HW 52

Precis- A plain pine box, backyard burial, burial at sea and an memorial reef are four alternatives to the social dominat practice of a "normal" funeral. They are both inexpensive compared to the dominant practice, both of these alternatives have been around longer than the traditional funeral but yet are but on the back burner.

Quotes
"The EPA requires that you scatter ashes at sea at least three miles from the nearest shoreline, excpet in California, where ashes may be strewn as close as five hundred yards." - pg 83

"New York allows ashes to be dropped right off the docks jutting into Great South Bay" - pg 83

- Learned about the Clan Water Act

"No federal or state law prohibits you from preforming either tyoe if sea burial yourself, as long as you obey the pertinent laws"- pg 84

"When you boil it all down there are just three things you can do with someones ashes. You can inturn them, whether in an urn, niche, columbarium, or just up on a shelf. You can scatter and that can be blasthing the ashes in fireworks or sprinkling in the ocean. Or you can reef them."- George Frankel pg 87

"When my 7 year old daughter Alison died in the hospital, there weas one thing that I knew for certain in all the turmoil and tumult that surrounded my family: I was not letting her out of my sight; I was not surrendering my last vestige I had of her vibrant and loving being to the care of strangers. I would continue to care for her myself as I had always done" - Beth Knox ( thoughts on her daughters home funeral) pg 103

"All states except New York, Connecticut, Nebraska, Indiana, Michigan, Utah and Louisian permit families to care for their own dead at home." - pg 118


"One customer from Sioux City commissioned us to build him a simple. pine casket. Rope handles, no finish, no hinges, no interior. Just a bare-bones box. He told me he wanted to make a statement: the casket is simply a vessal for another vessal that were done with, Theres no reason to get carried away. "- Loren Schieur pg 125

"A few states- including California, Indiana and Washington - require their residents to bury their dead in established cemeteries." - pg 156 

"No state law requires that a body be buried in a casket or other container."- pg 157

HW 51

Cremation is a form of burial that is starting to become more and more popular, its cheaper and takes up less space. There are multiple things that you can do with the ashes once the body is cremated. The average cost of a cremation is 1,800 which is way cheaper than the 12,000 dollar price check on a burial.

"A crematory is not likely to allow you to wittnes the actual cremation, out of respect for the dead and because few modern cremation units boast windows looking into the retort."- pg 67

"You pay less if you make arrangements with the crematory directly, instead of working through a funeral home. Through special arrangements with local lcrematories or funeral homes, funeral cosumer groups can soemtimes offer members no-frills cremations at rates as low as $500.00." - pg 67

"Most states allow you to remove remains from the place of death adn deliver it to the crematory yourself, but youll generally need to gain a number of documents including a death certificate from the attending physician."- pg 68

HW 49

My comments

Brandon- I noticed that everyone has accepted death and they know its apart of life. Throughout my interviews no one mentioned suicide maybe because its a taboo but your cousin seems to have a very open mind when it comes to death.

Bryanna- This interviewed seemed short and sweet , is it because speaking about death with them was odd? Or is it because they just never thought about it. How did you feel about asking your mother and your sister how they wanted theyre funeral to be? It's kind of a way for you to know how to deal with them when they pass. Was that hard for you to come to terms with?

Kristen- I like how you started to explore this history of being "haunted" or "haunting" and compared your mother and fatheres traditions. The traditions were more family based than religion based which is an example of the social dominat practices. I also thought it was interesting that your father already has his place to be burried picked out. Do you find that odd or is that normal to you ?

Peer's comments

Bryanna-
I think that you found something in this book that I did not see or even thought about. Which know that I think abouty it I think it does "explores the alternative to the dominant social pratice of a funeral and how they prep the body". But I think is that you can give more of what the book is about in more words.
Bryanna-
Hey ally,
I like how you posted it up to show that it is something you really talked to your friends about. I think that the comments that they made showed that some of them know how they feel about death and other don't really know how to feel. And I think that the questions that you asked are some questions that had me thinking as I was reading your blog. Good job keep it up

HW 50

This book explores the alternative to the dominant social pratice of a funeral and how they prep the body. The cost of a green burial is far less expensive than the typical funeral (In America).

