PEACE for iflitifloat - Rest in Peace, dear friend- Page 16

[CJR]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 1:51pm

Im so very sorry to hear this news. I don't get around here much these days, but after hearing Rachel was sick, I tried to check in and keep up with how she was doing. It saddens me to log in today and read this. I will always rememeber the fun times we had together. My thoughts and prayers are with her family and all of you who were closer to her than I.

Now I need to go dig out some old pictures.... Im sure I have them somewhere, from some BWW party.

[Jon]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 2:10pm

I recall that I, not being a huge Sound of Music fan, misread the Screen name as "If lit, I float".

[SonofMammaMiaSam]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 2:17pm

The first time that I met "if lit" in person was at BWW's Standing Ovations. I believe that we had figured out through PMs that I lived near her son, and near where her daughter would be starting college shortly. She was holding court at the big round table in the back corner at Joe's Pub with Papa and Etoile and others and upon seeing me (I think I told her I was tall) ordered me to sit next to her and to tell her all about myself. The second time that I spent time with flitty was several months later to cheer on said daughter in her first musical at the university. She invited me to join the 'family'. Family was her husband, her son and daughter in law, her ex husband and the ex husband's wife and an aunt. After introducing them all to me, she leaned in close and said, "I know it's fvcked up, but they're mine." That's when I fell madly in love with her.



Updated On: 6/12/12 at 02:17 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 2:33pm

"Sit next to me and tell me about yourself."

What a beautiful, simple, compound sentence, imperative yet open-hearted. Yet there are precious few people who know how to utter it...and then listen to the answer. Rachel listened, despite the fact that she was a little hard of hearing. Perhaps she listened twice as hard.

We all need more people in our lives who can speak that sentence. And we all need to be more like iflitifloat and listen hard to the answer.

"Sit next to me and tell me about yourself."

Updated On: 6/12/12 at 02:33 PM

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 2:59pm

Don't you love that sentance? And you know that it wasn't just something she routinely "parroted", out of habit. She honestly and truly meant it each and every time. Honest and true are great adjectives for her, too.

[Broadwayboobs]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 3:13pm

I remember how she would ask me a question and when I was done she would point to her ear and say "I can't hear out of this one, now tell me the story in the good one because I really want to hear it". We'd both laugh!

[mominator]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 4:05pm

Heaven we so need a like button on this board!

[Perfectly Marvelous]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 5:31pm

I don't think I got to know iflitiffloat that well (my attendance on the boards has been quite spotty). But she seems as though she was a wonderful and kind spirit, and I hope her family will be okay. My condolences go to them.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 8:18pm

If anyone wants a quick smile & spark of happiness, Ifliifloat's fan pictures are still up under her name in the BWW site w a bunch of shots of happy times. What a smile that lady has!
Even if she is not in any of these shots

(ty)

Updated On: 6/12/12 at 08:18 PM

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 8:49pm

Sabrelady - I looked at those photos and I hate to tell you, but none of those pictures are of Rachel. You're right - she had a fabulous smile, but it's not featured on this site as far as I can tell.

[bdwaygirl]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 8:59pm

Wasn't it iflit who started the infamous meltdown BWW Color Code Alert System??

BWW COLOR-CODED ALERT SYSTEM

CLASS I ALERTS
BLACKWATCH PLAID: real life drama being played out on the board
BURNT SIENNA: a gang-up on one poster
CADMIUM: blatant shilling
CELADON: all hell has broken loose
CHARTREUSE: mild turbulence, with possibility of escalation
CRIMSON: open hostility and sniping in progress...clear to all that it's happening, but the back story is known to only a few
ELPHIE GREEN: unbridled paranoia
FUSCHIA: a poster is having a meltdown, but will be okay by morning
JAUNDICE: uncommonly nastiness, even by BWW standards
MAGENTA: bitch fight in progress;probability of escalation
MOTTLED: unverified report of demise of another poster.
NEW PHILOSOPHY BROWN: poster is spinning a tale of high drama, most likely faux...
OXBLOOD: homicidal maniac in midst...take cover
PUCE: nothing happening; dull
SAFFRON: private conversation threadjack
UNMELLOW YELLOW: rampant self-deletion
VERMILLION: a poster is having a total meltdown that will have residual effects (like leaving the board or at least a prolonged absence)

***Adding any of the Class II factors to any Class I alert increases chance of a meltdown by 20%***

CLASS II ALERTS: Modifiers
ANTIQUEWHITE: grammar/spelling stickler on the loose
BABYBLUE: the kids are taking over
CHAMPAGNE: celebration in progress
CHESTNUT: assh*le on the loose
CORNFLOWER: sock puppet in midst
GOLDENROD: ridiculous attention grab in process
MAUVE: unexpected appearance of information that was told to someone in confidence (loose lips)
PERIWINKLE: risqu posting
PRESCHOOL PINK: tantrum
QUICKSILVER: passive/aggressive posting with a non-sexual double or deeper meaning aimed at making a point to a certain reader or group of readers
RAW UMBER: a dead horse is being beaten to death...again
SALMON: unbelievable cluelessness
STUCCO: someone seems to be posting while plastered
THISTLE: someone's very touchy
TOMATO: snarkiness

CLASS III ALERTS: Moderator Lunacy
AQUAMARINE: PM warning received
BLACK: thread or post deleted
LILAC: perceived inappropriateness; warning posted
NAN: thread locked


etc. etc.

