I saved the nice hand written thank you note that Christien sent to me after secret Santa a few years back. It was such a nice thing to do and is now a physical reminder of what I associate with him: a thoughtful, personal, caring touch in an increasingly thoughtless, impersonal, uncaring world. We need more people like him.
Get better, Dingus.
Are we still sending messages to Dingus? Please wake up my dearest friend, I love you. You are the heart and soul of this place. I would give you a small ball that you hold in your hand. Squeeze it. Feel it. Make it yours. And wake up, my friend. Awake and see your friends. We love you. Now throw me the ball.
I just want to tell you: Good luck, and we are all counting on you.
I’m distracting you, you big turd blossom!
Squirrel!
We don’t know each other, Christian, not really, but each and every post you’ve ever made in the threads I’ve followed over the last 16 years has been read with interest and enjoyment. We are a community of like minded souls, spread across this wide world of ours, and we are somehow more than the sum of our parts. You are a vital part of what makes us more, and I am deeply saddened to hear of your illness. Wishing you a speedy recovery, if that is possible, and the comfort of your loved ones.
/Ephraim
I now pronounce you sane, white man!
Or something like that. Be well and know many folk are wishing you the best.
Oh no, who’s going to tell us about Star Wars! Wake up, Christien… we need you! Praying for you!
Christien, your voice has been an important part of my weekly routine for many years now. I rely on your enormous empathy and hopefulness to balance out those other weirdos on the podcast, and I can’t wait for you to be back.
-Andrew
His voice is truly amazing. A work of art.
Christien, I don’t know you at all and have had almost no interaction with you on the forum, but your posts are always laced with humility, compassion, integrity and humor. Come back to us buddy. We’re thinking of you.
-Matt
Just an Internet stranger here who creeps on you via podcast, but my wife and I are earnestly hoping for your quick and full recovery.
Thanks everyone. I read these (And the ones I received via texts) aloud for Christien. I think his dad enjoyed hearing many of the stories you shared about Christien’s character. Thank you for your support.
So he’s awake??!
No :(
But as a person who spent 3 weeks in a coma… you do integrate some external sensory stimuli into your state of being. Sounds and temperature were what I did. I heard people crying. And I know someone reading to me (my Mom) was soothing.
Ah. Got it. Sorry.
Christien, we’ve never met or interacted on the forum, but you make this place better with your presence. My best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Christien is always a kind, warm and generous host for me and my family on our infrequent visits to LA. My whole family loves him. He’s passed along recipes for meals he’s cooked for us, always offers a beer, and is a terrific board game, Rock Band and sushi-eating companion.
Christien’s always kept the ship running at Murawski/Chick manor, and I hope he remains at the helm for many years to come. Stay with us buddy. Our thoughts are with you, Kiernan, and the extended family.
I desperately want to write something more. Something special. Something that gets even approaching a distant approximation to what I feel. I don’t know that I can, but here goes: Christien–you don’t know me. We’ve never met. Our only real interaction was a handful of times when I wrote in to the podcast (far too long ago now) and maybe a passing exchange here on the forum. So it may be wierd to say, but you have been a wonderful presence in my life–for many years now. I dearly love the podcast, and through it, you have brought such great joy to me. Your enthusiasm and love is so very genuine that in those moments when you express your appreciation for a film, or a scene, or a moment, or a gesture, it is absolutely palpable and so very infectious. You have a truly uncanny way of spreading love vicariously. There is a warmth to you, an earnestness, a clear and powerful sense of empathy. Your voice has brought genuine happiness to my life, and very frequently over the years, I have found myself wishing I could be counted among your friends. And this is just from a one-sided broadcast, briefly, once a week. I cannot begin to imagine how special you must be to the people lucky enough to have met you, or who know you deeply. You are really, truly special.
Thank you, Christien.
-Jeff
To Fire: Thanks for your kindness is soliciting messages and reading them to Christien. I’ll keep mine simple.
Hey Dingus, I have always been curious about your nickname. Where did it come from? What does it mean? The short version of the story is good enough for now. The long version you can tell me over the drink of your choice when our future paths converge, all cups happily on me. Be good, Christien.