"The total cost of embalming, funeral and burial of Jenny Johnson comes to $12,376."- pg 14

"Arterial embalming perserves Jenny's tissue and skin by creating an unwelcome enviorment for bacteria. It leaves largely untouched, however , the many billions of bateria that reside- and thrive- within and around her visceral organs. In the early days of embalming, practitioners eliminated those decay-causing microorganisms by cutting open and "eviscerating" the corpse,pulling out abdominal organs and flushing the cavity." pg 22


"Embalming is a three-stage process of preserving a cropse fro viewing:setting the deceased's "features" as they will appear in the casket, draining the body of blood and replacing it with a formaldehyde-based perservative, and then inserting a sharp-pointed "trocar" into the abdomen in order to puncture the body's inner organs, vacuum up the released bacteria and surrounding visceral fluids, afterward flooding the "cleared" area with more preservative."- pg 27

"Hawaii prohibits the embalming of a body infectted with any of half a dozen communicable diseases, including smallpox and yellow fever."- pg 28

At first I thought the book was boring, but the author was only giving the reader background information and examples so that we understand the book. I never realized how much time and effort and money went in for caring for the dead. The business of funeral homes would never go out of business because everyone dies at one point, its a bit of a scam in my opinion. Everyone would of course want the best for theyre dead loved one which means more money.

HW 48

Family member
Ally- How do you feel about death?
FM- You can escape it for only a short time but eventually its going to happen
Ally- Do you believe there is an after life
FM- I'd like to but I'll wait and see and if there is I'll leave you little clues to let you know I'm there
Ally-Do you fear death?
FM- sometimes

The conversation drifted off topic , death isnt something I want to talk about with my family members. I highly doubt I will interview them at all if the topic is about death.

HW 47

Interviewee- Dominican female, 17 years old, lives in Manhattan
Ally: Can I interview u
Nicole:Yea
Ally: How do you feel about death
Nicole:Its another part of life
Ally: Do you believe there is an after life
Nicole:No
Ally: How do you feel about your own eventual death
Nicole: It can happen any minute so I live to the fullest and I don't fear it
Ally: Would you consider being in a relationship w| someone who is dying
Nicole: Only if I found out they were dying after I've fallen inlove/ learned to love them
Ally: Do you think the dominant social practices of morning and wearing all black at a funeral is the correct way to go about death
Nicole: No
Ally: What do you think is the correct way
Nicole: white shud be the color worn and its ok to morn but I think its better to celebrate bc they're out of their misery if they were slowly dying and if other wise den knowing their in a better place den the hell we live in
Ally: How do you want your life to be remembered
Nicole:Happy cheery person who never took no for an answer
Ally: Anddddddd scene ! Ty for answering my questions
Nicole: Lol np

Interviewee- West Indian female, 17 years old, lives in Harlem

Ally: You bored ?
Raivyn: Yuuuup *trey songz voice*
Ally: Lol can I interview u
Raivyn: Lmao for whaat?
Ally: Hw, its about death tho
Raivyn: Lol interesting ok
Ally: How do you feel about death
Raivyn: I feel that itss scary :/. Idk lol
Ally: Do you believe there is an after life
Raivyn: Yuppp
Ally: How do you feel about your own eventual death
Raivyn: I don't wanna die I'm scared lol
Ally: Would you consider being in a relationship w| someone who is dying
Raivyn: Idk
Ally: Do you think the dominant social practices of morning and wearing all black at a funeral is the correct way to go about death
Raivyn: Nope
Ally: What do you think its the correct way
Raivyn: People are going to be sad anyway but having to dress in all black just makes everything in a bad mood so I think you shouldn't have to wear black just because someone died
Ally: How do you want your life to be remembered
Raivyn: U mean like what do I want 2 be remembered as ?
Ally: Yea sure
Raivyn: Umm
Raivyn: Damn idk
Ally: That's fine too lol thanks for participating

