Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Cathy Seipp -- A Wonderful Life, Too Short
After years of struggling with lung cancer, Cathy Seipp, writer, blogger and one of the most extraordinary personalities in Los Angeles, is reaching the end of her life this week. I was an avid reader and regular commenter on her blog, Cathy's World.
UPDATE: I have changed this post so as to say Cathy has not actually died as of this writing, but is in the process of dying. As of Tuesday evening, she was still alive at Cedars-Sinai, but not expected to live much longer.
Several things made Cathy stand out from other writers. One, her almost unfailing sense of humor and ability to write about depressing subjects (such as battling the HMO bureaucracy), with a deft, light touch. Two, her sense of fairness for the underdog, and willingness to stick it to the powerful types -- deftly. Three, her ability to blaze her own political and philosophical trail, not being captured by political correctness of the left or right. And four, her curiosity and willingness to explore the thoughts and lifestyles of people quite different from her.
Cathy was not only a delight to read, and, on the two times I met her, a delightful person, she set an example as a journalist that challenged me to be better.
There is so much more to say, and words are inadequate. If you want to get a sense of her life, read her blog, and look at a few of the clips from her roast/tribute in Los Angeles on Sept. 10 of last year. Here are mine, and over here are the DVD files, converted for Web viewing. Thanks to doug for hosting these files.
Peace to Cathy. Healing from your family and friends to her beloved daughter, Maia.
|
UPDATE: I have changed this post so as to say Cathy has not actually died as of this writing, but is in the process of dying. As of Tuesday evening, she was still alive at Cedars-Sinai, but not expected to live much longer.
Several things made Cathy stand out from other writers. One, her almost unfailing sense of humor and ability to write about depressing subjects (such as battling the HMO bureaucracy), with a deft, light touch. Two, her sense of fairness for the underdog, and willingness to stick it to the powerful types -- deftly. Three, her ability to blaze her own political and philosophical trail, not being captured by political correctness of the left or right. And four, her curiosity and willingness to explore the thoughts and lifestyles of people quite different from her.
Cathy was not only a delight to read, and, on the two times I met her, a delightful person, she set an example as a journalist that challenged me to be better.
There is so much more to say, and words are inadequate. If you want to get a sense of her life, read her blog, and look at a few of the clips from her roast/tribute in Los Angeles on Sept. 10 of last year. Here are mine, and over here are the DVD files, converted for Web viewing. Thanks to doug for hosting these files.
Peace to Cathy. Healing from your family and friends to her beloved daughter, Maia.
