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My Blog
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Roberta House-Forshee: Posted on Monday, February 20, 2012 12:02 PM
 ARENAC COUNTY – When we aren’t dressed in our traditional black garb, showing respect for the deceased or as Christian tradition would have it – wearing black to symbolize the earth through the interpretation of the biblical verse “ashes to ashes and dust to dust,” we in the funeral business could be mistaken on any day for the housekeeper; handy-man; or even the landscaper. One of the biggest misnomers is that funeral home employees wait around for the phone to ring. On the contrary, at least for our small firm, our days are filled with paperwork and other normal responsibilities of owning a small business, including but not limited to, meeting and following up with families; cleaning bathrooms and vehicles; weeding gardens; shoveling snow; changing light bulbs; washing laundry; fixing broken door bells; following through on insurance claims and merchandise orders; and, on occasion, finding the source of a smell that turns out to be nothing more than stale water sitting in a drain trap in the men’s bathroom. Yes, on the outside it appears, we’re waiting for the phone to ring, but it’s the down time that we use to regroup; reorganize; and improve. Efficiency is essential in our business. When dealing with death, we only have one chance to get things right. There are no do-overs, and that is the premise we operate at our firm. Do it exceptionally well the first time and provide the dignity and respect the deceased deserves and the peace, closure and comfort that the family needs. Of course, there are times when we wish we were miracle workers, but we do the best humanly possible. In any business, however, there is always room for improvement, and we are always striving to be better. Sometimes, we learn from our mistakes, like, ‘it’s always a good idea to have more than one sound recording of “Amazing Grace” or it is behooving to do a drive-by the cemetery prior to burial to ensure the cemetery did its job and cleared the snow-covered two-tracks for the family. Other times, we’re ahead of the game and implement measures that we think will ease the burden of families, like creating and providing families with checklists, so they aren’t confused with the many tasks at hand or delivering flowers to the family’s home, so they are not rushed through their funeral luncheon. These improvements are not necessarily visual and tangible items, say as a tin roof or new furniture, but they are improvements that take time, thought and implementation to work flawlessly. It’s also the time we’re scrubbing floors for stains; unloading shipments from semis; and making repairs to the facilities, which includes assessing the problems; getting appraisals; scheduling the work; and having the work completed before the next family arrives. It’s a juggling act to say the least. We also know that there is no discrimination in death, and it occurs at all hours of the day and night. Needless to say, the downtime is, therefore, also used to regroup with personal responsibilities. The lawn that was half-mowed on Saturday when the phone rang to pick up grandma, can now be completed, even though you might as well start from row one now because it appears the grass didn’t stop growing while you were away for three days. The bills that you attempted to write out at 9 p.m. after the kids were in bed and before Aunt Mable died can now be completed and mailed. It’s also a good time to complete errands such as doctor appointments and/or grocery shopping; especially considering the last half-filled grocery cart was left in the middle of the IGA aisle when the call came in for Uncle Buck. Yes, after nearly five years at the funeral home, it’s amazing what can be learned about “downtime” in the business. ~Roberta |
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Roberta House-Forshee: Posted on Wednesday, February 08, 2012 2:20 PM
ARENAC COUNTY - One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned in life is to enjoy your life’s work. So, it’s reasonable to wonder how it is that people in the funeral business can possibly like their jobs. I usually find myself in a quandary when broached with the question. After all, it’s not like we get up in the morning with jubilation and joy in our step, knowing what the day’s duties will entail. On the contrary, on funeral day, it’s usually something more like a gob of tar in the gut about the size of a football that takes occupancy rent –free up until the point that only a glimmer of taillight is seen from the last family vehicle, exiting the cemetery where their loved one will rest for eternity. It is most often only then that there is a sigh expelled from the depths of the lungs, allowing the knot in the bellows of the abdomen to dissipate. A relief; a time for reflection; and the mechanics of the job begin again. There’s no glamour to burying the dearly departed, but it can be rewarding, far more, than meets the eye. At our small firm, acquaintances become friends; and what used to be simple waves to strangers on the morning streets now become longer chats; hugs; and sometimes tears outside the post office doors. And the family stories, challenges, lessons and laughs shared, learned and cherished – all moments of inspiration and reward. Just recently a widower, let’s call him Henry for this blog’s sake, came into our chapel to pay his respects