My Heart and Prayers are with Paris & with the Forum People Who are Safe!!!

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lizzytysh
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My Heart and Prayers are with Paris & with the Forum People Who are Safe!!!

Post by lizzytysh »

A traumatic event for Paris also gouged the lives of some of our members here, who are listed in no particular order. They endured a traumatic situation and, fortunately, they are all safe and well:

Albert and Marie
Beatriz
Christelle
Henning
Caren and Hans
Judy Remy
Ingrid Pottier

There may be one more, as someone said 10 and this is only nine. My apologies to whomever I left out if I did and, in fact, I may not know the 10th person, if there was one.

A friend of Chris Bynum knows of someone who tragically lost his life in the attack. The person was selling merchandise at the concert. Chris knows of him through a friend of his... this was Chris's posting:
"I have been messaging with a former coworker who was at The Bataclan theater in Paris earlier tonight to visit a friend selling merch for the Band that was playing tonight. My friend is safe in his hotel but he has not heard from his friend yet. Keeping hope that the casualties are limited to the gunmen."
Christelle may also know the man who visited the man selling merchandise.
The phenomenon that used to be known as "Six Degrees of Separation," would probably be better renamed as "Three Degrees of Separation" with today's technological world that we live in.

On That Day, Come Healing, Hallelujah, Eve of Destruction, and Hole In the World [the Eagles] are among the songs being referenced on Facebook.

For now, I thank G~d that our dear friends were able to huddle in the dark on the actual floor and under the tables on the top floor of the restaurant where they were/had been eating, until they were able to go to the police station [approx across the street from the restaurant], until they could get [hopefully! and it did turn out to be... ] safe passage to their hotels or home. They had been quickly ushered by the restaurant staff to the upstairs. Christelle, Judy, Caren, Beatriz, Ingrid, Hans, and Henning were together at the restaurant.

My heart is with you each and all of you, and my heart is with Paris. May the heinous horror end. May you all get safely home.


Love,
Lizzie
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
~ Oscar Wilde
cohenadmirer
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Re: My Heart and Prayers are with Paris & with the Forum People Who are Safe!!!

Post by cohenadmirer »

My goodness! The last day has been full of shock and sadness and the news that forum members meeting socially were in immediate danger adds to that .
So glad they are safe... and the psychological scars will heal.
The large loss of life has been hard to think about .

Though this shows we and those we know can find ourselves too close to the atrocities we have to remember the biggest terrorist weapon is massively exaggerated fear based on an unlikely possibility , so lets 'keep on keeping on' and living our lives without the fear terrorists want to induce .
Leonard's work resonates
Brighton 1979; Dublin , Manchester june 2008; glasgow, manchester Nov 2008; Liverpool july 2009 ; Barcelona Sept 2009 ;marseille, lille september2010: Ghent August 2012;Barcelona October 2012;Montreal x2 November 2012: 2013; Saint John NB April 2013; Brussels June 2013;Manchester August 2013; Leeds , Birmingham September 2013; Amsterdam September 2013
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Wybe
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Re: My Heart and Prayers are with Paris & with the Forum People Who are Safe!!!

Post by Wybe »

Our forum members in Paris leaving candles and a Leonard card for the victims.
Paris 15nov2015.jpg
2008 -- Brugge, Amsterdam, London, Berlin, Helsinki, Oberhausen, Rotterdam -- 2008
2009 -- Antwerpen, Venice, Barcelona .-- 2009
2010 -- 2 x Gent, Lille, 2x Las Vegas, -- 2010
2012 -- Gent, 2 x Amsterdam, Dublin, Verona -- 2012
2013 -- Pula, Rotterdam -- 2013
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phillip
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Re: My Heart and Prayers are with Paris & with the Forum People Who are Safe!!!

Post by phillip »

I am glad the fans are safe France is in my thoughts and prayers at this sad time
I have been a Leonard Cohen fan for 28 years feel free to email me if you wish to keep in touch!
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Wybe
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Re: My Heart and Prayers are with Paris & with the Forum People Who are Safe!!!

