“The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,

Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit

Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,

Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it….”  Omar Khayyam (The Profit)

Phil is gone.  Life begins, and then it ends. 

Sad, sad day for us and the many “little people” he touched in so many ways.  He routinely performed “micro miracles” for the needy.  He was a beauty and we “celebrated” his life both at the Rotary meeting on Thursday and again to a packed house on Saturday at the Hacienda.    The Hacienda did him proud with lots and lots of people and lots of food.  Yep, the Crystal Ballroom.  Phil has spent many a day and evening making things happen in the Chrystal Ball Room, behind the scenes making sure things ran well and on time.  It was full to see Phils memory one last time.

Today was his last day in the Chrystal Ballroom and he was the star.  That was a role I am sure he never wanted, but we had to do it.  The Hacienda made his family extremely welcome and I think they felt part of our Rotary family as well.  Phil would have been glad about that. 

Phil’s Brother and Sister were much like him.  Very likable and easy to talk with, and his dad was so special.  It is easy to see how Phil became who he was….Phil. (or was he Phil, let me explain).    There were a few surprises however.  Phil’s family knew him as “Pete”.    That name came from a childhood nickname “Peety- Boop”.   (I know he is looking down now watching me type and laughing because I never heard that nickname.  I would have used that so often, but he kept that secret for obvious reasons.  “Peety-Boop” how about that.

He was a man with a number of conundrums, and that was just one of them.

As these kinds of “celebrations” go, these two were the best.  

The regular meeting was mostly about Phil, and a presentation by Lili about the goings on at Chevron in the next month or so.  They are going to move some huge (and I mean huge) "stacks" up Pacific Coast Highway ala Space Shuttle style. There was lots of that information about this in the Daily Breeze this week as well.

Back to Phil

I know these are "Celebrations of Life" and  I suppose they are... “celebrations”, but sad celebrations for me.   Stiff upper lip kinds of events.  Bitter sweet at best.  They make you realize how fragile we are.  I get pensive.  One day you are here, the next day you are not.  When the bell tolls for thee, you have to go.  So….get on with your life NOW is the message.  Right now, today.  Have the full range of human experience.  Get on with it.  

Tell the truth, help others, tell them you love them if you do.  That is what Phil’s brother told us to do at our tables on Saturday.  At our table we all told each other that we loved each each other.  (Of course not in a Broke Back Mountain kind of way, but love just the same).  It was neat.  Some you love more than others, but love just the same.

A number of us spoke on behalf of Phil and his memory.  I was honored and privileged to speak my written word.  I couldn't have done it without my sheets of papers.  My papers kept me from crying. Phil  "watched" me write it.   I didn't cry (well maybe a little...I had something in my eye... and a cold, yea that's it).   I worked hard on the papers and felt good about saying what I had to say because Phil and I would frequently share writing experiences.  He encouraged me on every bulletin.  He could turn a phrase or two himself.  He was indeed watching.  I wish I had that "Peety-Boop" thing while he was here.  

As it came out in the people that spoke about him…he was very very smart and loved by many.  Not school smart, he didn’t like school so he dropped out. He did it his way.  He did life his way.  Someone should write a song like that.  Maybe call it "My Way".  

Phil really was indeed really smart.  He knew something about everything.  No kidding.  I know.  He read all kinds of stuff throughout his life and if he read it….he knew it.  I can testify to that and so could his family and friends.  I would say about 20 people or so shared their stories of Phil and their love for him. Some stepped to the Podium and talked to the crowd.  Others lingered afterward to share stories with Phil's family.  They "lingered" afterwards just because they wanted the "celebration" to...not end...to continue.  

But end it did.   And now life goes on.  Let's do the rest of our lives better in the name of Phil.  Last call.  I am pushing the send button now.

Addendum

From Nancy and Jack

Rotary Art/Music/Speech Contests 2013 

Just in time to meet the January 31st deadline, El Segundo Rotary held their high school student contests to select the three finalists in each category who will present their work to our Rotary Club, and the winners in each event who will represent us at the District Contest on March 9 at Loyola University.

The art and music finalists, their parents, and their teacher sponsors will be our guests on February 7 when the students will present their work to the club. First placewinners will receive $150; 2nd place $100, and 3rd place $75.00.

The speech finalists will present their speeches on February 21st and receive their awards at that time.

All students in Tracy Kadonaga’s AP Art class participated in the art contest.  Three judges, (Jenny Jacobs, a professional graphic artist and daughter of our own Sandy Jacobs, art/photography teacher Dave Reed, and English teacher Pam Levy, who also has a background in art) collaborated to select and rank the three finalists. In alphabetical order, they are: Tania Bustamente, Lianna England, and Tobi Ku. Edie Rice coordinated the music competition, and Melissa and Randy Albers, along with two music professionals recruited by Edie (Virginia Figueirido and Alicia Mastromonaco), judged and ranked the participants. The finalists, in alphabetical order, are: Christian Alva, James Dahl, and Nicholas Mazuk. Jack Weber, Nancy Cobb, and retired teacher Paulette Cadill judged the speech contest coordinated by Academic Decathlon teacher Michelle Villalobos. The finalists, in alphabetical order, are: Jessica Hamade, Deanna Natale, and Leksandra Piibe.

Nancy Cobb

1/31/13