Like many, I am feeling the loss in my life that Missy's absence brings up.

I don't think Missy would want us to be sad that we don't get to spend time with her anymore though. I think she would want us to remember what a full life she lived while she was here.

Missy drank deeply of this mysterious thing called life. She traveled, she was very generous with her love, and she was completely honest with people, which is only possible when one is honest with themselves.

She set a wonderful example for us all. I hope to be more like Missy as I go through life.

Let's celebrate Missy as we remember her. It's tough for us not to spend any more time with her, but I think it's worth remembering what a wonderful life she lived while she was here.

Sportin' my favorite scarf in Missy's honor today...it's like a warm, fuzzy hug!

Always in my heart and on my mind, Sweet Missy! Thanks for all you taught us, and for bringing us together.

<<Ted - you were on the bus?? >>

No, but Missy made Mia and me honorary members of Q4.....below is the story that I posted via alomusic just under a year ago......I then posted it on this Tribe after HSMF this year, that thread is here:

tribes.tribe.net/welovemis...a761ae7f31


<<Wanted to share a quick Missy story -- I didn't know her that well but have fond memories. I met Missy last summer, at the New Monsoon/ALO shows in San Francisco, and immediately found her to be a sweetheart....she had helped organize the NM party bus to the shows, and had posted a few times on the alomusic group about it. So when we arrived on night 2, and the bus was there out front with a bunch of NM fans, out in line I asked "where is Missy Baron?" Turns out she was a few people ahead in line, I introduced myself and my wife Mia, hugs all around, and we got to talking. She almost immediately asked, "do you and Mia want to be honorary members of Quadrant 4?", and others around her said "yeah!" We had no idea what this meant, but it seemed to be good fun, and maybe have something to do with dividing up the party bus group for a contest or something (?), so of course we said "yeah!" She introduced us to other members of Quadrant 4, and we started calling it Q-4 and saying "Q-4 rocks" and such. While still in line, I made up a "Q-4" hand signal, and we spent all night giving the Q-4 sign to eachother and laughing.

In fact, you can hear a Q-4 reference on the recording of the ALO portion of the show (www.archive.org/audio/etre...ails-db.php in the first track called "Intro"...I just checked, at about 1:04 into the track, as the band is getting ready to start, you hear a woman who I assume must be Missy yell "Quadrant 4 rules!" Zach of ALO says into the mike, "Quadra 4 rules??"

After the show, I wrote a little review and posted it on alomusic, mentioning Missy as the "NM fan" who organized the party bus. She wrote back to me and said she was not "just" an NM fan, but also a longtime ALO fan....so of course in good fun from then on I referred to her simply as "NM Fan."

We traded a few more e-mails over the months, and I saw her a few more times, High Sierra and other places, always smiles and a hug and a Q-4 hand sign.

When I got her e-mail a few days ago about leaving for Georgia, I responded with this:

******************
Q-4 ROCKS
forever and always

safe travels NM fan, see you next time!

ted :)
*****************

....tears in my eyes.....

RIP Missy, thanks for touching my life, however briefly.

And everyone else, it seems life is short and fragile.....hug the people you love and tell them you love them.

ted :)