Roger Ebert passes away

[MessengerOfDreams]

Very rarely does the death of anyone I do not personally know leave me in tears, but this is an exception.

Roger Ebert died today at 70 years of age from a return of cancer, just barely announced yesterday. Very rarely is someone the pinnacle of their craft, but Roger Ebert was that to movie reviews. I enjoyed his reviews, they were well written, fair and balanced, and he allowed himself to understand and enjoy genres on their own accord, so he'd view popcorn flicks and Oscar contenders in their own right, something almost all critics struggle with. I enjoyed hearing his thoughts on movies, and on many other things as well. He was always humble and personal with his audience. His passing leaves a gaping hole in the world of not only critics, but in film itself.

I find it fitting enough that in his last year of full reviewing he had nearly a record high amount of 4 star movies. 2012 was a banner year for films and I'm glad he recognized it.

It's amazing how someone you never see, hear or speak to can touch and affect your life in a way that you miss them when they leave this earth. Tears being shed for them by perfect strangers, however bitter, are a sign of success in life that you have left your mark on the Earth, even if just a dent.

I hope that if there's a God, he's a big Scorsese fan.

[sirknightingfail]

Well this is somewhat related in that my old cello teacher had passed away not too long ago. I hadn't taken lessons from him for almost two years at that point, as I had stopped playing cello. He helped my high school take its orchestra to Carnegie hall to play a concert. He was the cello teacher for the majority of the top players in our school district and had been in many symphony orchestras, including the LA philharmonic orchestra. He had even been part of the orchestra for the phantom of the opera for a while. He left a mark on my entire town's youth music program, and had been a great man. I cried at his funeral even though I hadn't had lessons from him for a long time. He died from cancer, and I didn't get around to visiting him in the nursing home before he had died.
A lot of people inspire awe in people who they meet, and leave an impression that will last with them throughout their life. His teaching style was very personal, and he had more willpower than all the other people I have ever met. He quit smoking cold turkey after he had his first heart attack. He gave 6:30am lessons and would have everything personalized. Messing around was never tolerated when it came to playing. He was an amazing man to say the least. He lent someone a cello worth something around 5-6 figures to one of his students to play in a competition.
Some people say that you are a combination of all your past experiences, friendships, encounters, and rivalries. As we go through life we often change slowly according to our environment. Inspiring people tend to leave a lasting mark on the people they meet. A simple exchange of thoughts and ideals is often all that is needed to leave an impression on someone that will last with them forever, being retold and inspiring others to be more determined.

[MessengerOfDreams]

This post by NyansIsAPyro was thumbed up by:

MessengerOfDreams (April 26th, 2013, 10:24 pm)