I did not attend Prom, but I did attend after-prom and heard enough about prom that I think I got the picture. First off there is a lot of intoxication involved in this process and not so much celebrating (after-prom). I feel that studying this subject in class was somewhat helpful because it shed-light on to what we were doing. THERE WAS A HUGE WHITE LIMO AND most ladies were still dressed up, or in the second outfit of the night, but the guys had mostly changed into sneaks and jeans. Me & Amhara showed-up as outsiders. We took the train, walked a WHOLE lot, were juniors, and where not dressed up. WE DANCED, and that was fun.
There was typical hooking up in between dates, and idiotic jealousy, and gossiping that I will not get into detail about because it was idiotic. In the end it felt like an over-hyped over-costly party. Prom is materialistic and all that crap but it seemed like no fantasy in my eyes. The speakers did not work and at first we could hardly hear the music, there was coca-cola and strobe lights.
I think besides the over analytical portrayal of the details of prom it is a celebration that is worthwhile. We are expected to work hard to get a special piece of paper so we should be rewarded with "care free fun". The evening seemed to go perfectly scripted as described by our classroom discussions, and there was no straying details.
I would like to attend my prom next year because I heard it is great fun to dance with all your classmates and teachers, I do not wish to indulge in a limo or a $500 outfit or even a $120 invitation ticket. I just want it to be a relaxed AFFORDABLE event where I can have fun with my peers in the opposite manner that is normally expected in a school.
I feel the night for me in a way was a rite of passage because I stayed up all night long and went straight to "work" the next day without sleep. It felt cool, but I WAS OD' TIRED AND OD' SORE THE NEXT DAY. It is funny how before there were lights and cities no one was nocturnal. We lived in light of the sun. When I go upstate, sure we stay up into the night but something about the city can change the time you value.
May 30, 2011
May 23, 2011
iniTIL THOUGHTS !
I went to prom in middle school. I remember being excited and feeling as though I was doing the "big girl thang". I remember my parents thinking it was ridiculous, even that I was having a cap and gown graduation. "It's just middle school. . . "I didn't understand how they could not value and be excited by my big day like I was. I bought my dress from some cheapy place with my mom and her friend on Fordham road in the Bronx. I got my hair done, and took a cab to school. It was in our gym and the windows were blacked out. Everyone was grinding and I had never been to a dance before. It was the first time I got drunk, and the school used the red carpet from the hallway as a "Hollywood" red carpet, it was so ridiculous but I was really into it. I felt nervous about going but I felt as though I had to, and it was expected of me. I felt ostracized and odd at the prom. The French call these middle school teen years " age de la dende" or "age of the turkey" when one is awkward and sort of weird. When one is beginning to turn into a women/man but are not completely there yet, thus making one an odd duck.
Sophia Schwab described prom as "scripted" I think it is so true. What come to mind is the polyester dresses that people get online with fake rhinestones and 3rd world country seams barley holding together. I find it is just as scripted as any other ritual whether it be Christmas or a baby shower.
I see prom as the exclusive party of the year. Where everyone that not normally hangs out all go to the same party because they are paying for it. Some reason feeling the need to deck out and spend $200 for one normal party when on a normal weekend night they would probably not pay more than $10 to get into a party. It's weird how standards seem to change for one event.
Sophia Schwab described prom as "scripted" I think it is so true. What come to mind is the polyester dresses that people get online with fake rhinestones and 3rd world country seams barley holding together. I find it is just as scripted as any other ritual whether it be Christmas or a baby shower.
I see prom as the exclusive party of the year. Where everyone that not normally hangs out all go to the same party because they are paying for it. Some reason feeling the need to deck out and spend $200 for one normal party when on a normal weekend night they would probably not pay more than $10 to get into a party. It's weird how standards seem to change for one event.
May 18, 2011
"Harold & Maude" A GREAT MOVIE !
I enjoyed "Harold & Maude" very much, and I think Hal Ashby is a great director, I loved his little touches like focusing in on the casket where it says "permalife" and making Harold look like he was eating out the statue/woman, and showing Maude’s concentration camp id, but never discussing it. Also keeping you on the edge, not always knowing exactly when someone has died or not, like Harold's date the actress or when Harold drove the car over the cliff.
Harold seems to use death in his family as a way to receive attention, he seems isolated within his own family even though he has all money could buy him. He is the black sheep in his family and uses acting out suicides as his way to communicate this. I think that Harold is depressed and wants to die; he states that when he was dead he was happy. Yet with Maude he learns that you cannot avoid life with death because there is nothing afterwards you simply die. So Harold learns to live and find ways of playing the emotions of his heart and finding connections with his life and that of others.
Maude loves life and death for her is seen as the inevitable cycle. She has accepted that things are here today and gone tomorrow so try and live life to the fullest and do what makes you happy. Her belief that things disintegrate and then form other life reinforces the way she lives because she states, " the earth is my body, and my head is in the stars". She has a deep physical connection with life but also lets the depth of her thoughts wander. Maude kills herself because though she understands things just flow she does like to have control, having seen many deaths in her life (assuming not so pleasant) she wants to die when she feels great.
Harold's mother does not seem to find great significance in death and does not take it seriously. She is too consumed by her outfits, hair, and social gatherings to look for the spiritual meaning and what it means to want to die. Or she is so afraid of death and its prospects that she tries to fill her life with meaningless activities to ignore it. She is overwhelmed by death and does not know how to relate to her son instead she tries to make of him what he does not want, when he is not ready for them.
Harold seems to use death in his family as a way to receive attention, he seems isolated within his own family even though he has all money could buy him. He is the black sheep in his family and uses acting out suicides as his way to communicate this. I think that Harold is depressed and wants to die; he states that when he was dead he was happy. Yet with Maude he learns that you cannot avoid life with death because there is nothing afterwards you simply die. So Harold learns to live and find ways of playing the emotions of his heart and finding connections with his life and that of others.
Maude loves life and death for her is seen as the inevitable cycle. She has accepted that things are here today and gone tomorrow so try and live life to the fullest and do what makes you happy. Her belief that things disintegrate and then form other life reinforces the way she lives because she states, " the earth is my body, and my head is in the stars". She has a deep physical connection with life but also lets the depth of her thoughts wander. Maude kills herself because though she understands things just flow she does like to have control, having seen many deaths in her life (assuming not so pleasant) she wants to die when she feels great.
