go into work and instead had breakfast at L'Express and went to Central Park and just lay in the grass and stared up at the clouds. You probably don't remember this at all, but I still have The Black Box, the All-New Cockpit Voice Recorder Accounts of In-flight Accidents that you gave me. I came back to my desk one day and it was sitting on my chair. I tried to figure out who might have given it to me, and you weren't at the top of the list because our friendship was pretty nascent, and you had so many friends already, I figured if you found such a gem, there's no way I would get it. When I found out you had given it to me, I was thrilled not only that you gave me something, but that you gave me something that so many people would have loved, but you knew just how much I would appreciate it. I can still remember you reading aloud from it, and the vigor with which you sang, "Whoop, whoop." (I'm not supposed to pretend that you don't have a dark, twisted, and wonderfully sarcastic sense of humor just because you're in the hospital, right?) I haven't opened the book since that day, but I've kept it all this time because it was a moment that made me really happy. And you haven't given me anything in so long, you have to get better so you can do so again. That's right, this is all about me. But even if I wasn't looking for another gift, I'd still want you to get better, so please do so, and soon. Love, me

dance like nobody's watching

Hey Greg, it's Jen Riddell, the artist formerly known as Jen Stallone of the New York party scene, but now known as the relocated and permanently harassed mother of young twin NYLON boys!

 

One of the first images that springs to mind when I think back to when we first met (back when you worked at Barnes and Noble.com), is the time you had a 'dance off' to settle a disagreement! Do you remember that?? It makes me laugh to this day. Over the years we've had a few chances to dance into the wee hours of the morning after too many drinks and they've always been so fun.. So light. People always say you should dance like nobody's watching—I'd say you have taken that philosophy to heart and you help all who are around you do the same—and that is a gift. One of many, Greg.

 

You bring so much to this world. Even though our contact is pretty much based on the odd quip or sentiment on facebook now, your words are always intelligent, thoughtful, innovative, creative, and/or last but not least, funny.  

 

From your 2 paragraph lesson for me to understand why Obama will be better than the Clintons to your telling me about the son Linus, that you and Frankie have created, you are a treasure in this world- a rare jewel.   

 

Please don't leave us, Greg. You are an inspiration in so many ways. We need you. The world needs you.

 

We love you.

 

Jen Stallone Riddell

Peter's Circle

Carrie's note: The following email was sent to me in response to a request for prayers and love for Greg today. I've also included responses from the Circle that Peter mentions.
__________

Dear Circle of loving and life affirming friend and colleagues,

This may be the most dire time for Greg. Your most powerful, loving, prayers are needed now, again, and onward so that Greg can turn this corner.

We must use all our resources. I shall use all mine and I will join with you. This is the crossroads, I assure you. Perhaps not the last, but for now, the crossroads. I will be with you, totally, in heart, soul and prayer.

Love,

Peter Yarrow
__________

Response 1:

My name is Randall and I am one of Peter's Circle. My home is on the west coast, but I am writing from Philadelphia, where my parents live. A little less than two weeks ago, my 82 year old father was rushed into emergency surgery. I was on the first flight out. The prognosis was not good. I will spare you the details. He will be discharged tomorrow and is making a full recovery. The list of things that could have taken him was long. It also didn't matter. The circle came with me and I have not left his side except for a daily shower and change of clothes.

I am and we are now with you all and Greg. You will feel the energy. We will hold you both in our loving embrace. We will pray for and with you. We will provide strength, a shoulder and a warm touch from a perfect dream.

Breathe us in.

Love,
Randall

_________

Response 2:

You don't know me....I'm part of Peter's Circle...and I'm fully opening my heart to Greg and will embrace him with all my energy and love. May his path thru this darkness be bathed in the purest light.

Chad

_________

Response 3:

My name is Paul Kehoe...I'm a friend of Peter's...and work on the PP&M website doing email, The Coffeehouse and also archiving for PP&M. I'm also a member of Peter's Healing Circle..and proud to be part of it...Greg is in my thoughts and prayers...and please know that I'm keeping you both in my mind...sending healing vibes and encouragement.

