A Virtual Tribute

This week’s Sunday reflection is dedicated to Jim Bliwis

Jim was a virtual friend who passed away only days after his podcast conversation with me was published just over a week ago. This shortcast is my thoughts on Jim and the effect of loosing a friend I had never met in person.

We start with a few words from the podcast and Jim’s view on life. And from there a few words from another friend of his, Tsufit who shares a little bit about him.

The podcast is recorded next to a local monument Sueno’s Stone in Forres. It feels appropriate to be standing here beside a stone that was erected as a tribute. Although I never met Jim and only had a couple of proper conversations with him, I had known him for several years through a LinkedIn group we belonged to and it was a shock to hear of his passing, especially as it was such a short time after recording and publishing the podcast.

This is the first time I have lost a virtual friend, and it occurs to me this is something that hasn’t really been considered. I won’t be able to attend his funeral, so how do I recognise and honour Jim from afar?

Jim’s was a colourful life and I had been chasing Jim to come on the podcast for over a year but he wasn’t up for it. Then out of the blue, he contacted me in September and asked to do it. We recorded the programme on 17th September, and normally it would be 6+ weeks before publishing, but last week I had a problem with the scheduled podcast, so I decided to put Jim’s up instead.

The podcast went live on 30th September/1st October which meant that Jim had a chance to hear it. Then people started connecting with him, asking who was the actress, who was the rockstar. He was really chuffed by this and I feel honoured and touched that I was able to make it possible for him and that people will get to hear his story in his own words through my podcast.

It’s also fascinating that the problem with the other recording ‘coincidentally’ or ‘divinely’ (depending on your viewpoint) meant that Jim had the opportunity to know that others responded to his story with interest and enthusiasm.

So as Jim quoted…