Rubin family 60th anniversary celebration
Recently, our family had the honor of sharing an entire week together to celebrate my parents’ 60th wedding anniversary. All my brothers, their spouses, my niece, and my husband’s folks, too, were in on the celebration here in New Mexico. This special time together, with everyone present in body, mind and spirit, was a potent reminder to APPRECIATE TODAY.
Tomorrow is not guaranteed. Express your love for others, and be generous with your love. Our family was blessed to have this wonderful time together. We lived the theme of Family, Food, Faith and Fun during our celebratory vacation – and the scale certainly reflects the effects of all that food! And now we have so many more wonderful memories to carry with us when those we love are no longer physically present. Make great memories today.
Over the past few weeks, there have been a number of news stories regarding radio-TV personality Casey Kasem’s end-of-life saga. Links to a few of those stories and my blog post on the lessons we can learn from his example are below. Also, upcoming events and a humorous quote follow. Hope you can make it to this weekend’s Death Cafe! Please call 505.265.7215 if I can be of assistance.
Live long and prosper,
Gail Rubin, CT
Certified in Thanatology:
Death, Dying and Bereavement
The Doyenne of Death®
Casey Kasem stories
Click on the article title to read each story.
Casey Kasem’s End-of-Life Lessons – The Family Plot Blog
Casey Kasem and a lesson about end-of-life care – CNN
Casey Kasem, radio DJ, dead at 82 – CBC News
Casey Kasem Teaches Lessons On End Of Life Planning And Elder Abuse – Forbes
Casey Kasem’s daughter explains end-of-life decision for her father – CBS News
Casey Kasem Judge Orders Hold on End-of-Life Measures, Wife: ‘Don’t Let Them Kill my Husband’ – Billboard
Upcoming Events and a Funny Quote
Saturday, June 28, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Albuquerque Death Cafe at Sheila’s Sweets, 8600 Louisiana Blvd. NE. More information about the Death Cafe movement. Join the Meetup group!
Thursday, July 24, 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. “A Good Goodbye” funny film clip talk at David Specter Shalom House (free). 5500 Wyoming Blvd NE, Albuquerque.
Wednesday July 30 through August 1: Gail attends The Purposeful Planning Institute’s 2014 Rendezvous in Denver, Colorado. The event brings together 180-200 individuals representing more than 20 disciplines and professions for two days of collaborative dialogue, keynotes, and breakout sessions centered on best practices for legacy families and families in business. More information on the Rendezvous
Tuesday, August 5, 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. Albuquerque OASIS presentation – “We Can Do That? New Trends in Death Care” The modern funeral is changing. Learn about aid-in-dying, rising cremation rates, green burial, DIY/home funerals, alkaline hydrolysis, QR codes and celebrant-led services in this upbeat, fact-filled talk. Register for $8 with OASIS by calling 505-884-4529 (over 75 people are already registered!)
Wednesday, August 6: Gail Rubin presents at the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association’s 77th annual convention in Dallas. “A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die” will show how comedy movie clips can open the door toward pre-need planning conversations.
Wednesday, August 20, 1:30 p.m.: Gail Rubin presents “Doctor, How Long Do I Have?” at the New Mexico Conference on Aging at Isleta Resort and Casino, 11000 Broadway SE, Albuquerque. This one-hour film clip-illustrated talk focuses on how to have a good doctor-patient conversation in the face of a serious diagnosis.
“It’s impossible to experience one’s death objectively and still carry a tune.” — Woody Allen