Friday, May 31, 2013

Memorial to the late Angie Riedel by Vyz


Angela Riedel, who brought us the world of Think Or Be Eaten and was a friend to and a supporter of many who were truly independent activists and who provided a massive amount of good information for free, has passed away.

Details about her death are few, but Tuesday, May 28, a Sunnyvale, Calif., police department commander informed me—in response to a welfare check I requested at her home—that she was deceased and apparently from natural causes.

Two days later, I received information through a third party, who contacted the Santa Clara County Coroner’s office, that confirmed Angie had died of natural causes. She succumbed to a ruptured aortic aneurysm.

Most people who have them don’t ever know it. Folks often live a lifetime without the aneurysm causing a fatal event. However, the aortic aneurysm is called “the widow maker” because death is without warning and swift and painless.

The coroner determined that Angie suffered from hypertension—which she complained about on occasion—and that condition—and this is my speculation—coupled with the rigorous task of packing, might have triggered the rupture of the aorta. Or, perhaps, the aneurysm simply did its thing at this particular time in her life. Either way, she did not suffer.

Although Angie was not at all happy about being forced to move, she described to me in an e-mail the apartment she had secured—I believe around San Jose—and seemed optimistic about the chances for her and her cat to be comfortable there. The apartment had a loft, with an entrance on the ground floor, with plenty of open space and an in-unit washer and dryer. It did sound very good and I had asked her to send pictures when she could.

As far as I know, she must have died between the day after our last contact, April 23, and May 5, the day she was to have moved.

I became concerned when I hadn’t heard from her either in response to e-mails or by calls to what was supposed to be her “old” phone number. By May 17, I couldn’t get a new phone listing—or even be told the number was unlisted—in the area code covering the new locale to which she was to have moved. I didn’t like the fact that the old number had not been disconnected with the message machine still working.

I was hoping she, at the worst, was in a depressed state and just wanted to get herself back together before she communicated with anyone. I wanted to not push it, thinking it was best to just give her space. But a call to her on the Friday morning before the Memorial Day—at which time I left a message—and a follow-up call the Tuesday after Memorial Day—during which the phone rang endlessly with no machine pick up—convinced me I had to inquire.

There was no doubt Angie didn’t want to be uprooted. She loved her home. And I think the home loved her. Across the years, she’d tell me about strange sounds and the moving of objects that could not be attributed to her cat. It seemed as if she knew she had a, let’s say, spritely poltergeist in the house, not malevolent by any stretch.

Considering how I wish to remember her for all time, I’d advance this: Could it be that the house didn’t want her to leave as much she didn’t want to leave the house? If so, then could it be that both house and Angie now have what they wanted and are content?

And could it be that whatever family takes possession of the home may one day come to find there is not one but two spritely poltergeists in residence?

I’ll end with an excerpt from Angie’s last post “Dogs Explaining Cats to Other Dogs” on http://thinkorbeeaten.blogspot.com dated Dec. 25, 2012. It is quintessential Angie.

Life is a miracle. 

And with that final thought I will wrap it up for today.  I wish you everything good and bright and meaningful and happy for the holiday.  Loiter under the mistletoe for me.  I'll just be kissing the cat tonight.  If I can catch him.  He's a fast sucker.

Below is a link to the last interview I did with Angie. Enjoy her voice and her persona, both of which will live on forever.

http://thinkorbeeaten.com/007vyz/ang.mp3

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ang was wicked smart and really funny. She could also be irreverent. I remember we were talking about some wild theories and reptilians via David Icke came up. I asked if she watched his videos through to the end, and she admitted had. Not because of the content, mind you, but because he was so damned cute!

I did not know her as well as some, and lament that I had let our email correspondence lapse in the last few months now. But from what I did know of her, I think she would find this a fitting tribute - and being played out to Angel from Montgomery... may we all have someone left behind to put a last lovely soundtrack to our lives.

Ang, you were a relentless seeker of truth, and you wanted to share that generously with everyone who would stop to listen. We are poorer for losing your voice.

Rest now. And know you are missed.

- Kira

Anonymous said...

Angie,

You were talented, had a large and generous heart, and were the kind of person I'd would have enjoyed as a neighbor. I'm sure a trip to your place to borrow a cup of flour (I make bread from time to time) would have turned into an hour-long conversation at the kitchen table over coffee. You showed that not all treasure is silver and gold.
Thanks for what you did. You left the world a better place.

Eric the Blacksmith

Karen said...

I echo Eric's words a little because I thought to myself a couple of times, after an email exchange with Ang, how nice it would be to talk with her over the back fence, in that old-fashioned, truly neighbourly way our moms used to do. I didn't know her very well for very long, but I know from hearing her and chatting with her what a great sense of humour she had and how truly, plainly generous she was. That's what impressed me most, how generous and real she was. Qualities you just don't find often in people you see every day, let alone people you have an arm's-length technological relationship with. I'm so glad our paths crossed and I know there'll be times I'll think of her.

Anonymous said...

It's hard to find out that trouble Is real
In a faraway city, with a faraway feel.
But it makes me feel better each time it begins
Callin' me home, hickory wind
Keeps callin' me home,
Hickory wind

Unknown said...

A few years back, I was running with this crew, who thought they knew.......

NOT!