When Mary Travers was fighting leukemia, I organized the get well books for her ..that included over 10,000 email messages from friends and fans all over the world.. a healing prayer/meditation was organized for a specific time and kind, caring people all over the world were generating loving support and healing prayers and energy to Mary...I have witnessed the power of this kind of concern...and it's amazing...The Circle is supporting and providing this healing energy to Greg and keeping him buoyed in thought in prayer during this very difficult day.

Greg and Frankie are in my thoughts and prayers and although the situation is scary and uncertain, this new medication could very well be the answer to turn things around.

We've never met, but the Circle is like a family...and you're close in my thoughts.

Best,

Paul Kehoe
____________

Response 4:

I am a member of the healing circle that Peter Yarrow created. I am honored to participate in the healing process for all those identified who need our support. I am a nurse and have been privileged to study with those healers who were among the first to recognize that healing can take place at a distance. We are coextensive with the universe that is infinite and there are no boundaries. I have practiced therapeutic touch and mediative healing at a distance for more than twenty five years. I started at a time when the belief was that it could not be done. It is now recognized as powerful and effective.

I have been sending Greg love, light and power to heal by sending therapeutic touch and meditative healing at a distance. I will continue to do so during my waking hours.

You are not alone. The members of the healing circle are with you in spirit and include you in our thoughts and prayers. Take a moment to close your eyes, take deep breaths and cleanse your mind of fear, despair and hopelessnes. Gather those unpleasant thoughts and send them out to the universe. Replace them with love, hope, peace, light and power to make it through a difficult time. You are not alone. I join you in doing everything in my power to help Greg at this difficult time. I send my love, healing energy and prayers to you .

Mary Madrid

__________

Response 4:

Dear Carrie,

Infinite love and wishes of complete healing are flowing to Greg and his loved ones. Our hearts are with him in his time of need. May all the turns be for the better. May he heal and be well for a long and wonderful time.

Love,

Sherrie from San Francisco

Thinking of you Greg

Hey Greg.

A name from your past, and ironically a co-worker of Frances'. It is true what they say about it being a small world. Actually, I can remember being out one night with a bunch of people and you were telling me about your girlfriend and how wonderful she was and how lucky you were to have found her and my thinking wow, this is what true love is. And when I finally connected that Frances was Frankie a few years later I couldn't help but recall that night and think how right you were. Greg, a night on the town with you was nothing short of non-stop laughs and tomfoolery. I always chuckle when I think of that summer down the shore when you insisted that you just had to go for a midnight swim and dance on the rocks. Do you still have that scar on your head? You're a crazy card sir. One that needs to stick around.

Fight!

Prayers and positivity going your way,

-carolyn brown

Keep it up, Greg!

Greg,

Phil and Carrie are new friends of mine out here in Seattle.  I got to witness the joy and excitement they showed before and after your visit here this winter.  I could see how much they love you and how happy your presence made them.

I thought of you as I walked to work this morning.  The sun rose pink and hazy over the mountains.  Even with the spring sun it was cold and I could see fresh snow on the foothills.  I love that feeling of cold air on my face, warm sun on my back, and the sight of white snow glowing in all shades of pink and peach. 

Those are the mountains that you, Phil, and Carrie skied in together a few months ago.  It made me laugh to think of the three of you cruising the emptied slopes, stuck up there by the snowed-in freeways - the envy of every skier in the state who was stuck on the lowland side of the road closure!  That's the good life!!

I know you're fighting hard to make it through.  I can imagine how tired you might feel.  I want you to know there's a lot of energy and love mobilized to help you be strong and beat this thing.  I am pulling for you.  And so are many, many more.    I hope you can feel us all sending strength your way.  Please, Keep It Up!  I'm looking forward to seeing you out here next time you visit.  

All my love and strong, healing energy,

Laura

Nothing says "Spring" like the smell of kerosene, charcoal and sausage

Hi Greg,

I don't believe we've met, but I am married to Carrie's cousin Brooke.

