On Grief and Mourning April 14, 2008
Posted by millyonair in Life, Social Commentary.Tags: Death, Grief, Life, personal, Sorrow, Thoughts
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Everyone in church on Sunday morning was crying. I could feel my husband looking at me out of the corner of his eye to see if I was going to cry, too. I could feel the saline scald of tears behind my eyeballs, but I willed them away, forced them down like someone trying very hard not to throw up in a moving car.
Why? I have been thinking about this all day. My attitude towards death and grief has always been an uneasy one. At best I have been compassionate-but- collected, I have folded my forehead in sorrow, but have remained aloof. At worst I have been stoic, even cold. This is not to say that death and tragedy have not touched my life, but I have never granted myself the “right” to be too affected. In truth, I have harbored a deep sense of impropriety in regards to grieving the death of one who is not a close family member or friend, as though to grieve overmuch for someone not close to me somehow takes something from those most wounded by loss, usurps them, steps into the spotlight of their sorrow and claims some of it for my own. It has seemed to me ugly and rude. The tearful at church aroused this uncharitable reaction in me. Look at me, their crocodile tears seemed to say. Look how sad I am, look at my poor, tender heart- how it bleeds! (more…)
11 Reasons I Wish I Were French April 16, 2008
Posted by millyonair in Life, Polictics, Social Commentary, Things Environmental.Tags: Food, French people, French women, Humor, Life, Random, Thoughts, Wine
11 comments
1. The Air Car.
2. When angry or alarmed, the French get to say things like Mon dieu! or Merde! instead of “Fuck”, “Shit” or “Damnit all to hell”. Our curse words have been rendered meaningless by overuse, nevermind that they sound inelegant as cinder blocks rolling off the tongue.
4. French is a cool language. Native speakers sound eloquent and charming even when discussing the weather or the fact that someone needs to take out the garbage, s’il vous plait. Also, English sounds way more chic when seasoned with a French accent.
5. French food, while bewilderingly expensive in America, would be regular fare and I could eat it every day instead of just on special occasions. Also: cultural acceptance of wine at lunch.
6. France got over itself about conquering the world a couple centuries ago.
7. Cultural acceptance of female armpit hair. I hate shaving my pits, but consider it a patriotic duty.
8. Do French people drink wine for breakfast? I bet they could, if they wanted to.
9. The 35-hour work week, loads of vacation time, and the prevailing idea that quality of life is more important than accumulating wealth.
10. The Euro.
11. The probability of international travel sans the scorn and derision that comes with being American. Especially post-Bush.
But, damnit all to hell, I’m not French. At least I had the good fortune to be born Texan.