In his own words? Jason_Els.

[unique_exposure]

[In private message....]

Jason_els on Airport Trauma

u_e:
Just got back yesterday and the flying experience is, at best, an exercise in how many times you can trigger your own PTSD. Distraction technique was useless but I did get Delta Skymall, page 136, memorized in the process. There are 17 segments per leaf in each "Palm Frond" ceiling fan blade.

Jason_els:
Debbie Harry used to go hang out at JFK and flash her tits at foreigners as a greeting to them (back in the day when airport security was more relaxed). Perhaps she damaged you for life back when you were young, with some repressed memory?

Of course, back then the TSA was only known as T&A. :biggrin1:

 

[unique_exposure]

Jason going in depth on Tarot cards...

...but really showing his own wisdom: talking about introspection, zest for life, and the ability to consciously change direction.

In most readings, the Hanged Man is a card of pause, a moment where you pop your head out of the cubical farm to see The Matrix. I don't think the description provides a good explanation of the card because it's actually a very good card. Yes it's about introspection and pause, but the person it describes is a bit different. The most frequent association is with Jesus; a person who has inner peace and strength, an outsider. Sacrifice is a poor word for the card though people frequently equate Jesus with sacrifice so I suppose it gets thrown in there. If anything, the Hanged Man does not consider or participate in what is not important. What appears to be sacrifice is merely lack of caring about the ephemeral. The card is about finding foundations, acting in ways which are true to yourself, and interacting with the world in those ways. In stead of sacrifice, think forsaking.

The Hanged Man has not been executed. He's not even dead. He's in an act of suspending himself from the worldly, trading it for the spiritual. Body suspension is a very old act of western esotericism. It is a way of freeing one's self from illusions of the world to focus upon what is inner and forcing yourself to be at peace with who you are. [*]

The Hanged Man is the ultimate expression of the examined life.

[...]

I've had some uncanny experiences which are so far beyond the realm of coincidence that there had to be some kind of force at work. I'm not saying the force is supernatural, but perhaps some kind of force which is not yet understood or discovered beyond what the Jungians may be onto. Tarot seems to express a great many human archetypes and experiences. From them I have discovered that the future is not written in stone. It can be altered by conscious action and if someone decides to change their future, then they do so. Sometimes they don't and what the cards say will happen, does. That may be self-fulfilling prophecy but I never tell someone they can't change what the cards say; in fact I always say the opposite, "It is written only if you decide to write it." The caveat is that not everyone feels empowered to change their future. Many people feel trapped by forces outside of themselves whether it's drugs, institutions, other people, economics, or the forces of the world at work. These are the shackles represented in The Devil. If someone does not realize they are the catalyst of change, then they cannot accomplish the change necessary to make a happy choice out of an unhappy situation. Telling someone that usually isn't enough, but sometimes it is.

*[Nick8: removed direct reference to BDSM, bondage]

 

[rbkwp]

The memory of a fellow Human will live forever Nick
Feel more inclined to offer a tribute to Jason now
Ironically came across the few emails we exchanged
(we never actually communicated in depth)
He had a gentle touch to his soul it appeared
RIP Jason els
enz
-and i am glad i have several friends like you Nick'

 

[nudeyorker]

I have been looking at some of the threads that Jason and I disagreed and came to blows over a few times on certain issues and ideas and looking at some of our e-mails and private messages and smiling. I would prefer to write about a few of the lunches that we had together and our discussions. Let me give it some thought and I'll share the memories.

 

[B_Nick8]

I have been looking at some of the threads that Jason and I disagreed and came to blows over a few times on certain issues and ideas and looking at some of our e-mails and private messages and smiling. I would prefer to write about a few of the lunches that we had together and our discussions. Let me give it some thought and I'll share the memories.

Please, D, do it. These are the things that make manifest.

 

[798686]

Incidentally, Jason's brainpower was voted one of the Seven Wonders of LPSG (with nearly 15% of the vote). :wink:

 

[nudeyorker]

