Comments on: JanC passes away – Area code 604′s Dr. Device is offline. http://www.geckotemple.com/blog/?p=87614219 Tune In, Turn Up, Geck Out. Fri, 03 Sep 2010 05:56:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Gecko Bloggle » Blog Archive » Nevimbor Nenth Thoo Nousand and Tine http://www.geckotemple.com/blog/?p=87614219&cpage=1#comment-10592 Gecko Bloggle » Blog Archive » Nevimbor Nenth Thoo Nousand and Tine Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:22:47 +0000 http://www.geckotemple.com/blog/?p=87614219#comment-10592 [...] another round as as we speak, gentle reader.  A good friend who worked right next to me for a year died two weeks later.  2009 brought the very sad closing of Nexon/Humanature Studio in Yaletown, which is possibly the [...] [...] another round as as we speak, gentle reader.  A good friend who worked right next to me for a year died two weeks later.  2009 brought the very sad closing of Nexon/Humanature Studio in Yaletown, which is possibly the [...]

]]> By: What happened? Did that just happen? Hello? | Gecko Bloggle http://www.geckotemple.com/blog/?p=87614219&cpage=1#comment-9516 What happened? Did that just happen? Hello? | Gecko Bloggle Tue, 03 Feb 2009 08:54:06 +0000 http://www.geckotemple.com/blog/?p=87614219#comment-9516 [...] last time I got laid off, the person I worked closest to in the department freakin’ DIED less than a month [...] [...] last time I got laid off, the person I worked closest to in the department freakin’ DIED less than a month [...]

]]> By: liesl http://www.geckotemple.com/blog/?p=87614219&cpage=1#comment-8968 liesl Mon, 14 Apr 2008 02:37:22 +0000 http://www.geckotemple.com/blog/?p=87614219#comment-8968 <p>Thank you Kenny for calling to let me know about Jan's passing. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to say goodbye to Jan as I left EA 2 weeks before he died. I didn't know it would be goodbye-forever, rather just a goodbye for now.............but that's life I guess.</p> <p>I met Jan in 2003 when I was hired on contract in IT to help manage the Desktop Unification Project (DUP). I remember my orientation where Jan did the IT portion. One of his jokes was "don't worry the porn police will not come to your cube to arrest you........" That solicted a number of giggles and I'm sure it did each time he delivered that presentation. </p> <p>His sense of humor saved me many times in IT during the DUP. I have emails of Jan's stories which I treasure to this day. He would never answer an email with a simple reply, but would add in some funny story. That was one of his gifts - the ability to make something 'ordinary' something special that.</p> <p>Here's one I'll share with you. It drove him crazy that my favourite color was pink and when I brought in my fluffy pink pen that looked like an ostrich and hung pink christmas lights, that was the final straw. I came in one morning to find my fluffy pinky bird pen 'hanged' from the celing and this 'ransom' email in my inbox: </p> <p>From: Boron Malovich [mailto:thesocietythathatespink@yahoo.com]<br /> Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2003 12:07 AM<br /> To: Fonseca, Liesl<br /> Cc: (theITgroupInBurnaby)@ea.com<br /> Subject: Cubicle sabotage - the responsibility is ours! buuuhaaaahaaahaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br /> Dear Ms. Fonseca,<br /> We at the Society for the Total Obliteration of Anything Pink in IT (STOPIT) hereby claim responsibility for the actions taken upon your cubicle. The device you have named "Miss Fluffy Pinky head pen" is an abomination to civilized IT departments everywhere. No, seriously - it is! Our core belief is that the color pink does not belong in IT and the presence of this so-called "Fluffy Pinky" pen has quite upset our membership at your workplace.<br /> The recent actions taken against this Fluff Pinky pen were a warning to you and your pen. Unless this despicable, putrid, non-IT color device is removed from the workplace the actions against it will escalate! Do not underestimate the depths to which STOPIT will stoop to stop this stupid, stinky, statue you call a pen. REMOVE MISS FLUFFY PINKY HEAD PEN or STOPIT won't stop and stand around staring while you stipulate any stopgap mesaures to study stashing your pink stationary stuff elsewhere. Don't make us repeat that.<br /> With much sincerity infused with a slight steppance of verbosity,<br /> STOPIT<br /> P.S. And please do something with the pink lights as well - thanks!</p> <p>Hopefully you are all laughing (and crying) as hard as I am right now. </p> <p>How will we fill that void?</p> Thank you Kenny for calling to let me know about Jan’s passing. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to say goodbye to Jan as I left EA 2 weeks before he died. I didn’t know it would be goodbye-forever, rather just a goodbye for now………….but that’s life I guess.

I met Jan in 2003 when I was hired on contract in IT to help manage the Desktop Unification Project (DUP). I remember my orientation where Jan did the IT portion. One of his jokes was “don’t worry the porn police will not come to your cube to arrest you……..” That solicted a number of giggles and I’m sure it did each time he delivered that presentation.

His sense of humor saved me many times in IT during the DUP. I have emails of Jan’s stories which I treasure to this day. He would never answer an email with a simple reply, but would add in some funny story. That was one of his gifts – the ability to make something ‘ordinary’ something special that.

