Maybe you haven't heard because you live in a cave, but there are some major conflagrations going on down here in my neck of the woods. Also, it is about a million degrees. I'm not myself affected by the fires except for the haze in the air, off to the south, but I am affected by the high temperature. Today I practiced avoidance by driving (ha, that will help the climate become not so off-kilter and dry, right?) to the mall (yes) and admiring the wool coats and sweaters at Nordstrom. I actually went there to get some pants hemmed, but then got caught up in a Fall reverie.
Even though Fall actually lasted for about two weeks during my four year residence on the East Coast (sandwiched in between the September humidity and the late October snow), it was really really great. Those leaves that you see in pictures? It really looks like that. The pumpkins are really in a patch, you can wear your cozy wool sweater, the sun shines.
Of course, then it starts to snow for four or five months. Oh, selective memory.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Friday, October 19, 2007
remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return
Yesterday, after visiting the Farmer's Market, my new favorite place, I went to my local branch library to return a DVD. Outside my library I saw one of my classmates, an intern there, waiting for teens to show up for a Halloween program, a cemetery tour at this cemetery, which is right behind the library. I've always seen it back there (it's visible from inside the library but not the street) and knew it was relatively famous, but had never visited it. But, as no one was showing up for the tour, I volunteered to go along. Well, wasn't it interesting!
Not only did I see the final resting place of Marilyn Monroe (the most famous resident), Truman Capote, Jack Lemmon, Rodney Dangerfield, Natalie Wood, and others, but, and most interesting to me, learned quite a few things about the cemetery world. This is a very small and, for Los Angeles, old cemetery and it's right in the middle of the city, surrounded by office buildings. It was started in 1905 for Civil War veterans and now contains a wide variety of burial and cremation situations among some nice old trees and lawn. Given that it is now a site for celeb burials, the few "in ground" plots left run in the $100,000 range. If you want to go with the more cost effective option, they have a way for your ashes to be "co-mingled" with other people's in a "vault" and your name placed on a rock (a "pillow rock").
I learned that some people prefer to be interred above ground and some below. I learned that you should choose your tombstone granite carefully, because some types make it hard to read your name and other information. I learned that, if you choose to share your tombstone with another person, it is easy to engrave the second decedent's information on granite, but if it's in bronze, they must add a plate, because they can't recast it. Huh. Also, they only allow two potted plants per tombstone and no glass vases.
I have never really been one to be scared of cemeteries. I mean, we all die. No, really. I hadn't gone back there before because it seemed a little disrespectful to just wander around. But it was good to go on the tour with the woman who manages it (who was a very nice woman, wearing a black skirt suit with black tights and black Crocs--must be the tour shoes). I felt like I was seeing the real side of the cemetery, not the kitschy celebrity side.
It was also interesting to get a little window into the cemetery industry and see how people choose to be remembered. Even in death, money and fame are the most important things to some who wish to be buried there. Hugh Hefner has bragged that he has the space next to Marilyn Monroe in one of the mausoleums. Please, just burn me up and scatter me in a nice place, thank you very much.
Not only did I see the final resting place of Marilyn Monroe (the most famous resident), Truman Capote, Jack Lemmon, Rodney Dangerfield, Natalie Wood, and others, but, and most interesting to me, learned quite a few things about the cemetery world. This is a very small and, for Los Angeles, old cemetery and it's right in the middle of the city, surrounded by office buildings. It was started in 1905 for Civil War veterans and now contains a wide variety of burial and cremation situations among some nice old trees and lawn. Given that it is now a site for celeb burials, the few "in ground" plots left run in the $100,000 range. If you want to go with the more cost effective option, they have a way for your ashes to be "co-mingled" with other people's in a "vault" and your name placed on a rock (a "pillow rock").
I learned that some people prefer to be interred above ground and some below. I learned that you should choose your tombstone granite carefully, because some types make it hard to read your name and other information. I learned that, if you choose to share your tombstone with another person, it is easy to engrave the second decedent's information on granite, but if it's in bronze, they must add a plate, because they can't recast it. Huh. Also, they only allow two potted plants per tombstone and no glass vases.
I have never really been one to be scared of cemeteries. I mean, we all die. No, really. I hadn't gone back there before because it seemed a little disrespectful to just wander around. But it was good to go on the tour with the woman who manages it (who was a very nice woman, wearing a black skirt suit with black tights and black Crocs--must be the tour shoes). I felt like I was seeing the real side of the cemetery, not the kitschy celebrity side.
It was also interesting to get a little window into the cemetery industry and see how people choose to be remembered. Even in death, money and fame are the most important things to some who wish to be buried there. Hugh Hefner has bragged that he has the space next to Marilyn Monroe in one of the mausoleums. Please, just burn me up and scatter me in a nice place, thank you very much.
Monday, October 08, 2007
boo columbus
I'm not sure who celebrates Columbus Day (my postman?), but I don't recall ever getting the day off or even doing anything "Columbus-y." Despite this, it is a federal holiday, providing a good opportunity to talk about why Columbus wasn't really that great. Here are a few findings in honor of Columbus day.
Remember all those scary Indians in Little House on the Prairie? You can find better stuff at American Indians in Children's Literature.
From her blog, I also found Oyate, a non-profit that does various things to promote respectful portrayals of Native Americans in literature and curriculum.
The American Indian Library Association (an ALA affiliate) has the American Indian Youth Services Literature Award. Speaking of ALA, the current president is a Native American woman. Go ALA.
Non-literature related: some of the Nez Perce originally lived in Oregon's Wallowa area (hence the name of the town, Joseph, after Chief Joseph) and they are engaged in an effort to return to their land and build an interpretive center. Info here.
And last but not least, information on the effort to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day.
Remember all those scary Indians in Little House on the Prairie? You can find better stuff at American Indians in Children's Literature.
From her blog, I also found Oyate, a non-profit that does various things to promote respectful portrayals of Native Americans in literature and curriculum.
The American Indian Library Association (an ALA affiliate) has the American Indian Youth Services Literature Award. Speaking of ALA, the current president is a Native American woman. Go ALA.
Non-literature related: some of the Nez Perce originally lived in Oregon's Wallowa area (hence the name of the town, Joseph, after Chief Joseph) and they are engaged in an effort to return to their land and build an interpretive center. Info here.
And last but not least, information on the effort to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day.
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