Harold's mother does not seem to find great significance in death and does not take it seriously. She is too consumed by her outfits, hair, and social gatherings to look for the spiritual meaning and what it means to want to die. Or she is so afraid of death and its prospects that she tries to fill her life with meaningless activities to ignore it. She is overwhelmed by death and does not know how to relate to her son instead she tries to make of him what he does not want, when he is not ready for them.
cemetery
I had crazy butterflies from the thoughts of ghost and them communicating with us, but nothing of that sort happened. I was fascinated by the fallen tombstones that were beginning to sink into the ground & cover up with grass. First their body rotted then their casket rotted and now their tombstone is disintegrating. Most of the tombstones were not legible and all dated from at least the 1800's. I sat down at one point and tried to meditate but I felt as though I needed to stay alert and keep my guard up. Even thought it was clear that my fear came from stories I still felt spooked out. Its all the 
symbolizing people from the past wanting to be remembered and the dark silence, it eliminates one of our senses and made me feel held back. Though a flashlight made it worse in my opinion because then I only had a limited range in view and became more focused on one part versus another. The people who paid for the huge outlandish chess pieces got what they wanted because we were definitely more attracted by those. Stupendefied by there grandeur. At one-point cars lights were seen ahead so we ducked behind tombstones, it was weird that what scared me the most in this place was the prospects of other human life. I was also so on edge because I knew Evan was going to try and scare us, and boy did he !!!
I had this desire to walk on the fallen tombstones and swing around the huge chess pieces, but the eerie darkness of the night retained me, for if it would have been day I am sure I would have done it. The fear of disrespecting the decease's beliefs, during the "haunting hour".
The next cemetery was the memorial location for one man; we had to take a path deep into the woods till we arrived to a clearing with the rolling roaring hills of Roxbury ahead of us. Unlike the overwhelming number of gravestones at the previous cemetery there was only one so I no longer felt bewildered but calm. It was not a typical gravestone there were four small stonewalls making a square and inside was luscious greenery. In this location I could not help thinking that we were probably the most disturbance in a while and that it was always this calm here, for eternity. This time I clung closely to Evan so that he could not once again cloak into the darkness and give me another pleasing thrill.
The cemetery visits made me feel the need for silence, I wanted nothing more but to absorb what was around me and dissolve into the experience. At the second cemetery I felt as though I penetrated into everything around me but at once felt as though I stuck out wildly. As we walked on the stone paths I could see the people who had came before us, I could see the people building this long stone path, I could see them building the walls. The first cemetery had a stonewall separating it from the road that was now ready to collapse. It made the cemetery feel so isolated, and as though it had been a labor of importance. It reminds me of the poem The Mending Wall by Robert Frost (http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173530) I Am fascinated by the gorgeous moss that thrives upon all the stones and tombstones, to me in my fantasy they are the thriving life of those that were. I enjoyed my trips to the cemetery and was glad they were upstate.
(WATCH AMHARA'S VIEDO ITS HILARIOUS)
symbolizing people from the past wanting to be remembered and the dark silence, it eliminates one of our senses and made me feel held back. Though a flashlight made it worse in my opinion because then I only had a limited range in view and became more focused on one part versus another. The people who paid for the huge outlandish chess pieces got what they wanted because we were definitely more attracted by those. Stupendefied by there grandeur. At one-point cars lights were seen ahead so we ducked behind tombstones, it was weird that what scared me the most in this place was the prospects of other human life. I was also so on edge because I knew Evan was going to try and scare us, and boy did he !!!
I had this desire to walk on the fallen tombstones and swing around the huge chess pieces, but the eerie darkness of the night retained me, for if it would have been day I am sure I would have done it. The fear of disrespecting the decease's beliefs, during the "haunting hour".
The next cemetery was the memorial location for one man; we had to take a path deep into the woods till we arrived to a clearing with the rolling roaring hills of Roxbury ahead of us. Unlike the overwhelming number of gravestones at the previous cemetery there was only one so I no longer felt bewildered but calm. It was not a typical gravestone there were four small stonewalls making a square and inside was luscious greenery. In this location I could not help thinking that we were probably the most disturbance in a while and that it was always this calm here, for eternity. This time I clung closely to Evan so that he could not once again cloak into the darkness and give me another pleasing thrill.
The cemetery visits made me feel the need for silence, I wanted nothing more but to absorb what was around me and dissolve into the experience. At the second cemetery I felt as though I penetrated into everything around me but at once felt as though I stuck out wildly. As we walked on the stone paths I could see the people who had came before us, I could see the people building this long stone path, I could see them building the walls. The first cemetery had a stonewall separating it from the road that was now ready to collapse. It made the cemetery feel so isolated, and as though it had been a labor of importance. It reminds me of the poem The Mending Wall by Robert Frost (http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173530) I Am fascinated by the gorgeous moss that thrives upon all the stones and tombstones, to me in my fantasy they are the thriving life of those that were. I enjoyed my trips to the cemetery and was glad they were upstate.
(WATCH AMHARA'S VIEDO ITS HILARIOUS)
May 17, 2011
Comment to my talented classmates (& myself) !!
TO BIANCA: LINK TO POST
In your project you tried to convey that funeral homes not only sell materialistic items but a sense of reassurance to the customer. Whether you are for or against is not really stated just how the customers use the outlandish items they buy to comfort them selves with the idea of losing a loved one.
I really loved your artwork as it is beautiful, powerful, and the colors look really amazing, I like the texture, and how you connected the words with string (especially the string you used it added a nice touch contrasted well with the blue) I loved how un personal the vendor seems because we dont see his head ! I also think that your writing was very concise and powerful !
OVER ALL AMAZING JOB BIANCA !
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
TO MARTYNA:LINK TO POST
First of I like the little personal touches to your blog like the checks, and what do YOU think ? hahaha.. very cute..
Martyna,
I think in your prokect you tried to summarize the 7 stages of greif and how they usually happen for most people and how it effects their daily life and the importance of such feelings. You then represented this with a visual.
I thought that your visual was very powerful and the colors you choose and how you faded them made me really feel a surge of emotions that for me were warm positive STRONG overwhelming feelings. I really value how connected I felt to your artwork. I also really value that you have concluded that death ironically, is important for us living to live through.
My only advice that I could give you is that your stages of greif seem kind of narrow and try and place evryone in a certain order and I think that emotions like this are hard to make a specific "lay out for" When you said you put them in your own order, i think this would have been more powerful (if you have greived a death) to discuss your own stages.
I did think this was nice though because we did not really discuss emotional connections that much and this is definatley an automatic ritual.
GREAT JOB MARTYNA, I loved your art work and the flow of ideas you represented your thoughts well. BE PROUD !
_________________________________________________________________________________
TO SOPHIA: LINK TO POST
HOLA LINDA,
En su "blog post" usted habla de lo que pasa con el cuerpo cuando muere y es dejado a descompóngarse, y los etapas differentes hasta que son uno con la tierra.
Me da felizidad que mi "blog post" le dio la inspiracion de escribir este ensayo. Yo creo que dio mucha informacion buena rapidamenete y muy claramente. Creo que era muy interesante.
