Reimagine the end of your life will you?

You are going to die. I am, too, and the thought of our inevitable demise is scary and unsettling. But, what if we were regularly encouraged to reflect on why we’re here, prepare for a time when we won’t be?

Reimagine End of Life, a festival that happens twice a year in the US - in NYC and San Fransisco, is doing exactly that with annual “death festivals” that inspire a community-wide exploration of death and celebration of life. The response to these weeklong gatherings has been tremendous with more than 20,000 people participating in 500 plus events presented by 300 plus collaborators in both locations in 2018. The organizers want to take the topic of death and dying out of the shadows through the mediums of art, music, comedy, and conversation.

The latest death festival took place in San Fransisco during the last week in October. Over 10 Days there were 250 Events, 52 Interactive Rituals, 24 Food Experiences, Comedy Shows and all with ONE Universal Topic. Venues include a variety of community centers, art galleries, churches, temples, parks, bars, concert venues, and even The Walt Disney Museum.

Previous Reimagine headliners have included Oscar winners Frances McDormand, ‘Coco’ director Lee Unkrich, The New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast and National Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith

Something Beautiful Remains

Something Beautiful Remains

by Martha Vashti Pearson

 The tide recedes, but leaves behind

Bright seashells on the sand.

The sun goes down but gentle warmth

Still lingers on the land.

The music stops and yet it lingers on

In sweet refrain.

For every joy that passes

Something beautiful remains.

Top 21 pubs in Ireland

The MUST visit Bars in Ireland according to dailyedge.ie BUT in 2013 and while I agree and disagree with names on this list, I want YOUR opinion - have you been to Ireland, where did you rate or not?? Would love to know!

1. O’Loclainn’s, Ballyvaughan

2. Hi-B, Cork

Source: YouTube

3. O Riada’s, Kilkenny

Source: Shadowgate

4. The Hatch Bar, Kildare

Update: We’ve been informed that The Hatch has closed down. But DO NOT DESPAIR: McEvoys is literally just across the canal.

5. Mulligan’s of Poolbeg St, Dublin

Source: infomatique

6. Tigh Neachtain’s, Galway

Source: Barnacles Hostels

7. O’Connells, Portobello, Dublin

Source: Keo the Younger

8. O’Shea’s, Borris

Source: James Fennell Photography

9. The Long Hall, Dublin

Source: peterme

10. Nancy’s, Ardara

Source: sludgegulper

11. Downes, Waterford

Source: johnanthonyloftus

12. Matt Molloy’s, Westport

Source: young shanahan

13. L Mulligan Grocer, Stoneybatter, Dublin

Source: bsii

14. Kenny’s of Lucan

15. Smugglers Creek, Rossnowlagh

Source: WolfHo

16. Tom Barry’s, Cork

Source: Glass of Win

17. The Lord Edward, Dublin

Source: fhwrdh

18. O’Connell’s, Galway

Source: Facebook

19. The Blackbird, Ballycotton

Source: aidancasey

20. Foxy John’s, Dingle

Source: ach10

21. Geoff’s, Waterford

Facebook Legacy Settings

Social media is everywhere these days and it even stays with us in death. We can create memorial pages for loved ones, document their lives via video and photo and now as of February 12th Facebook have followed Google and announced a new policy – Legacy Pages.

Previously, if a person died without someone else knowing their password, there was no way to make any changes. The most awkward of this was the daily reminders to ‘friends’ of birthdays, friend suggestions etc even though the person would never accept the friend request or see the brithday message as they wre deceased. The only way to delete the account was to know the passowrd or show a death certificate and practivally fight with Facebook to close the account.

Now, however, while you are still alive, you name someone else you know on Facebook to be your legacy contact. That person can make changes to memorialize your account. 

This includes:

• Writing a new post/status to show at the top of the memorialized Timeline – maybe some information about a memorial or service.

• Respond to new friend requests from family and friends who were not yet connected on Facebook .

• Updating the profile picture and cover photo (sometimes this is needed where the updated photo is a bit more approriate).

So how can you use this new ‘Legacy’ Setting’?

Open your Facebook SETTINGS tab, choose SECURITY and then LEGACY CONTACT at the bottom of the page. After choosing your legacy contact, you’ll have the option to send a message to that person letting them know what you’ve done.

You're free Genie (Robin Williams)

“You’re only given a little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it.” 

