Do you plan to live forever? Good for you! Do you ever plan to move? Depending on where you’re going, you can’t take it with you.
KICKING THE BUCKET LIST: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die is your guide to a clean house and a clear mind. LEARN MORE HERE
Kicking the Bucket List has a foreword by funeral director Amy Cunningham, who provides a thoughtful introduction to the idea of downsizing and preparing for end-of-life. She just wrote this great blog post, What We Can Learn From the Funerals in “Game of Thrones.”
You’ve got to be careful with euphemisms for death! It’s a lesson my friend Efrain Villa learned the hard way. His story was on NPR’s Weekend Edition this past Saturday, the second installment of their summer series, Travel Nightmares. Listen to it here. You can read the original story at his blog, AimlessVagabond.com.
As a regular contributor to Mortuary Management magazine, it was a thrill to hear a funeral director at the Alabama Funeral Directors Association summer meeting say he really enjoys my articles. I presented two CEU sessions there a few weeks ago. In the July/August issue that just came out, I wrote about highlights from the ICCFA convention in New Orleans. Exhibitors included ClayLinks® Kits, brain autopsy services from Affirmativ Diagnostics, and handcrafted cremation urns by Kevin Blackburn of Earthhandsfire.
Links to recent blog posts and upcoming events follow. Please call if I can be of assistance – 505.265.7215.
Live long and prosper,
Gail Rubin, CT, The Doyenne of Death®
The Family Plot Blog Highlights
Click on the titles to read the blog post and see the associated videos. Review all posts on The Family Plot Blog or view just the Death Cartoons posted on the blog!
More Obituaries Weighing in on Election 2016 Choices In greater numbers than ever before, the dead are making presidential vote requests in their obituaries.
New Mexico’s Highest Court Denies Right to Aid in Dying The next step in the journey is through the state legislature.
Hearses Through History is a Hit at AFDA! Here’s a new film clip collection, focused on the evolution of these special vehicles.
Eliminate Household Clutter Before You Go Crazy Seven creative ways to reduce materials goods before making a move.
Upcoming Events and a Humorous Quote
See the Calendar page for a full listing of events.
Friday, July 8, noon — Presenting “A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die” to the Meals on Wheels organization at Presbyterian Northside, 5901 Harper NE, Albuquerque.
July 22-27 — Attending the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association’s summer University in Memphis, Tennessee. Enrolled in the International Studies program, covering religious and cultural influences on funeral observations.
July 29, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. — Osher Lifelong Learning class, “Laughing and Learning: A Practical End-of-Life Workshop.” Sign up for Course 19865, only $20, through Osher’s website.
August 2, 10:00 a.m. to noon — Something new and different! Check out this Osher Lifelong Learning class, “Entertainment Media and Its Influence on Twentieth Century Elections.” The 1976 film Network predicted the rise of reality television and the populist chant, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore!” This film clip-illustrated talk explores how art imitates life and vice versa regarding the media and the 2016 presidential election. Class fee $20. Register for course 19294, lecture SUD-PE at Osher’s website.
Gail Rubin majored in TV & Film at the University of Maryland and was a producer at C-SPAN for five years before becoming an accomplished public relations professional and a pioneering death educator.
“If the dead were to come back, what would you do with them?” — Alfred Hitchcock