R.I.P. Dear Sleepy

[Sleepy's Sister]

Hi Gregg and Elton! Yes, it's hard to believe it's been two years since Sleepy's passing. I was drawn back to this site today. Nice to see you still think of Sleepy and are remembering him on this day. As far as the demonic picture of our step-grandfather goes, I found the picture Sleepy was referring to. Gross? Yes! Demonic? I don't think so, but I'll leave that for you to decide. Sleepy was a vegetarian for a while, so his reference could have been as innocuous as that, but you never knew with Sleepy.

I was listening to Warren Zevon's "Keep Me in Your Heart for a While" today. This song came on the radio as I was driving home from the hospital the night that Sleepy died. The words could not have been more meaningful at the time. I later found out that Zevon wrote this song a few weeks before he died of a form of lung cancer as a farewell to his family and friends. I'll leave you all decide if there is a cosmic meaning to this occurrence. I will say if Sleepy were to send a message from the other side, it would most definitely be by way of music.

Warren Zevon - Keep Me In Your Heart - YouTube

[Ike Savage]

Hey there, sister, is there also a pic of Sleepy himself you might share?

I remember one he posted a few years ago... it was a recent pic, but had a sort of 'brat pack' vibe. He was blowing smoke at the camera, cool as could be.

[Sleepy's Sister]

Ike-

I'll have to go through my photos. There aren't many of Arne from the last few decades. He didn't like to have his picture taken. I think it was because he was born with a cleft palate and lip, so he was very self conscious. The years he endured of bullying didn't help his insecurities.

[Ike Savage]

Yeap, understood. He mentioned that a few times across the years and I can well understand. I have some similar issues.

Anyway, I started to do a search just now, but realised that we might be out of luck on this one. A few years ago I recall a series of posts in which Sleepy, Steve, Gregg and myself shared recent pics of ourselves. But with the attachment system having been reset when the site almost went down a year or two ago, I'm not sure how many of those survived.

Not to mention, I'm unaware how to search on attachments and/or specify a certain group of people in a thread.

If I figure it out some time and the pic's still there, I'll be sure to link it. It was a cool pic!

[elton]

I always thought that Speepy was included in the Pinball People Gallery at VPF ... but alas no. https://www.vpforums.org/PPG/

[GSGregg]

Photo hunters;

Go to Ike's thread, "This whole mess is perhaps my fault". Coil Smoke reposted Arne's selfie in post #1, and I stuck my own in #2. Can't remember where Ike and the abandoned car are, though (something about a vacation...), and I don't recall pics of anyone else. (Oh, yeah---didn't StevOz put up some of him on his golf course?)

G

[elton]

Oh yeah, missed those before. Thanks GS .... incidentally, your picture is exactly as I'd reckon you'd look like

[Ike Savage]

Nice find, Gregg! And wow, crazy thread. Seems like a million years ago.

I was actually thinking of a different pic of Sleepy and a different thread. Steve in particular posted a selfie holding the camera above his head for some reason. (maybe it's on Oz thing) In that same thread I posted a pic in my bathroom... not the older pic from back in Peru next to the dead hulk of a car. If possible I think you had posted a different pic of yourself.

But, I might be blending some different threads in my mind. Hum...

[GSGregg]

Nope - that selfie is the first known pic of me in, maybe, thirty-five years (except for family taking holiday shots of me stuffing my face...)


However, it's been a while since my fairly recently acquired digicam was used for anything, so maybe I'll concoct something...

[elton]

Yeah, go for it GS

[GSGregg]

Remembering our fallen pal on what would have been his 65th birthday...and this song popped out of my head; I don't think I saw it on a playlist, but Arne could well have had it somewhere, as much as he liked the Beach Boys.

Pretty tune, trademark harmonies, and lyrics that spelled out a relationship that would never end --- but suddenly did. A scenario that Arne mentioned more than once, and was experienced by most, if not all, of us.

https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/s...2&action=click

And some insight into the composition of the song, provided by lead singer Mike Love;

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-...b_4318208.html

[elton]

and we're still waiting for a photo

[Sleepy's Sister]

Thanks for remembering Sleepy/Arne on his birthday, Gregg! "The Warmth of the Sun" is the perfect tribute, and it fits the melancholy mood that I've been feeling the last couple of days. The story that you shared about the creation of the song was very interesting. Any of us old enough to remember the day that JFK was assassinated still remember where we were and how we felt when we heard the news. This song will definitely trigger those memories now.
I check into this site periodically, but I especially seem to be drawn back on the anniversaries of Sleepy's birth and death. It’s nice to see you still think of him. Arne was alone most of his adult life. Being born with a cleft palate, and as a result his difficulty in pronouncing certain words, made him very self-conscious. When he found this website, where he could discuss his love of pinball with others with similar interests, it was wonderful for him. He considered you all good friends. I know that sometimes he would veer off the topics on tangents, but seeing some of the threads that he participated in, it seems that you all had some interesting and varied conversations. I appreciate you all for accepting Arne’s idiosyncrasies.
On behalf of Sleep, “Thanks for the friendship.”

