Such great, touching and funny memories. Thank you. Sent from my iPad
> On Sep 17, 2023, at 5:53 PM, polyb...@sdc.org wrote: > > I haven't had the same good luck with tequila that you did, but then I also > didn't have Claire as a ministering angel to make sure I was taking my > medicine correctly. B) > > My memory of the Halley's jaunt was that we were in one car (mine), but here > we get into "Rashomon" territory. > > Best wishes. > > John > Quoting Clayton Stromberger <cstromber...@austin.utexas.edu>: > >> John – >> >> I love your poker story. James was a great poker player – I wish I’d played >> more with him in recent years – and I remember an epic game at Claire’s >> place in Lake Tahoe with David Ziegler, when James had just left Stanford >> and I was joining him to make the drive to LA to see Mark Bouler and Shari >> Gray and others living there then… I was battling a cold and James and Zig >> insisted that “the tequila cure” would knock it out. This involved shots of >> tequila after every few hands. Claire, ever the healer, got me in a hot >> bath with a cup of ginger tea first, and then I sat and played with a wool >> cap on my head, sweating and knocking back tequila. I woke up early the >> next morning to a summer sunrise and a gorgeous blue sky and felt like a >> million bucks. It worked! We all sprang out of our couches and beds and >> went dashing outside, glad and young, for a hike up a nearby hill. So many >> moments like that with James. He was the best travel companion you could >> ask for. >> >> And yes I recall the Halley’s jaunt – and especially that as we gathered at >> my place in Austin to depart, I tried to get others engaged in coming up >> with a special “Halley’s handshake” to commemorate the occasion. It >> involved a kind of “swoosh” with your hands as you shook and then pulled >> your hands away from each other like the comet’s tail. James was the only >> person in the group who lit up at this idea, so we did it a few times >> together with grins on our faces, and then we all hopped in our cars and >> headed east toward the Barn. >> >> And hell yes to mo ballads of James and to corridas without end. >> >> Love, >> >> cs >> >> From: shakespeare-at-winedale-email-l...@googlegroups.com >> <shakespeare-at-winedale-email-l...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of >> polyb...@sdc.org <polyb...@sdc.org> >> Date: Saturday, September 16, 2023 at 5:09 PM >> To: shakespeare-at-winedale-email-l...@googlegroups.com >> <shakespeare-at-winedale-email-l...@googlegroups.com> >> Cc: Shakespeare at Winedale 1970-2000 alums <winedale-l@lists.wikimedia.org> >> Subject: Re: James Loehlin >> Hello again. >> >> I'm reminded, Clayton, (often as it turns out, for multiple reasons) >> of the time you, David Sharpe, James, and I drove out to the property >> in front of the Barn to view Halley's comet in 1986 (sadly, a weak >> apparition, but we did see it). I believe there was a gibbous moon >> setting that night/morning, although it would have had to have been >> like 3 a.m. But I remember the ghostly, skull like moon setting and >> James' resonant pronunciation of the word 'gibbous'. Maybe I'm >> conflating astronomical events. Wonderful experience. >> >> I also had a chance to confront James' competitive spirit, but not in >> football (my lack of hand-eye coordination made me a poor player). >> There was a poker game back in the early '90s at Kathy Blackbird's >> place and James (in general, never one to brag) had nevertheless >> boasted earlier in the evening that he always (I think he said >> 'always') won on this side of the Atlantic and always lost on the the >> other. Even his boasts had modest qualifications. I was losing, as >> usual, but at the point where I was on the ropes, I was dealt a full >> house, kings high. Naturally, if I was going to lose with that hand I >> was going to go down in flames. No folding this time. And, sure enough >> everyone else at the table capitulated...except Sir James. We just >> kept raising each other, making the pot very lucrative. Eventually he >> called me. Turns out, he had a full house. Queens high. I came out >> ahead at the end of the evening, with James a close second. He played >> for keeps, despite that magnanimous disposition of his. >> >> Last story/tribute. A little over ten years ago there was a reader's >> theater presentation of "Much Ado About Nothing" here in Socorro. I >> was assigned the role of Don Pedro. James' performance of that role >> from '84 (as do all of his performances and readings) still haunted >> me, so rather than try to bring my poor insights (if I had 'em) to the >> role, I just channeled his voice, inflections, and sense of character >> into it. Needless to say, it went well, thanks to the absent yet ever >> present James Loehlin. >> >> I could go on, but there will be further opportunity for that. To >> quote the Fool from "A Winter's Tale", 'We'll have mo' ballads anon.' >> The Ballad of James Loehlin: never ending, like one of the corridas >> sung on the border. >> >> Thank you all for sharing such precious memories. >> >> John >> >> Quoting Clayton Stromberger <cstromber...