Post by Wybe »

Sharon Robinson on facebook:
Sharon Robinson
1 uur ·

Thank you to the Leonard Cohen forum members who gathered in Paris, and for your kind concern. I am relieved to hear that you are all safe and pray for peace in the City of Lights, and everywhere.
~ Sharon

The story from one of the members from http://www.leonardcohenforum.com :
"Even though Sharon's concert was cancelled, 11 of the Cohen forum members were still meant to meet in Paris this week end.
Friends coming from Ireland, the UK, Germany, Spain...

Yesterday evening, 7 of us were in a restaurant near Les Halles.

Late in the evening, there were rumours that the terrorists were in the train station just 200 meters away... the restaurant staff made all of us rush upstairs, sit on the floor under the tables with the lights out for 20/30 min...
After a while, it was clear to get out and all I could think of was to get my friends away from there, I really wanted to go to the left bank (both because I live on the left bank, but also because it was much quieter)

After 20 min wait and walk for a bit, I managed to get a taxi through my work taxi account... (and I'm so grateful my company granted me one!!) I put 5 of my friends in the taxi (all he could take onboard) going to my place, and I started walking with a German friend. We were so lucky that just 10 min later, a taxi dropped his customers just in front of us and we could board it right there...

By 1.30am, everyone was home/at the hotel, safe and a bit shaky

Our thoughts went to Sharon, because should the concert have gone on, she would have been there and the concert itself could have been a target, just 1 day later...
Now, our 2 Irish friends have left, 1 day early, their kids were concerned about their safety... I'm actually happy they left.

I'm so ashamed my country has become a place where good friends who got together through their common love of an amazing artist, can't get together to talk about music, life and love without becoming a target
I'm happy Sharon wasn't there
I'll be happy when my friends are gone (never thought I would ever say that)
I hope Paris will be safe again very very quickly
Take care
Big hugs from all of us."
2008 -- Brugge, Amsterdam, London, Berlin, Helsinki, Oberhausen, Rotterdam -- 2008
2009 -- Antwerpen, Venice, Barcelona .-- 2009
2010 -- 2 x Gent, Lille, 2x Las Vegas, -- 2010
2012 -- Gent, 2 x Amsterdam, Dublin, Verona -- 2012
2013 -- Pula, Rotterdam -- 2013
-- +++ https://www.icantforget.nl -- +++
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Goldin
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Re: My Heart and Prayers are with Paris & with the Forum People Who are Safe!!!

Post by Goldin »

Shared by DrHGuy:

Crowds Sing Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah at Place De La Republique
https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/video/crowd ... 57142.html
holydove
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Re: My Heart and Prayers are with Paris & with the Forum People Who are Safe!!!

Post by holydove »

When I heard this horrific news, I immediately thought of Christelle, because I know she lives in Paris, & it's a great relief to know that she was not harmed (thank you, Lizzy!). I did not know that there was a forum meetup there that night, & it's good to know that all the friends who were there are also unharmed; & if there are other forum members in Paris, that I'm not aware of, I hope & pray that they are safe too.

Though our friends have, very fortunately, not been physically harmed, this is a terribly traumatic experience, & therefore, it's clear that they are not entirely okay. My heart goes out to them, & to all the decent people of Paris, & I send them wishes of healing, comfort & love. I was living in NYC at the time of the 9/11 attacks, & that kind of trauma never completely goes away, but with time, it can diminish to some degree, & we can hopefully find ways to cope in positive & constructive ways, & to ring the bells that still can ring.

May healing come swiftly to our friends, to all those who have been affected by this terrible event, to beautiful Paris, & to the whole world.
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Re: My Heart and Prayers are with Paris & with the Forum People Who are Safe!!!

