Eric was one of my first friends in Taiwan and we always remained close.
I believe I met Eric through Howard Brewer and Howard's circle of friends in the Peitou area back in probably 1988, a year after I arrived. Eric at that time lived in Chu Tzu Hu (Bamboo Lake) which is in the beautiful Yang Ming Mountain National Park. He lived in a compound of one-story homes which were perched on the edge of the mountain and from where could enjoy a outstanding view of the entire basic of Taipei basin. At night it was especially fine.
Another thing about Bamboo Lake was that it's several degrees cooler there in the summer, but on the other side of the year, winter, it would often be cloud covered, cold and wet. And it was far from the hustle and bustle of the big city.
Initially I kinda became Eric's computer guy. He was an early adopter; one of the very first to start using PCs... and do the environment (hot springs and high humidity) computers always needed fixing!
Our shared interests were largely in Taoism and the I Ching; both topics that I have been interested in for decades.
It was around 1989 that Eric introduced me to Ed Sanchez and Pro QC. They needed help with their office network and I was hired to take on a full-time position. I worked at Pro QC for ten years, and after a 7 year absence I am back at Pro QC. I'm quite thankful for the intro! Helped me to afford raising two daughters.
My fondest memories of Eric are of recent vintage. Up until a year or so ago he would call and invite me to go on hikes with him. Most of the time I passed, but the times I did go was always great. Two of the last hikes included going to the hidden and remote Artesian Well #3 in Yang Ming Shan. It was initially harnessed by the Japanese as the water supply for Peitou and Shih Pai. It is really an amazing sight! Water just flows full force right out of a huge cave and comes down a 30 waterfall before starting it's journey down into Peitou and on into the Strait of Taiwan.
Another hike we went on was the small volcano in the center of Yang Ming Shan Park. I remember getting to the caldera which was is a quiet forested area filled with delicate ferns. Pristine!
I think all Eric's would agree that he enjoyed talking shop; shop being healing, diet, Pa Gua, the I Ching, global finance, global decay, survival-ism, magnetism, and human/earth energy circuits for example.
The short video I shot of him doing some Pa Gua movements was based on his discovery of a very short video of Pa Gua master in China demonstrating about 10 different moves. Eric thought these were the missing link in all his studies and would go on and on about how much doing these helped him.
In recent years Eric has lived in the same neighborhood as I do which allowed us to get together often. Last time we did was about a month ago. I talked to him about two weeks ago on the phone.
I'm sure I'll find time to write more; but I'll close this post with mention of something I will certainly miss about Eric: he could give the most awesome massages EVER. I am happy to have been treated to a few of them.