@austin.utexas.edu>: >> >>> Good morning everyone – >>> >>> I’ve been reading and re-reading these messages since they came in >>> yesterday. They’re all wonderful and so true. >>> >>> Thank you, Doc, for your note yesterday morning. It was just >>> perfect. I haven’t been able to find the words and I’m so grateful >>> that you did. >>> >>> He loved all those things, and loved you and JoAnn too, very much. >>> The times you guys were able to be together meant the world to him. >>> >>> I had such a strong feeling of a wave of both tears and love >>> spreading out like a shock wave as the news spread yesterday. The >>> wave of text messages, calls, emails, people checking on each other, >>> holding each other, crying together, laughing together after crying >>> – it was an overwhelming day. An awful and remarkable day. I think >>> in the past 36 hours I’ve had several dozen of the most intense hugs >>> of my life. And our love for James – and Laurel – was at the heart >>> of it all. >>> >>> I keep thinking of Laertes and his speech of fire that “fain would >>> blaze/ but that this folly douts it.” I can’t seem to get very far >>> without melting in tears. >>> >>> John: Yes, we will never stop missing him. The world became a >>> touch less fun, a touch less noble. >>> >>> Carl, you’re right, the love and light was shining from our friend >>> every time you walked into his room in this final stretch of his >>> journey home, whether it was at Seton or Christopher House, no >>> matter how many tubes he had running in and out of him. When those >>> blue eyes opened, he saw you, and smiled, and always asked, “How are >>> you doing?” or “What have you been up to?” He chose to be fully >>> present for as many moments as he could carve out in the past year >>> and two months or so. On Wednesday, Polly and I sat with him and >>> Laurel and their dear friend Kevin and “Jeopardy” was on. James was >>> excited that the Final Jeopardy question topic was “Artists,” so he >>> unmuted it. We all gave it our best shot. (Answer: “Who was >>> Bartholdi?”) >>> >>> Chris: Yes, James was our elder at Winedale, and saved us many a >>> time from wandering in utter confusion. He was my elder from the >>> first moment we began working on 1.1 of “Merchant of Venice” forty >>> years ago this past June, even though I was a world-weary senior and >>> he was a skinny bright-eyed freshman. When he began speaking as >>> Bassanio, we all went, “Whoa… Where did that voice come from?” >>> Suddenly, Shakespearean verse was leaping off the page in all its >>> richness and grace in a resonant baritone of complete authority. He >>> already knew then more than I know now or will ever know about >>> Shakespeare. He had the most gentle and subtle but authoritative >>> way of correcting you if you mispronounced a word, or mis-scanned >>> it. So many times I’ve called him over the years: “Hey in this >>> play, this line, how do you say that word and what does it mean?” >>> He always knew. >>> >>> Michael: Yes he was brilliant, and did understand people, in a very >>> quiet way. He was deeply shy, so deeply shy that it was often >>> misread for aloofness when we were young. But he was always >>> listening, thinking, and had a true gift for appreciating others in >>> a profound way. The delight he took in his friends and students and >>> in all of Laurel’s friends and family and his sister Jenny and his >>> dad John and mother Marge and all the people they knew and loved – >>> it was inexhaustible. >>> >>> Lynn – yes, I’ve heard those two words, kind and gentle, so many >>> times in the past day and a half. It was just in his marrow. Last >>> night, I spent some time with a group of the summer class students, >>> and one of them told me that he was so bereft when he heard the news >>> that he ended up going to James’s office and sitting on the