I'm from California, and I've been living in New England for over six years now.  To this day I still have friends and family asking me questions like, "So do you like it back there (i.e. When are you moving back)?" and more often, "How can you stand the weather back there?"  The weather question in particular always gets me.  On one hand I am annoyed that it is all people think about, knowing that Boston has so much more to offer than just varying weather conditions.  On the other hand, it is in some ways analogous to what I love about life in general...

After having lived in Southern California for seven years, I can certainly understand why people wish they could go to the beach in February.  I, however, really love the change in seasons, and can't even imagine living without that ever again.  It evokes many more feelings in me than having a standard 75 degree temperature and sunlight throughout most of the year.  While Brooke hates it, I actually enjoy when the biting winter cold and snow start to come around.  And what I love even more is the first week in April when I begin to realize that it is all going away soon :)

I was sitting on my couch last night and turned on the Red Sox game (a day game in Oakland being replayed on NESN), and it all of a sudden hit me that the home opener is only several days away.  And, despite the rain today, I heard it is supposed to be sunny and in the high fifties this weekend!  Now, by Southern California standards, that's freezing, but I will likely be wearing shorts for the first time on Saturday (assuming the forecast doesn't drastically change in the next few hours, which it is apt to do).  I am so excited to breathe in refreshing spring air, smell a few neighborhood grills lighting up (hence the title of this post), and see my entire street turn green as the leaves fill in around the bare branches.

I'll be thinking of you in two weeks as I settle into my grandstand seat with a beer and watch a few well-hit balls fly over the Monster.

Get better.

Jeff Larimer

Get well

Dear Greg,

 

It's been many many years since we worked together at bn.com but I'm hoping that you won't mind me chiming in here to say that I'm thinking of you and sending all the good karma I can get my hands on your way.  When we worked together you always had a great gentle way of standing up for what you thought was right - the right thing now is for you to get better, like fast.  

 

Nothing but the best Greg,

 

Brenda Marsh

 

 

stay with us Greg

Just received the hard news about your condition. I haven't seen you for about 10 years since you moved from Toronto, but I remember you clearly as a principled, ethical, dedicated and fun person. We can't afford to lose you Greg, not so early. Stay with us. Keep fighting.

Lots of love from Galway, Ireland.

Your old comrade,

Shannonbrooke Murphy

Not on our watch

Au contraire young Greg!

This “I don’t think I’m feeling so good today” is getting incredibly tiresome, so it’s time to set the record straight on where this is all going to end up.

First, here’s just a little reminder that I sat in the airport for 36 hours waiting out a weather delay to make sure I got to your wedding, then with 100 of your closest friends sweated through the blast-furnace heat that was your mid-summer backyard nuptials – all in a black suit no less – in order to make you and your bride the happy campers that you were.

So don’t think for a second that you are going anywhere until I have decided you have repaid that debt in full.

So, my boy, all of this sick nonsense is no longer your decision to make. Myself, the New Yorkers, the Canadians, your family, the incredible Frances Gilbert, and a close personal friend I like to call “we don’t really care what you think plus you’ll get a big time ass whooping if you disagree” have decreed that you are soon to be going nowhere but home to your TV set, to be healthy and happy and loving.

Nuff said? Thought so. Wanker.

Love from,

Everyone who needs you around, including me.

Steve McCormick

Get better, Greg!

Hi Greg, it's Maria. You know, you've been on my mind lately...in fact just
last week I was at Art Bar and I was thinking, man, it's about time I call
Greg and make a plan to have some cocktails. So please hurry up and heal!
And I am keeping my schedule clear for your recovery celebration. You are in
my thoughts and prayers.
Lots of love,
Maria

Unreasonable Reasons

Hi Greg,

This is Cullen. We only met the one time, at your brother Phil's wedding to Carrie. We all had a great time that weekend. In particular, I remember laying out on the docks with you and your two brothers, just before the ceremony.

It was one of those improbably nice days that you get in Maine in September- the trees are starting to turn and the air has dried out, but the sun is still warm and strong.