Pero me pregunata como usted personalmente piensas sobre este subjeto y lo que usted quiere hacer con su cuerpo. Me gusto much so texto.
perdon que mi espanol es tan "rusty" !
BUEN TRABAJO LINDA CON EL PELO RIZADO !
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
FROM MY MENTOR :
I'm curious what Ms. Flesh will truly feel upon viewing a corpse. I imagine that the quest to overcome something denied is more palpable as Ms. Flesh is very directed and passionate against an obstacle. I would like to hear more about what she expects of the experience. It is possible to attend a funeral with a body on view just by seeking the information about the time and place of the service and "viewing". Perhaps the experience of group grieving would be valuable to Ms. Flesh. Often times memorial services are listed publicly and I think as long as she is sincere and respectful she could attend a memorial service.
I was with Ms. Flesh upon the death of our dear friend. Personally for me it was not about not having closure. Closure is highly over rated. It is about loss. I personally have a lifetime of loss due to death and have pondered this human existance of ours since I was child. I have not come to any conclusions except that our whole life cycle is incomprehensible to me because the loss is sometimes unbearable. For me closure, or the end of a linear story doesn't make sense to me. Every loss I have experienced is equally as painful today as it was 43 years ago and beyond. I think young people like life to fit into a safe clear idea... but I doubt that in this case that will be possible.
My saving grace is in beauty. For me experiencing art, music or reading authors that resonate with me like Dostoevsky, Solzenitzen, Tolstoy and Lao Tzu help to balance my soul.
___________________________________________________________________________________
FROM CASEY:
Eloise,
I think this is a great idea! How brave of you to look at something that is a source of fear and has a negative connotation for most people and to literally and figuratively look it straight in the face. I appreciate your tenacity in the pursuit of this endeavor, and I wish there was some way for me to help you. It seems odd that a dead body could be so taboo and difficult to see in our society...especially for educational purposes. C'est la vie!
____________________________________________________________________________________________
FROM MY PROTEGE:
I cried a little but I couldn’t avoid this sense of being calm and serene.
eloise, i have felt this too.
when gary died, i did not feel sad right away. I justfelt calm. but i also felt somethig else. i felt respect. respect not to what he had lost but what he had made throughout his life.
i felt the same whan one of my bestfriend's fathers died. i felt sad for his children, and the time that he might have had with them that he lost: I did not feel sorry for his death. what is death but fo renewal? is it not just to give back to the world which you have taken from all of your life?
stoping people from seeing what we become is not an evil thing. death is a part of life.like a fire that sweeps through a redwood forest, it clears out debries, strenghens bark and helps some new children grow. death itself is not sad; it is how do you leave. do you leave peacefully or in much pain. do you die quietly or with big fuss. it is not the if that matters, but thew when and how.
_____________________________________________________________
In your project you tried to convey that funeral homes not only sell materialistic items but a sense of reassurance to the customer. Whether you are for or against is not really stated just how the customers use the outlandish items they buy to comfort them selves with the idea of losing a loved one.
I really loved your artwork as it is beautiful, powerful, and the colors look really amazing, I like the texture, and how you connected the words with string (especially the string you used it added a nice touch contrasted well with the blue) I loved how un personal the vendor seems because we dont see his head ! I also think that your writing was very concise and powerful !
OVER ALL AMAZING JOB BIANCA !
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
TO MARTYNA:LINK TO POST
First of I like the little personal touches to your blog like the checks, and what do YOU think ? hahaha.. very cute..
Martyna,
I think in your prokect you tried to summarize the 7 stages of greif and how they usually happen for most people and how it effects their daily life and the importance of such feelings. You then represented this with a visual.
I thought that your visual was very powerful and the colors you choose and how you faded them made me really feel a surge of emotions that for me were warm positive STRONG overwhelming feelings. I really value how connected I felt to your artwork. I also really value that you have concluded that death ironically, is important for us living to live through.
My only advice that I could give you is that your stages of greif seem kind of narrow and try and place evryone in a certain order and I think that emotions like this are hard to make a specific "lay out for" When you said you put them in your own order, i think this would have been more powerful (if you have greived a death) to discuss your own stages.
I did think this was nice though because we did not really discuss emotional connections that much and this is definatley an automatic ritual.
GREAT JOB MARTYNA, I loved your art work and the flow of ideas you represented your thoughts well. BE PROUD !
_________________________________________________________________________________
TO SOPHIA: LINK TO POST
HOLA LINDA,
En su "blog post" usted habla de lo que pasa con el cuerpo cuando muere y es dejado a descompóngarse, y los etapas differentes hasta que son uno con la tierra.
Me da felizidad que mi "blog post" le dio la inspiracion de escribir este ensayo. Yo creo que dio mucha informacion buena rapidamenete y muy claramente. Creo que era muy interesante.
Pero me pregunata como usted personalmente piensas sobre este subjeto y lo que usted quiere hacer con su cuerpo. Me gusto much so texto.
perdon que mi espanol es tan "rusty" !
BUEN TRABAJO LINDA CON EL PELO RIZADO !
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
FROM MY MENTOR :
I'm curious what Ms. Flesh will truly feel upon viewing a corpse. I imagine that the quest to overcome something denied is more palpable as Ms. Flesh is very directed and passionate against an obstacle. I would like to hear more about what she expects of the experience. It is possible to attend a funeral with a body on view just by seeking the information about the time and place of the service and "viewing". Perhaps the experience of group grieving would be valuable to Ms. Flesh. Often times memorial services are listed publicly and I think as long as she is sincere and respectful she could attend a memorial service.
I was with Ms. Flesh upon the death of our dear friend. Personally for me it was not about not having closure. Closure is highly over rated. It is about loss. I personally have a lifetime of loss due to death and have pondered this human existance of ours since I was child. I have not come to any conclusions except that our whole life cycle is incomprehensible to me because the loss is sometimes unbearable. For me closure, or the end of a linear story doesn't make sense to me. Every loss I have experienced is equally as painful today as it was 43 years ago and beyond. I think young people like life to fit into a safe clear idea... but I doubt that in this case that will be possible.
My saving grace is in beauty. For me experiencing art, music or reading authors that resonate with me like Dostoevsky, Solzenitzen, Tolstoy and Lao Tzu help to balance my soul.
___________________________________________________________________________________
FROM CASEY:
Eloise,
I think this is a great idea! How brave of you to look at something that is a source of fear and has a negative connotation for most people and to literally and figuratively look it straight in the face. I appreciate your tenacity in the pursuit of this endeavor, and I wish there was some way for me to help you. It seems odd that a dead body could be so taboo and difficult to see in our society...especially for educational purposes. C'est la vie!