Interviewee- Malaysian female, 17 years old , lives in Bangkok

Ally: nadinnn
Nadin: Allyy
Nadin: (:
Ally: Sooo I have to interview ppl for hw nd its about death o_O you up for it ? Its only 6 qs
Nadin: Hahaha suree :3
Ally: How do you feel about death.
Nadin: Like in general?
Ally: Yea sure , your answer can be whatever comes to mind
Nadin : Mm well I feel like death can't be avoided. To be honest I'm not very worried about it. Its happens to everyone.
Ally: Do you believe there is an after life
Nadin : Yeah I do
Ally: How do you feel about your own eventual death
Nadin: I feel like it can happen any point of time. You can't prepare yourself for it. I'm not afraid of dying.
Nadin: Sorry my answers are quite vague
Ally: Lol its fine I'm not expecting a novel
Ally: Would you consider being in a relationship w| someone who is dying
Nadin : Yeah I would. I feel like it doesn't matter how long you have to spend with someone but the quality of the time u spend with them.
Ally: Do you think the dominant social practices of morning and wearing all black at a funeral is the correct way to go about death
Nadin: I personally don't think there's a definite correct way to go about death. So I don't really have a preference
Ally: How do you want your life to be remembered
Nadin: I would want to be remembered as a person who simple carried out a joyous life
Ally: Alll done , thanks
Nadin: Hahaha okies cool

Interviewee- 16 Male , Swedish , Lives in Manhattan NY

 

Ally-How do you feel about death? 

Jasper-I don't like death it makes me sad because I don't want to see the people I love go and I know that everyone is going to die eventually. 

Ally-Do you believe there is an after life?

Jasper-I have no idea, I don't really think so, I think your just dead, everything is over..  Not in a bad way though.

Ally-How do you feel about your own eventual death?

Jasper-I don't really know, but something about it seems comforting and peaceful to me.. Like one day this will allllll be over for me.  

Ally-Do you fear death?

Jasper-"My only fear of death is reincarnation" - Tupac lmao.  I don't really fear death because it will come eventually anyways and like I said in the previous question something feels comforting/peaceful about it.  But in my dream last night when I set myself on fire, as soon as I was on fire and burning I regretted it and I wanted to live and life seemed like something I never wanted to let go of.    

Ally-Would you consider being in a relationship with someone who is dying?

Jasper-Yes because I think that would only make the little time that you have with them much more meaningful and real because we take our time alive for granted and no one actually lives each day like its their last.  

Ally-Do you think the dominant social practices of morning and wearing all black at a funeral is the correct way to go about death?  If not what's the correct way?

Jasper-No, I think that is the wrong way of going about death.  I think that way just makes you more depressed then you already must be from losing a person you love.  I think the life of the person should be celebrated and remembered. 

Ally-How do you want your life to be remembered?

Jasper-I don't really care just as long as I'm not remembered as a pain in the ass to be around.

 

 

Over Spring break I hung out with a friend of mine named ashley, throughout conversation the death of her bestfriend came up and I decided to take the opprotunity to write down what she said about they way they mourn his death. Instead of moruning his death they celebrate his life, talk about him together , still write on his facebook wall. They want to keep his spirit alive, play songs for him daily and they even took a trip to Puerto Rico together (12 of them) on his anniversary.

 

Death is something that everyone thinks or thought about, we all know its going to happen and most of the people I interviewed think that we should celebrate the life of the one who passed. Death isnt taken lightly but its accepted.

HW 46

1.Your experience with the topic.

I've witnessed a few suicides and seen a few dead bodies but only been to one funeral. Death isnt much of a taboo to me since its inescapable, I think someone could drive themselves mad trying to understand death and why it happens. The care of the dead isnt something I think about, I think of cinco de mayo and how the Mexican culture treats death. They celebrate the live instead of dwelling on the fact that the person is no longer "here" I think celebrating the life of that person is better then mourning 

 

2. The way you've been taught to think of and act towards dead people.

I haven't been taught to think or act a certain way towards dead people, I think its common sense of what to do and what not to do at a funeral. There really isnt a way to act or think of dead people since they're dead but afterlife is something that I'm interested in. There are so many different opinions on afterlife and if an afterlife even exists. Heaven or hell , reincarnation etc

3. Social norms around the treatment of dead people in your/our culture(s).

Mourning, dressing in all black , burying the casket 6 ft under (why 6 ft?), tomb stones, cremation, spreading ashes or even keeping the ashes at home, burying the persons favorite things with them.

4. Your family's perspective regarding people who have died.

It's very sad but it happens and you have to move on but appreciate all the good times you've had with that person.