So I decided, I was going to really find out what the deal was.......

I was determined.....

I would go to the Source......

Face Book..........

NOT! AGAIN.....

Still looking, I came across THINKORBEEATEN, and I say to myself, Hmmmmmm.

That's a great name for a website. Think I'll check it out. See What's what......

YESSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Motherload! Just what I.....was looking for.....

Boy it had everything!

Therewashistoryandscienceandmusicanddiscussionsandnewspaperarticlesandithaithadrealgreatfirsthandsourcesofinfoandguestspeakers!


It even had ,come close cause i have to whisper.. it even had a giant.

Shhhhhhh!

Yeah, from up north, way north in Florida! He would rumble and grumble and everything!!!!! They said it was a Vyzygoth......

A giant was mouthwash??????????????

It had this woman, and she was in charge. She was even in charge of the giant!

But in a nice way........

And I spoke to her sometime...and sometimes she would speak back.....

in a nice way.

And she had a really really great name for someone in charge.....

Angie Reidel.............

Take care kiddo! Thanks.........






Dissident said...

Very sad news.

I pray that her family and friends are comforted and I appreciate all the work Angie did in putting Vyz's work on the web.

Rest in peace dear lady.

Anonymous said...

So many faces in and out of my life
Some will last
Some will just be now and then
Life is a series of hellos and goodbyes
I'm afraid it's time for goodbye again
Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye, my baby
Say goodbye to Hollywood
Say goodbye, my baby

Theo Doric said...

Eric is right: Ang would have made such a superbly perfect neighbor. Ang, you were extremely generous, kind, witty, and very talented, too. You remain the most talented web designer I have ever personally known. You didn't know how talented you were. It didn't get past me, though. The stuff you designed for Vyz was spectacular and evocative of every right mode and mood that he was trying to convey all along. Truly, I or anybody else would have been blessed to have you for a neighbor indeed.
Thank you for all you did for so long.
You already are very missed.

Anonymous said...

RIP, Ang. You were a brilliant and kind soul, and you will be missed. Condolences to your family and friends.

Anonymous said...


Dear Ang,

Thank you for having been a living example of the change we wish to see in this world. I knew you as someone who would give whatever you could to help someone in need. The injustice of this world weighed heavily on your spirit, so you used your talent as a writer to pen words so eloquently... informing those who would read your articles, with the truth about the evil done by those in power.

I believe you are now in a place that evil cannot enter... a place of peace and beauty.

Goodbye for now, my friend. I'm sure we'll chat again. I'd like that.

your friend,

lazerwood


Anonymous said...

Damm,So sorry to hear!! strange the other day was goin to ask about website which is gone! had many email conversations in 2011 and 2012, and was looking for james mont.writings, and to find out she passed, in bitter sweet she is the lucky one, and is in the know of all things we still seek!!! good journey Ang!!!!!

Rolf Brandt said...

I have been trying to contact Ang for a long time. Her website suddenly ceased to exist, emails to her address failed, the stuff she helped me publish on ITGK (Inside The Grassy Knoll) couldn't be accessed any more as ITGK had ceased to exist.

Now I know why, thanks to your obituary.

I am sad. She was such good company. What a loss.
Thank you for your good words about her.
I am sad.

W5AWG-johnnysjazz said...

I lived only a few blocks from Angie, and She was a Cat Person, like myself. We shared the same Disdain for Crippled People with American Crippled Minds....The mystery remains, WHAT KILLED HER CATS? Why were HER CATS KILLED, and why no Autopsy to find out WHAT SOURCE of the Toxic Stimulant that caused her Coronary ?

I have the Same Condition, Hypertension, my BP is at 205/130 these past 10 Years, and I Refuse To Allow "Doctors" to kill me.

Angie died Young...I just turned 66 this month. I Ride a Mountain Bike and Drink Coffee all day. My Cat looks like a Fat Man in a Tuxedo! We shared CAT PICTURES in our emails.

I Guess her being a Canadian made her Wonderful Mind ....surprised she wasn't deported in the Clinton Years, the Tail End of Clinton Regeme 1,000s of Canadian-Americans were Deported back to Canada, I was living in Toronto in 2000, the city was FULL of Deportees!

Anonymous said...

Johnny:

Angie was autopsied.
On the air, I read from her informational death certificate, which only has relatives' info redacted. She had an aneurysm. I can guarantee you she never knew she had one. Most people don't. That is what killed her. Her high blood pressure was an exacerbating factor. She died in her sleep.
She and I spoke about her move down to Santa Clara. She had to vacate the house because no one except her step dad was on the deed, so the house went up for liquidation with assets divided among her and her two step brothers. She really seemed upbeat, but I can't help but believe that the turmoil took an internal toll on her. I wondered about her cat(s). I spoke to her next of kin, a first cousin who was barely helpful. It seems our girl was a hoarder and the house was brim full of "stuff."
I don't mean to inject an element of intrigue, but she was supposed to have been moved on May 5. It didn't happen. She hadn't even packed and no one knew she had expired until after that date.
She had to be identified by either dental or fingerprints, so it wasn't a pleasant site.
Let's just remember her for her energy and high spirits. It's been five years and I can't ever forget her. And I don't plan on that happening for the rest of my days.
--Vyz

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