a new chapter

I've decided to stop posting here and begin a new blog, a solitary grace.

Robert Salvatore Mercer

Our dearly beloved Robert passed away on Monday, August 27, 2007 at the age of 35. Robert, with his great passion for life, accomplished many dreams. With a Bachelor in Architecture degree from Rhode Island School of Design and a Master of Architecture degree in Urban Design from Harvard University, he led a successful career including work with world-renowned architect Frank Gehry. He was a remarkable man who battled Ewings Sarcoma Cancer for over five years with strength, spirit, and determination. After being diagnosed, Robert and his wife founded Robert's Snow: for Cancer's Cure, which to date has raised more than $200,000 for cancer research.

Robert was blessed with wonderful parents, Anna Valente and Edward Mercer, a loving wife and soulmate Grace Lin, his sister Alison (husband Garry Butler), his brothers Tam and Greg, and an adoring grandmother Angela Rossi Valente. Robert will be lovingly remembered by his aunt Vicki and uncle Tony Valente, his cousins Michael (wife Lori Martins) and Lisa, the Lin family, as well as his many relatives and friends. We wish to celebrate Robert’s life; we welcome all those friends and loved ones who want to celebrate with us.

Visitation at:
Centre funéraire Côte-des-Neiges
4525 Côte-des-Neiges road, Montréal
(514) 342-8000
on Thursday, September 6, 2007 from 4 to 9 p.m. and on Friday, September 7, 2007 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. followed by a religious ceremony in the chapel of the funeral home at 10:30 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, we would ask that you make a donation, in Robert’s name, towards Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund
Attn: Lauren Nash 10 Brookline Place West, 6th Floor, Brookline, MA 02445-7226. Please make checks out to "Robert's Snow."

Robert

We are sad to say that Grace Lin's husband Robert passed away Monday, August 27, 2007. If you would like to send your condolences, the best way to do so would be by donating to cancer research in Robert's memory via the Jimmy Fund, and by supporting Robert's Snow for Cancer's Cure. Check made out to "Robert's Snow" should be mailed to: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund/Attn: Lauren Nash/10 Brookline Place West, 6th Floor/Brookline, MA 02445-7226.

Thank you for thinking of Grace in this very difficult and sad time.

dear friends

I'm sorry to say that Robert is not having the results from his treatments that we hoped for and the written word no longer brings me solace. As Robert's body betrays him, so does the consolation of my blog. So for now, during these hard times, I say goodbye--hoping to find hope in silence.

miracle

This is the drug trial Robert is on. It made a miracle happen for someone else, please send your good thoughts that it will make a miracle happen for Robert too. At this point, we'll take anything to help sway the balance.

news article
video

spoke too soon

Ah, methinks I jinxed myself for as soon as I posted Robert was better he took a backward step and I will not be able to go to ALA afterall. Such is the way of the best laid plans.

Someone steal some gold stickers for me.

relief

Even though I have tried to be quiet about it, the last two weeks have been really brutal. Robert has suffered viciously, yet still soldiered on. I felt the least I could do was try to do the same.

But the last few days have brought improvement and relief; and as it rains upon us, my creative seeds begin to sprout again...novels and work are no longer stalled and it looks like I'll be able to go to ALA in Washington as planned. But more important than keeping the schedule intact, is the hope that it gives us that all may be well someday...maybe even someday soon.

stalled

It's strange how not having a camera has affected my blogging. Somehow without being able to post images has stalled my blogging.

But perhaps that is just an excuse. I have also stalled on my new novel (the one I talked about here); and it's not even because I don't know what to write. I actually have it all planned out and ready to go. My big hang up is the title; for some reason I can't seem to get out of the gate because of it. I am obsessed with trying to figure one out. That and the Chinese name of my main character. I'm not too happy with the one I have, especially as my Mom said, "That's not a good name. No one would ever name their girl that, it sounds like the word for vegetable."

Anyone have a lovely Chinese but not too intimidating to read name (the name Zhizhuang, for example, I think would cause kids to give up after paragraph one) they'd like to offer up?

Maybe I should make it a contest. The winner wins, um, the gift of me using it to name my character? Or maybe I'll let the winner choose the title, from a predetermined list. Hey, that might be win-win for all! It might just give me the jumpstart I need. What do you think?