Emails

I get all kinds of emails: catching-up with friends, chatting (with maybe just a little gossip), work, training and race reports, pictures, and yes the ever dreaded spam. Last night I received an email that was very difficult to read:

I am so sorry, but because I don't have phone numbers with which to contact you with, e-mail will have to suffice as the means through which I have to share the sad news that Gina passed away Thursday evening.

Along with the email were details about her funeral from her husband of less than 3 years.

I have not seen her since I moved, and have only been in contact with her via email, but shocked me to hear this. She was 28 years old. We worked together until I moved. She was so intelligent, and actually worked on a grant with my mother. It was fun to share a common person with my mom. My mother who is terribly judgemental was actually able to get over Gina's jet black hair, pale white skin, bright red lipstick, and long pointed fingernails to appreciate her genius. Gina and I couldn't be more different, but what we shared always kept us friends:
- a love of animals. Her dog Casper came to the only birthday party I have had for Daisy. She and I always shared an appreciation for the joy a pet can bring to your life!
- she is the only person who ever picked at her cuticles more than I do...random thing to share, but one year we both tried to quit and failed miserably.
- Halloween is her favorite holiday, not so much mine, but we both LOVE candy corn. We shared the theory of one heavy dose of candy corn rids you of the desire for needing to eat them throughout the year. (Clea I guess I will have to eat my dose of candy corn this year for both Gina and I...crazy that you and I were just talking about it)
- desire to have our men well-put-together. She had Paul try on many many pair of eyeglasses to put him in a trendier pair. I won't even mention what he wore before. She took such pride in making sure her boyfriend, now husband, was as handsome as possible...must make engineers not look like engineers.

Anyway, update with a more cheerful note later, but for now I just wanted to take a moment to remember a lost friend...
mer