http://tofspot.blogspot.com/2023/10/wonder-and-anticipation-likes-of-which.html The TOF Spot The OFloinn's random thoughts on science fiction, philosophy, statistical analysis, sundry miscellany, and the Untergang des Abendlandes Sunday, October 1, 2023 Wonder and Anticipation, the Likes of Which We Have Never Seen [Dad] Hello family, friends and fans of Michael F. Flynn. It is with sorrow and regret that I inform you that my father passed away yesterday, Sept 30, 2023. He was sleeping peacefully in the home that he loved. His father built the home 70 years ago and my dad had an outsized attachment to it. Many happy memories of his childhood and of his parents, and his brothers, especially Dennis, were contained herein. If you met or corresponded or conversed with Dad then you know that he was interested in a great many things in the world. If he asked you a question about something, it was because he really wanted to know, he wasn't just being polite. He liked to take the "devil's advocate" position in debates and arguments, especially political ones, much to the annoyance of my mother and probably many others. Dad was looking for a robust exercise in intellectual and rhetorical swordplay; he just didn't always see that sometimes people just want to have a conversation without being en garde. He had the ultimate dad sense of humor, and had an endless supply of terrible jokes, puns, and groaners, even when he was in the hospital in July. In "real life," he was a very easy going person. I could probably count on one hand the number of times I have heard my dad yell or curse. At his death, he had a lot of tabs open on his browser, on a variety topics. He always sought to learn about different things. Some of it was for his writing, some for the extensive family research he has always done, and some of it was just because he wanted to learn more about the universe, the planet we live on, and the people around him. So if you take anything away from your time reading his works, his blog, interacting with him on social media or elsewhere, forget the politics and social commentary and the devil's advocacy, but take away that he was someone who just wanted to learn and engage with others, and keep that piece with you in your lives. - His Daughter. at October 01, 2023 # Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest 29 comments: 1. [blank] Joseph MooreOctober 1, 2023 at 5:40 PM Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. Your dad was one of handful of people I 'met' online over the last couple decades that truly enriched my life. I regularly quoted and linked to this blog, and was blushingly flattered whenever he would notice. The crowning achievement of my humble efforts was when your dad put me on his blog roll. What a fine, erudite, and kind man! ReplyDelete Replies Reply 2. [blank] AnonymousOctober 1, 2023 at 5:58 PM My deepest condolences, I always enjoyed reading his blog. ReplyDelete Replies Reply 3. [_19] mfkarlosOctober 1, 2023 at 6:31 PM My deepest condolences (desde Chile) ReplyDelete Replies Reply 4. [blogger_lo] Mary CatelliOctober 1, 2023 at 8:11 PM I'm so sorry ReplyDelete Replies Reply 5. [blogger_lo] mandamumOctober 1, 2023 at 8:18 PM I too enjoyed reading his blog, and learning from his many interests,. My condolences. Your family will be in my prayers - I know he will be greatly missed. ReplyDelete Replies Reply 6. [blank] AnnaOctober 1, 2023 at 9:02 PM Sincere condolences on your loss. He will be missed. Prayers for him and you. ReplyDelete Replies Reply 7. [blank] Tom SimonOctober 1, 2023 at 11:09 PM I am very sorry to hear it, and for your loss. I never had the honour of meeting your father in person, but I knew and liked him online and learned many things from him. May God rest his soul and number him among the saints. ReplyDelete Replies Reply 8. [blank] AnonymousOctober 1, 2023 at 11:25 PM I'm sorry for your loss and will be praying for your father. I greatly enjoyed his blog and books. ReplyDelete Replies Reply 9. [blogger_lo] ccmnxcOctober 1, 2023 at 11:50 PM A genuine question: What happens to blogs and their content once their owner dies or otherwise leaves it unused? It'd be a real shame to lose such wonderful and insightful work as the O'Floinn's if these things disappear into the ether. ReplyDelete Replies Reply 10. [Shadow_ava] The ShadowOctober 2, 2023 at 2:04 AM Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. ReplyDelete Replies Reply 11. [blank] Spiral Arm loverOctober 2, 2023 at 4:15 AM My deepest condolences. ReplyDelete Replies Reply 12. [blank] AnonymousOctober 2, 2023 at 9:10 AM I'm sorry for your loss. Requiescat in pace + ReplyDelete Replies Reply 13. [IMG_0099] Chris LansdownOctober 2, 2023 at 9:28 AM I'm so sorry to hear this. Your father was such a talented writer. His series, The Great Ptolemaic Smackdown was phenomenal history I've shared with as many people as I can. God bless him. ReplyDelete Replies Reply 14. [blank] James CambiasOctober 2, 2023 at 10:17 AM I only met him a handful of times but I wish it had been more. The world is poorer for his leaving it. ReplyDelete Replies Reply 15. [blank] AnonymousOctober 2, 2023 at 4:34 PM Sincerest condolences for your loss. I've enjoyed