Just reposting to ensure that newcomers get a crack at it:
A version of this will appear in the Finch Alumnae newsletter in the Spring:
Remembering Monica
The Internet is full of byways with which even the most avid user might be
unfamiliar. Among the various news sites, “adult entertainment’, auctions, chatrooms,
commercial enterprises, bargain travel venues, and the like, there are numerous sites
devoted, in one way or another, to investing. Silicon Investor is one of the first to
combine professional advice with investor discussion, and has often been cited in
financial periodicals and on networks such as CNBC. It is a membership site. Discussion
is conducted on messages boards, often called “the threads”. Unlike chatrooms, they
permit some time for composition or the pasting of information, and also allow responses
at different times, for they function as actual message boards, with high- tech features
allowing one to move around with alacrity, to follow a conversation. Thus, a record is
preserved, and serious discussion is possible. There are provisions for private messages,
for material not germane to the public topic, and other conveniences for the Web
connoisseur.
Monica Timmons, well- known to the Finch alumnae community, was a stock
analyst, and was eventually drawn to Silicon Investor. She was careful to refrain from the
discussion of proprietary work product, but felt that it sharpened her general analytical
skills. One of the features of Silicon Investor that she particularly appreciated was the
“Coffee Shop”, message boards designed for less formal discussion, or the discussion of
non- financial topics, for those who wanted to unwind or change pace. She participated in
joke threads, periodically discussed politics, found time to discuss literature and
philosophy, and generally enjoyed the range of topics and level of discussion which could
emerge from “the threads”.
I was introduced to Monica on a general discussion thread of the “Coffee Shop”,
somewhat more than two years ago. She actually had a pseudonym, “Edwarda”, which
she explained to me was what her parents would have called her had she been male
(Edward, that is). She was loquacious, bright, generally well- informed, charming, and
the sort of person who seeks to pour oil on troubled waters. It turned out that she was
rather popular on Silicon Investor , and therefore helped to energize the thread in
question, by drawing a few people to it. Someone had thought we might hit it off, and it
turned out that she enjoyed my penchant to discuss philosophy, art, and literature, and
was fairly knowledgeable, particularly considering her professional interests. She was a
curious, thoughtful person, and liked an intellectual workout.
It did not take long before we started to send private messages. She was going
through a difficult period at the time, and liked to have someone to talk to. Besides, we
traded cracks about other participants, friendly personal news, and the like. It was in this
context that I heard about The Blue Heron Theater. In high school and college, I had been
very active in dramatics, appearing as Editor Webb in “Our Town”, Horace Vandergelder
in “Hello Dolly!”, and The Player King in Tom Stoppard’s “Rosencrantz and Gildenstern
are Dead”, among other roles. Additionally, I had directed Robert Bolt’s “A Man for All
Season’s” and “Everyman”, the medieval morality play, plus some one acts. She thought I
should come up and see a production at The Blue Heron Theater, of which she was a
board member, as soon as I could. She was very proud of its accomplishments as a non-
profit theater in Manhattan, a venue for cutting edge drama and educational activity.
She also knew that I had taken to visiting Manhattan with my family around the
Fourth of July, in order to beat the traffic. Many New Yorkers go to the shore during that
time, and things are less crowded. However, I had never gotten around to viewing the
fireworks in the harbor. Last year was to be particularly splendid, with barges all around
the island, and tall ships in the harbor, so she invited me and my wife and son to dinner at
her apartment, where we could sit on the roof and get a splendid view. Her apartment was
in Brooklyn Heights, on a quiet street with a tremendous view of the harbor at the end.
We were in the process of discussing arrangements, when she complained of a terrible
headache, and general sickliness. She was taking a strong medication for pain, and yet
getting little coverage, which alarmed me. I tried to talk her into going to the doctor, but
she would not be persuaded. I then was busy for a few days, and when I came back,
learned that Monica was in the hospital. Someone who was on Silicon Investor had tried
to reach her by phone, and ended up discovering that she had become somewhat
incoherent, and been rescued by a neighbor who missed seeing her for several days.
The response on Silicon Investor was tremendous. A thread was established
dedicated to Monica, and even causal acquaintances “stopped by” to express concern.
Another friend of mine, a New Hampshire lawyer who had been advising Monica on
some legal matters, flew down to Brooklyn to look in on the situation. He would go to the
hospital, call me,. and I would relay what we thought was appropriate information to the
people on Silicon Investor. A couple of other members, from New York, stopped by to
look in, and so there were other perspectives represented. There was much frustration,
since she was failing quickly, and there was no certain diagnosis or cause of treatment.
The family, of course, was terribly fretful, and grateful to have interest and help given
from various SI members, some of whom helped Monica’s sister buy a ticket from the
Atlanta area to be there.
In the end, of course, Monica succumbed to the compromise of her system, which
was never specifically identified, but which seems to have had to do with an unusual
infection of mold. My advice to go to the doctor, had it been followed, probably would
have made no difference, according to a physician who knows about such matters. The
difficulty of identifying the problem, which is quite unusual, would likely have resulted in
the same scenario. Eventually, the Center for Disease Control was brought in, precisely
because no one knew what was going on, and they did not come to a conclusion before
she passed away.
At some point, the suggestion was made to raise money to memorialize Monica,
but no one had an idea of what to do. I knew about her interest in The Blue Heron
Theater, and therefore suggested raising money for some a venue or fixture or endowment
in her name at the theater. It captured the imagination of potential contributors, and we
were on our way. I just had to figure out how to reach The Blue Heron. I had already
reached some of Monica’s friends I knew would not be immediately informed without
effort, and whom I knew she would want informed. I did some more research, and sent
out feelers to several people. Finally, Ceil Ainsworth responded, and helped me to reach
Ardelle Striker. I began explaining to Ardelle, the artistic director or the theater, and later
corresponded with Gary Bernstein, the executive director, what I was attempting. As it
happened, they were launching a Capital Campaign, and were quite happy to negotiate an
appropriate memorial depending on what I managed to raise. I publicized the matter in
various areas of the Web site, and sent private messages and e- mails to good prospects,
and finally managed to get a substantial amount, some sent to me, some to those who
originally proposed a memorial, and some directly sent to the theater. After some
nudging, I finally got it all to the theater, but was still short, and therefore had to go to the
well once more. After some additional publicity and pleas, I finally got the requisite
amount to name a rehearsal studio after Monica.
Recently, I attended a dedication of the memorial at The Blue Heron Theater. It is
now housed not far from Park Avenue South, on 24th Street, in the general vicinity of
Gramercy Park. I finally got to meet Ardelle Striker, a lovely, dedicated woman who once
taught at Finch, and Ceil Ainsworth, who greeted me as an old friend. My wife and son
were there, and able to meet some of the cast of characters from this drama. Before going
to the dedication, we drove over to see Monica’s neighborhood, and were charmed but
sad to think how quickly Monica was stricken, and how fragile is life. We were able to
see a play, “A Prophet Among Us”, about James Baldwin, who happens to have been one
of my favorite authors, so it was quite interesting.
I think Monica would have liked the rehearsal room, which is small but attractive,
and suitable for multiple uses. I know she would have liked the convergence of her
interests, Finch and Silicon Investor and The Blue Heron, in a memorial tribute. She
would have been touched by the outpouring of affection for her on Silicon Investor, and
humbled, I think, at the level of participation. I am pleased to see how this activity has
helped the living come to terms with so shocking a demise. No life is in vain: our several
communities gather together to celebrate that fact, and honor not only Monica, but all of
those who have striven to make a mark, but have been carried off the field before their
time.......... |
