Weekend Wrap Up: Amira, Cyaneyed, and HDTV (Punkadyne Labs (Punkwalrus))

This weekend has been kind of a blur. I am in a funk about Amira's passing. No, we all knew she was dying, it wasn't a surprise, but she was such a giving person. We wanted to go down and see her service (tomorrow at 6pm in Buchanan, Virginia) but there was no way to get down there, drive for 3 hours and drive back. We don't have the money, time off from work, or anything. We sent flowers instead, to Peter, but I feel like a jerk because, again, money got in the way.

I got yelled at for not passing the information along quicker by a few people. Look, I am sorry, I should have realized just how MANY people cared, and just a blog entry was not sufficient. Many of my Technicon and Shivacon pals never read my blog. I guess I was broadsided by it, didn't follow the chain o'command, and I am a douchebag. I just don't know how to handle deaths and funerals and stuff. You think I would, I have been to so many of them, I can't count. My own mother, two grandmothers, several in-laws, and countless friends and coworkers. But I never learn. I am not being sarcastic, I am truly sorry I botched this up, and I feel pretty bad about it.

I will always remember Amira positively, despite so many things that seemed to work against her in her life. She never had a bad word to say about anyone. Sometimes she came off a little squirrelly, but then again, so do I. I first met her when she replaced the Montouris as roommates at the FanTek cons. Amira and her (then) young son roomed with takayla, CR, and myself. For the next many years, we all watched our kids grow. Twice a year we hooked up. Amira taught my son how to massage, and taught me all about ADHD. We spent many, many nights discussing our lives, mistakes, regrets, accomplishments, and so on. But as much as she was part of our lives for many years, she was suddenly gone. Years went by, and we e-mailed a few times. Things never seemed to go well for her, but she always had a positive spin.

Once, while at a bellydancing show, she fell right off the stage. Like, not even a pause or indication she knew she had stepped too far back and "whoomp," she was behind the curtain and on the floor. But she got right back on that stage and finished her number right where she left off. She, like her friend Miraj, always smiled when she performed, unlike many dancers who are all so serious.

I can still hear her voice, clear as a bell, offering advice about something. Her advice was never unsolicited, never arrogant or patronizing, and she always had great advice about how to deal with difficult people. She never saw herself as above others, but beside you, wondering the same things. I miss her so much.

I never think that the powers that be alway takes the good ones away from us any more, but I think that she must have finally graduated after dealing with so much bullshit. I hope to see her again when my time comes, and I hope to live up to her many ideals which I respected so much.

Her obituary is already three pages full of comments. If you have a spare moment, share them with Peter and those others who loved her.

In other, less depressing news, cyaneyed celebrated another birthday, which means she got to be 29 again. I would like all Prunes reading this to know that I never intended to see Gadams naked, but these plans were dashed by his gift to her: a semi-nude, PG-13 calenedar of him. Our gift was takayla arranged her party at the Sakura in Tysons. Crummy cell phone pictures are on my blog.

And we finally have an HDTV! We didn't buy it, per se... but it was a gift from anyarm from her divorce in lieu of staying with us. As a house guest, she's been most unobtrusive and gracious, but the TV was appreciated anyway. :) We have to make room in our bedroom, though, so it sits in our living room for now. Posted in: amira , cyaneyed , death , funerals , hdtv

Some bad news for the FanTek/Bellydancing community (Punkadyne Labs (Punkwalrus))

For those of you who were with FanTek in the 1990s, you might remember a bellydancer named Amira. She gave many talks, ran many panels on bellydancing and spiritual healing, and my family roomed with her during most of the "Fredrick Holodome" years of FanTek cons.

Amira had been battling a CNS lymphoma brain tumor, and in one of her last letters with me a few months ago, she stated she was under some part time home care. "Metaphysically I've talked to my tumor and agreed it may stay ONLY if it does not interfere with that which I need to live," she said. "If my cancer is to kill me, I want to be here with my dog." She was working on starting a new holistic cancer therapy.

Her friend Velvet just connected me and let me know Victoria "Amira" Bedford passed away last night.

I kept meaning to call Amira, but like so much else, it got pushed down the stack. I made one attempt to call her, and there was no answer. I really should have made more attempts. Some family friend I am.

I will miss her. I guess you just assume some people will be in your life because they are in the back of your head. She is survived by her son, Peter. Peter and the family still haven't made any final decisions about the Memorial Service, but if you'd like to get some information, it's being handled by the Botetourt Funeral Home in Buchanan, Virginia. Phone: (540) 254-3000

This was the last time I saw her, at the disastrous Imaginecon back in 2000. Not the best photo, given the dress, but she's on the right with her friend Miraj:



Rest in peace, Amira. Posted in: amira , bellydancing , fantek