____________________________________________________________________________________________
FROM MY PROTEGE:
I cried a little but I couldn’t avoid this sense of being calm and serene.
eloise, i have felt this too.
when gary died, i did not feel sad right away. I justfelt calm. but i also felt somethig else. i felt respect. respect not to what he had lost but what he had made throughout his life.
i felt the same whan one of my bestfriend's fathers died. i felt sad for his children, and the time that he might have had with them that he lost: I did not feel sorry for his death. what is death but fo renewal? is it not just to give back to the world which you have taken from all of your life?
stoping people from seeing what we become is not an evil thing. death is a part of life.like a fire that sweeps through a redwood forest, it clears out debries, strenghens bark and helps some new children grow. death itself is not sad; it is how do you leave. do you leave peacefully or in much pain. do you die quietly or with big fuss. it is not the if that matters, but thew when and how.
_____________________________________________________________
May 16, 2011
CORPSE YELLOW PAGES
I want to see a corpse. I read about it and feel like I know about it, but I do not. It is just figments of my imagination. I feel if I where to see a dead body I would be able to further my comfort with death and it would change my outlook on life. I would try and meditate with the body, at least focus on the bubbles coming to my head, the instincts I was feeling, and possible emotional connections. I’ve seen a dead body, that of my uncle’s 15 minutes after he died. He was yellow, scrawny, he’s cheeks were almost non-existent, cold, but he was SO CALM. I cried a little but I couldn’t avoid this sense of being calm and serene. So so calm, I felt odd for feeling that way, the loved ones around were so distressed. Amhara’s grandmother believes that people whom feel the most grief when someone has passed it is because they were unable to tell him or her something, or never got closure. I cried my eyes out the day before because I realized he was really dying and he gave me one last moment of his presence. He gasped up opened his eyes looked at me and said I love you, laid back down curtly. He was receiving calls all day my aunt would hold her phone to his ear as people were saying their goodbyes and he would smile from time to time. When I saw him dead there were two plastic (light bulb) red candles flickering at the windowsill, I placed a flower on him, kissed him, and did not look back.
Honestly if I could have chosen I would want to see a body decomposing, being that it is our deepest connection with the earth, when becoming completely grounded once again, (partially evaporated into the air). To see a corpse is not easy. It takes a long process of demands and litigations. First I contacted 311 asking if they knew any morgues in NYC, with no knowledge they forwarded me to a hospital with an anatomy department. After speaking to Lenox hill Hospital I was abruptly told that no such visit would be possible. Owens funeral home the one I had visited for the interview told me that they would forward my message to Mr. Owens, yet he never called back. Then Home after home I was told that it would not be possible to view corpses because once the body reached the funeral home it was confidential between the family and the home, unless permission was received from a family member of the body or if one is registered with the state. I found it to odd of a request to ask a family that I did not know so I let that one go. To become registered with the state of NY one must receive a High school diploma, a 2-year college degree, and 1 mortuary course. Then, proceeded to calling New York City’s medical examiner which transferred me to multiple extensions, finalizing that I would not be able to see corpses because there is a confidentiality due of process between the law and the family and no one outside of these relations are allowed to see the bodies. Stumped again I then was thinking about how I could cut the family issues out of the picture; when a body is donated to science the family is already aware that the body will be seen for multiple reasons all under the educational umbrella. I thought haeey, I FIT THAT PART! So I began calling around at medical schools in New York City, then being transferred to their anatomy departments. Columbia medical school told me they had never herd about this and asked for my “contact information” and said they would promptly call me back. They once again never did. I then contacted NYU’s anatomy department that politely DENIED me. Lastly I came in contact with Mount Sinai School of Medicine, which has a program for high school students interested in medical studies In the future. They kindly gave me their contact information. I am currently going through an email exchange between Ms. Olmeda and myself. We are awaiting conformation from her superiors. This is a long complicated process and the industry obviously finds anyone without a college degree not competent to be faced with death unless it arises in his or her family or on their block.
For pupils to follow who want to see a corpse:
• Madeline Olmeda, BBA works at the Center for Anatomy/Functional Morphology,
Mount Sinai School of Medicine and is the person to contact about attending an anatomy pre-course of sorts for high school students. Her email is madeline.olmeda@mssm.edu
• The American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service would be a great school to contact, even though we are not college students they cater to people who want to learn about the rituals surrounding cadavers.
• Death midwifes one could contact: nora@thresholdsoflife.org(http://www.thresholdsoflife.org/)
Honestly if I could have chosen I would want to see a body decomposing, being that it is our deepest connection with the earth, when becoming completely grounded once again, (partially evaporated into the air). To see a corpse is not easy. It takes a long process of demands and litigations. First I contacted 311 asking if they knew any morgues in NYC, with no knowledge they forwarded me to a hospital with an anatomy department. After speaking to Lenox hill Hospital I was abruptly told that no such visit would be possible. Owens funeral home the one I had visited for the interview told me that they would forward my message to Mr. Owens, yet he never called back. Then Home after home I was told that it would not be possible to view corpses because once the body reached the funeral home it was confidential between the family and the home, unless permission was received from a family member of the body or if one is registered with the state. I found it to odd of a request to ask a family that I did not know so I let that one go. To become registered with the state of NY one must receive a High school diploma, a 2-year college degree, and 1 mortuary course. Then, proceeded to calling New York City’s medical examiner which transferred me to multiple extensions, finalizing that I would not be able to see corpses because there is a confidentiality due of process between the law and the family and no one outside of these relations are allowed to see the bodies. Stumped again I then was thinking about how I could cut the family issues out of the picture; when a body is donated to science the family is already aware that the body will be seen for multiple reasons all under the educational umbrella. I thought haeey, I FIT THAT PART! So I began calling around at medical schools in New York City, then being transferred to their anatomy departments. Columbia medical school told me they had never herd about this and asked for my “contact information” and said they would promptly call me back. They once again never did. I then contacted NYU’s anatomy department that politely DENIED me. Lastly I came in contact with Mount Sinai School of Medicine, which has a program for high school students interested in medical studies In the future. They kindly gave me their contact information. I am currently going through an email exchange between Ms. Olmeda and myself. We are awaiting conformation from her superiors. This is a long complicated process and the industry obviously finds anyone without a college degree not competent to be faced with death unless it arises in his or her family or on their block.
For pupils to follow who want to see a corpse:
• Madeline Olmeda, BBA works at the Center for Anatomy/Functional Morphology,
Mount Sinai School of Medicine and is the person to contact about attending an anatomy pre-course of sorts for high school students. Her email is madeline.olmeda@mssm.edu
• The American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service would be a great school to contact, even though we are not college students they cater to people who want to learn about the rituals surrounding cadavers.
• Death midwifes one could contact: nora@thresholdsoflife.org(http://www.thresholdsoflife.org/)
May 14, 2011
Young New York Reverend and Christian text
My whole life the cross has been at every crossing of eye, seen through the peripheral view. God Bless on the most valuable tender in my lifetime, what we kill for, what we starve for, what we fight for. The Christian religion is that followed by the dominant discourse and is imbedded into our governmental texts. The reasoning given for many actions are our spreading the knowledge of Christianity. How we tamed our animals. This constant exposure has tainted my mind. This is why I choose to delve into the Christian religion.
