Memorial Tribute for John Henry Rew

So it's been almost a year. We don't always realize how much changes in a year. It's often times not until we look back that we see and recognize how much can happen in the 525,600 minutes. Good, bad, different - I think it is safe to say that we will never be the same.

"It's time now to sing out
tho the story never ends
let's celebrate - remember a year
in the life of friends"

Please join the friends and family of John Henry Rew at a memorial tribute in his honor celebrating his fabulous spirit. “Why Brigantine?” you may ask. John Henry worked as the emcee of the Griffin Games at Merv Griffin’s Resorts Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City in the mid 1990’s. It was a perfect mix for him – the excitement of AC life and the tranquility of the beaches in Brigantine where he lived. We hope you’ll join us in one of his favorite places to pay tribute to him and two of his favorite loves: the city and the beach.


About the Memorial

August 23, 2008
7:30 PM Rain or Shine
On the beach in Brigantine NJ
14th St. South, and Ocean Avenue, Beach Entrance

The service will be rain or shine and will last approximately 30 minutes. We will be on the beach and there will be no formal seating. Wear appropriate attire for an outdoor setting. There will be time for those who wish, to share a memory, story, or personal thoughts. Feel free to bring items that hold special meaning to you in honor of John Henry and, of course, to proudly wear your orange. After the service attendees can gather at the
Laguna Grill (1400 Ocean Avenue and 14th Street South, at the beach entrance) to visit and enjoy refreshments.

Brigantine and the surrounding area

If your traveling from a distance and need accommodations to stay overnight or would like to enjoy a weekend in Brigantine or Atlantic City, there are many options. AC is 5 miles from the location of the service in Brigantine. Below are helpful links for trip planning.

Celebrity Resorts - connected to the Laguna Grill, is beachfront at the location of the service: Celebrity Resorts

Brigantine Chamber of Commerce also lists local accommodations:
Brigantine Chamber of Commerce

Need more excitement? Consider AC. Harrah’s and Borgata are the closest casinos but all AC casinos and hotels are convenient to our location: Atlantic City NJ

NJ Transit can bring you to the AC terminal. A short taxi ride can bring you to the location of the memorial: NJ Transit

I've been having MAJOR problems sending the invitations via the evite site so I apologize to anyone that has not received it, however if you can't RSVP to this evite,
please contact Erin Moore with your RSVP or questions at 917/971-9200 or bluejool@aol.com.

Put Some Orange in your Life

I've been thinking about what I wanted to post this week. It was kind of bugging me. I had the nagging feeling of wanting to write something, but nothing was coming. There always much to say but no words that can convey what I'm thinking or feeling. ARRRGGHHHH!!!

Then I asked out loud, "what should I write?" And as usual John Henry sent the answer this time by way of Greg. GZuk just happened to send me a link to Emily's Gems, specifically about the color orange. Here is an excerpt:

Put some orange in your life when you want:

to spice things up when you feel time is dragging
to become more involved in something
to increase creativity
relief from things becoming too serious

Is it me, or does this embody John Henry? All I can say is, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, JHO for always finding a messenger to deliver the answer to my question! And thanks GZuk for delivering it this time! :-)

Random Acts of Orange - Happy Birthday John Henry!

Today is a day for the last 20, or so, years I've celebrated - John Henry's birthday! Today I'm feeling less celebratory than I'd like to.

It's hard to know what the full impact of John Henry's season of love will have on my life as I walk into my future. However, I can say that if my current knowledge of his impact on not only me but those around me is any indication, it's going to be far greater than I can realize.

In the past I've put a lot of energy into showing JH how much he has meant to me, sometimes in very small ways and other times in larger more overt ways. So this year I have planned to put that energy into doing some 'Random Acts of Orange' in his honor. I'm going to do some nice things for people just for the sake of doing them, in honor of my favorite red-head.

My first random act of orange for today is to share some photos I have of John Henry with some friends and family. I'd love to keep this on the blog indefinitely and hope some of you, whom I didn't have photos of, will send me photos of you with John Henry so I can update the slideshow. Celebrate today for John Henry by doing some random acts of orange on his behalf - and come back and share your experience with us by leaving your comments.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN HENRY - WE LOVE YOU MORE!

Toonces Checking-In! ... as posted by GZuk

I just wanted to say hello and report that Toonces is doing well.
In fact Toonces wanted me to relay a message to all of his dad's family and friends.
His note follows, as best as I could translate it.


All the best,
Greg



From Toonces:

meooow, meeeoooooow.
hello meow, meow all!


i am enjoying winter in the country, it's not as exciting as chelsea, that's for sure...but i get lots of time to sleep, which i love! meow meow...meow.
i am glad i got a nice cozy house to find great spots to lounge around,
i love when uncle Greggie has a fire going too! ...ppuuuuuurrrrrrr.

i sure miss my daddy, though, meow.
i think about him everyday.

i hope that all is very good with you, meow.
come for a visit if you are ever in northeastern Pennsylvania!

meow, meow,
Toonces

A Last(ing) Hurrah!

Well, it's official - the new year has begun. A new year, a new journey, on a new path that was/is unexpected. I never realized how hard beginnings and endings are in our lives until now. I guess I had never really given it that much thought. And I guess they always seem easier when those we love are there supporting us, guiding us, and acting as a sounding board when we're leaving one path and beginning something new.

In these last four months I've found one of the most difficult parts of John Henry's absence to be not bouncing things off of him - sharing news, asking advice, getting feedback. You know - all the good stuff that makes our most treasured friends, well, treasured! During these months since I have not been able to get concrete answers and feedback from John Henry when I talk to him, I have resorted to asking during my prayers and meditations for JH to "make his presence known to me," or "speak to me," and sometimes to "bring me guidance." I figure, he probably has a broader range of resources where he is than I have where I am. And he was always about helping out his friends and finding the win-win solutions, so why not ask, right?



Although, I am guilty of being skeptical in the past as to whether such requests or spiritual interventions are possible, on a number of occasions in these recent months I have received what I can only call affirmations or responses to my requests for JHo's guidance. I recognize that we all experience coincidences in life and am usually the first to point them out, but sometimes the universe just gives you what you need exactly when you need it. Some small nudge that is seemingly inoccuous to others, brings clarity and purpose in an unexpected fashion at an unexpected moment.

On New Year's Eve my boyfriend, Al, arrived at my house to take me out for a lovely dinner. Al and I started dating in October, and he never had the opportunity to meet John Henry. He, of course, has heard much about him from me but never got the full-on JHO experience. ;-> When he arrived we chatted for a while and he said something that I was meant to hear. He told me that on the morning news he had heard that they were decorating Times Square with orange balloons for this years ball drop and then he said:

"...hon, it must be a last Hurrah for John Henry. You said he always liked parties."

When we tuned in at 11:30 PM to watch the ball drop, it was a sea of orange celebration. Just as it should always be. I thought to myself that it was not a "last" hurrah, but a lasting hurrah and herald of good things to come in 2008 - JH showing me the way to moving forward and, once again, answering my requests.

Thanks for sending me the message JHo, in an unexpected fashion, through an unexpected source and at an unexpected moment! I really do LOVE you....more. ;-D

P.S. Has John Henry "spoken" to any of you these past months? Share your story with us.