Bye, Opal

[Ursa_Major]

@sangfroid

Adieu, Opalcat.

Thank you for offering your talents by hosting Fathom for those of us not ready for the full punch of the weird wide web, and thanks for just being you. I spent a lot of time on “that other board” (which acted as a most gracious host whenever the mighty SD boards went down due to hamster malnourishment) and was delighted by the tenor of the place. Comfortable, friendly, laid-back - thank you for that. It was appreciated.

This pretty much sums up everything I came here to say. If I live to be 100, I doubt I will touch a fraction of the lives Oplal did in her too short time in this world.

[JillGat]

@GingerOfTheNorth

I just wanted to drop in to say that her death was not how you’re all thinking.

Not sure about the point of this post.
Carry on,
Jill

[outlierrn]

Sucks
Sucks
Bye Opal, be at peace.

[Stendhal_Syndrome]

Fuck.
This makes me sad.

[Stealth_Potato]

@WhyNot

Stealth Potato…anything look familiar?

Hmm, not in that view. But from the name I was able to find this picture, where I think I can see the edge of mine. Thank you! That gallery’s worth a look-through, too. Opal was one talented cat.

[Leaffan]

Jesus. What more can I say?

[zoogirl]

Oh dammit! I used to interact with her on the FFF years ago. I’m really shocked and sorry

[Disheavel]

Bye, Opal.

And as a newbie to the boards, let me tell you how much her commenting to one of my threads made me feel like I’d finally made it!

[Win_Place_Show]

@Meggroll

Even though my join date doesn’t represent it, I’ve been lurking here on the SMDB since either 1999 or 2000, when I was about 14 years old. We had just gotten the Internet, and I knew that that was a place I could go to find so much information about EVERYTHING. I was a kid who would read encyclopedias and dictionaries for fun, just because I wanted to know. Soon after my family got AOL, I was doing an Ask Jeeves search for something or other (pre Google days!), which led me to Cecil’s columns. I read every single one of the columns in the archives…and then discovered the message boards.

I’ve been here a long time. I’ve seen Opal’s name on here for years. Even though I didn’t register (who would want to hear what I had to say?), I knew everyone’s personality, what everyone was like, their kids, their stories. I watched, I learned, I rooted for every single one of you and celebrated your successes, and felt for you when it didn’t go your way. Silently, of course. Too shy to do anything but lurk for ten years. What could I add?

Now it’s 2013, and I’m 28, and Opal isn’t here anymore. It’s dumb, I know: it’s a freaking message board, and I never interacted once with Opal. However, I feel so sad. She was literally an institution here. I would say I wish I had gotten to know her, which I do, but that isn’t it. Based on her writings and her postings, I’m not even sure I would have liked her very much. I do though find her (and always have found her) very inspiring as a person and as an artist. As someone who has always had a hard time with depression and quelling that voice inside you that makes you crazy and creative, she has always been an example to me of what a successful person could be and what I could be, too.

This is long and rambling and I feel strange putting all this out there. I just want to let whoever know that Opal affected me greatly as a person, and her presence here and in the world will be most sorely missed.

Aside from the fact that I have about 10 years on you, I could have written this word for word (though not as well as you did).

Very sad to read about her passing.

[Equipoise]

@Maastricht

Oh no. First Autolycus, then Khadaji, now Opal Cat.

I rarely post in these threads because I never know what to say, I’m so anti-social, but seeing these three names together…FUCK! Sad sad sad. Just…damn.

[evilbeth]

Haven’t been back here in forever but I wanted to pay my respects. Opal was certainly a SDMB institution–one of the many cool things I’ll always remember about this place.

Happy travels, wherever you are, Opal.

[D-bear]

1. Shocked.
2. Sad.
3. Goodbye Opal…

[cochrane]

We’re not allowed to post links to offsite message boards, are we, even if it’s a Doper? Una has posted a tribute to Opal in the form of a banner showing photos of her in happier, upbeat times. Photos of her holding her son, in her graduation gown, and juggling. Very beautiful tribute, Una. Nicely done.

[kristin_aka_saph]

Another old poster checking in.

This was such shocking news. I only met Opal once- at Weirddave’s wedding- but over the years I followed her stories here and on LJ and spent a little time on her message board. I always saw her as strong and defiant in the face of so much difficulty- it’s cruel that she would be taken just as some good things were happening for her.
My heart goes out to Opal’s mom and to Dominic. I hope they know she will be missed by many. So sad.

My apologies for setting up a new account- it’s been so long that I don’t have any idea what my old info was.

[cochrane]

@kristin_aka_saph

My apologies for setting up a new account- it’s been so long that I don’t have any idea what my old info was.

To be safe, you may want to PM one of the admins such as **TubaDiva,****Marley23, or C K Dexter Haven and explain to them you forgot your old account login. They’ll be glad to help you recover your old account and merge the two.

[lawoot]

Damn. What an artist. I hadn’t seen her work before now, and I am also incredibly impressed. One of the Dopers on my list of most want to meet, sad it never happened.

[picunurse]

I haven’t been around for a few days, so I was shocked to see this. Very sad. Condolences to us all.

[panache45]

This is so depressing. She was an extremely talented artist who had so much to offer, and her life had more than the usual ups and downs. Though most of us never met her in person, she was part of our family, and will be remembered forever. R.I.P., Opal.

[Eutychus]

I never knew Opal that closely and what run-ins we had were not completely pleasant at the first. But we were eventually able to let bygones be bygones and I hope she finally found the peace she was looking for. RIP, Opal.

[Unintentionally_Blank]

To absent friends. I didn’t know her beyond conversations on the board (if that), but she contributed in no small way to what made the SDMB the SDMB.

May she always be item #3.