Thursday, February 14, 2008
From Greg Hajic
Morgan was more than everything I could have hoped for in a co-worker and a friend. His knowledge, wit, attitude, playfulness, selflessness, openness, compassion and caring were things I basked in and could never get enough of. Morgan will be forever in my heart and mind and it makes me smile to think of him. I am privileged to have known him and am a better person for it.
From Eric Marcus
I hadn’t seen Morgan in ten years…since the summer of ’99 in Seattle. Such a wonderful guy, so easy to talk to, and to laugh with. I’ve always been sorry I didn’t keep in closer contact with him after college, now of course even more so. Someone already mentioned that he had a great laugh. I think of him as having both a keen eye for, and a forgiving, affectionate attitude towards what was absurd in himself and others. His laugh was never mean-spirited, and as likely to be directed at himself as anyone else.
I had a fond memory; I hope it’s not inappropriate. On the night before we graduated from college, we had been at a party in the Stadium dorm. On our way out, we engaged in what can fairly be described as a harmless (or, in any case, victimless) prank (it involved a washing machine). Afterwards, when we were leaving the building, we saw a police car racing into the parking lot towards our exit, and so we turned around and ran back into the building, through the length of it, then out the other side. Another police car was just pulling up to that side of the building, and we were starting to panic. Morgan suggested we just turn around and walk calmly back inside. We did, and an officer ran towards us shouting ‘did you see two guys running through here?’. Morgan said, ‘Uh, yeah they ran THAT way’ pointing toward the exit we just walked through. Off the poor cop ran…
I was so sad to hear this news.
I had a fond memory; I hope it’s not inappropriate. On the night before we graduated from college, we had been at a party in the Stadium dorm. On our way out, we engaged in what can fairly be described as a harmless (or, in any case, victimless) prank (it involved a washing machine). Afterwards, when we were leaving the building, we saw a police car racing into the parking lot towards our exit, and so we turned around and ran back into the building, through the length of it, then out the other side. Another police car was just pulling up to that side of the building, and we were starting to panic. Morgan suggested we just turn around and walk calmly back inside. We did, and an officer ran towards us shouting ‘did you see two guys running through here?’. Morgan said, ‘Uh, yeah they ran THAT way’ pointing toward the exit we just walked through. Off the poor cop ran…
I was so sad to hear this news.
From Gina Fischer
Obviously Morgan was always in a good mood and smiling, so singling out just a couple memories is difficult.
Some of my favorite memories involve his impersonations of PSB personality Huell Howser. (We both have a closeted love for Huell.) Morgan would sit in his cubicle (right next to mine) and crack me up by saying things Huell said on his tv-show like, "How do you like your medudo?" "What brought you here today?" "Whoa-wee, that is neat!" "Isn't this just the coolest thing you've ever seen?!" in a deep southern Huell-like voice. His imitation was quite good and always amusing.
Morgan would also imitate Huell's physical gestures, most notably, how Huell sticks his microphone in unsuspecting people's faces and asks them dumb questions in his overly-jovial southern accent. It never failed to make me giggle. (If you've seen Huell's show before, you'll understand why this is so funny.)
Morgan was just so content and carefree and it made life in the frigid office we work in that much better.
He was always willing to share a hilarious joke or a funny news story, to help ease the boredom of the workday, especially if he thought I would have an interest in it. He was so thoughtful and funny, and that's what I love about Morgan. I'll probably never have a boss who is just so cool.
I love and miss Morgan dearly. My thoughts go out to his family, who I know he loved so much!
Some of my favorite memories involve his impersonations of PSB personality Huell Howser. (We both have a closeted love for Huell.) Morgan would sit in his cubicle (right next to mine) and crack me up by saying things Huell said on his tv-show like, "How do you like your medudo?" "What brought you here today?" "Whoa-wee, that is neat!" "Isn't this just the coolest thing you've ever seen?!" in a deep southern Huell-like voice. His imitation was quite good and always amusing.
Morgan would also imitate Huell's physical gestures, most notably, how Huell sticks his microphone in unsuspecting people's faces and asks them dumb questions in his overly-jovial southern accent. It never failed to make me giggle. (If you've seen Huell's show before, you'll understand why this is so funny.)
Morgan was just so content and carefree and it made life in the frigid office we work in that much better.
He was always willing to share a hilarious joke or a funny news story, to help ease the boredom of the workday, especially if he thought I would have an interest in it. He was so thoughtful and funny, and that's what I love about Morgan. I'll probably never have a boss who is just so cool.
I love and miss Morgan dearly. My thoughts go out to his family, who I know he loved so much!
From Susan Mitchell
Morgan never said an unkind word about anyone, I don't think, except for the guy who borrowed his jacket once and left permanent B.O. in it. That really pissed him off.
