Wednesday 21 May 2008

Return to Regular Service?

It looks like this blog could be returning to a more regular service. Only one exam stands between me and the rest of my life. Which is liberating and scary at the same time.

One thing I will be joining is the Sunday Salon which the wonderful Ms Wolf introduced me to. I do feel intimidated by the various amount of reading challenges people are on. I am considering starting my own titled 'Reading what I bloody well want after four years of being told what to read'. Not as snappy as some but it could work.

For the moment I am going to discuss something a little morbid. I suffered a family bereavement a couple of weeks ago. Alas this is usually followed by a funeral. Something about religious funerals has always bothered me. This is written from a mainly Christian perspective because I have not been to another faith's funeral ritual. In the past year I have attended two sketchy Church of Scotland funerals. As far as I was aware both individuals being remembered had not displayed any strong religious tendencies and the decision to involve the Kirk came from their families.

Attending both these services convinced me I want a humanist funeral. Neither minister knew the deceased and pieced together tid bits given by the family members. Each sermon ended with the usual advert for the free meal or an extended welcome for those present.

Fuck that.

When I die I want my friends to talk about "Remember the Flaps story?" or "Remember the kick arse nights out we had?" or set off some fireworks or something. Something which celebrates my life and what little achievements I may have made. Funerals are for the living. So why don't they have a bit of life to them?

Oh and funeral directors are robbing bastards. At the last funeral there was an extra charge of £100 because it was held at the weekend. Ignore the fact the family had little choice in the matter and the weekend was the first available time after the death.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello, I found you through the Sunday Salon participation list and I just wanted to comment on what you said about reading challenges. I know the feeling - I'm in one challenge right now (the Short Story Reading Challenge) and haven't actually made any progress on it. I'm often tempted to join challenges but know that I will not actually be able to finish most of them out of a lack of time or sheer motivation. I'm guessing you're a student of some persuasion? I'm currently in grad school, and the time that I have to read I want to spend reading what I want to read.

Anyway, just wanted to let you know that someone shares the sentiment. Welcome to the Sunday Salon! :)

Unknown said...

Hi M,

Thanks for your comment. I was a History student until a few weeks ago. A lot of my coursework involved a lot of reading and it has been nice reading what I want lately.

One day I shall get around to making a proper Sunday Salon post!

wisteria said...

I'm a media specialist and also in grad school again for the third time...call me crazy. This time for History. So, I understand about having to read what people tell you. Fortunately, I love history, so this makes it easier for me. However, I don't want a steady diet of it either. I am not big on challenges, because after having to read books for my library/media classes during the year, I like to read what I want in the summer. So, your challenge is right up my alley. Sign me up.

As far as the funeral and all that. I agree. Party for mine and remember me like I was when I could party. Laugh and don't cry.