Post by musicmania »

Leonard FriendsForum.jpg
2009 Dublin 2010 Lissadell Katowice LV x2 2012 Ghent x2 Dublin x4 Montreal x2 Toronto x2 2013 New York x2 Brussels Dublin x2

Gwen's Leonard Cohen Journey: http://myleonardcohenjourney.wordpress.com/

"I did my best, it wasn't much"
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B4real
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Re: My Heart and Prayers are with Paris & with the Forum People Who are Safe!!!

Post by B4real »

Christelle and I became friends when she and I attended so many Australian LC concerts and good times in 2013 together. When I heard this unbelievable news I was about to contact her (heart in mouth) to see if she was OK as I knew she lived in Paris then I read this so thank you LIzzie and everyone for all your info. So very glad that all our members are safe!

Image

Christelle said The Opera House in Sydney was the best concert LC she had been to in Australia and appropriately here it is in solidarity with France. tout le monde est avec la France.....nous sommes tous paris!!!!
It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to B4real ~ me
Attitude is a self-fulfilling prophecy ~ me ...... The magic of art is the truth of its lies ~ me ...... Only left-handers are in their right mind!
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Mabeanie1
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Re: My Heart and Prayers are with Paris & with the Forum People Who are Safe!!!

Post by Mabeanie1 »

Facebook can be a horrible place at times but I was very glad that it existed as events unfolded on Friday night. I am a member of a Messenger group set up for those due to meet up in Paris as I had been planning to be there till events at home meant I had to pull out last week. As a result I heard fairly promptly that my friends in Paris were safe. Shaken and upset but safe, thank goodness.

2 more people, one a very familiar name here, the other a relative newcomer who was looking forward to meeting new friends on Saturday night, were due to travel to Paris on Saturday. That may be your 10th person Lizzie. They decided to go ahead and met up in Paris but then spent the weekend away from the city before meeting with other members of the group to travel to the airport together on Sunday afternoon.

Wendy
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Re: My Heart and Prayers are with Paris & with the Forum People Who are Safe!!!

Post by BlizzardofIce »

Moi je t’offerirai
Des perles de pluie
Venues de pays
Où il ne pleut pas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7zgNye6HTE

:(
There are many ways a man can serve his time
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Re: My Heart and Prayers are with Paris & with the Forum People Who are Safe!!!

Post by Squidgy »

Very glad to hear Henning (dear Henning!) and all are safe. Is the Marie listed--Marie Mazur? I don't know most of the names, but all Cohen-heads are especially in my thoughts during these frightening days. Big hugs, tears of joy for friends, tears of sadness for the dead.
I don't do Facebook but have been in contact with someone from the old ng who does. So she shared with me the info posted here.

Perhaps by pm, forum members could request and receive the particular FB link if they don't already have it? Just a thought--not everybody on the Forum is in the "in crowd" but still might want to express concern.

News reports list a young woman named Helen Wilson, among the seriously injured survivors. She'd lived in my hometown of New Orleans, before moving to Paris and starting a catering service called the Rocken Bol, borrowing the name of the iconic New Orleans music venue, the Rock 'N' Bowl. So there's a kind of local connection, albeit indirect, for me too.

Hold your family and friends close.
And get your CCP.
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Re: My Heart and Prayers are with Paris & with the Forum People Who are Safe!!!

Post by lizzytysh »

Oh my Gosh, Squidgy. Paris is just so international, there could have been anyone from anywhere that any of us knows. I pray your Helen friend pulls through this ordeal. The Marie listed is not Marie Mazur. She doesn't attend the events, etc., but has been to some Stateside concerts, but nothing overseas that I'm aware of, though I could be wrong in that. The Marie mentioned is Marie Nolan. She's the wife of Albert Noonan, who has done incredible videotaping of Leonard concerts.