Here’s one I’ll share with you. It drove him crazy that my favourite color was pink and when I brought in my fluffy pink pen that looked like an ostrich and hung pink christmas lights, that was the final straw. I came in one morning to find my fluffy pinky bird pen ‘hanged’ from the celing and this ‘ransom’ email in my inbox:

From: Boron Malovich [mailto:thesocietythathatespink@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2003 12:07 AM
To: Fonseca, Liesl
Cc: (theITgroupInBurnaby)@ea.com
Subject: Cubicle sabotage – the responsibility is ours! buuuhaaaahaaahaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dear Ms. Fonseca,
We at the Society for the Total Obliteration of Anything Pink in IT (STOPIT) hereby claim responsibility for the actions taken upon your cubicle. The device you have named “Miss Fluffy Pinky head pen” is an abomination to civilized IT departments everywhere. No, seriously – it is! Our core belief is that the color pink does not belong in IT and the presence of this so-called “Fluffy Pinky” pen has quite upset our membership at your workplace.
The recent actions taken against this Fluff Pinky pen were a warning to you and your pen. Unless this despicable, putrid, non-IT color device is removed from the workplace the actions against it will escalate! Do not underestimate the depths to which STOPIT will stoop to stop this stupid, stinky, statue you call a pen. REMOVE MISS FLUFFY PINKY HEAD PEN or STOPIT won’t stop and stand around staring while you stipulate any stopgap mesaures to study stashing your pink stationary stuff elsewhere. Don’t make us repeat that.
With much sincerity infused with a slight steppance of verbosity,
STOPIT
P.S. And please do something with the pink lights as well – thanks!

Hopefully you are all laughing (and crying) as hard as I am right now.

How will we fill that void?

]]> By: Zen Render http://www.geckotemple.com/blog/?p=87614219&cpage=1#comment-8967 Zen Render Sat, 12 Apr 2008 02:04:24 +0000 http://www.geckotemple.com/blog/?p=87614219#comment-8967 Note: Jan's obit can be found here: http://www.legacy.com/can-vancouver/Obituaries.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=107406608 Note: Jan’s obit can be found here:
http://www.legacy.com/can-vancouver/Obituaries.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=107406608

]]> By: Teresa http://www.geckotemple.com/blog/?p=87614219&cpage=1#comment-8966 Teresa Fri, 11 Apr 2008 22:56:30 +0000 http://www.geckotemple.com/blog/?p=87614219#comment-8966 <p>Oh, my gosh. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I'm Jan's sister and this link was generously sent to me by his coworker. Your tributes have left me in tears and I am so thankful that he touched others' lives in so many beautiful ways. Jan's humor and his way of dealing with our "stupid questions", and there were many from me, are treasured. Thank you for sharing your memories with me.</p> <p>Teresa<br /> For funeral info, you may check Friday's Province and Vancouver Sun, or Saturday's Vancouver Sun.</p> Oh, my gosh. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I’m Jan’s sister and this link was generously sent to me by his coworker. Your tributes have left me in tears and I am so thankful that he touched others’ lives in so many beautiful ways. Jan’s humor and his way of dealing with our “stupid questions”, and there were many from me, are treasured. Thank you for sharing your memories with me.

Teresa
For funeral info, you may check Friday’s Province and Vancouver Sun, or Saturday’s Vancouver Sun.

]]> By: David McKendrick http://www.geckotemple.com/blog/?p=87614219&cpage=1#comment-8963 David McKendrick Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:14:45 +0000 http://www.geckotemple.com/blog/?p=87614219#comment-8963 It sounds like the man will be sorely missed, it's rare to find such gems in workplaces of all locations. I admit, wonderful eulogy -- one that had me reminded of those in my own life that left touching, permanent marks. Not yet scars but wounds that never healed. My regards go out to his family & friends. It sounds like the man will be sorely missed, it’s rare to find such gems in workplaces of all locations. I admit, wonderful eulogy — one that had me reminded of those in my own life that left touching, permanent marks. Not yet scars but wounds that never healed.

My regards go out to his family & friends.

]]> By: Jenn http://www.geckotemple.com/blog/?p=87614219&cpage=1#comment-8962 Jenn Mon, 07 Apr 2008 00:06:07 +0000 http://www.geckotemple.com/blog/?p=87614219#comment-8962 John, I am so sorry for your loss - sidetracked indeed. A worthy eulogy, he sounds like quite a guy. *hugs* John, I am so sorry for your loss – sidetracked indeed. A worthy eulogy, he sounds like quite a guy. *hugs*

]]> By: Erin http://www.geckotemple.com/blog/?p=87614219&cpage=1#comment-8961 Erin Sun, 06 Apr 2008 16:47:57 +0000 http://www.geckotemple.com/blog/?p=87614219#comment-8961 I'm so sorry to hear about your partner in crime, John. It's funny - these people that we see day in, day out. Who we spend more time with than our spouses or families. And sometimes, if we're really lucky, they're really special people who can make the whole thing very worthwhile. Rest in peace, Jan. I’m so sorry to hear about your partner in crime, John. It’s funny – these people that we see day in, day out. Who we spend more time with than our spouses or families. And sometimes, if we’re really lucky, they’re really special people who can make the whole thing very worthwhile.

Rest in peace, Jan.

]]> By: Liz http://www.geckotemple.com/blog/?p=87614219&cpage=1#comment-8960 Liz Sat, 05 Apr 2008 02:17:33 +0000 http://www.geckotemple.com/blog/?p=87614219#comment-8960 I'm so very sorry. I didn't know him back in the bbs days, but I do know the type of guy you've described. The world is poorer for his not being in it. I’m so very sorry. I didn’t know him back in the bbs days, but I do know the type of guy you’ve described.

The world is poorer for his not being in it.

]]> By: cheesefairy http://www.geckotemple.com/blog/?p=87614219&cpage=1#comment-8959 cheesefairy Sat, 05 Apr 2008 01:56:49 +0000 http://www.geckotemple.com/blog/?p=87614219#comment-8959 what a sweet tribute, lovingly told. I'm sorry for your loss. what a sweet tribute, lovingly told. I’m sorry for your loss.

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