So Often My Taglines are simply what went through my head while reading a news story. Let me give you an example.
Gotta Get a Lot of Oysters /
Find Some Pearls Today
Jake A. Rosencranz, 29, was a “true Coloradoan,” says Nick Behm, a colleague and friend. Rosencranz had finally gotten away for a delayed honeymoon with his wife of 2 years, Leah, and was wading in the surf in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., when he was hit by lightning. Despite immediate efforts of lifeguards, Rosencranz didn’t make it. “It’s been very tough losing him,” Behm said. “His smile lit up every room that he was in.” (RC/Daytona Beach News-Journal) …Any news of Guildenstern?
Do You Know the Reference?
It’s what went through my head the instant I saw that Rosencranz was dead: the 1966 Tom Stoppard absurdist tragicomedic play, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. (Yes, I noticed the difference in name spellings).
That play is an exploration of two minor characters in Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
Extra points if you twigged to the slug, too, which came to mind as I was writing the story, and noticed her name. If you didn’t get it, this is worth your time:
Well of course I’m a Roy Orbison fan!
Absurd deaths have been a staple of the True milieu since Issue #1, and here we are with issue #1820 — the last of Volume 31. On to Volume 32! Still having fun, still willing to continue. Unless “something happens” in the meantime, I’ll reconsider the concept of retiring once I’m in Volume 35.
More on Death
I’ve never been afraid of death, perhaps because of my first responder background and seeing it up close. I think talking about death, perhaps even seeing the tragicomic aspects up close through stories like these, helps us to understand it a little better, and (I hope!) help readers have the comfort I have about it.
Indeed, it’s part of why the Honorary Unsubscribe exists: death is a part of life, and we all hope to do something positive so that we are well celebrated at the end of it.
But again, that’s one reason I’m putting this in my blog: to open the conversation in the Comments. I’ll be interested in what you think.
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At age 78 I “feel” closer to death than in the past, though of course the possibility has been then since the moment I was born. My first encounter was my father dying next to me in a restaurant when I was 7 and he was 49. When I was 18 I went off to try to fight for something I could believe in, instead of perhaps dying in Vietnam in a war I could not believe in. Fortunately neither of those came to fruition. At age 20 I lost my mother, though this time I was far away and only learned of it 3 days late too take care of things. Living here in Israel, death has touched closely several times. We do what we can with the time we have, and hope for a “good” end.
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Your bottom line is a good bottom line. -rc
Regarding the two Trader Joe’s being across the street from each other, those locations are literally down the block from where I live, and there is a lot of local buzz about it. However, it is also interesting to note that a bit southeast of the two Trader Joe’s, there are two CVS stores in Studio City that are also directly across the street from each other, and they have been like that for over 15 years! They both have pharmacies. The CVS location, which used to be a Long’s Drug Store, is open 24 hours (but not the pharmacy).
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I used to tell the story about my first time in Vancouver, where I passed an intersection on my walk between my hotel and gov’t offices I had meetings: there were Starbucks stores on 3 of the 4 corners. One time when telling it the person I was addressing said he knew that intersection, and that there were now Starbucks on 4 of the 4 corners. Hence the tagline on that story. And I happen to be writing this from …Vancouver. -rc
Recognized the R&G Are Dead reference — saw the play early in its run on Broadway in 1966 or 67. Rather strange.
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Hope you enjoyed a bit of Roy’s music too. -rc
Like you, I don’t fear death. I figure the world got on just fine without me for billions of years before I arrived, it will get on just fine without me for billions of years after I’m gone.
What I *do* fear is the *process* of dying! The long, hideously painful, degrading, dehumanizing months or even years while the body is failing, or being consumed by cancer, or some other irreversible thing. I’m terrified of being robbed of the ability to *be* a person.
Of course, I support laws for Death With Dignity / Assisted Suicide. I just hope they arrive in my state before my exit time comes, because I can’t afford to move, and cross-country travel is its own form of hell for a sick and dying person.
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Your fear is valid, and it is hideous that Death with Dignity laws have been so slow to spread. Florida legislators have put forth several attempts, but none have been passed. People shouldn’t have to resort to violent means of death to stop their pain. -rc
I never even heard of the play and still had the same reaction as the tagline. I’ll have to look up the play.