I have an indirect connection, as well. When I stayed in Paris for Leonard's concert, I stayed at an airbnb. It was an apartment complex behind a locked gate, with a lovely courtyard in the middle. My host loved Leonard, too, from many years back, but had never seen him, and wasn't able to that time, either. She's an interpreter and does a lot of travel in Europe and abroad as part of her job. When I wrote to see if she was okay, I learned that she was inside the stadium that night. She responded with her own personal account, which given the many inquiries she's received regarding her safety, she composed an account to send to everyone at once. It was compelling to where I asked her permission to post it on my wall on Facebook. This was her exact permission, and following it is her account.
"Yes do so,even,if I hate the social,network
People must know the individual,cases..
Thanks."

"Thanks a lot for the message. I am very impressed to see that I receive so many calls & mails & texts to ask about me & Family & french people . We must fight. I am under stress & schock as I was at the football stadium working with the german football team. First & last match in my life I tell you. I did not want to see the match but my client told me to,be there. I had to behave myself, control my émotions in front,of my clients...lot of stress after the 3 bombing shots. Then the gates locked... We were prisonners. The match went,on. Surréalist !!! Only 3 gates opened for so many people...we waited till 1 am for quietness. No,battery on tel to secure friends & family...then we moved all 50. Till someone in the front,shouted : All down, kalachnikov kamikaze, down. Whole crowd on the floor, people shouting. I really,thought it is our end, end of my,beloved life. After 5 mn we gathered inside but lost 3 clients. (we got news yesterday that they walked to airport to fly back asap..). After one hour, we walked around stadium in countryside...one client had lost her shoes..after 2 km we found our bus parking P4. But there was a barrier. People broke it. Then a wall we had to jump ...we found the driver (maroccan) in tears because one of the kamikaze exploded 150m from bus & pièces everywhere, took us 1 hour to get out the traffic with,police, ambulancies, firemen, volontiers. A nightmare. Then we heard really what was happening in the concert hall. I had to trust my clients crying. Arrived in their hotel where we had had a bomb alarm at lunch time !! (évacuation 250 german football team..& sponsors etc..) the clients discussed about the situation...
At 5 left the hotel for airport, spécial chartered flight came from Germany to pick them up. I was left alone with my stress & sadness. Took a cab home & phoned the whole day to evacuate the stress. Still inside me, went to the pharmacy to get tablets. Slept a little, now on the train,to Lille to lunch with my mum, go & see my dad at hospital for his 85th Birthday...back tonight
Next week work 6 days in Berlin. Last group of the season. Anyway tourism is finished, only cancellations...
2 of my collègues of university were to go to bataclan to the concert. One had the flu, they cancelled!
2 of my collègues were locked the whole night in,the congress center with 1000 clients
A nightmare
I still have no news from,some young relatives. It is so sad, unfair, crual, injustice
I will dévote my time to fight. I will have time as there will be no,work, no,tourists. We must go on, fight all together
I always thought the WWIII would be atomic, it will be terrorism
I know you are with us.
I am depressed, so deeply injured. I will not leave Paris, i will show them we are not afraid,
Vive Paris my beloved city
Vive la France
Let us fight to keep our freedom please
All these messages of friendship are coming deeeply,in,my,heart
I love you all. I love the world. I hate these bastards.
Long life to liberté égalité fraternité
Sorry for the long,message but,it,must come out....my heart is injured by injustice
All these Poor people dead. A nonsense. Let us pray for them, for a better world. We had a nice one, but we cannot live,only on souvenirs.
Tomorrow i give my blood & try to help as much as I can,
Love xxxx
[I've withheld her name on this line]"
Just as holydove has said, people can't experience something like this and not have residual effects from it. It's not only a loss of 'innocence,' but the reports are that Paris understandably is nervous regarding more possibilities of attacks.
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
~ Oscar Wilde
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lizzytysh
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Re: My Heart and Prayers are with Paris & with the Forum People Who are Safe!!!

Post by lizzytysh »

Yes, Wendy, you're probably right about who the 10th person was because I've seen no additional people named except for your naming of that one.
Last edited by lizzytysh on Tue Nov 17, 2015 3:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
~ Oscar Wilde
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