The Passing of a Lounger

[Occhidiangela]

I was going to call Pete last week, but then I had to work all weekend on an issue. Figured I'd call him this week. Hadn't talked to him in a few months, figured I'd check on him.

I suppose there is a special corner of Hell for procrastinators, and I'll get to visit it for a while.

Then I got Sabra's PM just now, telling me that I can only call Magi now. I will.

Thanks, Sabra, for waking me up. Sadly, it's to a much poorer world than the one I went to sleep to.

I offer this poem, a slight mod of a poem used to honor fallen brothers in arms:

He shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary him, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember Pete.

Pete is my favorite Viet Nam vet, and my favorite Rocket Scientist, all wrapped into one humorous, curmudgeonly package. He's also my favorite in a lot of other areas.

I count my self lucky to have met him, and Magi, in person in Vegas shortly after I came home from a war. I've talked to him on the phone now and again since then, and will be kicking myself for not doing so more often.

Magi told me the last time we talked that Pete enjoyed my calls.

How niggardly of me not to offer a few more small slices of my time. All it takes anymore is to push a speed dial button and hope to hear the voice on the other end.

*sigh*

There is no joy in my corner of Loungeville ...

Occhidiangela
Rogue with an aching heart

EDIT: Just got off the phone with Magi. Great to hear her voice, no matter the occasion. One of this world's great people.

*goes off to a corner to weep*

[Jim]

Hi,

I just learned tonight from Sue [Magi] of Pete's passing, I'm sadden beyond measure. I will post this picture in memory of my friend both here & in real life.

For those who did not have the pleasure of meeting Pete & Sue.

From my Facebook wall:

Pete Majewski said: And what does a paisley tie, flowered shirt, bell bottoms, and corduroy sports coat have to do with anything? Publish and be damned -- the statute of limitations has long passed; the fashion police can't touch me now.

Pete Majewski; Let me point out that that shirt actually is flowered. The shirt is white with two wide vertical stripes on each side. All you can see in this picture is the white center and collar. One of the stripes on each side is red, the other blue. The stripes are not solid, but rather in a floral pattern. Sometimes I miss the days when a guy could dress up 'pretty' without drawing negative remarks.
April 26 at 10:38am · Like

RIP old friend.

[Sabra]

I love that photo of Magi and Pete. Weren't we something in our regalia back then?

When I look at that photo, which I first saw on Facebook, I think, "THAT is when I wish I had met Sue and Pete. Back then." It would really be something to be able to say "I've known Sue and Pete for 30 some years now ... "

[Sir_Die_alot]

I suppose it takes something big to delurk. There isn't anything I can think of bigger. To say he was part of the bedrock of this community would be an understatement. I didn't play with Pete much and found myself on the flame side as much as anything of his posts. But he was a man that if you couldn't respect, you deserved none. More often than not it was his post I would skip to in a thread.

Magi we have never met that I recall but you have my condolences. Thanks for sharing him.

[Rhydderch Hael]

The Heart of the World, torn asunder.

[Wiccan]

This is terrible news. I'll miss Pete greatly. My deepest condolences to his family.

I agree it is terrible news, i will miss him and i offer my deepest condolences to his family..

{was going to say something funny, but would sound stupid in this seriousness issue, timing would be bad.}

to pete may you never stop gaming in the beyond.

[jahcs]

Several times over the years I agreed with Pete. Sometimes I disagreed with Pete, and he with me, but I always read his words with respect and an open mind. I always knew that he would bring new facts and insight on any issue he deigned to hit the reply button for. Many of his posts gave me the motivation to do more research on my own to either confirm or shift my viewpoint.

I've wasted a lot of time over the years visiting the Lounge but I don't count any of the time spent reading what Pete had to say as squandered.

We are diminished

[Selby]

Still haven't found the words to say... guess I'll just say them now. I always loved his posts for their wit and insight and have been incredibly saddened by the news. He's one of the few people from the old days who still posted and I enjoyed reading. =(

[TaMeOlta]

//unlurks// Ah Pete, you made me smile more than anyone could possibly ever know ...

[Crusader]

My condolances to all. While I mostly lurk, I have often read Pete's comments with much interest in his opinions.

[[wcip]Angel]

... someone should change his bio

[Ashock]

... someone should change his bio

No.

[[wcip]Angel]

Good point.

[-Magi]

Dear Lurkers,

I have been working on this post for way too long. I keep trying to make it better, but nothing seems to improve it. So you are stuck with a bunch of disjointed paragraphs that each have something that I wanted to share with you.

Thank you Lurkers for being who you are. I have been reading and re-reading your posts here, finding comfort in what you have shared. Thank you Bolty, for putting this place together and keeping it going.