I helped Morgan move from Seattle to Santa Barbara. The first night in SB we went to Don's Cocktails (which was decorated for the upcoming holidays with a bunch of haggard Christmas lights on a forklift parked outside, so Morgan quickly named it The Home of the Decorated Forklift). A lady came in with a cake for the bartender's birthday, which had been a couple of weeks ago. She lifted the foil to reveal a chocolate cake with yellow icing reading HAPPY BIRTH! and shrugged and told the bartender she'd run out of room. And then she handed him some plates and forks and left. Morgan and I merrily served cake to the other folks at the bar, and ever since on our birthdays we've wished each other a very HAPPY BIRTH!
Also on that trip we were sleeping in a clutterfilled room and it was giving us both the willies, like we worried we'd knock something over or something would fall on us. One morning I woke up to the sound of him giggling across the room which made me start giggling and it turned out that he had woken up and looked up towards the skylight, searching for a noncluttered spot, and only then noticed that even the skylight was cluttered, with some sort of melted rainbow dreamcatching doodad stuck to it, but Morgan said all he saw was a "technicolor turd."
I hope these stories make you smile and laugh, but right now they are making me cry.
Love to Sarah and Andy and your parents.
I helped Morgan move from Seattle to Santa Barbara. The first night in SB we went to Don's Cocktails (which was decorated for the upcoming holidays with a bunch of haggard Christmas lights on a forklift parked outside, so Morgan quickly named it The Home of the Decorated Forklift). A lady came in with a cake for the bartender's birthday, which had been a couple of weeks ago. She lifted the foil to reveal a chocolate cake with yellow icing reading HAPPY BIRTH! and shrugged and told the bartender she'd run out of room. And then she handed him some plates and forks and left. Morgan and I merrily served cake to the other folks at the bar, and ever since on our birthdays we've wished each other a very HAPPY BIRTH!
Also on that trip we were sleeping in a clutterfilled room and it was giving us both the willies, like we worried we'd knock something over or something would fall on us. One morning I woke up to the sound of him giggling across the room which made me start giggling and it turned out that he had woken up and looked up towards the skylight, searching for a noncluttered spot, and only then noticed that even the skylight was cluttered, with some sort of melted rainbow dreamcatching doodad stuck to it, but Morgan said all he saw was a "technicolor turd."
I hope these stories make you smile and laugh, but right now they are making me cry.
Love to Sarah and Andy and your parents.
From Laurie Bridges
I wanted to add this strip of pictures because this photo was taken around 2 a.m. on one evening in 2006. I met Morgan at a UW Lib Science gathering and we hit it off instantly -- I however, lived in Corvallis, Oregon (small). One weekend my two friends and I decided we wanted to have a weekend of Ikea and fun in Seattle. So, we stayed at Mogan's house (what a wonderful view) and he took us out for the evening. He said he'd heard about a really good DJ he wanted to check out. So, we got to this little dance club around 11 p.m. and there was hardly anybody there. Perhaps the crowd varied between 20-30 people. We drank and laughed a lot and Morgan was not afraid to dance (he really got into it!). We all remember that night because with us on the dance floor was two sad clowns (one on stilts) who were dancing as if they weren't in clown outfits...one bmx biker who was doing tricks on his bike in the middle of the dance floor...and one guy with some bongos slung around his neck playing amidst all the dancers. Morgan was so fun that night (and always) and around 2:00 my girlfriends and I decided to go to the photbooth, but of course Morgan couldn't resist sticking his head in!
He'll truly be missed. What a wonderful person and dear friend. I'll never forget him.
He'll truly be missed. What a wonderful person and dear friend. I'll never forget him.
From Sarah Cowles
Morgan and I used to share a room in Michigan and we had this funny 70's bunk bed that had a double bed on top and single on the bottom, and it was made of vinyl covered pipes and you could buy them at some store in Chicago; this was some proto-IKEA furniture concept. anyway, we would go to bed and then start talking and making up stories and laughing so hard we couldn't breathe, and Morgan proposed finally that we engage in a "Quiet Contest" to stop all of this giggling. I of course lost, time and time again to Morgan.
From Catherine Brozowski
Morgan and i both moved to Santa Barbara two years ago. He quickly became my hiking and drinking buddy, and we loved to compare Santa Barbara's miniature downtown to our former lives in Seattle. He loved to be outdoors and we explored some great hiking trails together. He also rode on my bike-to-work team, and Morgan was always our strongest rider, earning us the most points!! He lived his life well, and while i am devastated about this news, I am relieved to know he died doing something he loved.
To his girlfriend Katheryn - you lit up his world!
To his sister, mom and dad - my heart breaks for you, for him, for the enormous loss.
To his girlfriend Katheryn - you lit up his world!
To his sister, mom and dad - my heart breaks for you, for him, for the enormous loss.