for a neighbor who also suffered a loss. It was great to see Henry and even more of a relief when he appeared to be healthy, peaceful and sincerely chipper, since the loss of his lovely wife months prior. He seemed to be progressing quite well. When asked what he had been up to, he discussed the normal ever-exhausting estate work, but added excitedly that he had also recently purchased a new loveseat for his home. I suppose it’s not that unusual of an act for someone to be excited about a piece of furniture, but I really can’t remember a time when my late husband ever yanked about a couch. Maybe, a recliner chair, television or stereo system, but never a couch. But, hey, if Henry was excited about a loveseat it was a good enough reason to share in his enthusiasm. … What type of couch did you buy Henry? Well, it’s a blue Harley Davidson two-seater ... It’s sittin’ in my living room, he says, adding he’s pretty sure he can still ride and will swing by the funeral chapel in the spring to show it off. Yes Henry, God-willing, we know you will be droppin’ in because we know you have the spirit and the spunk to achieve whatever you set your heart on. God bless you and all of our families who reward us with the gift of friendship and teach us daily about character, strength, courage and so much more. The blessings go to you. ~Roberta |
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Gaea Bolender: Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 9:21 AM
 The new semester at Cypress College has started. I feel a lot more excited this semester with my class load. I've decided to split up my second semester mortuary classes and take some classes I'll need for transferring after I finish at cypress. I'm taking thanatology 2 and A+P 2 in the mortuary science program, along with critical thinking, math 40, and step aerobics. I found myself questioning my career decision while repeating A+P 1 last semester and over the winter break. I felt very bored in school and uninterested in the funeral world. At a family function a friend of mine was asking about the funeral service business and we started talking about how being involved in planning and preparing a loved one’s funeral can be a very helpful step in the grieving process. I saw her a couple weeks later and she told me her pet had passed away. She said what we talked about really helped her. She was very involved in his journey, grooming and washing him when she felt his end was nearing. She reminded me why I wanted to get into this industry; I wanted a career that would give me the opportunity to help people in their time of need. After looking over my lecture outlines and reading some assigned text book materiel for my mortuary science classes I've become really excited again to start learning new information. Visiting my mom and sisters in Maui over the winter break really improved my mood and outlook on school as well. Speaking of Maui, it was such a beautiful place with the friendliest people I have ever met. I'm really glad to know my sisters are growing up in such a positive environment. I had an awesome time teaching them how to paddle board surf. I couldn’t believe how good my youngest sister was, standing up paddling into the ocean all by herself! My poor fiancé had to stay home and work but hopefully he'll be able to come with me over the summer. We had some problems towards the end of last semester. We both got into party mode over the summer and didn’t get out of it once I was in school again just repeating a class. We were drinking too much too often. I woke up one morning, hung over, depressed, with bags under my eyes and it hit me, we had crossed the line into alcoholism. We had a long talk and I told him I couldn’t stay with him if he couldn’t stop drinking with me (I knew I couldn’t stop alone and watch him drink). He agreed it was getting out of control so we quit. We've had a couple slip ups on the holidays but neither of us has been "drunk" since we talked. We both feel great, I lost some weight and he feels more focused at the office and is feeling healthier. I'm looking forward to this New Year, a healthier life style, new classes, and saving to go see my baby sisters again this summer. Hope everyone enjoyed this winter season and has a great 2012! Toodles! ~Gaea |
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By Roberta House-Forshee: Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2012 1:30 PM
 ARENAC COUNTY – One out of 13 people on earth did it last year; 28 percent of the people do it before getting out of bed each morning; and statistics show more and more college kids and middle-aged adults are getting into it. I must confess, I had heard about it before. I wasn’t that naïve. My friends were open about it and always willing to share with me, even encourage me to try it. But I always animatedly said, “No.” I had heard once you tried it, it was hard to stop. I also knew that it was easily accessible in our area, so resisted for at least one year before my older sisters introduced it to me. Sure I was in shock. As I said, I was younger, and here I was with my “older” sisters pushing it on me. So there I was, Turner, Michigan Feb. 3, 2010. I, Roberta House-Forshee, officially crossed over to the “dark side” or that’s what my sister scribed, when she saw that I had converted my ways. Yes, Argentina, New Zealand and Germany, I officially joined the largest social network in the world – Facebook - a place where baby pictures are posted; friends mingle; people