Robin Williams, 1951 – 2014

You may remember him from movies/TV:

• Mork & Mindy (1978–1982)
• The World According to Garp (1982)
• Popeye (1980)
• Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
• Dead Poets Society (1989)
• Awakenings (1990)
• The Fisher King (1991)
• Hook (1991)
• Aladdin (1992)
• Ferngully (1992)
• TOYS (1992)
• Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
• Jumanji (1995)
• The Birdcage (1996)
• JACK (1996)
• Good Will Hunting (1997)
• What dreams may come (1998)
• Patch Adams (1998)
• Bicentennial Man (1999)
• AI Artificial Intelligence (2001)
• One hour Photo (2002)
• Insomnia (2002)
• Robots (2005)
• Night at the Museum (2006)
• Happy Feet (2006)
• Night at the Museum 2 (2009)
• Happy Feet 2 (2011)
• The big wedding (2013)

and this year (2014) he is due to be in Absolutely Anything as Dennis the Dog, Night at the Museum 3: Secret of the Tomb as Teddy Roosevelt, Merry Friggin' Christmas as Mitch and The Angriest Man in Brooklyn.

Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor 3 times, he received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Good Will Hunting. He also received two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and five Grammy Awards.


His role as the Genie (he also did the voice of "The Peddler") in the animated film Aladdin (1992) set the way for many many other superstar voice actor castings. According to DVD commentary of the film most of his dialogue was improvised.

Little Trivia : Robin Williams fell out with Disney over an initial agreement on the marketing of the movie and his character - the Genie which resulted in Dan Castellaneta's voicing the Genie in The Return of Jafar and the Aladdin animated television series. But when 20th Century Fox Production head Joe Roth left Fox and joined Disney (but not before he set the go ahead for Mrs Doubtfire!!) he arranged a public apology from Disney and all was happy again until another marketing blunder and flop on Bicentennial Man in 1999. BUT all became well again and in 2009 Robin agreed to be inducted as a Disney Legend.

"Thank you for choosing "Magic Carpet" for all your travel needs. Don't stand until the rug has come to a complete stop. Thank you. Goodbye, now. Goodbye. Goodbye. Thank you. Goodbye."

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

20th Anniversary

Jacqueline Lee "Jackie" Bouvier Kennedy Onassis July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994 

She was wife of the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy until his assassination in 1963. Five years later she married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis until his death in 1975. 

On that fateful day - November 22 1963 the First Lady heard what she thought to be a motorcycle backfiring but it was gunshots. The final shot struck the President in the head.

At Dallas' Parkland Hospital, she went to be by her husband's side and when a nurse stopped her and attempted to bar the door to prevent her from entering, she persisted saying "I want to be there when he dies".

Later, when his body was in a casket, she removed her wedding ring and put it onto the President's finger saying "Now I have nothing left."

 After the president's death, she regretted having washed the blood off her face and hands and continued to wear the now infamous blood-stained pink chanel suit as she went on board Air Force One and President Johnson took the oath of office saying "I want them to see what they have done to Jack."

Jackie took an active role in planning the details of her husband's state funeral, which was based on Abraham Lincoln's. The service was held at Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, Washington D.C. and the burial at Arlington National Cemetery where the widow lit the eternal flame (that just recently came to Ireland) at the gravesite - a flame that had been created at her request.

On October 20, 1968, mere months after Robert F Kennedy's assassination, she married Aristotle Socrates Onassis who was able to provide the privacy and security she sought for herself and her children.

Jackie Kennedy-Onassis' funeral was held on May 23, 1994 where her son John described three of her greatest attributes as the love of words, the bonds of home and family, and the spirit of adventure. She was buried alongside first husband and President Kennedy, their son Patrick, and their stillborn daughter Arabella at Arlington National Cemetery Virginia.

Her Children:

• Arabella Kennedy - August 23 1956 - Stillborn 
• Caroline Bouvier Kennedy - November 27, 1957 - Caroline is the last surviving child of JFK and Jackie and she has two daughters and a son. 
• John Fitzgerald "John-John" Kennedy, Jr. - November 25, 1960 - July 16, 1999 - Married to Carolyn Jeanne Bessette. They died in a plane crash, along with Carolyn's sister in a plane piloted by Kennedy. 
• Patrick Bouvier Kennedy - August 7, 1963 - August 9, 1963 - Died from infant respiratory distress syndrome. Born over 5 weeks premature his lungs hadn't fully developed.