hallway >>> floor there and just “saying what I had to say.” And he talked to >>> James about everything but Shakespeare. “I wanted to talk about all >>> those other things that he cared about and enjoyed… I would have >>> loved the man even if he’d never been my teacher.” He allowed >>> himself only a few words of Shakespeare: “We few, we happy few.” >>> James’s favorite speech, and one that this student had asked James >>> to perform last summer, in the midst of that dark time just after >>> his diagnosis, as the chemo was just starting to take its toll. >>> James of course stepped up and performed it in a way that no one >>> else could. “What I’m taking away from all this is… to be kind,” he >>> said. “Not kind in an effusive way, like some people are, but in a >>> real and gentle way, like he was. He never said a bad thing about >>> anyone.” >>> >>> Visiting the students, there was heartbreak, but also real joy. >>> They can’t help but be happy when they get together. They had a >>> great summer with James. Doc used to always tell us that a special >>> part of the summer changed when the audiences arrived and the Barn >>> filled with chairs, and that was the part of the summer they had >>> with him, up until the chairs came in. >>> >>> Doc, the summer class students were very touched by the email you >>> sent to them yesterday. >>> >>> Robin, I love the memory you just added to the thread. A gibbous >>> moon! Yes, he always knew the damn word. Which meant he kicked our >>> ass at Scrabble at Seton the few times I was able to play with him. >>> He had the most elegant and beautiful way of pronouncing words too. >>> He should have recorded a spoken version of the OED. >>> >>> Terry, James did indeed get to watch the Longhorns cream Alabama, >>> with Laurel and a room full of friends and family, and it was >>> glorious. He didn’t feel great that day but reveled in the victory >>> and was excited for the season to come. Then the next day he had he >>> and Laurel had their Cowboys swag on – jerseys with the number 1 on >>> the front and “LOEHLIN” on the back, sent by a beloved former >>> student whose dad runs the concessions at JerryWorld – and cheered >>> on Dallas as it crushed New York. James did not like using >>> competition in his teaching but when it came to football, look out – >>> he got a fierce gleam in his eye when his team was going for a win. >>> “That’s what I’m talking about!” he slowly hollered out as the >>> ‘Pokes ran up the score on the hapless Giants. It was a hoot. >>> >>> Jenny – yes, brightness and serenity, that’s right. >>> >>> Mary, Bruce – yes, a blessing, and a lovely man. And Madge and >>> David, beautifully said, especially what you wrote about Laurel. >>> Laurel has been such an incredible guide to all of this through this >>> experience, from her CaringBridge posts to her texts to her >>> coordinating visitors to her gift to speaking her mind and openly >>> sharing her emotions and her boundless love for James and all the >>> students they care for so deeply. I’ve been in awe of her grit and >>> courage from the beginning of all this last summer. >>> >>> Like Laertes I have a speech of fire that fain would blaze, but this >>> folly douts it. I just wanted to get something down to say thanks >>> to all of you for helping all of us as we grapple with this news and >>> absorb it. >>> >>> I remember James giving me a note in ’84 about Orlando in 1.1 in my >>> confrontation with Oliver: “Draw on up to your full height…” – I’d >>> never heard anyone say anything like that before. It stuck with me. >>> I hadn’t realized I wasn’t drawing on up to my full height. I’d >>> been kinda slouching, hiding a bit, tentative. He was saying: Go >>> for it. Stand up tall and go for it. He already knew how to do >>> that and continued demonstrating for me how to do that for the next >>> 40 years. >>> >>> I’m trying to do that today, my friend, but it’s hard. There will >>> be a lot of things I’m doing for James from this moment forward. >>> We’ll carry all of these wonderful qualities with us as best we can. >>> Those blue eyes shining. A kind friend, as you said, Doc. Every >>> single time you saw him, no matter how awful he felt in that >>> hospital bed. >>> >>> He never complained once. I never heard a word of self-pity or >>> anger or resentment. As that student said to me: I hope I can be >>> that strong. >>> >>> We’ll watch the game tonight, and cheer on the team, for him. In my >>> mind, that Tower will be orange for him. And