We all stayed up late the night before, sitting around the campfire after the wedding rehearsal. Sometimes you just hit those pockets of time when you're content to sit and do nothing. The lake was quiet and empty. We were all just laying about, sometimes idly speculating about the future, comparing rent-controlled apartments or trips we'd like to take or you and your brothers would tease about childhood memories.

That was one of those golden moments in time- improbably calm, since we were all supposed to go put on monkey suits and marry off Phil. But there it was. No time, no worries, no fears. Just warm sunlight on a rickety old dock.

Carrie tells me that maybe you can hear these messages, maybe you can't, who knows. You do, I suppose.

If nobody else told you, Carrie is working really hard to try to rally support for you. Heck, you've got your own blog. I wouldn't be surprised if she has corporate sponsorship lined up by the end of the week. If you wake up with a "Doritos" tattoo, well, now you know why.

It's exhausting, no doubt, for her and Phil and Frankie and the rest of your family to sit there and clench various bits that can be clenched, aching for *action*. Aching to *do* something. Aching to help you.

The curse/blessing of this fascinating modern age is we are drenched in information, yet little better equipped to make use of that information. For example, I know your vital stats than the manager of the Yankees does for his starting pitcher. (Incidentally, lets work on that O2 absorption rate, eh? Spring training is almost over.)

But, what do you think of all this? Where are you right now? As a homework assignment, Carrie has emailed basically everyone you know, and asked them to send good thoughts your way. To be honest, I'm about as spiritual as a Magnavox remote control manual (in spanish), but I gave it a try.

Here's what I got: I saw a golden buddha on the other side of a mirror in a cave. Somewhat disturbingly, Buddha turned into Shiva and we arm wrestled. (I know what you're thinking: Just like Patrick Swayze and Sylvester Stalone the classic long-haul trucker anthem "Over The Top" Yeah. It was like that.) Lucky for me, it was a a draw.

Metaphors aside, what is it like being you right now? Are you staring in a mirror right now? The people around you love you, and they're scared. Scared of losing you, scared of death itself, scared of the unfinished business that only you can complete. I'm probably not supposed to say this, but Carrie told me that she actually feels guilty because she made a snarky comment on your facebook profile. Hah! Isn't that awesome? I bet you'd laugh.

How about you? Are you scared? Do you have unfinished business? I wonder what you're thinking about. You Sewell boys run pretty deep. I hope we can sit on a dock again, someday, and you and tell me what you think.

Good luck Greg. Your family & friends need you.

-Cullen McGough
Friend of Phil and Carrie
Maine

c'mon man!

greg! this is olli chanoff - the last time we spoke
was in wxou (you were there with maria tahim) i don't
know, 5 years ago? we had a nice conversation and were
both drunk enough to part ways promising to get in
touch but without actually exchanging contact
info..... or maybe you planned that? well, it was good
to see you then and i'd like to see you again. the
world is a better place with you in it. i know plenty
of people who see you as infrequently as i do who
would agree with that. i'll look forward to attending
your complete recovery party, which will no doubt be a
lavish and titillating affair.

get better greg, and be well. i'll be thinking of you.

-olli

hi!

Hi Greg:

It’s Jamie Weisman Brenner from bn.com.

I just had lunch with Kate Murphy Zeman two weeks ago and she told me you got married, etc.

I told her that I always think of you as the staunch defender of the singer Jewel’s poetry. I think time has born out my assertion that she’s a hack – sorry to say I told you so.

Listen, get better soon. We’ll celebrate with a little bn.com reunion. Brett Leveridge can host. (He isn’t aware of the impending party, but I’m sure he won’t mind…)

Love and best wishes –

Jamie Brenner
jamie@artistsandartisans.com

To Greg

Dear Greg,

I'm a friend of Carrie's from school.  I am holding you in the light.

This is a Quaker practice, and I hope you can visualize it as I do. 