Thanksgiving and loss

Thanksgiving today and also the one year anniversary of Paul Cusack. He was an old school friend of mine and we connected both on and offline in latter years. It still strikes me every now and then (esp. When I'm behaving all 'woe is me') how short life is. Very recently I got robbed of a substantial amount of money and my laptop. While I know I am lucky that I wasn't harmed or worse, it still stung. I was extremely low for a week or so. Comments from people saying how sad I looked and my sparkle was gone, didn't do much to help but thankfully I did pull myself out of it and that I can do that because I can only imagine how difficult that must be for someone with depression. However it is times like today when it hits home that Paul, the same age as me when he died, was taken from this life too early. Why? What's the purpose? Why give him life for 30 years for it to be taken so suddenly? These and a million more questions are asked every day again and again by brothers, sister, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters and friends.

While losing someone brings up a million questions I feel that Paul's anniversary falling on such a prominent day answers at least one question for me - give thanks EVERY day that you get to spend it with the people you love and don't waste time arguing or wondering or ignoring people you care about. If you love them, show it and give thanks that you can.

The Disney Files - Jerry Orbach aka Lumière

Jerome Bernard "Jerry" Orbach (October 20, 1935 – December 28, 2004) 

American actor and singer, he was well known for his roles as Detective Lennie Briscoe in Law & Order from 1992 to 2004, Harry McGraw in the hit series Murder She Wrote 1985–1991 and as the voice of Lumière in Disney's Beauty and the Beast.

1992 64th Annual Academy Awards LIVE performance
(If it wont play click here)

Perhaps not as commonly known, Orbach was also a noted musical theatre star. Prominent character roles that he originated include El Gallo in The Fantasticks (the longest-running musical play in history), Chuck Baxter in Promises (for which he won a Tony Award), Julian Marsh in 42nd Street; and Billy Flynn in Chicago.

In early December 2004, it was announced that Orbach had been receiving treatment for prostate cancer which he had been living with for 10 years previous. He died at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York on December 28, 2004.

The day after his death, the marquees on Broadway were dimmed in mourning, one of the highest honors of the American theatre world.

One of his wishes while he was alive was to have his eyes donated after his death. In death he helped two people – one who needed correction for a nearsighted eye and another who needed correction for a farsighted eye.

The Disney Files - Walt Disney

Walter Elias "Walt" Disney (December 5, 1901 – December 15, 1966) 

An American animator, film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist hardly needs an introduction. An icon of the 20th Century.

He co founded the Walt Disney Productions (now The Walt Disney Company) which became one of the best-known motion picture producers in the world with his brother Roy Disney.

Reportedly, his famous trademark signature was designed for him by one of his animators.

He, with his staff, created some of the world's most well-known fictional characters including Mickey Mouse (Disney provided the original voice).

So where did it all begin? Well he was Irish of course! ;-)
Walt Disney was born on December 5, 1901 to Irish-Canadian father Elias Disney and Flora Call Disney. His great-grandfather, Arundel Elias Disney, had emigrated from Gowran, County Kilkenny, Ireland where he was born in 1801.

He began a series of businesses and eventually set up an animation studio with his brother Roy.

In 1932, Disney received a special Academy Award for the creation of the series "Mickey Mouse.

Snow White: When the film industry learned of Disney's plans to produce an animated feature-length version of Snow White, they nicknamed it "Disney's Folly" and were certain it would destroy the Disney Studio. Both Walt's wife Lillian and brother Roy tried to talk him out of the project. The film became the most successful motion picture of 1938 and earned over $8 million on its initial release, the equivalent of  over $130 million today.

He died in December 15, 1966 from lung cancer in Burbank, California. The last thing he reportedly wrote before his death was the name of actor Kurt Russell, the significance of which remains a mystery, even to Russell.

"As long as there is imagination left in the world, Disneyland will never be complete."

Awards:

• 4 honorary Academy Awards
• 7 Emmy Awards
• Disney holds the record for both the most Academy Award nominations (59) and the number of Oscars awarded (22) between 1932 - 1959. His last competitive Academy Award was posthumous: 1969: Best Short Subject, Cartoons: Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day

The Time you have Left in Jelly Beans

Bambi - death

Weddings and Memorials

So I have often said that weddings and funerals have alot in common logistically but recently I have seen some articles and images that have further developed that idea.