Jason and I met at the first NY Meet-N-Greet event three years ago last month. I was very taken with how quiet and shy he was in person. I found him very interesting and having a quality that I still can't quite define more than an interest in others people's experiences.
We had lunch three times together and like two people who are courting each became more personal in intimate.
Our first lunch was at Serendipity near Bloomingdale's. We had lunch and discussed our childhoods and family; he was curious about my life in California and Hawaii before moving to NY. We talked about our favorite books and movies and the ups and downs of our lives. We stepped outside for a cigarette and talked about how we should quit smoking. It was a bleak gray rainy day in NY and we went our own way to do our errands but despite the rain I had a little bounce in my step that day it was an unexpected nice meeting with no agenda.
Our second lunch was at an asian restaurant on the west side (I don't remember the name) It was a three hour lunch where we talked about so much... mostly Jason had a date that night and was nervous and a bit apprehensive. Afterward we walked to Takashimaya (I needed to buy tea) Jason had never been there and I think he was quite taken with the sights and smells of the tea room and the flower shop. I walked him to where he was meeting his date and gave him a hug and he gave me a big bear hug in return that I'll never forget because it was a real hug; the kind that friends give you.
Our last lunch was at a french bistro near where I live. We had mussels and frites and manhattans and bread and butter... for three hours. The conversations again went from our lives, current events and world news. In thinking back to this it is dawning on me on how complimentary Jason always was to me when we met. He always had something nice to say about what I was wearing or an idea or view point.
In thinking back over this it has dawned on me that it was raining each time we had lunch yet the afternoon was always light and fun. We made a promise that day to make more time for these lunches; unfortunately his cancer was discovered two months later and this was to be our last lunch together. I saw Jason at two other NY Meet-N-Greets after that and it was always good to see him yet it was never the same for me. Jason and I related to each other best in a one on one situation.
There are many things that we shared in our conversations; some too personal to share here. What we had was a true friendship in the making that was cut tragically short.

 

[B_Nick8]

Jason's father has sent me the following statement and asked me to post it on behalf of the family, with their love and gratitude:

“Jason’s family want to thank you for your many, many, expressions of love and concern that Nick was able to share with us. As you know, Jason was a gentle, highly-intelligent and compassionate man whose eclectic interests knew no boundaries. It is our great good fortune to know that our son and brother, your friend, was held in such high regard by so many caring people and that his presence among us will continue to enrich our lives.”

 

[D_Gunther Snotpole]

Lovely message, Nick.
Tnx.

 

[Flashy]

I said yes, I could, but I'm putting this out to you, too. In Jason's thread, someone (I'm sorry, I could look it up and be specific but I'm too lazy just now) mentioned a wonderful post he'd made about his dog, Tristan, which I'd never read that was incredibly illuminating. I can't imagine anyone better but you, his friends, to point me to the things he wrote that, to you, individually, spoke most of whom he was and how he felt about such important things.

that was me :smile: we discussed it via PM but you were really overwhelmed at the time, so i understand not recollecting...i will repost below:

----

and besides, how can you not love a guy who had a cat named Waldo Pepper and a hamster named Lieutenant Fuzz? :smile:

in this sad time, i always remember a post Jason made, in a thread i created about an old indian fable that said: (my initial question)

"There is an indian legend that states that all humans when they die, will have to face every animal that they have known in their lives and have those animals pass judgment on the person.

What would all the animals you have known (not the ones you have eaten, since you did not know them, unless you lived on a farm knew them and then killed them) say about you?"

Jason's response was typically eloquent, tinged with sadness, but hopeful, redemptive, and most importantly, self awareness...it was very similar to my own in the thread and his two other posts in the thread were very telling as well.

i offer its wisdom, as my last tribute to Jase here...and i encourage all to read it...this paragraph is perhaps my favorite and i always remember it, now more than ever

"If there is a heaven, then when I die, he's the very first thing I want to see. I said it then, over 15 years ago, and I still say it now. I hope to say it until the day I die."

http://www.lpsg.org/1657518-post18.html


-----

and it was nice that you and his sister found the box with the collar.

i will search out some of his posts from some of my threads i have started, because as i have said, it always seemed an honor when he posted in a thread i started, as it was almost a "stamp of approval" when someone of Jason's wisdom found what you wrote to be interesting and worth discussing

 

[D_Andreas Sukov]

that was me :smile: we discussed it via PM but you were really overwhelmed at the time, so i understand not recollecting...i will repost below:

----

and besides, how can you not love a guy who had a cat named Waldo Pepper and a hamster named Lieutenant Fuzz? :smile:

in this sad time, i always remember a post Jason made, in a thread i created about an old indian fable that said: (my initial question)

"There is an indian legend that states that all humans when they die, will have to face every animal that they have known in their lives and have those animals pass judgment on the person.

What would all the animals you have known (not the ones you have eaten, since you did not know them, unless you lived on a farm knew them and then killed them) say about you?"

Jason's response was typically eloquent, tinged with sadness, but hopeful, redemptive, and most importantly, self awareness...it was very similar to my own in the thread and his two other posts in the thread were very telling as well.

i offer its wisdom, as my last tribute to Jase here...and i encourage all to read it...this paragraph is perhaps my favorite and i always remember it, now more than ever

"If there is a heaven, then when I die, he's the very first thing I want to see. I said it then, over 15 years ago, and I still say it now. I hope to say it until the day I die."

http://www.lpsg.org/1657518-post18.html


-----

and it was nice that you and his sister found the box with the collar.

i will search out some of his posts from some of my threads i have started, because as i have said, it always seemed an honor when he posted in a thread i started, as it was almost a "stamp of approval" when someone of Jason's wisdom found what you wrote to be interesting and worth discussing

Maybe listening to The Smashing Pumpkins wasnt the best idea as that just added to the sadness of that post. I hope he saw Tristan straight away.

