The "Rick Resolution""

[Chris Boonzaier]

I have many, many documents I had been meaning to post for Rick. I have half a box of Crime Fiction I was meaning to send him….

Today was a bit of a wake up.

Rick probably did not have the world’s biggest archive of Imperial German documentation; he may not have had more knowledge than any other human being on the subject… I cannot judge this…

What he did have was the will, desire and time to share what he had, and that is worth more than a thousand binders of information squirrelled away by a collector who shares nothing.

Online, or transcribing medal rolls, Rick worked hard to make information accessible to all of us.

This makes me feel guilty.

When I reflect on all the primary source I have been meaning to scan, the information I was thinking of distributing, the half written articles I have been meaning to publish, the Book that I have been dragging my feet on…. And have not done.

No doubt if I died, my documentation would land up in other hands… but would anyone figure out what I was intending to do with it… or bother to do it?

All the best intentions and plans mean absolutely nothing if you don’t pull your finger out and DO something with what you have.

Planned websites, planned articles, planned books… all mean diddly if you don’t have them finished by the time you die.

"Coulda, woulda..." does not look good on a Tombstone...

10 years from now, stuff that Rick transcribed will still be doing the rounds… the stuff on my hard drive or in my binders may unfortunately still be gathering dust, waiting for the day when I “Finally get around to it….”

So, today I make a resolution (and I hope it lasts longer than New Year resolutions)… I am going to pull my finger out; I am going to quit wasting time on Youtube, watching Television etc.

I am going to “Do a Rick” and hit the stuff I have squirrelled away and try and get it out into the collecting community. The stuff is not an egg, it won’t hatch if I sit on it long enough, the stuff is not inside trader tips, I won’t get rich by keeping it to myself…

I want to finally get the book project done, so that in 50 years’ time, when I am dust, I will still be on a shelf in a library somewhere, hopefully in a library where everything is alphabetical and “Boonzaier” is shelved next to “Boobs Galore!”….

I want the Verdun Related primary source stuff posted online so it can be copied, and copied, and copied again, because I want to other people to share my fascination with the battle.

I want to speed up my articles on “my Guys” for the website, it was always supposed to be a way of honoring the men whose items I have in my collection.

It is my resolution… I will try and keep it….

[Jani Tiainen]

A bit of wake up here as well...

..."Coulda, woulda..." does not look good on a Tombstone... Amen

Jani

[Ulsterman]

Rick and I spoke a bit about what might happen in the event of his death over the past few years. Rick always put me off because he thought he had time. Indeed, when I was last down at his house, looking around his study at the latest bits of yellowed paper I said, 'what happens if you get hit by a meteorite? " And he said, "Oh, the guys in Europe will get all of it and carry on". I do not know who he meant, but I hope some of the others do.

The first real disaster for historical knowledge occurred when the Seymour group almost all died within 5 years of each other.

decades of experience, in-depth knowledge and artifacts/papers went into dumpsters. Some of it got rescued by men who actually climbed into the dumpsters to haul it out and it ended up with Rick. God alone knows what went into the rubbish incinerator/landfill.

Now several half finished projects are un-completed and my stay that way permanently.

Rick was always very careful about talking about others, ESP. Research projects in the works. I have no clue as to what other scholarship is presently going on elsewhere and with his death the hub of this work is gone. I hope Glenn can pick up the pieces.

Rick was the fulcrum point of this hobby in many ways, especially for me. His cheerful, humorous honesty and pure love of the history made my life a lot better and this hobby worthwhile. I am really, really going to miss him.

The German collecting field is a minefield of selfishness, greed, damaged egos, psycho-emotional issues, half lies and just plain nastiness. .....as Rick said, 'small people living very small lives'....Rick shone above it all. It is good to see that even elsewhere, his gifts, skills, character and contributions are recognized.

Edited September 18, 2013 by Ulsterman

[OTTER76]

Rick's legacy will live in resolutions as yours Chris. Lets hope this may get viral within the online community. I am sure some nice stuff will eventually come out "in memory of Rick". Keep high spirits and for sure he will always be around somehow.

[IrishGunner]

I know what you mean, Chris. While I have nothing that even comes close to your or Rick's knowledge, I've always thought a website dedicated to Imperial artillery is needed. I even bought website software a couple years ago and started "building" the structure and pages. No real primary source stuff, but maybe still worthwhile... I also started "shopping" for a web hosting site. Then "things" got in the way, I stopped even buying artillery stuff.

Time get "busy" again and see what is worthwhile to put online.

[Chris Liontas]

Unfortunately I'm in the same boat. I've had so many projects I meant to do, wanted to do, and should have done. I let the chance slip by. I'm not on the site, no involved, and the items I have are sitting and gathering dust. "Other" stuff gets in the way, and you lose track of what is enjoyable, and what makes this hobby fun.

[Ulsterman]

A few years back I floated the idea of a Festshrift in honour of Seymour to Rick. He thought maybe one day, but wanted to see how things with the widow/family would settle out. The old Yankee families are incredibly private people.

But I have saved all the correspondence I got from him over the past decades. I hope you all have saved yours.

Edited together in a few years, it might make a great book.

[scottplen]

life is so short ! yet it takes something like this to make us all think ! Do NOW who knows what awaits ! Very Sad news Rick always help me with my millions on questions on Medal bars or other research

Prayers for his family I know he's up in heaven checking out the angels' medal bars telling them that's not the correct order or ribbon !!! Looking down on us mortals to pick up the pace and get the research gnomes working on one list or another !!!

So lets in honor of rick get our rears in gear and research our butts off !

God Bless you Rick !

Edited September 19, 2013 by scottplen

[peter monahan]

_{A very fitting memorial to our friend Rick, Chris! Excellent. He will be missed but, as many have said, he shared and helped because it was a good thing to do and wherever he is now, he will appreciate the sentiment and the act.}

_{RIP Rick Research}

_Peter

[Blitz]

It still seems surreal, Rick being gone. I can't really think about him being gone without feeling pain, but I do know one thing for certain. He will never be forgotten.

[Rogi]

He will always live on this forum in our memories.

His tragic passing only reinforces the need for further information being uploaded on the forum, although his primary avenue was Imperial Bars, he also had a vast knowledge on Soviet Orders and Medals. The problem with a lot of forums out there is that when someone attains a document, medal, order, we are sometimes afraid to post it online, afraid of a negative reaction, what others might think or say.

With experience and guidance makes more members feel more open about sharing a part of their collection.

I will always miss Rick immensely and I remember the times we talked about Soviet and Imperial German Bars greatly, I am so glad and fortunate that I was able to talk and discuss with him certain issues and matters that pertained to the collecting community He is a Legend