[Sleepy's Sister]

Elton, Here is a long promised photo. This picture was taken around 1990. As I mentioned to Ike in an earlier post, Arne didn't like to have his picture taken.

[elton]

Thank you Sleep's Sister. Not how I imagined him to look like at all! But thank you.


My prior request for a photo was aimed at GSGregg who is equally as elusive as Arne was if not more!


Come on GSGregg share a photo with us. Please.

[GSGregg]

Elton;


I'm still trying to determine which is my good side. Plus, the hat I wore in my selfie deteriorated and was discarded (who knew a few months' perspiration would rot cotton?!)



Gregg

[Ike Savage]

Wow, cool pic of Arne! Good-looking fellow in fact, and that hair is awesome!

@Elton,
AFAIK Gregg's selfie is linked or attached somewhere here from maybe around three years ago. You can always try searching for it. It's basically a guy in a (panama?) hat, sporting a short white beard IIRC. Maybe just squint your eyes and you'll see it.

[Ike Savage]

Hey, are you still checking up on this thread, SleepySister? Kathy...?

Yo Kathy, I just wanted to point out-- holy Mother of Mercury, that's a pretty magnificent bouffant going on there...! :S

[Sleepy's Sister]

Everyone in my family is blessed/cursed (depending on your perspective) with luxuriously thick, curly hair that has a mind of its own.

[GSGregg]

After five months and ten days, here's another "Yo, Kathy": Have you had your fill of rain yet? Let's see...flooding on Mothers' Day (although it seemed to end before I could think of any wise*** stuff to say about it), and more flooding anticipated, at least, to proclaim the arrival of a storm named after our former President's first. Has to be a vast right-wing conspiracy; especially the part about flesh-eating bacteria being set loose in the waters. I'm no expert, but I think I'd hate to go for a swim only to see one of my appendages turn black and shrivel...

All seriousness aside, though; I hope you and yours are well, and keeping irritations high and dry.


Edit: almost forgot; keep the kayak waxed up so it cuts through the water better!
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Hey, Elton!

Still no photograph, although I still look like the guy with the shower-curtain backdrop. I did stumble across one, though, of me a couple of months short of nineteen, and with all of my now absconded hair. I tried to grab it with the digicam, but there was too much glare from the glossy film and insufficient detail with the flash off... Some day, though.

Gregg
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What ---nobody liked my Congressional Pay Raise post?

[elton]

Originally Posted by GSGregg

Hey, Elton!

Still no photograph, although I still look like the guy with the shower-curtain backdrop. I did stumble across one, though, of me a couple of months short of nineteen, and with all of my now absconded hair. I tried to grab it with the digicam, but there was too much glare from the glossy film and insufficient detail with the flash off... Some day, though.

Gregg
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What ---nobody liked my Congressional Pay Raise post?

I would like to see what you look like now not 100 years ago .... I bet you're a bloody alien with three-heads and 6 arms which is why you're so camera shy.

[Sleepy's Sister]

Thanks for thinking of us Gregg! We were prepared for the worst, but ended up with only 4 inches of rain. Of course, when your city is below sea level, that could still be way too much. Our biggest concern ended up being the flight cancellations at the airport on Saturday. We were scheduled to fly out to the west coast for our son's wedding on Sunday morning. Thankfully, the flights resumed Sunday morning, and we managed to get out. Thanks for the advice! Hurricane season is just starting, so I'll be sure to keep the kayak nicely waxed!

[elton]

Hey Gregg ... I thought you were living down Huntington Beach, LA not Pasadena? Did you move?


Sure you'd have found a picture or two you could share

[GSGregg]

Hey, Elton!

Huntington Beach is about 40 or so miles southeast of Los Angeles, and was a popular place to head to when up to no good. (Hee hee) Newport Beach is next when heading south and Balboa (the pavilion! Ever hear of the Rendezvous Ballroom where Dick Dale played (before it burned down in '66)?

Pasadena, on the other hand, is to the east of northern L.A. with Glendale in between. Don't title me a cartographer, though...I could be a little bit wrong.

As far as photos go, though, except for holiday meals, etc, I can't remember the last time anyone said, "Smile, Dammit!" with a cellphone pointed at me. If I ever get some time, I'll try for another selfie. Maybe outdoors, instead of in the loo.

G