 

[Flashy]

I think this was a rather good post of his, talking about how Farrah Fawcett was his "first love" and the details of that...it is rather sweet...but also in it, you will find typical bit of Jason humor...he says it so matter of factly that it still makes me laugh when i read it...

here is a snippet (the funny part) he goes on later to describe his crush on her etc...

"I adored Farrah. I had the posters, a T-shirt, and loved watching Charlie's Angels. She was my first crush and her poster had a place of pride over my bed. I'd still have the famous poster of her if my asshole 6th grade teacher, Kenneth Lazarus, hadn't ripped it up." (LOLOLOLOL...flashy emphasis)...

later on he went on to describe how that same teacher had ripped it up, in that they were playing a prank..."We taped it (his treasured poster) to a pull-down map in his classroom on April Fool's. He wasn't amused. Humorless fucker. Never paid me for it or replaced it either.

the rest of the post is rather sweet

http://www.lpsg.org/2195813-post23.html

 

[Flashy]

Jason and I met at the first NY Meet-N-Greet event three years ago last month. I was very taken with how quiet and shy he was in person. I found him very interesting and having a quality that I still can't quite define more than an interest in others people's experiences.
We had lunch three times together and like two people who are courting each became more personal in intimate.
Our first lunch was at Serendipity near Bloomingdale's. We had lunch and discussed our childhoods and family; he was curious about my life in California and Hawaii before moving to NY. We talked about our favorite books and movies and the ups and downs of our lives. We stepped outside for a cigarette and talked about how we should quit smoking. It was a bleak gray rainy day in NY and we went our own way to do our errands but despite the rain I had a little bounce in my step that day it was an unexpected nice meeting with no agenda.
Our second lunch was at an asian restaurant on the west side (I don't remember the name) It was a three hour lunch where we talked about so much... mostly Jason had a date that night and was nervous and a bit apprehensive. Afterward we walked to Takashimaya (I needed to buy tea) Jason had never been there and I think he was quite taken with the sights and smells of the tea room and the flower shop. I walked him to where he was meeting his date and gave him a hug and he gave me a big bear hug in return that I'll never forget because it was a real hug; the kind that friends give you.
Our last lunch was at a french bistro near where I live. We had mussels and frites and manhattans and bread and butter... for three hours. The conversations again went from our lives, current events and world news. In thinking back to this it is dawning on me on how complimentary Jason always was to me when we met. He always had something nice to say about what I was wearing or an idea or view point.
In thinking back over this it has dawned on me that it was raining each time we had lunch yet the afternoon was always light and fun. We made a promise that day to make more time for these lunches; unfortunately his cancer was discovered two months later and this was to be our last lunch together. I saw Jason at two other NY Meet-N-Greets after that and it was always good to see him yet it was never the same for me. Jason and I related to each other best in a one on one situation.
There are many things that we shared in our conversations; some too personal to share here. What we had was a true friendship in the making that was cut tragically short.

that was a very sweet story...it is strange how much i miss his presence here and what a truly noticeable void his untimely departure from this world has left on this site, let alone, i am sure, on the people who truly knew him in life. :frown1:

 

[ghb69]

Last PM with Jason:1-7-2010 4:48am

Yup, it's me. At the hospital on my new macbook. Having trouble sleeping due to my catheter! Hurts like hell too. Thanks G!

Jason

If that is really you Hugs and prayes thinking of you

G

 

[YourAvgGuy]

Hi Nick,

I certainly wish I had all the correspondence between Jason and me to share. He often would send me a little note to ask how things were going and what I had been up too. I do miss those notes...

I found Jason to be an intelligent and bold individual; candor was a very strong trait he possessed and one that I admired. The thing about his disposition, however, was that he was passionate about what he believed. He was perceptive enough to entertain a thought without belittling an individual whose belief was not necessary parallel to his. He was also receptive to different ideologies, especially if you produced a logical argument on your stance. This was the brilliance of Jason. The ability to debate and keep it civil resonated with so many, as evidenced through the sharing of emails and thoughts. Don't get me wrong, though. Jason was strong-willed, but then aren't we all, especially when we are passionate about what it is we are sharing?

I chuckle sometimes when I think of the notes he passed to me about some of the thread topics in the forums. He was often brutally honest. Many people are not able to handle the directness of his nature, but I did and I found it refreshing.

LPSG was fortunate to have such a loyal member to its group. Jason's contributions to the numerous threads provided the membership an opportunity to see things more broadly. For that, we are richer, wiser, and more tolerable.