From Matt Diehl
I lost touch with Morgan since we graduated Carleton, but I will say this: he was one of the most inspiring and talented people there. His photography really opened my eyes--the way he could shoot the ripples on a sheet and make it look like a desert landscape; also, he made a great documentary about truckers, and had great musical taste. Morgan was also hilarious, weird, and kind--the three greatest attributes anyone can have (along with good musical taste, of course). He will be missed.
From Ryan Wilson
I don't even know where to start. Morgan was more than a boss, he was a great friend and one of us. He let me get away with more than any authority figure should, haha. He took me to el Sitio for a pitcher once I turned 21 and embraced, understood and made fun of our crazy college lives. There was something reassuring in every conversation I had with him. He was so down to earth and was on a level where I think everyone could relate to him. He was kind hearted, one of the funniest guys I've ever met and full of stories. I am going to miss coming into work and seeing the crazy stories he was reading on boingboing.com.
I really miss you buddy, this place and my life will never be the same. Iit is safe to say you have really touched us all and i'll always have a place in my heart for you.
I really miss you buddy, this place and my life will never be the same. Iit is safe to say you have really touched us all and i'll always have a place in my heart for you.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
A Celebration of Morgan's Life: April 12, Santa Fe
On April 12 (a Saturday) we plan to gather at the Sunrise Springs Inn and Retreat just south of Santa Fe to celebrate Morgan's life. While we would hope to have everyone present by around 2:00 in the afternoon and then go on well into the evening with the festivities, don't be surprised to find that you will want to come sooner and stay longer. The web site http://www.sunrisesprings.com/ will make that clear. As Morgan's Carleton friends will recognize, there is even a duck pond ready for Guru Sasha's expected return.
We have arranged for the Inn to set aside 40 guest rooms that can accomodate up to 64 people (two night stay minimum, but, believe me, well worth it). According to the Inn: "The room break out is: "Garden rooms": = 21 with 2 queen beds, 7 with 1 king bed; "Casitas" (little individual buildings): = 6 Total - 3 with 1 king and 3 with 2 doublebeds; and "Pond view rooms" - 6 each with 1 double bed. The rates are as follows: "Garden rooms" @ 155.00 plus taxes per night; "Casitas" @ 189.00 plus taxes per night; "Pond view rooms" @ 99.00 plus taxes per night. The inn is waiving the fee for multiple people per room. Please make your reservations by March 7 at the latest by calling 800-955-0028 or 505-471-3600 and mention the Celebration of Morgan's Life.
Please contact me by email at rcowles2@comcast.net or by phone at 505-986-1814 as to your plans, regardless of whether you will be staying at the Inn or not. Some of you who live in Santa Fe may be with us for Saturday afternoon only, and others may be staying elsewhere (there are some motels about 4-6 miles distant on Cerrillos Rd.). We'll have more information about specific plans as time progresses. If you have any ideas for the celebration please pass them along or use the Facebook discussion boards.
Warmest Regards, Dick, Karen, Sarah, and Andy
We have arranged for the Inn to set aside 40 guest rooms that can accomodate up to 64 people (two night stay minimum, but, believe me, well worth it). According to the Inn: "The room break out is: "Garden rooms": = 21 with 2 queen beds, 7 with 1 king bed; "Casitas" (little individual buildings): = 6 Total - 3 with 1 king and 3 with 2 doublebeds; and "Pond view rooms" - 6 each with 1 double bed. The rates are as follows: "Garden rooms" @ 155.00 plus taxes per night; "Casitas" @ 189.00 plus taxes per night; "Pond view rooms" @ 99.00 plus taxes per night. The inn is waiving the fee for multiple people per room. Please make your reservations by March 7 at the latest by calling 800-955-0028 or 505-471-3600 and mention the Celebration of Morgan's Life.
Please contact me by email at rcowles2@comcast.net or by phone at 505-986-1814 as to your plans, regardless of whether you will be staying at the Inn or not. Some of you who live in Santa Fe may be with us for Saturday afternoon only, and others may be staying elsewhere (there are some motels about 4-6 miles distant on Cerrillos Rd.). We'll have more information about specific plans as time progresses. If you have any ideas for the celebration please pass them along or use the Facebook discussion boards.
Warmest Regards, Dick, Karen, Sarah, and Andy
Monday, February 4, 2008
Henry's Hotshots
Every year during middle school and junior high our family went to Taos Ski Valley in New Mexico. Morgan was part of the elite corps of junior skiers led by instructor Henry Hornberger, aka Henry's Hotshots. One year Morgan lost a ski in a powder run and Taos mailed it back to us- I think it's the one in this photo. It looks like he's just completed a NASTAR run in Kachina Basin. The ski week would hold a party at the Thunderbird lodge and hand out prizes.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