dump one another; and employees, on occasion, insult the boss. Facebook is an ingenious social phenomenon, and used correctly with a little common sense, can be a fantastic communication tool, not only for social reasons but job networking and marketing. After all, had I never taken those dreaded and feared steps to enter the abyss of social networking, I may never have been inclined to contact the Funeral Divas to write this blog. Needless to say, I am here, and am in contact with old friends as far away as New Zealand, Germany and Hawaii. I communicate with business associates, and as of last year, the funeral home began posting its obituaries on a Facebook business page. The business page has been a wonderful community resource for obtaining service information on deceased, especially since there has been a decline in print media services – both as a result of a poor economy and the inundation of “instantaneous” news sources, such as Facebook. But while Facebook has numerous advantages, people must understand the scope and reach of their posts before they hit “enter.” According to digitalbuzzblog.com, more than 500-million people are users of Facebook and 57 percent of people talk to each other more online than they do in person. So, what does that say to you? My suggestion to all those who may not have crossed over yet, and for those who haven’t yet figured it out, take heed in what you tap out as your status or post to your wall, because no matter how inviting or at ease you feel with sharing your thoughts and life experiences online, you must know that one click of the enter button, doesn’t send your message into an imaginary world of computer word scramble where Facebook drones obliterate the message into a fiery dust ball that crashes and burns on some remote island near Fiji. No, when you hit that enter button, your message has the potential of reaching not only your friends, but friends of friends and yes, the public, which indeed means if you don’t want someone advertising your personal stuff on the next Jerry Springer show or having it brought up at your next job interview, you may think twice before hitting that enter key. Best of Luck. TTYL ~Roberta |
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Roberta House-Forshee: Posted on Monday, December 26, 2011 8:37 AM
ARENAC COUNTY – Okay, so I’ve been struggling for seven days over what I should be writing for this blog. Coming short on all ideas or sparks of inspiration of which I could formulate into a comprehensive string of words and/or paragraphs, I resolved in my head that I may have to tell the Divas, I got writer’s block on my third blog. And as inviting of an idea as that was, at my middle-age status, I really just prayed that God would inspire me, like, any time now. In the meantime, I was busy with everyday tasks; work, trying to get a bit of holiday hoopla in here and there, and, as a part of my routine, the daily perusal of Facebook. It was Dec. 7 when my niece, a December 2011 graduate of Central Michigan University, posted a video on her Facebook Wall, commenting that it had a great message or something of the sorts. It also had some initials in the message, but accepting of the fact that as a “dumb phone” user, I do not know the lingo used during conversations of “smart phone” users, I didn’t really have time to decipher the “code” that she was conveying to her college-aged friends. I was sure it was something an aunt didn’t or wouldn’t want to know or probably see. A day later, while checking messages, something in my head reminded me to go to my niece’s page and watch the video. I did, and I was amazed and still am with its message, clearly worth sharing. There sitting hunched over a desktop in front of a computer webcam at Michigan State University, sat a somber, buzz-cut college freshman, flipping marker-laden notecards, to the tune of “Your Hand in Mine” by Explosions in the Sky. Okay, don’t feel bad. I didn’t know that song or band prior to this video either, but back to the point. The kid in the video on each unedited, penned and crudely-written card revealed to the world his most inner, raw and organic thoughts, feelings and faith, with one underlying message – ELE: Everybody Love Everybody. The video, which addresses death, depression and suicide, aimed to reach and comfort the members of his small hometown of Rockford, Michigan, where his best friend, Stephen May, and several other teens had passed away in tragic accidents or suicide. For him, it was only a small message of hope. Fourteen days after posting “My Story,” on You Tube, though, Jacob Schemmel is finding out his simple message is reaching far beyond the confines of his poster-pasted dorm room in Lansing, Michigan or the basketball courts of Rockford High School, where he tossed the ball until his graduation in 2010. With a Facebook account jammed with friend requests; hundreds of comments of life-saving gratitude; and nearly 1 million video views from around the world, Schemmel’s wisdom extends beyond his young years. Depression, death and suicide aren’t the most comforting or appropriate topics to discuss over crumpets and tea, or on You Tube, but somehow Jacob does it in such a way that it’s saving young lives and inspiring all walks of life. It’s a great message for the New Year and worth sharing: http://youtu.be/0dgadTcVu60 Happy New Year, and E.L.E. ~Roberta |
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Roberta House-Forshee: Posted on Tuesday, December 13, 2011 11:16 AM
