Random Memories of Bob

You could often hear Bob coming before you'd see him - he'd be singing as he walked down the hall in his booming, melodic voice... He was almost always positive and upbeat... I would chuckle when he took short naps at work, either on the couch in our old office, or upright in his office chair in the newer suite... Playing cards or more often just shuffling and pondering... He'd share about the multitude of interests that would be swimming around in his mind: restaurants, recipes, sports, music, movies, great hikes... I fondly remember riding with him to meet Sandy Silberstein for lunch at OneSpeed in the Volvo convertible with accompanying leaves and debris!... He was always so incredibly brilliant yet so humble... He never hesitated to ask how you and your family were doing and provide sage advice on ANY issue... When my kids were young, Bob would occasionally and surreptitiously (bless his heart!!!) send books to my kids via Amazon... Bob would also send me books once in a while; the last book I received from him was A Gentleman in Moscow - I absolutely loved it, of course, and have paid it forward by sharing the beloved book with many friends and family members... I have a treasure trove of recipes Bob shared throughout the years, consisting mostly of main dishes but also desserts: vanishing oatmeal cookies, North Carolina BBQ Sauce, Gazpacho Andaluz, Tortilla Espangol, Ottolenghi Chicken, and I can't forget the sharing of Walker Percy's Mint Julep just before Kentucky Derby season!... Nobody could rock a pink shirt as well as Bob, and I guess I could say that goes with the intermittent wearing of flip flops as well!... Bob was a king of kings in many ways, but I would argue that he was The King of Prose... I was so flattered when he would (infrequently, probably to covertly try to boost my ego) ask my advice for a synonym or antonym... I'd chuckle when his phone wasn't on silent and it would ring - not really ring, but rather "QUACK QUACK QUACK."... That extraordinarily gifted mind of Bob's - he could rattle off countless school district figures/ADA, etcetera when contemplating funding mechanisms and such; he had absolutely amazing gray matter in that bean of his - all of that magnificent kinetic energy constantly flowing at warp speeds... Always the reporter at heart, he would be the first person to hammer out on his computer the latest news to clients... He convinced me to play Wordle every day and I even got my 90-year-old mother to play daily along with the NYT Spelling Bee... These are only a few of the memories I hold dear in my heart of my cherished friend and colleague, Bob Blattner... I will always be grateful for the years Bob and I worked together and the many ways in which he enriched my life, both professionally and personally. Thank you for making him one of the richest men on earth - he was completely devoted to his family, was so proud of each of you, and loved you to his core. Thank you for sharing him with me and so many others... we are better people because of Bob.