Sorry to stomp on the sweetness below, but I learned yesterday that Lance Mannion, one of the old school bloggers from the early aughts, died in his sleep from what appear to be natural causes.
I am sure many of you knew him and read him at one point and would like to know this. The link to the gofundme can be found here.
Respite Open Thread: How About Some Sweetness?
joel hanes
A wonderful, thoughtful, humane writer from the first time I read his blog right up until the end.
The last few year have been a perfect example of When Bad Things Happen To Good People, except that Lance was one of the best people.
Ave atque vale, sir.
Mary G
RIP. He was one of my favorites back when. Contributed a bit, as I am dropping an obscene amount of money on major plumbing work with proper lead abatement. No asbestos found, thank Dog.
Excited to be going on my first non-medical outing in 15 months to shop for tile and vanity, wearing my four layers of masks and goggles, of course. OC continuing excellence in covid control; 65 new cases and only 100 people in hospital, 15 of them in ICU. I can hardly wait to hear Sister Golden Bear on Caitlyn Jenner’s running for governor as a Republican.
Also, missed putting this in the respite thread:
KayInMD (formerly Kay (not the front-pager))
He really was one of the best, back in the day. I feel really bad that I can’t afford to put much in the kitty this week, when I’m someone who should be able to share. I’ll make a point to go back on the 11th.
I hate when this happens to the good people.
HypersphericalCow
He was one of the OG bloggers. I haven’t read his site in years, but back in the early oughts, he was one of the greats. RIP.
CaseyL
Such sad news. I hope the gofundme makes the financial side, at least, a little easier on his family.
Anne Laurie
Lance Mannion was the very first blog I ever commented on, back in the day.
Been a long time since I even went over there, because almost every one of his posts required actual attention and a thoughtful response. (Another) sad sign of our times…
cope
Count me among the others who were fans of his blog. As there were exponentially fewer online distractions back in the day, it was easier to spend a lot more time on a lot fewer sites.
I read about his death yesterday and am kind of surprised to see it just now mentioned here at BJ (apologies to anyone who slid it into comments earlier).
SiubhanDuinne
@Anne Laurie:
Sorry to say I never heard of, let alone read, Lance Mannion until today (Digby pasted something about him earlier). But I would say that you and virtually all of the other BJFPs often (not all of you, of course, and not every time, but substantially often) do indeed create posts that “[require] actual attention and a thoughtful response.” If Mannion was an inspiration and role model, good on him — and good on all of you for bringing your own interests, sensibilities, talents, and disciplines to continue the blogging path he opened.
RIP.
persistentillusion
I read him, back in the day. Feeling that my participation out of idleness and a desire for a better country. He made the discourse better which led to better outcomes.
Mary G
Happy surprise reunion:
Don Roszel
Mr.Mannion was the first blog I ever followed. He was thoughtful and perceptive. I am so sorry he has died
Chief Oshkosh
Lance Mannion was one of the early bloggers that helped me start to make sense of what I was seeing in the Bush II administration, and more widely, how far off the rails half of our public discourse was going.
He was a whimsical, sane voice.
cope
If you scroll down to Mannion’s post from April 7th, it’s a sadly prescient one inspired by a Tom Levenson photo to whom he gives some major props. I don’t subscribe to the circle of life business. To me, it looks linear and has a beginning point and an ending point but there you go.
J R in WV
I must confess I am totally unfamiliar with Lance and his blog. Sorry to have missed someone whom so many people I respect had such a good opinion of.
satby
I’m another Lance Mannion fan from back when I spent much more time online than I do now. He will be missed. RIP.
Ohio Mom
“When bad things happen to good people…” Yup.
The last years of his life were absolutely Job-like. His wife, a reporter, was down-sized out of her career, developed a benign brain tumor, never completely recovered cognitively from its removal, and the last I remember, was still fighting to get SSDI. Lance himself developed terrible back problems and Type II diabetes.
I only read him sporadically so the rest I am not sure about. He seemed to have lost his adjunct teaching jobs to the shrinking of academia, and it seems his young adult sons are still at home, helping out, unable to get started on their own lives.
I never saw any bitterness, but did see his joy in his family and in nature. He was a wonderful writer, though I admit I am not one for long literary analysis, which was his main speciality.
Anyway, the Go Fund me list is a who’s who of the lefty blogging forefathers/mothers, many of who closed their blogs after having their say. It was startling for me to see some of their names I’d all but forgotten.
I hope the family finds some comfort in seeing the admiration and affection Lance’s peers had for him.
Cathie from Canada
Lance was a wonderful writer, and he also introduced me to so many other good writers, it was inspirational.
His posts about the health issues he faced with his wife and himself were outstanding – such perception of how to deal with the challenges of illness with grace and courage. And humour, always lots of humour, often self-depreciating.
My world is a little lonelier with his passing.
Mustang Bobby
When I became a front-pager at Shakesepare’s Sister (later known as Shakesville), he generously welcomed me and promoted my own work. His generosity and wit were boundless. I hold him and his family in the Light.
Bonnie
I thought Lance Mannion was one of the best writers I ever read. My condolences to his family and friends. This has made me very sad.