Don’t tell me how to get through the holidays ARENAC COUNTY - I remember my first holiday season after the loss of my husband. It had been eight months since he exited this mortal world, and it was now reaching that infamous 12-month mark when everyone really starts telling you that it’s “time to move on,” “time to pull up the ole bootstraps,” or “time to put the big girl pants on,” or my absolute favorite, “You need to date my son.” We’ve all heard the clichés, and while those expressing words of comfort and encouragement have the best intentions for the bereaved, it still can just simply “piss” you off. I could sugarcoat this blog and make it more “politically-correct,” but the fact of the matter is, sometimes happy celebrations and words of wisdom on how you should feel and when you should feel it are counterproductive to healing and quite frankly can really tick a person off. No one can tell you how to feel or when to feel it. That is not how feelings work, and it’s certainly not how grief works. My husband died at the beginning of spring, when the maple trees and tulips were just starting to bud in Northeast Michigan and red-breasted robins were once again being sighted and reported by residents to the weekly newspapers. The robins’ migration back to the area was always a welcoming sign for locals of warmer weather ahead, the roar of tractors and the hustle and bustle of the tourist season to our quiet, little towns. That year, however, the robins came and went, with little to no attention from me, and now the calendar reflected it was time for tidings of comfort and joy. Quite frankly, I wasn’t feelin’ the comfort or the joy and if Santa’s elf, Herbie, wanted to be a dentist for Christmas, I wanted to live on the Isle of Mis-fit toys. I didn’t want to celebrate. I didn’t want to sing carols. I didn’t want to make cookies, and I didn’t want to go shopping. I just wanted it all to go away without my participation, and if one more person asked me, I was going to find a candy cane and stuff it in their stocking myself. Now, some may wonder why a funeral home owner would reveal such private, intimate details about her grief journey. Well, I’m here to tell you, “I’m not special.” Five holiday seasons later, while I’m writing this blog with Brenda Lee’s, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” playing in the background, I know someone else is out there rocking in a chair with a picture of a loved one held close to their chest, and I want them to know that it’s okay. Someone is praying for you. This holiday season, celebrate or meditate, just give yourself permission to feel and be forgiving of yourself and others. There is no playbook for the heart. ~Roberta |
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Roberta House-Forshee: Posted on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 1:05 PM
 ARENAC COUNTY - Where to start? My name is Roberta House-Forshee. I acquired the last name from my late husband Tyler Forshee, a fourth-generation “Forshee” at C.L. Forshee and Sons Funeral Homes, Inc., in rural Twining and Au Gres, Michigan -
combined population less than 1,500.
Near as I can figure from old records and snippets of newspaper clippings that were saved over the years, the business began in approximately 1915, originallyestablished as a furniture and undertaking business by Claud Forshee. The two-story building was located on Main Street in Twining, across the street from the current food market, where the owner sells groceries to customers through a glass window when the electricity goes out in town. The funeral business continued with Claud’s nephew, Clare Forshee, 2nd-generation, who eventually opened a parlor on Lee Street, just east of the highway and south of the railroad tracks in town. My late father-in-law, Clayton John Forshee continued the tradition, as did my husband, Tyler, bringing the business to its current status with a funeral home on Michigan Avenue in the harbor town of Au Gres and a on M-65, just north of Twining on the main highway.
When Tyler and I reacquainted ourselves with each other in 1995 as alumni from the same 400-plus, K-12 school district in Northeast Michigan, I was a divorce’ and he, a widower. I was just entering my 30s and he was somewhere in the middle.
At the time, I was beginning a new chapter in my life. I had just finished a
bachelor degree in English and Journalism at Madonna University, a Catholic college in the suburbs of Detroit. I had also passed my state examination to become a secondary teacher and figured I would spend my life teaching youngsters about literary works and writing. Fifteen-years later, the loss of my mother and husband two careers gone-by, I’ve learned that life doesn’t always give you what you plan or what you think you need when you need it.
When my husband died in 2007, in no way shape, or form, was I considering keeping funeral business that had been a part of his family for a multitude of decades.
I had my career as an editor of a weekly paper and was satisfied with my chosen path that went from teaching, broadcast media to print media. I enjoyed my work and was passionate about educating people on issues and topics that may assist them in their daily lives. Sure there was a lot of politics involved in small-town reporting, but all-in-all, life had been going along just fine before Tyler died. Now, my entire life was out of control, and I needed some continuity – I needed something I knew, and the funeral business definitely wasn’t it.
