scoobygang
Footballguy
There is no easy way to post a thread like this, but we’ve just learned that our friend Charlie “Shining Path” Bosworth passed away at the end of May. It is perhaps a commentary on our own busy lives that many of us who considered Shiny among our best online friends did not notice that he was no longer posting. It is an oversight that we are all sick over.
To the friends he made online, Shiny was a huge part of what made this community special. It’s been a place to argue and to commiserate, but mostly a place to make each other laugh. And for nine years, Shiny, perhaps uniquely, did just that.
A lot of silly things about Shiny have become a part of board lore. Things like his high school era pompadour, his encyclopedic knowledge of Bloom County, or his hysterical contributions to classic threads like The Russian Bride Draft or the old Amoeba Art thread on the yellow board. On the serious side, those of us who really valued learning about science came to rely on his patient, thorough explanations of highly technical concepts.
We will miss those things, but we will mostly miss our friend. Many of us have developed real, brick and mortar friendships over the years. To my knowledge Shiny never met any of us in person. It is an oversight that we are saddened that we will never have a chance to correct. But Shiny was no less special to us for being most immediately recognizable by his purple Tinky Winky avatar. Despite being “only” an online acquaintance, Shiny had helped many of us deal with harrowing personal crises. When family members became sick or when marriages were in trouble -- whenever things seemed bleakest -- Shiny was usually the first to remind us that laughter was the best medicine.
This board encompasses a great diversity of religious and secular beliefs. Shiny has, at times, been a part of the debate concerning those issues. But in this, we hope the community at FBGs can all respond nearly as one. For those of you that believe, we hope you will say a prayer for the Bosworth family. For those that don’t, we ask that you remember Charlie in your way, fondly.
We are going to try to reach out to the Bosworth family and will share with all of you any charity that the family identifies for donations.
Thanks-
Charlie's friends
To the friends he made online, Shiny was a huge part of what made this community special. It’s been a place to argue and to commiserate, but mostly a place to make each other laugh. And for nine years, Shiny, perhaps uniquely, did just that.
A lot of silly things about Shiny have become a part of board lore. Things like his high school era pompadour, his encyclopedic knowledge of Bloom County, or his hysterical contributions to classic threads like The Russian Bride Draft or the old Amoeba Art thread on the yellow board. On the serious side, those of us who really valued learning about science came to rely on his patient, thorough explanations of highly technical concepts.
We will miss those things, but we will mostly miss our friend. Many of us have developed real, brick and mortar friendships over the years. To my knowledge Shiny never met any of us in person. It is an oversight that we are saddened that we will never have a chance to correct. But Shiny was no less special to us for being most immediately recognizable by his purple Tinky Winky avatar. Despite being “only” an online acquaintance, Shiny had helped many of us deal with harrowing personal crises. When family members became sick or when marriages were in trouble -- whenever things seemed bleakest -- Shiny was usually the first to remind us that laughter was the best medicine.
This board encompasses a great diversity of religious and secular beliefs. Shiny has, at times, been a part of the debate concerning those issues. But in this, we hope the community at FBGs can all respond nearly as one. For those of you that believe, we hope you will say a prayer for the Bosworth family. For those that don’t, we ask that you remember Charlie in your way, fondly.
We are going to try to reach out to the Bosworth family and will share with all of you any charity that the family identifies for donations.
Thanks-
Charlie's friends
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