Reverend Linda Bartholomew is in her mid fifties (hypothesis) but still has a chic disposition. She wears a white collar around her neck and a black suit matched with colored glass earrings and a short grey bob. She seems very liberal compared to my stereotypical view of a reverend. Her purpose in life is to love like god loves, but that will take much work she says. She believes that “We will be resurrected to the kingdom of god”, we including “everyone somehow”. Based on what I have learned God is seen as the perfect being that we all should serve, similar to a monarchy. "Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God" (4:24 Corinthians). This kingdom will be here on earth, and she says this spiritual air picture is a miss-conception. But I can see where people make this mistake because the Corinthian do say “UP to.” but earth is right here. On the other hand my friend Evan is a devout Christian who says the bible says that heaven is somewhere else. According to Bartholomew Hell does not exists it is just used to give the sense that their will be justice in the afterlife, which is in god's hands. She believes injustices such as the vast separation between the rich and the poor will not be present. It will be the perfect life with justice, but if the perfect life existed there would be no injustice thus there would be no need for justice.
We are an anti-animal-wild society, which strongly believes in justice for the savage animal instincts produce. For instance murdering someone or raping someone is seen as horrible acts that deserve justice. When these are our biological instincts acting, and justice is needed for such acts.
Reverend Bartholomew recently conducted a funeral for a young girl who was but a year old. I asked her what she envisions when she thinks of the afterlife, she says "right now I see Blythe sitting in god's lap." when she says this I immediately envision a man, though she does not specify "I look for the LORD; my soul doth wait for him;" (pg. 474 of psalm 130 de profundis) God being a man supports the dominating power and respect they receive in our world. Bartholomew stated, "The body is sacred, no matter whom it belongs to a poplar, terrorist or president" note she only spoke of the human species. In their eyes Death is an enemy, even though it is the vehicle that “delivers” one to the kingdom of god. In heaven "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death"(Corinthians 4:26) Reverend states that her role at a funeral is to be present and steal herself and give it to the grievers by being strong and not crying, keeping her composure, even when a little girl who is younger than a year has died, and everyone around is "crumpling". She does say that grieving from the family is important and does not like seeing discouragement of showing ones emotions. Essentially we have begun our eternal life, so death is just a break, a long time to rest. "For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day" (Corinthians 4:16) I thought that this was really true and reflected my attitude on life. What won't kill you will make you stronger. A sense of wisdom, with experience will come deeper acceptance. Death needs to be accepted because things just are . . .. The Christian belief of afterlife is there way of accepting death, (yet not really because they don’t believe they will die forever).
Further Questionings:
Who wrote the bible is it a reliable source?
References:
The Book of Common Prayer
The New Testimony
Interview with Reverend Linda Bartholomew
May 09, 2011
Independent Research A
#1
Research Uses Grow For Virtual Cadavers
BY DENISE GRADY
précis:
2 cadavers earned the status of immortality in cyberspace. Their bodies were cut thousands of times by thin cross sections to create computerized anatomy. The program reconstructs the tissue sections into 3-d images, and has wide accessibility. This was produced by a team of doctors and students and is changing anatomy students learning environment. The bodies were frozen, and sliced like deli ham and after each millimeter of removal a photo was taken. Dr. Robb was the first to view the project and his goal is to use computer techniques to have surgeons practice operations, helping them to know the relationship of the structures in different regions. The one error in the project is no DNA samples were saved to trace the detail back to the genes. Dreams for more advanced technology is on the rise.
http://www.nytimes.com/1996/10/08/science/research-uses-grow-for-virtual-cadavers.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm
__________________________________________________________
MEDICINE; Lessons in Body and Soul
By LYNNE AMES
précis:
250 students gather at the 12th annual memorial to commemorate all the cadavers used in anatomy class. The students recognize them as once living. Acknowledge the respect for human life an all they learn from holding a real cadavers in their hands. Dr. Pravety assistant professor of biology and anatomy re-iterates the importance of respect throughout the course and the care expected at the end. The students reiterate thanks and the relatives gain closure.
http://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/11/nyregion/medicine-lessons-in-body-and-soul.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm
_________________________________________________________
Both articles were written in high honor and utter bafflement of the achievement and use of cadavers in medical school. One illustrates the amazing medical advancements being made with technology, the next illustrating the deep connection the anatomy students create with the cadavers. Every participant of all such activity seems to have a high sense of importance and ever lasting impressions on the still living. The cadaver donators and spectators seem to see donation to science as a way to continue living and making an impact. I think it is insane what we are able to accomplish with science but like every generation past I cannot help feel resilience towards these accomplishments. We are venturing into the depths of ourselves versus the depths of our surroundings.
MUST VIEW VIEDO CLIP !!!!!! : http://www.nlm.nih.gov/research/visible/mpeg/umd_video.mpg
In the memorial tribute to the anatomy class cadavers, they repetitively state that they must think of these human cadavers AS ONCE LIVING AND TIED TO RELATIONSHIPS. Characterizing a life they have no knowledge about to give the cadaver respect. Why do we as humans feel the need to "respect" cadavers if the life is no longer existent? This must stem from an underlying belief that our souls still linger and are aware of the bodies. I myself have a strong feeling of respect towards human cadavers. Ross Goldberg a speaker at the memorial stated: ''I was holding this brain, the essence of this person, in my hands,'' currently we are devout believers that the soul, spirit, whatever one chooses to call it LAYS IN OUR BRAIN. We have our knowledge so far up our ass it’s insane. We & I are so pleased with the knowledge we accumulate about everything and anything. To the fact that it boils down to our true self? I disagree highly on this belief what makes up my life is the experience I internalize with my sense and my though process, it is not only what I can categorize as thought but FEELING, though this truly cannot be described in the symbols of English.
#2
I walked around East Harlem on this sunny day, the streets were lively as always; once the sun hits the pavement up here you can be sure. The first 2 funeral homes I visited were closed and seemed dead themselves an eerie abandonment to both of them, yet they both had their lights on! The last two I visited were the Mickey Funeral Service, and Owens Funeral Home INC. " Where beauty softens your grief". Both in brownstones, upstairs being the "chapel" downstairs being the office. Mickey's had a dusty moldy smell to it with worn brown chairs and dim lighting. Owens’s was bright and flashy with plastic covered upholstery and flashy Mirrors everywhere. Two very different, very odd atmospheres. Owens stated " I never hear people talking about death and beauty in the same conversation but, to me, death and beauty go hand in hand. Death is nasty. Death is cruel. Well, Isaiah Owens takes that and creates a portrait of your loved one that you can remember all your life." He has had the inspiration to follow this career since he grew up on a farm and there were animals to bury left and right. He says in his 40 years of business, embalming jobs have changed tremendously. There is way less gun shots, and stabs, and cuts, and roof jumpers then there were 10 years ago, he says now most of his clients die of diseases and old age. Prices for the caskets range from $430 - $200,000. Mr. Myers from Mickey’s says he receives satisfaction from helping the families grieve.