Since it began, this community was one of Pete’s favorites favorite places. Some of you have been his on-friends and discussion sparing partners for even longer. Over the years you all kept him challenged, gave him interesting subjects to research, questions to answer, stories to laugh about and more, all things that enriched his life. The wide varitey of topics and lively discussions all fed his need to keep learning new things and his joy in sharing what he knew.

Pete once told me that several of his closest on-line friendships started with firey exchanges that evolved into heated discussions, greater understanding and mutual respect. Many of his flaming posts though were Pete protecting this community, trying to keep this the the kind of place that it is and saving it from the trolls and other posting offenders.

I don’t know if Pete ever shared much of what he went through, but in early 2005 he was diagnosed with AML, an aggressive leukemia. The rounds of chemo and the stem cell transplant were brutal, leaving him vulnerable to infections and requiring medications that caused more damage and other nasty side effects. He was stuck home alone, a lot, and there were really only a few days where he felt good. I was so glad that he had this community. As the world around him slowly sunk down to a few rooms at home, you all made it bigger and made his days better. I doubt that you will ever be able to appreicate how much you gave him.

I don’t think this is the place to put a lot of details about about all that Pete went though, so if anyone has specific questions, you can send me a private message. For here though I will say that it was difficult. Although we had hoped for more, better and longer we were very very fortunate to have gained the 6 and ½ years that I called bonus time. I often reminded him that in 2005 it was much like watching the last ball of a pinball game pass between the bottom flippers – you think it is all over and then the machine makes its start up noises and out comes an extra ball, bonus play. We tried to make the most of the extra time.

Pete did play WoW for a little while, but he was not able to play for very long. He was happy when he discovered that he could “play” the auction house. This kept him in the game until about the time that the moble auction house came on line and it seemed to him like he could not find the good deals that he enjoyed finding anymore.

I just will share one game story - In Diablo days, Pete would start open games playing with his “beyond naked mage” character, wearing all the thorny nasty items he could find. Frequently he would be joined by “idiots” that would go down to the dungeon with him, kill him then get mad because all the drops were junk. That made him laugh - every time. Once though, he was joined by a player who asked Pete why he did not have good gear and generously offered to give Pete some of the hacked goodies that he was carting around. Pete explained about the mage being so over powered that that they could play naked and still have fun and offered to show him how to play that way. The player was trusting, took off all his gear and left it in town and they went down into the dungeons together. They played for several hours – with Pete sharing tips and hints that a player in “god” mode would never have needed to learn. They finished up, said “thanks for the game” and were getting ready to leave when Pete noticed all the shiny impossible gear lying on the ground. Pete typed something like “don’t forget all your stuff” and the player replied – “I don’t need any of that s**t.” That moment gave Pete a lot of satisfaction.

We were fortunate in that we were able to meet several gaming friends in Las Vegas. Those trips were amazing and we both had a great time meeting those who could join us. Way back when, we had plans to try to set up one trip a year to meet those that could come – it was so much fun. I do wish we could have, there are so many of you that we both would have loved to meet and to see again.

I do not know how to end this, but I sure can’t before I thank you all for being the people that you are. In game and out, I am very grateful for all my friends here. Thank you again. Your good wishes help.


-Magi-/Sue

[LochnarITB]

[NuurAbSaal]

[shoju]

[Sabra]

My Darling Sue:

I am so moved by what you have written here. My eyes are wet with tears. I cannot think of a more beautiful tribute to the remarkable nature of the Lurker Lounge community than the one you have shared here. I will always miss Pete, but I am so grateful to have you!

That D1 story was was nothing short of magic!

All my love to my most remarkable Magi.

Vikki

Dear Lurkers,

I have been working on this post for way too long. I keep trying to make it better, but nothing seems to improve it. So you are stuck with a bunch of disjointed paragraphs that each have something that I wanted to share with you.

Thank you Lurkers for being who you are. I have been reading and re-reading your posts here, finding comfort in what you have shared. Thank you Bolty, for putting this place together and keeping it going.

Since it began, this community was one of Pete’s favorites favorite places. Some of you have been his on-friends and discussion sparing partners for even longer. Over the years you all kept him challenged, gave him interesting subjects to research, questions to answer, stories to laugh about and more, all things that enriched his life. The wide varitey of topics and lively discussions all fed his need to keep learning new things and his joy in sharing what he knew.

Pete once told me that several of his closest on-line friendships started with firey exchanges that evolved into heated discussions, greater understanding and mutual respect. Many of his flaming posts though were Pete protecting this community, trying to keep this the the kind of place that it is and saving it from the trolls and other posting offenders.

