Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Almostvoyerism
This morning, when I should've been working, I found this website:
PostSecret.
I'm not sure exactly what it was about it, but the whole concept appealed to me. Probably not to the point where I would bother sending a postcard the US, but I like it nonetheless.
That is all.
PostSecret.
I'm not sure exactly what it was about it, but the whole concept appealed to me. Probably not to the point where I would bother sending a postcard the US, but I like it nonetheless.
That is all.
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Popping my Funereal Cherry
No, this isn't a post about my first experience with necrophilia. Relax. Sit back. Put away the Vaseline.
I attended my first funeral today, for Maggie Grey - my favourite university lecturer, and while I am sure that it was a very 'nice service' or whatever compliment you are expected to bestow upon such events, I did develop a couple of thoughts on all things funerary.
Funerals, in my incredibly limited experience, are odd things. I don't fully understand their purpose. I find it hard to comfortably celebrate someone's life whilst they are lying in a polished wooden box in the front of the room. At the same time, I don't think I could tolerate the more traditional funerals, complete with heavy religious overtones and regular invocations of God.
Why have these ceremonies at all? Nobody enjoys them, and the 'guest of honour' (so to speak) is beyond caring. I'm not saying that friends and loved ones shouldn't have an opportunity to say goodbye and get some grief out, but the idea of turning the whole process into some kind of ritual strikes me as peculiar.
Perhaps that's just me.
My weekend was a bit more uplifting - I attended a 60th birthday/Father's day event (for my Father, funnily enough) in Dorrigo. The only downside was the 4.5 hour drive there and back. The upside? Well, I borrowed Katrina's car. You know, just to blow out some cobwebs before she gets back.
There are some great winding roads between Grafton and Dorrigo - with little enough traffic that you are only occasionally concerned with things like 'staying in your own lane' and never concerned about trivialities like 'police' and 'speed cameras'. The kind of roads that appear in sports car commercials, with sweeping curves and beautiful scenery whipping by. Fun by the bucketload.
Of course, now I need to wash the bloody car again before Friday (when she gets back). I guess that's really a small price to pay...
I attended my first funeral today, for Maggie Grey - my favourite university lecturer, and while I am sure that it was a very 'nice service' or whatever compliment you are expected to bestow upon such events, I did develop a couple of thoughts on all things funerary.
Funerals, in my incredibly limited experience, are odd things. I don't fully understand their purpose. I find it hard to comfortably celebrate someone's life whilst they are lying in a polished wooden box in the front of the room. At the same time, I don't think I could tolerate the more traditional funerals, complete with heavy religious overtones and regular invocations of God.
Why have these ceremonies at all? Nobody enjoys them, and the 'guest of honour' (so to speak) is beyond caring. I'm not saying that friends and loved ones shouldn't have an opportunity to say goodbye and get some grief out, but the idea of turning the whole process into some kind of ritual strikes me as peculiar.
Perhaps that's just me.
My weekend was a bit more uplifting - I attended a 60th birthday/Father's day event (for my Father, funnily enough) in Dorrigo. The only downside was the 4.5 hour drive there and back. The upside? Well, I borrowed Katrina's car. You know, just to blow out some cobwebs before she gets back.
There are some great winding roads between Grafton and Dorrigo - with little enough traffic that you are only occasionally concerned with things like 'staying in your own lane' and never concerned about trivialities like 'police' and 'speed cameras'. The kind of roads that appear in sports car commercials, with sweeping curves and beautiful scenery whipping by. Fun by the bucketload.
Of course, now I need to wash the bloody car again before Friday (when she gets back). I guess that's really a small price to pay...
