Fish faces at women in tech event (Yahoo!)

Turns out Cindy and I had a pretty strong selfie game.

This was from when Cindy visited the UK in 2006. No real story behind it but it just makes me smile when I see it.

Flat Hicks, Ducking Meyer, and more…

The first time I met Cindy was in 2005 at, if I remember correctly, the first @media conference in London, which changed the entire course of my life — and Cindy played a crucial, tiny little role in that. At the time I was a Windows-using web developer with an enthusiastic zest for web standards and accessibility. Cindy was a designer with an eye for understanding people quickly, a huge heart for seeing the best and sweetest in people, and a wondrous ability to bring the best out in others.

Last night I saw tweets from Eric and Jared about Cindy. Though I never knew Cindy directly, she was one of the first “names” I met at my first SXSW back in 2007. I saw her speak on a panel and later would see her (normally dancing) at some of the parties. I always found she had something interesting to say, and had an impact on the way a lot of people made the web we have now.

Cindy and I both studied graphic design at the University of Florida. I preceded her by a year or two. I knew of her at the time but I don’t think we had met while in Gainesville. Years later I was hired by AOL and knew that Cindy had been there for a few years so I looked her up and found out her desk was nearby. What I learned quickly about Cindy was that she had a huge heart and cared deeply for her friends.

The world is a little darker today without Cindy. Everyone who ever met her, will miss her, I know I will. These two photos were from one of the first times I met Cindy, and early in her amazing relationship with Matt. I can only hope to have someone as talented and special in my life as she is.

The beautiful happy birthday banner Cindy made for my son. Despite being sick in true Cindy fashion she insisted she make this for his birthday and of course went above and beyond with the theme. I will cherish her always.

This was such a great rafting adventure with Cindy, Matt and a bunch of other “crazy” people.

Awful to read of Cindy’s passing. She seemed to connect everyone at those early web events; central to everything. Once she lifted me off my feet and held me aloft to everyone’s amusement; such strength for one so small. What a terrible loss.

When I’d first started getting back into portraiture drawing, Cindy was kind enough to grant me full license to use her photography as source material and encouraged me in the craft. A query against the database that my portfolio sits on shows credit to her for ten of the pieces I produced in 2007. Her skill at capturing a personality with the camera was very influential on my own work, and I’ll always remain grateful to her for allowing me to use her photos as references.

layer tennis…

And here’s Cindy, Matt and I at a back-alley production of Hedwig for my bachelor party in July, 2013.

Can’t believe this was 4 1⁄2 years ago! Opening night of previews of NPH on Bway. ❤️