Matters of Life and Death
Our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the South Carolina firefighters who perished in the June 19th blaze.
Donations for the families are being collected, information at SCONFIRE.
A little surprised to see no tribute or mention of this tragedy on the South Carolina State Firefighters’ Association website.
Let’s start with three beautiful things:
Last night’s sunset
Grandmother’s clematis
Terry Evans getting called up to the bigs.
Today’s topic is Hope Cemetery in Barre, Vermont.
Opened in 1896, this graveyard is an art gallery, celebrating life in the midst of death with some of the most compelling, and quirky, art cemetery stones in the nation.
One of the most famous monuments is of a dying Louis Brusa, a local sculptor who died at age 51 in 1937 of silicosis, caused by granite dust he inhaled. Before his death, he pushed for requirements that granite sheds install ventilation systems to cut down on the dust.
A year before he died, he succeeded.
In secret, Brusa carved the monument that shows his concerned wife holding him as his lungs fail.
“No one had seen it until after he died,” said Shelley Ibey, who works for the Barre cemetery department. “It’s a memorial to him, certainly, but I think his intent was also that it would be a memorial to all the granite sculptors and the incredible talent that was lost at such young ages.”
Basic headstones cost about $2,000. More elaborate ones are in the $20,000 to $30,000 range, monuments have to be Barre gray granite.
Tucked at the back of the cemetery is an angel, carved in the 1920s, in an uncelestial pose: Her legs crossed, she leans forward, one arm resting on her thigh, her trumpet in her lap. Some say she looks bored, others call her the “thinking angel.”
Ibey says she has her own personality:
“One of the guys who works here insists her expression changes as he drives back and forth on his mower.”
Working on our Meet the Artist series. Have a couple more to add as well as some new products we’ll unveil later.
Speaking of new products, had an interesting conversation with a vendor who mentioned that the Life Gem folks have developed new technology that allows them to create the diamonds by extracting carbon from a lock of hair now. Interesting.
A week after the season finale of the Soprano’s, I’ve had time to process the ending and for fans I’ll include this link by a television writer who analyzes the series finale from a production point of view. 3000 words about 5 minutes of T.V. In retrospect the ending seems brilliant. That’s all I have to say about the Soprano’s. Done.
Dirtsister has several books on the nightstand that we substitute for Lunesta. One of them is called Crusaders. But it’s the cover art that gets our attention.
Is it possible that the artist is winking at us? Or is it just my perverted mind that draws my eye to the rider’s foot?
The pool is quiet, just Dirtsister and an older lady in the water. She’s paddling around and introduces herself.
Trixie* has a problem and wants to know if I have time to let her “bounce it off”.
Dirtsister announces she’s ready to get out…..just had a feeling about this one.
“Oh. That’s ok, never mind.” and then launches into her therapy session.
The doctor is in.
Trixie is 68, widowed three years and has recently gotten back into the game. Dating game that is. She meets her men on the internet. Today’s dilemma is regarding a rendezvous she has scheduled with a truck driver. Red flags. He’s vague about his background, she feels uncomfortable. Should she or shouldn’t she?
She answers her own question. No.
She usually dates younger men, and suspects they are looking for an older woman with money. Trixie lives on social security.
Married for 46 years, she tells me she didn’t have sex for the last 14 years of her marriage due to her husband’s illness.
But now- look out! Trixie’s got her game on. She’s gettin’ busy with it and making up for lost time. Miss Trixie began THE most graphic description of her sexcapades. Her techniques, likes and dislikes, and her most embarrassing moments.
She’s been invited by the county health department to speak to seniors regarding safe sex.
This session took place in a span of about 15 minutes with a complete stranger confiding very personal private matters.
Dirtsister began making her exit. Always glad to help.
Signs spotted at the pool:
No Public Displays of Affection.
Please do not spit in the pool.
Today’s WWII propoganda poster seems fitting:
Today’s tip for better living: Get Wet.
*Names have been changed to protect the not-so innocent.
Ok, Sunday we’re perusing the classified section and ran across this ad:
Premier Exhibitions the leader in Museum Quality Exhibitions is looking for team members for the newest and most exciting exhibit in Branson next to the Imax called
BODIES: THE EXHIBITION
Click. Whirrrrr.
I’d just finished reading “Remember Me”, by Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, and recalled her interview with German anatomist Gunther von Hagens who pioneered the technique of body plastination.
In 1996, he opened his first exhibit featuring whole-body dissected corpses and flayed cadavers. He called it “Body Worlds” and, over the years, various incarnations of his exhibit have opened in London, Tokyo and Los Angeles, among others.
Von Hagens’ Web site claims that more than 20 million people have visited his various shows. And with numbers like that, it’s no wonder imitators have jumped on the bandwagon.
Meet one imitator: BODIES: THE EXHIBITION. “Bodies” uses Chinese corpses. In cities such as New York, Miami and Las Vegas, “Bodies … The Exhibition” has drawn more than 2 million visitors since it started making the rounds in 2004. Evidently, Premier Exhibitions also handles the Titanic exhibits.
Von Hagen claims to have 6500 volunteers signed on as future specimens for his Body Worlds project. Most are German, where he has exhibited most frequently, but since launching the program in the USA he has signed 150 American donors.
Fun factoids about the future donors:
In a recent survey of body donors, the doctor posed a series of questions to judge the limits of donors’ tolerance for weirdness in the name of science.
- Would they consent to being posed in a group, such as a string quartet?
- Would they allow their bodies to be posed with a plasticized animal, like the horse and rider in the current exhibit?
- Would they let their bodies be merged with an animal- say as a centaur?
- Would they allow crucifixion?
- Undergo a postmortem sex change?
- To be displayed having sex?
Responses were mixed. Centaurs and sex changes were, for the most part nixed.
Regarding Branson attractions, saw an ad for a Segway scooter track.
Can you get air on a Segway?