One lady incorporated the loss of her father a year previous into her wedding day. Something that the whole world has now seen as the photograph of the moment she collapsed at his graveside in grief has gone viral. Even so far as the photographer was interviewed on Fox News Radio about the moment.

In posting the photo and seeing the reaction, photographer Kari said "I was very hesitant to share this image due to the privacy of the bride. She was so kind to share this with everyone. It was a sweet moment, and an incredibly difficult one to photograph. I lost my mom when I was young so this image meant a lot to me. And now I see how much it means to SO many others."
Zander & Breck Photography FB page here. This is the photo:

It's interesting to read some of the comments on how this photo is affecting people - One lady said that she had lost her Grandmother, little sister and brother in law with 8 months of each other and so when it came to marrying her now husband, she felt that she "could never get married without them there, so my husband and I got (married) at the cemetery" 

Another lady put her wedding bouquet down on her father's grave after the ceremony. Interesting how all these life events are entwined as our lives are. 

JFK and Ireland - 50 years

John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy

(May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963)

He was famously referred to by his initials JFK, and he was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963.

John F. Kennedy, during his inaugural address, famously said
"Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." 

He asked the nations of the world to join together to fight what he called the "common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself"
"All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin."


Kennedy's ancestral home was Ireland - lest anyone forget it. And so we celebrate his infamous visit to Ireland in June 1963 in present day 2013.

A torch lit from the eternal flame at Kennedy's grave in Arlington National Cemetery has made its way to Ireland for a special ceremony this weekend (June 22nd 2013). His daughter Caroline Kennedy and sister Jean Kennedy Smith will use the torch to light an 'emigrant flame' in Mr Kennedy's ancestral home town of New Ross, Wexford.

In a Government dinner hosted by the Tánaiste at Iveagh House, Caroline Kennedy said that "even 50 years ago Ireland led by example by sending members of the Defence Forces to a UN peacekeeping mission in the Congo." Ms Kennedy said that the world owed Ireland "a debt of gratitude" for continuing to send peacekeepers to some of the most dangerous areas of the world and that the Northern Ireland Peace Process had shown the world "the power of hope and the importance of dialogue."

There has and always will be a great affiliation between the Irish and John F Kennedy and not just that he was the first president to visit the island seeking his heritage but he developed a great fondness for the country. The honour guard at JFK's graveside was the 37th Cadet Class of the Irish Army. JFK had been so greatly impressed by the Irish Cadets on his last official visit to Ireland that Jackie Kennedy requested the Irish Army to be the honour guard at the funeral.

The Dash

The Dash

by Linda Ellis copyright 1996

I read of a man who stood to speak

at the funeral of a friend.

He referred to the dates on her tombstone,

from the beginning…to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth

and spoke of the following date with tears,

but he said what mattered most of all

was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time

that she spent alive on earth.

And now only those who loved her

know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own,

the cars…the house…the cash.

What matters is how we live and love

and how we spend our dash.

So, think about this long and hard.

Are there things you’d like to change?

For you never know how much time is left

that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough

to consider what’s true and real

and always try to understand

the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger

and show appreciation more

and love the people in our lives

like we’ve never loved before. 

If we treat each other with respect

and more often wear a smile,

remembering that this special dash

might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read,

with your life’s actions to rehash…

would you be proud of the things they say

about how you spent YOUR dash?

Copyright Linda Ellis see http://lindaellis.net for more details.

Milo O’Shea

http://irishphotoarchive.blogspot.ie/2012/11/milo-oshea.html

Irish actor Milo O’Shea passed away in New York last night (2 June 1926 – 2 April 2013).

Born and raised in Dublin, the veteran actor went to the Christian Brothers school in Synge Street.

O’Shea lived in New York, where he moved in 1976.

Described by Minister for Arts Jimmy Deenihan as “a giant of stage and screen” .
“During his career in theatre and film, both at home and abroad, he is remembered for the quality of his performances in a range of challenging and often ground-breaking roles”


Notable Roles:

• Leopold Bloom in the 1967 film adaptation of James Joyce's Ulysses in 1967
• Neil Jordan’s 1997 film The Butcher Boy
• 1968 Romeo and Juliet 
• American sitcom Cheers
• 1960s BBC sitcom Me Mammy 
• US comedy Frasier 
• US political drama the West Wing
• Roger Vadim's movie Barbarella as a mad scientist
• Most recently in Irish comedy The Matchmaker

He is survived by his wife the actress Kitty Sullivan, his sons - Colm, Steven and his three grandchildren. He was previously married to Glenroe actor Maureen Toal who died last year but couple divorced in 1974.

