A shout-out to all the fine folks in Chicago who made last week’s A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die media tour a big hit. Many thanks to Larry Mandel at Piser Funeral Services, the most media-savvy funeral director I have ever met and a major mensch.
Larry arranged talks at two Reform synagogues, Congregation Emanuel in Chicago and Congregation Beth Am in Buffalo Grove, IL. My thanks to those folks who hosted these “Jewish Funeral Traditions on Film” talks and came out to laugh and learn.
Larry Mandel also hosted a “Funny Films for Serious Funeral Planning Conversations” talk at Piser’s funeral chapel in Skokie. Many thanks to the folks with Elderwerks who provided continuing education credits to the social workers who attended. Thanks to family and friends who turned out as well!
Kudos and thanks to Carol Schrieber, Executive Director of the Funeral Directors Services Association of Greater Chicago, who arranged for the continuing education presentation to local funeral directors on new community outreach ideas. Thank you to Stephanie Kann at Worsham College of Mortuary Science for hosting the event.
Thanks to WGN Midday Program and producer Tom Barnas for having me on the show on January 25. This link to the program goes right to the interview!
And a hearty thank you to my cousin David Seide, a fabulous architectural photographer (his company is Defined Space) who gave me a great tour of the Windy City before I came back to Albuquerque. He introduced me to the Windy City Rollers (women’s roller derby) and their great skull and crossbones logo. He also took me by this biker bar for a photo opportunity.
The YouTube video below provides a panoramic view of the skyline from Millennium Park, by the lakefront, recorded on Friday morning. Thanks again to everyone in Chicago! Hope to make it back before the Morbid Curiosity show at the Chicago Cultural Center closes on July 8. Live long and prosper!