You are wrapped in the light of the universe, a light that connects you with all people, and especially with those who love you and are praying for you right now.  This light is a healing light, that fills you up and is giving you energy and strength during this difficult physical battle.  This healing light is keeping you here, anchored to the love of this earth.  This light will not let you go. You are surrounded by a web of light that holds you up, that connects you with people you may never meet, and shares their energy and love with you. 

I hold you, and Phil and Carrie and all those who love you in this healing light, and send you my energy and love.

Love,

Julian

(no subject)

Greg - This is Doug Clegg. You've got to get through this, come out of this, so I can see you walking down the street and reading a book at the same time. You're a presence the world needs, New York is out there with all its adventures, and you can get through this and come out fighting. Life is good, and we want you to keep being part of it.

 

Hang in there, think of all you want to be part of, and when you're up and around, we should stage a B&N.com reunion to celebrate. Get that body working for you, you'll come out and write or create some new, important internet tool, share a lot of laughs with friends and loved ones, and this will all just be a blip on the screen of life later on.

 

I know you'll come through, Greg.

 

Best,

 

Doug

---

Planning your summer road trip? Check out AOL Travel Guides.

Love and wishes to Greg

Greg, hang in there. We love you and can’t imagine this world without you. You need to come back – there’s so many wonderful things here to experience, and you’re much too young not to experience them all. I know you’ll be feeling much better any day now and be able to enjoy everything this world has to offer.

 

Love,

 

Matt Schwartz

 

Much Love from California

Dear Greg,

Greetings from sort-of-sunny San Francisco. While you have been
sleeping, I went and became a Californian! Well, almost -- I haven't
gotten my California drivers' license yet, but I did get my library
card. One must have priorities.

I was so glad to see you and Frankie for dinner a few weeks back. I was
especially glad you could meet my folks and spend some more time with
Jon, who thinks you're awfully cool. You also made a big impression my
dad -- the next day he called and said, hey, that Greg fellow is great!
I think that once you are back on your feet, he would like to take you
golfing. Both he and my mom send their best wishes for your recovery.

Speaking of your recovery, let's make that happen soon, ok?! San
Francisco is really lovely, but it suffers from an insufferable LACK OF
MY FRENS. Jon and I have plenty of room, and we can't wait to host you
and Frankie here in the city by the bay. The only downside is, it will
never, ever get hot enough here for you. But please get well and come
visit soon.

In the meantime, please hang in there and heal. You are getting such
excellent care from your doctors. You are getting an absolutely
enormous and moving outpouring of love from your friends, family -- even
from people you haven't met. Frankie in particular has been just
incredible, and I hope you can feel her strength and are proud of her.
Your friends and family have been there for you both 24/7, and you
should be proud of them too.

Frankie misses you very much -- we all miss you so very much -- so get
better fast, so we have the pleasure of your conscious company again.
We love you, and we need you to be well.

I'll write again with news from the Left Coast -- in the meantime, take
care, please know Jon and I are thinking of you all the time, and
sending lots of love and light back East directly to you in Brooklyn.
And we are both looking forward to flying out soon for your big, epic,
blow-out recovery party.

Much much love, from Kristen

closer than most

Greg, I am the partner of your brother's wife's cousin...I think that gives us four degrees of seperation, so I guess we're closer than most. We must have met at Carrie and Phil's wedding, but it's probably fuzzy for both of us. Nevertheless, we share this link of family, and I think, of the great joy and luck of having real friendships with family members. I love Carrie and Phil, and even better, LIKE them both so much--and so do you. How great is that?? Right now you need to remember that rich pleasure, that depth of connection, and try to return to experience it again and again and again. The web of love and friendship and goodwill that surrounds you will be badly torn if you leave; but even more importantly, think of how fantastic it is to feel yourself a part of that web! I hope hearing these letters from friends far and wide, from loved ones and people you've never met, reminds you of that and gives you determination to return. I'm thinking of you daily, and looking forward to the time when we get to meet again.

Best wishes, love and hope, Rebecca

Love to Greg and Frankie

Dear Greg,

We have only met once, 2.5 years ago for a lovely brunch with you and your amazing wife Frankie, who is an old friend of mine from Milton .

