July 26, 2006

What the poet/undertaker said and where he said it.

I was listening to the XM public radio channel as I was driving across Colorado on Route 70. It was Thomas Lynch, that poet/undertaker who wrote that pretty cool book "The Undertaking." He was talking about burial vs. cremation and said the problem with cremation was not cremation per se, but the ideas people have about cremation. They say, "Just cremate me." That word "just" shows the problem, he said. The moment he said that I passed an exit called "No Name." Do you think that gave me the willies or amused me?

7 comments:

PWS said...

I would guess it amused you. There is something about the West that captures the imagination of us folks east of the Mississippi. And things like signs saying "No Name" contribute to it. I think it is because the romantic West is still something we perceive as more of an authentic American culture that still exists and stands in stark contrast to the strip malls that proliferate in WI and parts east. Hope you have a great trip. How about some photos?

XWL said...

I believe in turning most 'or's into 'and's.

I say it gave you the willies and amused you.

(though of course, only you can say for certain what is correct)

SippicanCottage said...

Hi Ann- Glad you're well and having fun. The bad stuff always passes. The good will remain, and simply be distilled to a finer vintage.

And remember: Beware Justin Gotta

Maxine Weiss said...

I'm shocked at how much cremation costs now.

I guess it was just a matter of time before cremation found a way to be as expensive as burial.

You can have thousand dollar urns, and ashes buried in hysterically expensive crypts/mausoleums.

Silly me, I always thought it was a matter of the Neptune society coming to your door and maybe a small donation, if you wanted, and that was it.

The high cost of dying. ...No matter which way you choose.

Peace, Maxine

K said...

Both?

Ron said...

I vote for both!

Peter Hoh said...

I say that you started to get the willies, and then you found that to be amusing.