Posted by Rich/Mohican Press on December 23, 2001 at 11:22:20:
Let it be ... let it be.
There will be an answer.
Let it be.
Let it be ... let it be ...
Let it be ... let it be.
Whisper words of wisdom.
Let it be.
After the mournful passing of the legendary George Harrison, I was feeling quite glum. This has been one of the worst years I have had the displeasure of living through [though certainly the alternative wasn't all that attractive!] ... despite some obvious bright spots, like my eldest son's wedding ... It just seemed to mark a nasty culmination. What with the events of 9-11, a totally forgetful June & July, and personal stuff of no small magnitude. To top it all off, I couldn't get on-line for six long weeks ... couldn't really check in on my creation, or meet with any of you.
So, as I lay in bed, listening to old Beatles tunes, "Let it Be" seemed to somehow be speaking to me. Perhaps, it was finally time to just let it be. Rememember the triumphs, forget all the gloomy stuff, let it be & move on to something new.
Not that anytime would have been good, but so many things were just left hanging as those six weeks began. I had been expecting an important Gathering-related phone call the day the roof caved in ... well, I'll end the sappy stuff right now before I totally get side-tracked. Needless to say, it was all a nightmare & I was ever so glad to be back on-line this past Friday.
There's a bunch of stuff to un-entangle right now, book orders to be filled, and Christmas is upon us, too. As I waded through mounds of e-mail, sifting through the Viagra ads, the porno site come-ons, the assorted viruses, the "Spy on your Neighbor" software pitches, and all the other stuff that comprises much of my e-mail box, I found a lot of little gems that ... again ... made it all worthwhile.
Too, received more than our usual share of Mohicanland Christmas cards in the mail this year, for some reason. That was very nice, and I thank all of you who sent them! Sorry that the on-line version could never take shape, but there were those circumstances beyond my control ... Those things always seem to get in the way! Darn!
One very special item - I can't tell, but I do want to embarrass the young lady - Chris Boone. Thank you, Chris. You are dear!
And receiving a phone call from Eric Hurley, at the post office, on behalf of a couple of you, was quite the pleasant surprise. Thanks again!
Good to see the Board remained on-going over that span. Thank you, especially to Vita & Theresa, but to all those who kept the candles burning.
Anyway, as "announced," I am back, for whatever that's worth, but totally wore out ... a very bad chest cold hasn't helped.... Boy, do I sound like a moaner & groaner, or what????
Once again, I repeat my offer of burning Site Cds for anyone who wants one ... the first batch of requests had a rather long wait, as I needed to transfer files to another computer and partially rework links, but that's all done and it's just a matter of copying the master now, so ... if you'd like one, simply send a blank CD in a postage paid, self-addressed padded envelope, and I'll burn one for you.
Send it to:
MOHICAN PRESS
POB 123
MARION, NC 28752
And that brings me to the mailbag [that's the Postal employee coming out of me, I guess]. Here's some of the 6-week highlights:
From a satisfied customer: "I received Guidebook in the mail yesterday. I LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT! I sat down and devoured it last night. Thanks for the prompt response and for going through all the trouble to research and share this information with the rest of us Last of the Mohican lovers. The pictures are gorgeous, and the text ties it all beautifully together.
Don't worry about me not visiting your website. I practically live there. I still laugh when I think of the first time I visited. I told my husband I had found a really interesting site that would probably take me a week to get through. Three months later, I still have about half that I haven't gotten to yet. Thanks for maintaining this haven from a busy world. It truly has to be a labor of love, and it shows. Maybe I'll get to meet you & Elaine next June."
Regarding the site of the Twin Towers in NYC: "Yesterday,I was in the city for some business I had to take care off.I was only 3 blocks away from where the Towers used to stand.Those of you who know me well,know that I would go and look at that place.I'm not very good in the City,so I had to ask few policemen before I got where I wanted to.I was on Broadway looking through one of the side streets that were closed.No words could describe the feeling or prepare you for what you see there.I stood there for what seemed like a very very long time,just staring with awe at the devestation,which I thought I knew.There was not a single dry eye in the area.People were so solemn,quiet and sad.This older woman comes next to me,puts a picture of her son,and crying she wished him a happy birthday.That was when I totally lost it.We all think or maybe wish that life is getting to be somewhat 'normal'.Being there,and seeing the flags,the pictures children drew,notes from people all around the world brought me back to reality that life will never be the same for us.Maybe it's the sad thruth,but the way I see it,it made us all priorities our lives.
Thank you for letting me share this with all of you.Stay safe and always let your loved ones know you care about them."
From the "So, What's Your Point" Department: "Error in your script interpretation :
Your version:
The Burial Ground
HAWKEYE: Yes. He said ... 'do not try to make them understand you.'
CORA: What?!
HAWKEYE: Yes. And 'do not try to understand them. That is because they are a breed apart and they make no sense ...'
The cut TV screen version:
The Burial Ground
HAWKEYE: Yes. And 'do not try to understand them. That is because they are a breed apart and they make no sense ..."
CORA: What?!
HAWKEYE: Yes. He said ... 'do not try to make them understand you.'"