I don’t know if Pete ever shared much of what he went through, but in early 2005 he was diagnosed with AML, an aggressive leukemia. The rounds of chemo and the stem cell transplant were brutal, leaving him vulnerable to infections and requiring medications that caused more damage and other nasty side effects. He was stuck home alone, a lot, and there were really only a few days where he felt good. I was so glad that he had this community. As the world around him slowly sunk down to a few rooms at home, you all made it bigger and made his days better. I doubt that you will ever be able to appreicate how much you gave him.

I don’t think this is the place to put a lot of details about about all that Pete went though, so if anyone has specific questions, you can send me a private message. For here though I will say that it was difficult. Although we had hoped for more, better and longer we were very very fortunate to have gained the 6 and ½ years that I called bonus time. I often reminded him that in 2005 it was much like watching the last ball of a pinball game pass between the bottom flippers – you think it is all over and then the machine makes its start up noises and out comes an extra ball, bonus play. We tried to make the most of the extra time.

Pete did play WoW for a little while, but he was not able to play for very long. He was happy when he discovered that he could “play” the auction house. This kept him in the game until about the time that the moble auction house came on line and it seemed to him like he could not find the good deals that he enjoyed finding anymore.

I just will share one game story - In Diablo days, Pete would start open games playing with his “beyond naked mage” character, wearing all the thorny nasty items he could find. Frequently he would be joined by “idiots” that would go down to the dungeon with him, kill him then get mad because all the drops were junk. That made him laugh - every time. Once though, he was joined by a player who asked Pete why he did not have good gear and generously offered to give Pete some of the hacked goodies that he was carting around. Pete explained about the mage being so over powered that that they could play naked and still have fun and offered to show him how to play that way. The player was trusting, took off all his gear and left it in town and they went down into the dungeons together. They played for several hours – with Pete sharing tips and hints that a player in “god” mode would never have needed to learn. They finished up, said “thanks for the game” and were getting ready to leave when Pete noticed all the shiny impossible gear lying on the ground. Pete typed something like “don’t forget all your stuff” and the player replied – “I don’t need any of that s**t.” That moment gave Pete a lot of satisfaction.

We were fortunate in that we were able to meet several gaming friends in Las Vegas. Those trips were amazing and we both had a great time meeting those who could join us. Way back when, we had plans to try to set up one trip a year to meet those that could come – it was so much fun. I do wish we could have, there are so many of you that we both would have loved to meet and to see again.

I do not know how to end this, but I sure can’t before I thank you all for being the people that you are. In game and out, I am very grateful for all my friends here. Thank you again. Your good wishes help.


-Magi-/Sue

[Archon_Wing]

Holy crap, I come back to look at the forum and to find this. This is saddening, though that is just the normal processes of life. Doesn't mean it sucks any less though.

When I was still inexperienced on the internet and found this board, Pete was one of the most memorable members I had come across. That's because if you said anything ignorant, he'd approach your post, proceed to rip it to shreds, and inform you of how ignorant you are in approximately 300 ways using two sentences. Initially I had been resentful, since I just thought it was merely arrogant posting. The truth was actually a poster that had been thinking on several levels higher than your average lowlife on the internet. And indeed, to this very day, he is probably the only poster on the internet that I would be scared to take on in an actual debate.

But as I got to know the people in this community, I realized he wasn't just grumpy all the time, and actually played Blizzard games, having fun like the rest of us. And his sense of humor as sharp as his wits in combat. I enjoyed how he would refer to Blizzard as "Buzzard" and the Blizzard bashing over the newest Diablo patch would always be amusing.

The most notable part was that regardless of tone, his posts were always sincere and honest. I've always respected people that were able to do that.

It's amazing to think that someone that I never saw face to face and never actually had an conversation with could teach one to learn to train their critical thinking skills. Sometimes your existence can be seen in your effect on others. If it had not been for him, I may have just become some silly insignificant poster on the internet that couldn't hold their own opinion. Someone that wouldn't have been able to back up their points with evidence of significance. A fool that speaks but has nothing back it up with. Aka another blathering trash poster on the internet. I would say I was way better off thanks to this.

And thus, I might as well help carry on his legacy (If I am able to deserve that privilege) of stomping fools in hilarious and amusing ways, while remaining sensible but still not crossing the line enough to get banned.

I can't really say anything else about him, since I never knew him personally-- what a shame. But so I'll end it like this: Thanks, and farewell.

[Occhidiangela]

Archon_Wing: in person, Pete is/was a warm and engaging man, full of wit and as sharp as you see from his various contributions here. I'm so pleased I got to visit with him, I just wish I'd had the chance more often.

Occhi