all his writing, and this blog, but I especially love the Spiral Arm series. Those are my favorite books, and I think I've re-read them four, maybe five times now. Most recently was two years ago, when my wife and I were expecting our second child. We had a first name picked out, but were struggling to choose a middle one. If I recall correctly, she was also mid-way through the January Dancer at the time. So we chose Flynn as my son's middle name. He just turned two three days ago. ReplyDelete Replies Reply 16. [blogger_lo] ZachOctober 2, 2023 at 6:42 PM He will be missed. I've really loved reading his books. I wish I'd had a chance to meet him. My faith tells me he's safe and happy now with our Savior, and I hope one day to meet him there. Here in this life, though, I'm grateful I can share his books with my own children. I hope it's possible to preserve the blog somehow. He's left a lot of wisdom here for us. ReplyDelete Replies Reply 17. [blank] AnonymousOctober 2, 2023 at 7:47 PM He gave a talk on science, technology and the Church. It made me revise what I thought I knew about the Church, too many years before I became a believer. I second the preservation of his blog. I learned so much from it. May he and all the faithful departed by the mercy of God rest in peace. ReplyDelete Replies Reply 18. [blank] Ivan MikhailovichOctober 2, 2023 at 8:35 PM I am truly sorry for your loss. Be assured of my prayers; I shall add him to my regular remembrance of the dead. May today he look upon the face of his Redeemer, and live. ReplyDelete Replies Reply 19. [blank] AnonymousOctober 2, 2023 at 9:49 PM I truly enjoyed his stories and books. The world is a little smaller without him. ReplyDelete Replies Reply 20. [blank] AnonymousOctober 2, 2023 at 10:33 PM So sorry to hear this news. Though I never met him in person, I always enjoyed his writing both in his novels and in his work as perhaps the greatest blog commenter the Internet has ever known. May the angels lead him to paradise, and may his family and friends be consoled. God bless! ReplyDelete Replies Reply 21. [IMG_0321] Deacon Bill BurnsOctober 2, 2023 at 11:01 PM May God bless him and grant him peace. ReplyDelete Replies Reply 22. [banshee] BansheeOctober 3, 2023 at 12:15 AM So he died the day after Michaelmas? No doubt led home by his patron saint. "In Paradisum deducant te angeli..." ReplyDelete Replies Reply 23. [blank] AnonymousOctober 3, 2023 at 1:17 AM My sincere condolences and prayers for Mike. I never met him in person, but learned a lot reading his blog and was quite impressed with his ability to get to the heart of a matter without minutia throwing off his fine reasoning. His fine books were, likewise, quite erudite and I have a few he inscribed and sold to benefit a church in his beloved Pennsylvania. I will pray he, Dennis, and the incomparable Marge all be welcomed in Our Lord's mansion. ReplyDelete Replies Reply 24. [blank] AnonymousOctober 3, 2023 at 3:08 AM He was a big fan and active supporter of my blog The Renaissance Mathematicus and we had several stimulating exchanges over the years. An enlightened, critical and challenging voice who enriched the Internet with his presence ReplyDelete Replies Reply 25. [blank] Lawrence GageOctober 3, 2023 at 9:43 AM May he rest in our Lord's peace! I will pray for his repose and for the comfort of your family. ReplyDelete Replies Reply 26. [blank] AnonymousOctober 3, 2023 at 1:24 PM I read Firestar when I was in middle school and it stuck with me even twenty-something years later. I loved his writings here, and sent them to many friends over the years. My condolences for your loss, and my prayers for your father's soul, and for your family as you mourn his passing. ReplyDelete Replies Reply 27. [blank] AnonymousOctober 3, 2023 at 3:29 PM To Mike's Daughter You write very well yourself. ReplyDelete Replies Reply 28. [blogger_lo] CantusOctober 3, 2023 at 6:34 PM God have mercy. I owe a great deal to your father's writings. I'll pray for his soul. ReplyDelete Replies Reply 29. [blogger_lo] a_probstOctober 3, 2023 at 6:58 PM Drat! I just discovered him, thanks to a reposting by John C. Wright, and he ups and dies. Condolences to you. Your own writing style does your father proud. ReplyDelete Replies Reply Add comment Load more... Older Post Home Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom) Wonder and Anticipation, the Likes of Which We Have Never Seen Hello family, friends and fans of Michael F. Flynn. It is with sorrow and regret that I inform you that my father passed away yesterday,... [Dad] * [Dad] Wonder and Anticipation, the Likes of Which We Have Never Seen Hello family, friends and fans of Michael F. Flynn. It is with sorrow and regret that I inform you that my father passed away yesterday,... * [Copernican] 9. The Great Ptolemaic Smackdown: From Plausible to Proven Previously: Part 8, Trial and Error From Plausible to Proven The great dishonesty of Galileo's Dialogue was to present a contes... * [ALY8t1u_L5] 1. The Great Ptolemaic Smackdown TOF once wrote an article entitled "The Great Ptolemaic Smackdown and Down 'n Dirty Mud-Wrassle" which described the century-l... 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