My husband Dave and I wanted you to know that you have an abundance of love and positive energy being sent your way for a speedy recovery. We both are very much looking forward to seeing the two of you and sharing some laughs and good cheer the next time we are in New York .

Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Much Love to you and Frankie,
Cheryl Masterson & David Wells

sending good wishes your way

 

Greg,

 

I don’t know you, but I do know your sister in law, Carrie from school. I want you to know that I am praying for you, wishing your body the strength to repair and heal, and channeling a ring of fierce light that you may be able to hear the birds, see the tulips, and experience life in all its messy, lovely ways.

 

Michelle DePass

MBA Candidate, Bainbridge Graduate Institute

 

Greg, Greg, Greg:

I just wanted you to know that Ruby B. & I, each
morning while we eat our Cornflakes, declare, "We love
you, Greg!", "We love you, Greg!" I have everyone I
know sending all their biggest, boldest, brightest
wishes to you, our dear Greg in Brooklyn.

You should know that the love for you extends far and
wide - the support from F.O.G. has been nothing short
of miraculous. Just know that you, my dear boy, are
much loved, much admired and much adored.

On that note we are sending an truck-load of adoration
and love and hugs and kisses and milkshakes for
breakfast from this, a very rainy Toronto day.

love and cherry pie,

Jill, Ruby B. & Einstein

get well wishes from a fellow Canadian

Greg,

Haven't met you yet, but would like to. I'm a buddy of Carrie's at BGI. And I'm also a fellow Candian (mostly grew up in Ottawa.)

My family up there tell me the 10 feet of snow they got this winter is FINALLY starting to melt. Soon there will be sap-ripened buds on the trees, the rich smell of sun-warmed earth. There will be birds (and mosquitos and blackflies - but let's stay focussed on the birds.) There will be the wild coursing of melt-swollen rivers, there will be barefoot running laughing children, there will be flowers and veggies sticking tentative emerald tendrils above the soil. There will be spring!

It will be like the land herself has woken up from a long, winter slumber. I hope and pray to the same lifeforce that awakens and heals the land each spring to help you awaken and heal too.

Love,

- Ari

Greg

Ok Greg!

Enough is enough!
Time for you to get better now!
I know that you could sleep for Canada, but this is just silliness.

If you aren't off those damn machines soon, I will personally fly over to
NYC and place an audiobook of the DaVinci Code on a never ending loop in
your ears.
We both know you don't want THAT to happen!
Don't think I won't do it though!

If you hurry, I may even consider a game of Challenge Scrabble without
whining!

Lots of love

Lxx

PS...you still owe me a camel ride, don't think you are getting out of it
this easy!

Hang in there - you are loved

Greg -

 

You and I nave only met briefly at a Joe and Mattie's wedding so suffice it to say, we don't know one another well.  However the friendship bonds that we share with the people we know in common are very strong.  I have witnessed the love and concern pouring out for you during this time and I know that it is energy well spent.  I want to lend my voice to this chorus of people wishing you health and recovery. 

 

I would tell you that I am not prone to much prayer and as such I typically feel like I am not being authentic when I try to pray for things that will directly benefit me or my immediate family.   But this week I have been asking the for your friends and family the to have the strength and serenity to carry on and keep hope alive. It feels good and positive and I will keep doing it.  From what Mattie has told me, you are the type that would wish the same and one day I may need those prayers to come from almost complete strangers. 

 

I imagine in the future I am visiting New York or one day you happen to be in Chicago and we meet once again.  We share a laugh or have a drink together.  I would very much like that.  The first few rounds are on me.

 

Michael Nameche

Chicago, IL

Hang in there, Greg -- it'll get better.

Greg, I'm so sorry to hear that you've taken ill, but
I know you can beat this.

We've not spoken for a bit, but I've been thinking of
you recently. I turned fifty a few weeks back and sent
you an invite to my party. I'm not sure whether you
received the invitation, but either way, it's okay --
I'll just look forward to you attending the party for
my fifty-first birthday.