I feel as though Owens see's himself as a remover of the grotesque reality of death. That he can wave his wand and make it fiction. Helping to "shelter" us from the appearance of a dead body. I wonder if he is truly afraid of death or if doing his job gives him a sense of order "fixing" the rot of our world. Both funeral homes that I visited felt cold and gave off an overwhelming a grandiose attempt to make one feel comfortable resulting in the exact opposite.
___________________________________________________________
FURTHER QUESTIONING:
WHAT IS LIFE ?
WHAT IS DEATH ?
WHAT IS FEELING ?
WHAT IS THOUGHT ?
Research Uses Grow For Virtual Cadavers
BY DENISE GRADY
précis:
2 cadavers earned the status of immortality in cyberspace. Their bodies were cut thousands of times by thin cross sections to create computerized anatomy. The program reconstructs the tissue sections into 3-d images, and has wide accessibility. This was produced by a team of doctors and students and is changing anatomy students learning environment. The bodies were frozen, and sliced like deli ham and after each millimeter of removal a photo was taken. Dr. Robb was the first to view the project and his goal is to use computer techniques to have surgeons practice operations, helping them to know the relationship of the structures in different regions. The one error in the project is no DNA samples were saved to trace the detail back to the genes. Dreams for more advanced technology is on the rise.
http://www.nytimes.com/1996/10/08/science/research-uses-grow-for-virtual-cadavers.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm
__________________________________________________________
MEDICINE; Lessons in Body and Soul
By LYNNE AMES
précis:
250 students gather at the 12th annual memorial to commemorate all the cadavers used in anatomy class. The students recognize them as once living. Acknowledge the respect for human life an all they learn from holding a real cadavers in their hands. Dr. Pravety assistant professor of biology and anatomy re-iterates the importance of respect throughout the course and the care expected at the end. The students reiterate thanks and the relatives gain closure.
http://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/11/nyregion/medicine-lessons-in-body-and-soul.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm
_________________________________________________________
Both articles were written in high honor and utter bafflement of the achievement and use of cadavers in medical school. One illustrates the amazing medical advancements being made with technology, the next illustrating the deep connection the anatomy students create with the cadavers. Every participant of all such activity seems to have a high sense of importance and ever lasting impressions on the still living. The cadaver donators and spectators seem to see donation to science as a way to continue living and making an impact. I think it is insane what we are able to accomplish with science but like every generation past I cannot help feel resilience towards these accomplishments. We are venturing into the depths of ourselves versus the depths of our surroundings.
MUST VIEW VIEDO CLIP !!!!!! : http://www.nlm.nih.gov/research/visible/mpeg/umd_video.mpg
In the memorial tribute to the anatomy class cadavers, they repetitively state that they must think of these human cadavers AS ONCE LIVING AND TIED TO RELATIONSHIPS. Characterizing a life they have no knowledge about to give the cadaver respect. Why do we as humans feel the need to "respect" cadavers if the life is no longer existent? This must stem from an underlying belief that our souls still linger and are aware of the bodies. I myself have a strong feeling of respect towards human cadavers. Ross Goldberg a speaker at the memorial stated: ''I was holding this brain, the essence of this person, in my hands,'' currently we are devout believers that the soul, spirit, whatever one chooses to call it LAYS IN OUR BRAIN. We have our knowledge so far up our ass it’s insane. We & I are so pleased with the knowledge we accumulate about everything and anything. To the fact that it boils down to our true self? I disagree highly on this belief what makes up my life is the experience I internalize with my sense and my though process, it is not only what I can categorize as thought but FEELING, though this truly cannot be described in the symbols of English.
#2
I walked around East Harlem on this sunny day, the streets were lively as always; once the sun hits the pavement up here you can be sure. The first 2 funeral homes I visited were closed and seemed dead themselves an eerie abandonment to both of them, yet they both had their lights on! The last two I visited were the Mickey Funeral Service, and Owens Funeral Home INC. " Where beauty softens your grief". Both in brownstones, upstairs being the "chapel" downstairs being the office. Mickey's had a dusty moldy smell to it with worn brown chairs and dim lighting. Owens’s was bright and flashy with plastic covered upholstery and flashy Mirrors everywhere. Two very different, very odd atmospheres. Owens stated " I never hear people talking about death and beauty in the same conversation but, to me, death and beauty go hand in hand. Death is nasty. Death is cruel. Well, Isaiah Owens takes that and creates a portrait of your loved one that you can remember all your life." He has had the inspiration to follow this career since he grew up on a farm and there were animals to bury left and right. He says in his 40 years of business, embalming jobs have changed tremendously. There is way less gun shots, and stabs, and cuts, and roof jumpers then there were 10 years ago, he says now most of his clients die of diseases and old age. Prices for the caskets range from $430 - $200,000. Mr. Myers from Mickey’s says he receives satisfaction from helping the families grieve.
I feel as though Owens see's himself as a remover of the grotesque reality of death. That he can wave his wand and make it fiction. Helping to "shelter" us from the appearance of a dead body. I wonder if he is truly afraid of death or if doing his job gives him a sense of order "fixing" the rot of our world. Both funeral homes that I visited felt cold and gave off an overwhelming a grandiose attempt to make one feel comfortable resulting in the exact opposite.
___________________________________________________________
FURTHER QUESTIONING:
WHAT IS LIFE ?
WHAT IS DEATH ?
WHAT IS FEELING ?
WHAT IS THOUGHT ?