Regarding the Site CD: "Rich, thank you, thank you, thank you for the wonderful CD! I'm so thrilled
and excited to get it, and still can't believe your generosity in offering
it! Your site is such a delight, and hope it will be available to us all for
many years to come, but it is great to have my very own copy "just in case".
(Not only that, but since my computer is so old, it'll be great to run a
faster copy locally until that happy day when I can get a faster device!).
Anyway, I really appreciate all the time and energy you put into your site,
not just this wonderful CD. Thanks so much for all your effort!"
And: "Thanks for the Mohican Website cd. It works great and I look forward to using it if for no other reason than the history that's stored on it."
And: "Thanks so much for sending the CD of your website. I have enjoyed the site for years and I'm really gald that it has been preserved in this manner.
It is very much appreciated."
From a REAL Custer buff: "i just think what happen to custer at little big horn / is that i don't think
he was a good man / i think he just think like a man that only thinked of
himself. he got what he was asking for thank yiu"
Just a "Mohicans" fan: "I loved this movie, the story, and the actors in it so much, I saw it over fifty times, and if I had a t.v. right now, I'd buy the video and look at it fifty more times. I found this movie a work in perfection. And it feeds my heart-soul to overflowing. Thankyou, thankyou, for 'giving' it to me in this way. Your site is truly appreciated."
And another, from the younger generation: " I can't believe it, I've found the site of my dreams! My name is Glenn Wade and I am the No.1 of Last Of The Mohicans in South Wales. I am twelve years old and have read the novel three times. I have introduced my friends Liam, Jamie and Craig (Oh yes, my 8 year old brother Neil is Magua's biggest fan) to Last Of The Mohicans and we have written tonnes of stories in English lessons based on Massacre Valley. The film is just top and the site is even better, well not quite!"
From the "No, I Never Have Read the Book OR Watched the Movie" Department: "WHAT DID HAWKEYE DO TO THE MAJOR WHEN THEY WERE AT THE SACHEM?
WHAT HAPPEND TO UNCAS?
WHAT DID ALICE DO IN A RESULT OF THIS?
HOW DID CHINGACHGOOK REVENGE THE DEATH OF UNCAS?
WHO WAS THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS?"
An apparent response to my Crazy Horse post, on what he looked like, a year or so ago - just to prove that people really do read these things!: "Hi, I like yourself have doing research on for a paper on Crazy Horse. I agree I have never seen so many inconsistencies in my life. What angers me is there were people doing research when many were alive had the interviews been done correctly we would of had a wealth of information. I am especially angered that no real research was done on the wives and what ever happened to them. I do have a few leads to follow up- on. Your right ,Crazy Horse was not the perfect person that some make him out to be the liberties taken when some do write about his life are amazing to me. I hope that I will not fall into this trap. I am afraid that my paper will fall far short of the requirements as i plan to try and use on verified facts if I can figure that out.Take care I am very glad to see someone speak out."
Translation, please????: "Ich hätte gerne die Autogramm Adresse von West Studi für meine Kranke Tochter, es ist Ihr größter wunsch ein Autogramm von West Studie zu bekommen oder seine E mail Adresse um mit ihm in Kontakt zu kommen.
Sie würde sich sehr freuen wenn es klappen würde,sie ist 8Jahre alt und Fan von Ihm.
Ich hoffe das Sie mir helfen können.
I want an Autogramm Adress of Wes Studi,Please"
What goes around, comes around [or, is it vice-versa???]: "Dear Mohican Press,
I just have to tell you how much I've enjoyed your incredible web
site! The movie
it's dedicated to has been one of my favorites since first seeing it and
the info on your
site satisfies every possible curiosity I've ever had about it and is the
only information-
al type site I've ever spent so much time browsing. Very impressive.
Out of a renewed interest in this movie after catching it on
vacation with my hubby,
I decided I'd read the original story by J.F. Cooper and after that began
to research
some of the history involved when I happened across your site. I really
like how you have
so many tidbits about the history, very bent on accuracy, besides all the
interesting stuff
about the making of the '92 movie and its stars. I was wondering if
you'd ever heard of
or read the book "The Lasting of the Mohicans" by Martin Baker and Roger
Sabin. Both
are British and it was published in '95. Its subtitle is "History of an
American Myth" and
traces the story from the original through all (and I do mean ALL) of it
media manifesta-
tions and interpretations since, from comics to movies. I had no idea
that it was the sub-
ject of so many versions, I knew of a couple--like Randolph Scott's for
instance. But
not of the others they chronicled--one of them, done in '47, had Buster
Crabbe cast
as Magua! Anyway, these authors have quite a few interesting assertions
to make about
the subject and I would be more than happy to just send the book your way
when I'm
done with it. I don't really need to hang onto the copy for anything.
Thanks again for such an enjoyable web site!"
Well, that's some. Thanks all for making the reading of my e-mail a generally pleasant experience!
Well, for now, that's it. I do want to wish all of you a very blessed & Merry Christmas.
This marks the end of the fifth year of this Web Site's existence. Will be back with you for the start of its sixth. Holy Cow!
PS - Thanks, Theresa, for the DDL photo!
PPS - Will probably be archiving the Board next weekend. Another fresh start upcoming!