Keep fighting, old friend. You've got lots of love and
support coming your way from a great many people.
You're not alone, not by a long shot.

You're in my thoughts and prayers, and I look forward
to even more good news of your recovery. I look
forward to speaking to you once this is all over. The
first round will be on me.

Brett Leveridge

Hi hi

Hi Greg. A few weeks ago I was losing at Scrabble, and thought of you. Remember that game we played in Ghana -- every team chose two languages to play in? You and Nat had English and French, and we were all blown away by your bingo-ing (that can't be a word, bingo-ing) PENTAGON, and then the next turn adding an E to it, for a triple-word score. I even took a picture of the board, it was so impressive. I'll show it to you the next time I see you. I also have a picture of you from that day, laughing, sweating, your feet up, a bottle of beer in front of you -- it's a great picture. It's just you, the way I always think of you (not that I always think of you with a bottle of beer in front of you!), and the way I hope to see you very soon.

All my love,

Ellen

Spring is coming...

Dear Greg,

I don't know if you remember me, but I used to work at
BarnesandNoble.com with you...I was one of the web designers on the
other side of the compound. Frost sent out an email to us former
BNers and it struck me, after all these years: Greg, yeah I remember
him--he was the smart blond guy with the thoughtful demeanor and dry
Canadian wit. I really liked him at BN--he usually had some funny
quip as I went over to editorial to see what foxy new art books had
fallen out of the sky like manna (and onto Brett's lap).

Greg, please get better. It was 60 degrees a couple days ago, so
spring is finally coming to NYC and you don't want to miss that. Feel
your toes in the cool grass by the Hudson River Park by the bikepath.
Then summer--all those free outdoor concerts around the city...and
have you sampled the Ecuadorian food stands by the Red Hook
Ballfields? Those flavors make you grateful for having taste buds!
Then fall--the fever pitch of a national election that's going to
make history one way or another. This dreary winter's almost over and
there's a first flush of green nubbage on the trees. It's going to be
good...stay with us Greg.

Friederike

Love from the Wilds of Connecticut

Greg,

 

Prayers and support being sent to you and yours and all the members of Team Greg from JoeyX's sister Mary Jo and her rockstar husband Don.

 

We'll continue to do our part by sending you light and healing vibes and you do your part and heal and...incidentally....way to go on the poop! We celebrate your body's resumption of waste management.

 

xoxo

Mary Jo

Hi Greg

Greg,

I've probably seen more of you in the past two weeks than I do on a
regular basis, despite living fourteen steps away. But seeing you and
talking with you are two very different things. Those of us who've
been in the hospital have had the rare experience of talking to you,
not with you, and let me tell you: it's a lot less fun than talking
with you. We've all been waving our hands a lot in an effort to fill
in for you, but we're not as good at it. Well, Frankie's got it down
pretty good, but still, not so much.

I know you're on your way back. You're leaving some telltale signs,
like today's poop. Man, I never thought I would ever want to think
about your poop, let alone celebrate it. I'd even send Noodles in to
scoop it, because I know you've done the same for him, despite your
stated policy of never scooping the feces of other species. This is
one of the things I like about you: you'll flatly state your limits,
then quietly exceed them in the name of kindness to friends. I've seen
you do it time and again. I can't begin to count the number of times,
I've heard you say something like "Well, I think you're crazy, but
you're my friend, so of course I'm going to support you." I admire
that. Anyway, the point is, we appreciate the telltale signs that
you're coming home. Keep 'em up. The more the merrier.

Because I know how much you enjoy a good pun, I'll do my best to send
one a day, in hopes that it'll speed your recovery, because I know
after each one, you'll want to say, "but that's not funny!" So here
is today's: Two fish swim into a concrete wall. The one turns to the
other, and says, "Dam!"

I missed being able to stop by and say hello today. I trust someone
will pass this on for me, to let you know that I'm thinking of you,
and happy about your progress, and eager to talk with you, rather than
to you, again. I trust you'll have something worthwhile to say.

Take care,
Tom