How to celebrate Leonard's 80th birthday

[jeremek]

Yesterday's update from Hydra, from our friend Lakis:
...
So, right now we will wait for green light to our plan, and an estimate of the total costs. If everything goes well and the plan is viable, we will start a campaign to collect donations.
All the text etc. details can then be fine-tuned during the process.

Splendidly, Dear Jarkko
Regards, B.

[lizzytysh]

I'm amazed by the level of the progress, even including the elections being a minor delay.
Thanks, Jarkko

[Dem]

I am also surprised by the speed
of the project!

Now of course it remains to see if
the current Mayor of Hydra will be re-elected

Tomorrow is the first round of the elections
and next Sunday the final one.

Dem

PS) I would definitely like the bench to have a back
so that people will sit leisurely there
gazing at the sea and thinking
about Leonard Cohen, life and everything else.

[Kiwi56]

Awww, that idea with the bench is really wonderful!
I agree with Ken and would take a simple and linear one.

[hydriot]

I left Hydra on 17 May, so I don't know the result of the election yet. (Election of the mayor is a very serious business in Greece as mayors have almost dictatorial powers: last week loads of Greeks working elsewhere were returning to the island specifically to vote).

I agree that the bench should have a back: it should be comfortable to sit there, otherwise it will become just one more piece of municipal junk.

As for location, surely the thing to do is to ask Adam and Lorca if there was a favourite spot where Leonard liked to sit, and place the bench there? The inscription could then be simple and factual: "Leonard Cohen enjoyed this view".

[Tchocolatl]

A bench to begin with.

I'm sure that someday the park, the flowers, the trees and the birds will surrond it. Not to mention the benches.

A hummingbird is passing.

[lizzytysh]

Hi hydriot ~ That inscription has a definite past tense feel to it ~ the tide seems to be strongly in favour of "Came So Far for Beauty."

[Tchocolatl]

I do not want to obscure anything. (Maybe it is the colour of my prose, the exposure to my colorful different vision? I am a total innocent (gee, how many times...).) Though it is a splendid idea to sit the bench in the shadow. To begin with.

What ever words you'll put on it : put a number 1 on your bench. In doing this, you will be sure to have the honor of having been the first people to put the firts move in the park.

There will be a statue there some day.

[lizzytysh]

I wasn't sure but what you weren't quoting Leonard, Tchoc.

[Tchocolatl]

Quoting Mr. Cohen, Chuck? Hum? No. Not that I know.

This can't be me.
Must be my double.



Something faisable and easy : the bench must face the West for the man is the archetype of the cow-boy and a legend of the Western Wild World.

[lizzytysh]

[sarsina]

I must say that I agree that the bench should have a back as I assume, like me, the majority of members are in their senior years and hope to sit on the bench some day.

Well I am 35... and still in love for a man of almost 80
I'll be happy to contribute to the gift, hoping it pleases that man...
Have a nice day !

[maroo]

I must say that I agree that the bench should have a back as I assume, like me, the majority of members are in their senior years and hope to sit on the bench some day.

Well I am 35... and still in love for a man of almost 80
I'll be happy to contribute to the gift, hoping it pleases that man...
Have a nice day !

I'm 35 as well!!!
And I would like to contribute to the present of the senior man as well!!!

Have a nice day!

[scocoh]

.
.
A bench is a wonderful idea. It works for all-- It's something we can give Leonard that he doesn't have to keep at home or find space for; It's something the fans can enjoy the use of while being happy it was a gift for him; It's something other people can be intrigued by and perhaps look into Leonard a bit more. Most of all it will last for years.

Count on us out here to join the effort-- T knows about it, and we will tell Sifa when we see him on Monday.

On the design-- I agree simpler is better. As I read both sides of the "Came so far/I came so far" discussion, I was solidly in the "Came So Far For Beauty" camp. But when I saw the drawing, I realized the phrase seems a bit cut-off and non-grammatical and won't be clear to non-LC people. With the "I" it will signify that Leonard was there in person while also not taking away from the other meanings of that phrase.

Also-- This is the most important thing to me--- As someone who deals with tourists and graffiti, I would predict that several idiots would write or scratch their name in the blank space before "Came So Far For Beauty". What a shame it would be to walk up to that beautiful bench and see scratched on there: "Rob "Came So Far For Beauty" or "Peter "Came So Far For Beauty" in marker.

Either way, we will support the project.

Love the add-ons of Unified Hearts on each side.

So many possibilities for words on the bench. I fully support "_ _ Beauty" but I would love to see the subversively simple "Here It Is" or the gracious "Love Went On And On".

[lizzytysh]

Ha! Love the "Here It Is" ~ so many applications for it, including humour.
"Love Went On and On" is very graceful and true, as well.
Good point on the potential graffiti aspect.