May 05, 2011
PART 2 - STIFF
To test automobile safety corpses are used to detect the impact certain areas of the human body can take until exceeding the threshold. There is a debate in injury prevention of whether using whole cadavers versus parts. I then visited Shanahan an injury analysts for flight 800. To determine the events he notes how intact a body is, different chemical burns, thermal burns, and “extreme water impact”. There are a lot of safety precautions possible to equip planes but the FAA won’t require them because it's not profit worthy. The military has done an assortment of ballistic exams on corpses. The first was to try and increase injury size so the opponent would be shot down but not die, it was not possible. Similar studies are currently being conducted on why people usually fall when shot. Some concluded that it is simply psychological, others say it temporarily shuts down your nervous system. Cadavers have also been used to test bullet vest and other safety gear. Ballistics disturbs many people and is looked down upon for corpse use, bomb studies are the most controversial. Exams with animals instead have been tried but they are never truly accurate. Dr. Barbet (a mad man) in 1931 used cadavers to verify the accuracy of the shroud of the Turin. Zurin a modern doctor proved all of Barbet’s theories invalid. Next I went to UCSFMC to see a beating heart cadaver operated on for organ transplant. Maintaining beating heart cadavers is an emotional stress for hospital staff. When is death existent? Before they had pre-mortuary halls till there were tale tell signs of death (rotting), many doctors tried to invent various probing test to be sure a patient was dead. In early 1907 Macdougal tried to weigh the soul leaving the corpse. The was much debate in ancient times about whether the brain or heart contains the soul. The heart when cut out of H (the patient) still beats and vigrously, many doctors who work on transplants say they have felt a presence in the operating room. Some believe our soul is within our whole body. A multitude of test to prove such theories have been attempted, all failing. Many do not agree with the brain dead classification of death. Many people who have had heart transplants swore they received their donors personality. H now looks like another cadaver but has saved 3 lives.
QOUTES:
"H has no heart, but hearless is the last thing you'd call her." (pg. 195)
"you have people with both ankles and kees damaged and they will never walk right again. It's a major disability now." (pg. 96)
When reading my text it was really making me internalize the actuality of death. I have been surrounded by it a lot but it is hard to grasp the concept that one day you will die, maybe thats because you never do it just happens ? I feel when Roach describes the deaths in detail it really creates a clear image of what could happen to my body and many times the violent reality. I am scared to die and want to experience more, but I am also SO CURIOUS. Roach discusses peoples different views of death and their ways of attempting to record life i.e spirit or soul leaving the body. All different views and approaches all seem to pinpoint down to an energy. I find this interesting because energy is the one thing we cannot measure or see, we can only know of its presences by the effects it produces. I also find that their is some validity in having such a wide spread commonality, whether its because it is partially true or because it reflects on how we think. I am trying to create my own solid opinons about death and afterlife and so on but I cannot seem to choose a concrete opinion. I feel as though everything is life and death and it is indistinguishable. I think perhaps life ends just as it seems to begin. Also reading about all the different alterations of a corpse sort of disturbs me, something tells me that they are to be respected and I seem it is a part of nature I dont want to bother. Yet I say if i needed a heart transplant would I want it ? I want to see a corpse for myself. reading about it is not enough.
QOUTES:
"H has no heart, but hearless is the last thing you'd call her." (pg. 195)
"you have people with both ankles and kees damaged and they will never walk right again. It's a major disability now." (pg. 96)
When reading my text it was really making me internalize the actuality of death. I have been surrounded by it a lot but it is hard to grasp the concept that one day you will die, maybe thats because you never do it just happens ? I feel when Roach describes the deaths in detail it really creates a clear image of what could happen to my body and many times the violent reality. I am scared to die and want to experience more, but I am also SO CURIOUS. Roach discusses peoples different views of death and their ways of attempting to record life i.e spirit or soul leaving the body. All different views and approaches all seem to pinpoint down to an energy. I find this interesting because energy is the one thing we cannot measure or see, we can only know of its presences by the effects it produces. I also find that their is some validity in having such a wide spread commonality, whether its because it is partially true or because it reflects on how we think. I am trying to create my own solid opinons about death and afterlife and so on but I cannot seem to choose a concrete opinion. I feel as though everything is life and death and it is indistinguishable. I think perhaps life ends just as it seems to begin. Also reading about all the different alterations of a corpse sort of disturbs me, something tells me that they are to be respected and I seem it is a part of nature I dont want to bother. Yet I say if i needed a heart transplant would I want it ? I want to see a corpse for myself. reading about it is not enough.
May 01, 2011
COMMENTS !!!! GLORIOUS COMMENTS
FROM OTHERS TO ME:
Younger person:
i read some of you other ones too, and i think they refer to the same thing
Death in the us has become commercialized. Paying for funerals? comon!
the person is already dead
also the part about how it freaks you out, that's not right(It fascinates me that when we decompose what allows us to survive, then eats us. To me that’s super freaky but also so amazing)it is the cycle of life. you may die but your body will nourish the rest of the world, wether it helps scientists gain more knowledge, or it decomposes into the ground to feed hundreds of cycles of flowers or trees
which will then feed other things, like bees or giraffes. You will not end , you will become many things. think of all the children eating the honey that the bees made from your flowers, nourished on your corpse. death is an end, but it is a new beginning.
from Liam
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Older person:
As I began reading this my first thoughts were to my own ideas about death which differ from the two women described. This essay took me on on my own path as I think speaking of death often does. I agree with Ms. Flesh that the two women interviewed do hold back some of their interpretations when to talking to a young person... and perhaps they hold back from themselves due to their own hesitancy around the subject of death. I know the women interviewed personally and one does keep her thoughts close to the core while the other often uses humor to diffuse.
In response to Ms. Flesh's comparison to her peers' attitude toward death I do think young people's brains are not fully formed until about the age of 25 and in a healthy form of fearlessness they negate things that are frightening so as to be able to experience the bombardment of new experiences thrown at them.
I have heard the phrase 'kick the bucket' my whole life yet have never considered it beyond it's use as an expression. The description at the end of this article is so visceral... it resonates.
Brava Ms. Flesh
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Naima:
hey eloise,
i really enjoyed your post. i liked the language that you used to describe peoples reactions to your questions, and i liked the way you peeped-in their quotes. i liked the larger ideas that came across throughout your writing, which, mainly, were that death means different things to different people and they chose how they'd like to think about it. we live in a society where we have options and where the controversy on picking a form of care for a dead body doesn't seem too controversial.
although i really enjoyed your post, i still find that your posts are very choppy. i think that to make your posts have more of a flow, you should read it through aloud and seperate the larger chunks into paragraphs.
thanks girlly,
nai
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________________________
FROM ME TO OTHERS:
to Naima:
Wow! you poured your heart out ad what seems to stay bottled up, I can feel all the emotion, I am sure this took courage on your part. This was a very emotional and insisghtful post into Naima and though I feel much sorrow it made me very happy to hear these thoughts of yours.
You spoke of how your mother's passing and how it effected your family and your father and how difficult it was to deal with the care of her body & memory. You also spoke of little Ped's recent passing and how much you give respect to his life , but in contrast how easy going the decision making for his memorial went.
I think your fathers actions to accept your grandmothers decisions show a strong man who really thinks of everyones sake, and it really seems you were still able to give your mother the tribute she deserves. I want to give you praise for being such a strong intelligent, powerful women because I can hardly imagine loosing my mother. From what i've heard you radiate her memory and that is an exceptional vibe you give.
The last days of your mothers life seem quite similar to that of my uncle's, loosing someone to sickness is so hard because you seemingly watch them wither, but as you say "My mother was surrounded by her children, father and mother, which made the moment of her death actually quite beautiful." when its a beautiful person being lost it gathers many amazing people at the time.