Celtic Ashes

What if your loved one's last wish was to have their ashes scattered somewhere?

The risk of cremation is that there can often be nowhere to go to 'speak to' the deceased or say prayers or pause for thought. With cremation jewelry a piece of your loved one will always be with you when and where you need them most.

Cremation Jewelry can be a great way to honor the deceased and help family members to remember them, especially if everyone lives in different countries all over the world.

Irish Heritage? A Celtic Connection? Born in Ireland? Loved everything Irish? Loved Boyzone? Wanted to visit Ireland?

Whatever the deceased's connection was to Ireland - sending their ashes to an Irish company who will look after them and return to you a beautiful memorial keepsake to forever hold close might seem like a nice idea.

For more information Check out www.celtic-ashes.com

Saint Patrick's Day

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17th every year in honor of a guy called St. Patrick who died on the day in 461. 

This holiday has been celebrated by the Irish for over 1000 years! 

Born in Britain to a Roman Christian family around 390 A.D., his given name was Maewyn Succat. Aged 16, he was kidnapped and sold into slavery as a shepherd in Ireland for 7 years. He escaped and sailed back home on a pirate ship. After being ordained a priest and changing his name to Patrick, he traveled back to Ireland to to spread Christianity. After his death, he was largely forgotten until centuries later he was honored as the patron saint of Ireland. 

St. Patrick's Day parades actually began in America with the first St. Patrick's Day parade taking place in New York. The yearly St. Patrick's Day parade in New York is the world's oldest civilian parade. 

So why wear green?? Well there are two versions - the first is that the color represents the Emerald Isle or Ireland and Spring and shamrocks. Legend has it that the shamrock came about when St. Patrick was teaching the Irish about the Holy Trinity and used this three-leafed plant.

The second is that the wearing of the green traces back to when Ireland was a country divided and Catholics lived on the “green side” and Protestants lived on the “orange side.” The Irish flag is green, orange and white representing the catholic side of Ireland, the Protestants and neutrality.

Happy Paddys (not Pattys!!!!) Day! ;-)

Patsy Cline

Patsy Cline (September 8, 1932 – March 5, 1963)

It's Patsy Cline's 50th anniversary this year. Born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Winchester, Virginia, Patsy Cline was a successful American country music singer. She was one of the most influential and acclaimed female vocalists of the 20th century.

Cline began with "Walking After Midnight" on a tv show called "Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts". "I fall to pieces", "Crazy" and "She's Got You" became some of her most successful hits.

Sadly, she died at the height of her career in a private plane crash aged 30 years. 

Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol (August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) 

Warhol was an American artist who became a leading figure in the visual art movement known as POP ART. He suffered at an early age with a rare neurological disorder and found solace in popular culture and comic magazines.

His works explore artistic expression, celebrity culture and advertisement in the 1960s.

After a successful career as a commercial illustrator, Warhol became a renowned and sometimes controversial artist.

When Warhol died unexpectedly on February 22, 1987, his will dictated that his entire estate should be used to create a foundation dedicated to the "advancement of the visual arts". http://www.warholfoundation.org/

His native city, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, houses The Andy Warhol Museum - an extensive and permanent collection of his art. It is the largest known museum in the United States that is dedicated to a single artist.
See more information here http://www.warhol.org/

Whitney Houston

Whitney Elizabeth Houston. (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012)

Today marks Whitney Houston's anniversary. There are few people in the world who do not know her iconic name or indeed this iconic image from the movie The Bodyguard. 

She was an American recording artist, actress, producer, and model. 

She sold over 175 million albums, singles and videos worldwide as of her death in 2012. 

Whitney started out singing in her local church choir. Music was in her blood as her cousin was the famous Dionne Warwick, her mother Cissy Houston and aunt Aretha Franklin.

With Movies like 'The Bodyguard', 'The Preacher's Wife' and 'Waiting to Exhale' under her belt, her last movie, released posthumously, was Sparkle.

She turned down a role on The Cosby Show back when it all began and I can only be thankful for that because we might not have known her as the Whitney Houston we still adore today.

Whitney was found drowned in her hotel room just before the Grammys 2012.