The GFG Blog
2010Feb
Norm
Charles
Feb
09
No Comments
I don’t know if you have ever discovered Norm, humane, genial and wise, over at either of his blogs, Extraordinary Expectations or When Death Breaks in… The latter is suspended, now, or fulfilled. On EE, be sure to click all three tabs at the top. Here’s a taste of Norm.
The ineptitude and ineffectiveness of words
Charles
Feb
09
1 comment
Interesting, thought provoking piece about Irish funerals in today’s Irish Times. The writer, Marie Murray, makes this observation: The extent of funeral attendance in Ireland often bemuses our neighbours in England. She says: Funeral attendance is a statement of connection, care, compassion and support. It encircles those who grieve and
My Way sucks? No, it KILLS!
Charles
Feb
09
No Comments
I am indebted to Pat McNally for this. And while I might have added it to my post about My Way, I feel it’s too good to bury. Over in the Philippines, it seems, karaoke is a popular pastime. According to the New York Times, after a hard day’s work,
Stand up, speak up, shut up
Charles
Feb
08
No Comments
Here’s a nice, to-the-point eulogy: My 91 year old Dad died on the morning of January 9th, 2010. Prior to his death, we had many discussions about the funeral arrangements, eulogy and his final interment. He wanted to be cremated and have his ashes scattered along the Charles River in
And what did you want?
Charles
Feb
08
No Comments
There’s a sprightly piece about funerals in this week’s Spectator. Its content is not available free online, so I’ll transcribe the best bits and hope that I’m not infringing copyright but, rather, advertising the magazine. It’s by James Delingpole. If I’d written a film it would have been called Four
Cosmic laughter
Charles
Feb
05
No Comments
If people cry at weddings why should they not laugh at funerals? If the person who has died made them laugh when he/she was alive, then laughter is a very proper way of commemorating them. We find all sorts of things funny because humour is not just a way of
FUNERIA
Charles
Feb
04
1 comment
Anubis urn by Jack Thompson for FUNERIA Tattoo Urn (Goldfish) by Susan Bach for FUNERIA Aesthetics. Taste. What’s naff, what’s ravishing? We’ve been there before in this blog and we’ll go there again. Bandit country. The clothing, merchandise and interior decor of death is dignified, is magnificent, is horrible. It’s
More than just a matter of tone
Charles
Feb
04
No Comments
This is an interesting blog post. Here’s a taster: What I hate most at funerals is the tone used by the officiant (almost wrote: the presiding officer). No matter what the religious faith may be, the person in front of the congregation speaks as if he knew … I think
Pets and people together forever
Charles
Feb
03
No Comments
It’s intriguing to see what grabs the attention of people, especially when it’s something you don’t, yourself, reckon to be at all eyebrow-raising. Down in Cornwall, Penny Lally at Penwith Woodland Burial Place is burying pets with their owners. So remarkable is this reckoned to be that the story has
Does mass burial horrify you?
Charles
Feb
03
No Comments
Interesting piece in USA Today on mass graves in Haiti and the importance people attach to marking the spot where their dead are laid – a physical point of connection. “We are hard-wired to want to know where our dead are, whether we believe in a superior being or not,”