As for little Ped's story it is very interesting it really made me reflect on what life means for me and when it begins. You were very excited for no longer being the baby (hahaha) but eveerything happens for a reason, you will have to continue fufilling the title of the youngest.
This was a very intersting and emotionally thought proking post. I respect and feel your sturggle mamasita. !
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
to Devin:
I thought your post was intersting and insightful into your family dynamics.I could hear a good amount of family character in your post.
You discuss both your grandomthers perespectives and that of your fathers. You discuss how their perspectives differ, their similarties and how you compare to there views.
I really liked the way you peiced together the answer by also inserting your insight. I think that this poem resonates well with your post !
EXPENDABLE BY: LANGSTON HUGES
"We will take you and kill you,
Expendable.
We will fill you full of lead,
Expendable.
And when you are dead
in nice cold ground,
We'll put your name
above your head-
If your head
Can be found."
I think it is powerful to note that with generation and time big things change and in a mass size, most of my interviewees as well desired to be cremated. I wonder how our current dominate religous views reflect of the major cremation acceptance !
GREAT JOB.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
to Nina:
Wow I think that your question and thoughts on death are very interesting, things I havent thought of !
I really liked your post there was a good flow of ideas and you peiced all the diffrent information together very well.
I do find that alot of times you would begin an idea but would'nt finish it. For example with catrina you say a lot of qoutes but do not explain there relevance, or you dont finish your idea you just go on to the next topic. I think your english has a few MINOR mistakes but otherwise is reallllly GOOD !!
I enjoyed your writing style, you told a nice story. I also really like your background !
My favorite line was "Some people kill themselves slowly, throughout life. Drinking, smoking, specially using hard drugs, or even maintaining an unhealthy way of thinking, which could cause predisposition to sadness and unhealthiness." I thought this was very insightful.
Younger person:
i read some of you other ones too, and i think they refer to the same thing
Death in the us has become commercialized. Paying for funerals? comon!
the person is already dead
also the part about how it freaks you out, that's not right(It fascinates me that when we decompose what allows us to survive, then eats us. To me that’s super freaky but also so amazing)it is the cycle of life. you may die but your body will nourish the rest of the world, wether it helps scientists gain more knowledge, or it decomposes into the ground to feed hundreds of cycles of flowers or trees
which will then feed other things, like bees or giraffes. You will not end , you will become many things. think of all the children eating the honey that the bees made from your flowers, nourished on your corpse. death is an end, but it is a new beginning.
from Liam
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Older person:
As I began reading this my first thoughts were to my own ideas about death which differ from the two women described. This essay took me on on my own path as I think speaking of death often does. I agree with Ms. Flesh that the two women interviewed do hold back some of their interpretations when to talking to a young person... and perhaps they hold back from themselves due to their own hesitancy around the subject of death. I know the women interviewed personally and one does keep her thoughts close to the core while the other often uses humor to diffuse.
In response to Ms. Flesh's comparison to her peers' attitude toward death I do think young people's brains are not fully formed until about the age of 25 and in a healthy form of fearlessness they negate things that are frightening so as to be able to experience the bombardment of new experiences thrown at them.
I have heard the phrase 'kick the bucket' my whole life yet have never considered it beyond it's use as an expression. The description at the end of this article is so visceral... it resonates.
Brava Ms. Flesh
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Naima:
hey eloise,
i really enjoyed your post. i liked the language that you used to describe peoples reactions to your questions, and i liked the way you peeped-in their quotes. i liked the larger ideas that came across throughout your writing, which, mainly, were that death means different things to different people and they chose how they'd like to think about it. we live in a society where we have options and where the controversy on picking a form of care for a dead body doesn't seem too controversial.
although i really enjoyed your post, i still find that your posts are very choppy. i think that to make your posts have more of a flow, you should read it through aloud and seperate the larger chunks into paragraphs.
thanks girlly,
nai
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
FROM ME TO OTHERS:
to Naima:
Wow! you poured your heart out ad what seems to stay bottled up, I can feel all the emotion, I am sure this took courage on your part. This was a very emotional and insisghtful post into Naima and though I feel much sorrow it made me very happy to hear these thoughts of yours.
You spoke of how your mother's passing and how it effected your family and your father and how difficult it was to deal with the care of her body & memory. You also spoke of little Ped's recent passing and how much you give respect to his life , but in contrast how easy going the decision making for his memorial went.
I think your fathers actions to accept your grandmothers decisions show a strong man who really thinks of everyones sake, and it really seems you were still able to give your mother the tribute she deserves. I want to give you praise for being such a strong intelligent, powerful women because I can hardly imagine loosing my mother. From what i've heard you radiate her memory and that is an exceptional vibe you give.
The last days of your mothers life seem quite similar to that of my uncle's, loosing someone to sickness is so hard because you seemingly watch them wither, but as you say "My mother was surrounded by her children, father and mother, which made the moment of her death actually quite beautiful." when its a beautiful person being lost it gathers many amazing people at the time.
As for little Ped's story it is very interesting it really made me reflect on what life means for me and when it begins. You were very excited for no longer being the baby (hahaha) but eveerything happens for a reason, you will have to continue fufilling the title of the youngest.
This was a very intersting and emotionally thought proking post. I respect and feel your sturggle mamasita. !
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
to Devin:
I thought your post was intersting and insightful into your family dynamics.I could hear a good amount of family character in your post.
You discuss both your grandomthers perespectives and that of your fathers. You discuss how their perspectives differ, their similarties and how you compare to there views.
I really liked the way you peiced together the answer by also inserting your insight. I think that this poem resonates well with your post !
EXPENDABLE BY: LANGSTON HUGES
"We will take you and kill you,
Expendable.
We will fill you full of lead,
Expendable.
And when you are dead
in nice cold ground,
We'll put your name
above your head-
If your head
Can be found."
I think it is powerful to note that with generation and time big things change and in a mass size, most of my interviewees as well desired to be cremated. I wonder how our current dominate religous views reflect of the major cremation acceptance !
GREAT JOB.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
to Nina:
Wow I think that your question and thoughts on death are very interesting, things I havent thought of !
I really liked your post there was a good flow of ideas and you peiced all the diffrent information together very well.
I do find that alot of times you would begin an idea but would'nt finish it. For example with catrina you say a lot of qoutes but do not explain there relevance, or you dont finish your idea you just go on to the next topic. I think your english has a few MINOR mistakes but otherwise is reallllly GOOD !!
I enjoyed your writing style, you told a nice story. I also really like your background !
My favorite line was "Some people kill themselves slowly, throughout life. Drinking, smoking, specially using hard drugs, or even maintaining an unhealthy way of thinking, which could cause predisposition to sadness and unhealthiness." I thought this was very insightful.
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