[DofB5]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 9:06pm

When I am dead, my dearest,
Sing no sad songs for me.
Plant thou no roses at my head,
Nor shady cypress tree.
But leave the green grass above me,
With showers and dewdrops wet
And if thou will, remember,
And if thou will, forget.

I shall not see the shadows,
I shall not feel the rain,
I shall not hear the nightingale
Sing on, as if in pain.
But dreaming though out the twilight,
That doth not rise nor set,
Happily, I may remember
And happily, may forget.

Rest in Peace, Ifitfloat.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/12/12 at 9:37pm

Lovely.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/13/12 at 2:27am

Thanks for posting the color codes, bwaygirl. They were really her triumph, weren't they?

Wow. It's the color codes that are finally going to make me break down. I'm a little fuchsia but it's probably mostly puce.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 6/13/12 at 7:03am

I am just plain old blue.

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 6/13/12 at 8:24am

I'm glad you saved the Alert Color Codes. While I've always appreciated a good NEW PHILOSOPHY BROWN, I must love that STUCCO is so aptly named.

[Broadwayboobs]

Posted: 6/13/12 at 8:30am

It was beautiful as long as it lasted, the journey of my life, I have no regrets whatsoever, save the pain I'll leave behind.
Those dear hearts who love and care, and the heavy with sleep ever moist eyes, the smile in spite of a lump in the throat and the strings pulling at the heart and soul,
The strong arms that held me up when my own strength let me down, each morsel that I was fed with was full of love.
At every turning of my life I came across good friends, friends who stood by me, even when the time raced me by.
Farewell farewell my friends, I smile and bid you goodbye.
No, shed no tears, for I need them not, all I need is your smile, If you feel sad, do think of me, for that's what I'll like, when you live in the hearts of those you love, remember then...... you never die. ~ Gitanjali Ghei

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/13/12 at 9:08am

And it was always fun when a Cornflower-Chestnut alert was declared.

[wexy]

Posted: 6/13/12 at 10:23am

Rachel's obit is in the Times today

Updated On: 6/13/12 at 10:23 AM

[Pip]

Posted: 6/13/12 at 2:02pm

So sorry to find, upon a rare visit to the boards, that Rachel has passed. My only interaction with her was here on the boards, but she always impressed me with her compassion for others and apparent comfort just being herself. It sounds like she continued to live her life with courage and strength right to the end, which doesn't surprise me in the least. My sympathies to her family and those of you here who had the privilege to call her a friend.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 6/13/12 at 2:11pm

These messages are all so incredible.

What a gathering. What a celebration.

I just wanted to add to an earlier post that if you wish to donate to the National Kidney Foundation, the link requests an email so a family member can be notified. I have an email from the family, so, please PM me for the information.

Pip, such sadness but how special to see you here.

[JbaraFan1]

Posted: 6/13/12 at 3:26pm

It's crazy....or maybe not, I don't know....how sad and at times downright tearful I've been the past few days over iflitifloat's passing. I only knew her through this board. I always had the impression that she was one of the best here. I just never knew just how very, very special a human being she was until reading the comments here by those of you who did know her "in real life".

Boobs' post above is just the latest I've read to do me in. What a beautiful quotation. And so many others have been posted here.

It's a true testament to a good life when even those who never met her can be so deeply touched and even feel grief over the death of somebody they didn't even (not really) know. Some people might find that strange, but I have the feeling that Rachel would not have found it strange at all.

For Rachel and all who love her...

YouTube - Marion Wiliams singing 'It Is Well With My Soul'

[NYadgal]

Posted: 6/13/12 at 3:39pm

(I got your message, but your PMs are turned off so can't reply...)

[JbaraFan1]

Posted: 6/13/12 at 3:44pm

Sorry! Thought I turned 'em back on in settings. I'll try again! Thanks for the post, addy!

PS Okay, I think it "took" that time.

Updated On: 6/13/12 at 03:44 PM

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 6/14/12 at 6:54pm

Okay. I was able to hold it together through all of this, but my baby sister just called and said she's been diagnosed with breast cancer.

I feel like I've just been in a car wreck.