we will continue to >>> love Laurel, and support her, and to do what it takes to keep >>> Shakespeare at Winedale going strong, because a part of James will >>> always be out at that Barn and the meadows around it and under those >>> pecans and outside the dorm where he taught the kids to sing, “A >>> great while ago, the world begun, with a heigh ho, the wind and the >>> rain…. But that’s all one, our play is done, and we’ll strive to >>> please you every day…” And the woods around the Barn, where he and >>> Laurel and the students ranged far and wide in their “peripatetic” >>> performances. He gave that place and the students and the program >>> his heart and soul every spring and summer. So he’ll always be out >>> there with us. >>> >>> Love and really intense hugs to all of you – >>> >>> c >>> >>> >>> PS. I took a lot of photos of James out at Winedale last spring and >>> summer, looking to capture some moments, memories. I knew they’d be >>> precious later. Last spring, when we were working on “Midummer” out >>> there the second weekend, there was a lovely crescent moon – not >>> gibbous – and James stopped our work on the play to suggest we go >>> outside and look at it, since it was such a presence in the text. >>> So he walked slowly down the road with his walking stick and pointed >>> out how you could seen Venus, I think it was, “in her glimmering >>> sphere,” and the moon, together. Ever the gentle teacher, sharing a >>> deep appreciation. >>> >>> >>> >>> [A group of people standing in a field Description automatically generated] >>> >>> >>> >>> From: shakespeare-at-winedale-email-l...@googlegroups.com >>> <shakespeare-at-winedale-email-l...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of >>> polyb...@sdc.org <polyb...@sdc.org> >>> Date: Friday, September 15, 2023 at 11:16 PM >>> To: shakespeare-at-winedale-email-l...@googlegroups.com >>> <shakespeare-at-winedale-email-l...@googlegroups.com> >>> Cc: Shakespeare at Winedale 1970-2000 alums <winedale-l@lists.wikimedia.org> >>> Subject: Re: James Loehlin >>> Thank you, Doc, for these beautiful, sad, and accurate words. I can't >>> add any better words than those expressed by you and my associates. >>> All I can say is the obvious, that I already miss and will always miss >>> James. >>> >>> Love to you all. >>> >>> John >>> >>> Quoting James Ayres <jay...@cvctx.com>: >>> >>>> After a lengthy and bold struggle with pancreatic cancer, James has >>>> passed away. We have lost a brilliant colleague, scholar, actor, >>>> director, student, and kind friend. He loved Shakespeare, teaching, >>>> and all of his students. And he loved the barn at Winedale. This is >>>> a very sad time. Please keep Laurel in your thoughts and prayers. >>>> >>>> Peace and love to every one of you. >>>> >>>> Love, >>>> >>>> Doc >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Jim (Doc) Ayres >>>> Professor Emeritus, The University of Texas >>>> Founding Director, Shakespeare at Winedale and Camp Shakespeare >>>> Director of Mission, Camp Shakespeare >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Be vigitant, I beseech you! >>>> --- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>> Groups "Shakespeare at Winedale Email List" group. >>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, >>>> send an email to >>>> shakespeare-at-winedale-email-list+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>>> https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgroups.google.com%2Fd%2Fmsgid%2Fshakespeare-at-winedale-email-list%2F34B03F49-160C-4559-8EB4-BDDD979CD991%2540cvctx.com&data=05%7C01%7C%7C15c9c5738f85440a5e6108dbb701a53e%7C31d7e2a5bdd8414e9e97bea998ebdfe1%7C0%7C0%7C638304989922727558%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=TmHCE6R6yPPA9lL%2Fg3jmGeF9BLdBzkZJUu4ObAWrq48%3D&reserved=0<https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgroups.google.com%2Fd%2Fmsgid%2Fshakespeare-at-winedale-email-list%2F34B03F49-160C-4559-8EB4-BDDD979CD991%2540cvctx.com&data=05%7C01%7C%7C15c9c5738f85440a5e6108dbb701a53e%7C31d7e2a5bdd8414e9e97bea998ebdfe1%7C0%7C0%7C638304989922727558%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=TmHCE6R6yPPA9lL%2Fg3jmGeF9BLdBzkZJUu4ObAWrq48%3D&reserved=0><https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/shakespeare >>>> -at-winedale-email-list/34B03F49-160C-4559-8EB4-BDDD979CD991%40cvctx.com>. >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Be vigitant, I beseech you! 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