A Good Goodbye is back from the dead. From April 22 to 27, the website was offline due to programming issues related to a WordPress upgrade (they seem to create more problems than they solve). Thanks to everyone who noticed! While struggling to get back online, plus traveling to the Association for Death Education and Counseling conference in Baltimore, emails were suspended.
Because of those issues, you may have missed a few radio shows. Tips from last week’s program on Greek Orthodox funeral traditions are below. Tomorrow’s guest is Roberta Moore, producer of the training video Near-Death Experience: What Medical Professionals Need to Know (more info).
On April 16, the producers of the documentary A Will For the Woods, Amy Browne and Jeremy Kaplan, spoke about their exploration of the green burial movement in the United States (more info).
On April 23, I did a show about funny films for funeral planning, discussing tips that relate to various comedies that I use in my talks. Movies discussed include The Big Lebowski, Undertaking Betty, Death at a Funeral and Bernie (more info).
New development: You can earn passive income by offering A Good Goodbye books and DVDs at your website through our new affiliate program. If you or someone you know has a website that relates to funeral planning or end-of-life issues, you simply put links on your site and have a PayPal account to automatically receive a percentage of each sale that comes through your site. Interested? Let’s talk and get it set up! My number is 505-265-7215.
Top Tips From Last Week’s Show
Did you know that my blog post on Greek Orthodox funerals is the most popular post on The Family Plot Blog? People have many questions about this religion. Last week’s guest on A Good Goodbye Radio was Father Conan Gill with St. George Greek Orthodox Church on his church’s funeral traditions. Here are a few eye-opening insights:
- Greek Orthodox funerals have several separate services – a Trisagion service the night before, usually at a funeral home, a funeral at the church the next day, and burial in a cemetery.
- Following the services, a Meal of Mercy, also known as a makaria, may take place at church or the home of the deceased.
- The makaria is the time when eulogies and stories are best shared. The services provide no opportunity for others to speak.
- At the funeral, the casket is left open during the service. The deceased’s head points to the west, as if they are standing with the congregation facing east.
- Cremation is not allowed. To have a Greek Orthodox funeral service, the body must be present.
It was a fascinating conversation! Listen to the podcast:
Upcoming Talks, Interviews and A Funny Quote
Wednesday May 14: A Good Goodbye Radio interview with Joan Gibson, a retired professor of bioethics and author of Pause: How to Turn Difficult Choices into Strong Decisions. We’ll be discussing topics such as:
- How to talk about what matters, with an eye toward helping both ourselves and others prepare for our future medical decision making
- Understanding the legal and medical policies in New Mexico that support patient choice (New Mexico is a GREAT state for that…one of the best…advance directives, out of hospital DNR and medical orders, etc.)
- Aid in Dying (formerly “physician assisted suicide”) that recently was supported by a court decision here in New Mexico…modeled after Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act
- Talking with young people about their wishes, should something catastrophic happen to them (end of life medical care, organ donation, etc.)
Wednesday, May 21: A Good Goodbye Radio interview with David Hutchings, author of I’m Still Here: Recognizing the Eternalness of Our Companion Animals. I’m Still Here is about the way humans approach and relate to the transition of companion animals in and out of earthly, physical form. Within the work is an intentional bringing together of both human voices and the more “silent” voices of the animals who accompany us here.
Wednesday, May 28: A Good Goodbye Radio interview with Ed Gazvoda about the growing use of new, environmentally-friendly, low-cost disposition methods. He was a pioneer in the use of alkaline hydrolysis and is starting a new approach to burial called Burial.Me.
Saturday, June 28: Albuquerque Death Cafe at Sheila’s Sweets. Join the Meetup group!
“Death is caused by swallowing small amounts of saliva over a long period of time.” — George Carlin