Sure, I knew how to write obituaries. Reporters do that all the time. Sure, I could handle an insurance claim. I worked in insurance while putting myself through college. I knew what dead people looked like. I made many a calls with my husband to hospitals and private homes in the dark of night. I knew how to care for people and lift the injured, as I was a volunteer firefighter, and by gosh, I knew how to deal with emergencies, as I put in a short stint as a part-timer with the county E-911 center when I moved back to the rural setting.
But could I really do this funeral home job? The death industry was experiencing the same economic pains as the rest of the country, and I wasn’t even sure if I was qualified or capable of handling grieving families, let alone the operations of a funeral home. Did I mention the national recession? I guess those worries and concerns became irrelevant when I received word one year after I buried my husband that I was no longer needed as editor. The answers were no longer a muddled mess and mound of confusion in my head. I had been praying for the answers, and I realized then that I wasn’t going anywhere, and I had to figure out real quickly how I was going to move the business forward.
Step up, Kirsten J. Turner, who was hired in 2008 as our full-time funeral
director, or “mortician” for the “old-schoolers .” As a female embalmer in a
male-dominated industry, I had my own reservations of how well she or I, for that matter, would be received by the predominately traditionally-valued, agricultural community in which we served. We are all familiar with how quickly change is embraced, and while it took a couple of years of bumps, bruises and looks of shock “like we had the plague” as Kirsten would describe, we did it. We do it today, and we’ll do it tomorrow, not because it’s our job, but because it’s where we’re supposed to be. It’s our families, neighbors and friends in need of compassion and care when our phone rings, and it seems to be where we can make a difference in this journey of life, if only for a moment. Life isn’t about a plan. It’s about the journey. ~Roberta |
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Gaea Bolender: Posted on Tuesday, August 23, 2011 9:19 AM
 It seems like this summer came and went so quickly. During July I took on the lemonade detox diet which consists of only drinking a concoction of lemon juice, grade b maple syrup, and cayenne pepper, along with drinking laxative tea at night and doing a salt water flush in the morning. After about six or seven days I was losing too much weight so I began to incorporate raw foods into my diet as well. I was so happy with the results but unfortunately, a few days after my diet had ended I got sick with a fever. It wasn't responding to any kind of fever reducing medicine after the first two days and the fever would not break. I was scared to go to the hospital because I don't have health insurance but after a week of being ill my fiancé said I had to go. Turned out I had a kidney infection so it was good that I went. I hardly ate when I was sick but once they put me on antibiotics it seemed like I was always ferociously hungry. I gained back all the weight I had lost plus more. After I got off the meds I started pumping it at the gym again and now I am back to my original weight. Concentrating on my weight seems to help distract me from other problems. After I got back from Oregon my aunt Shell and her family decided to move up north to Oregon. Soon after my aunt K and her family moved up there too. My family has always been very close so it’s been a lot different not having them around. Next weekend my mom and my two youngest sisters are moving to Washington. They are the most important people in my life and I don't know if it has even completely sunk in all the way that they will be gone. It’s amazing how much just the thought of something happening can affect you. It makes it hard to get going, especially this past week with school starting. Because of everything I've had going on and the difficulty of getting classes I'm retaking Embalming, Anatomy and Pathology and taking a bunch of PE classes so that I will be going at least 3/4 time (9 units). My PE classes are swim for fitness, body conditioning, and kick boxing. I need 1 more unit though and am hoping to get into hip hop dance but I have to petition it again next week and hope some people dropped or don't show :[ On a more positive note though I turned 20 on Sunday! I also learned my fiancé really sucks at buying presents haha but he's sweet. So today I'm taking myself shopping woot woot! I'm also looking forward to camping for four nights at Bolsa Chica next month and convincing my fiancé to use our Disneyland tickets now that it’s less crowded with schools starting back up again. I also wanted to say good luck this semester to all of the mortuary science students and hope you all had a great summer! Toodles… |
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Gaea Bolender: Posted on Wednesday, June 08, 2011 9:05 AM
 Well this semester didn't go as smoothly as I had hoped. I passed orientation, ceremonies, and thanatology with a 'B' and made it through management with a 'C'. Unfortunately I didn't pass my anatomy class by .6 percent [I'm using my dad’s laptop whose shift key is apparently not working]. I skipped out on my paper to study for the four other tests i had that week so I can really only blame myself. It was kind of upsetting though how insensitive my teacher was when I asked if there was anything I could do to bump up my grade from a 74.4 to a 75. I was prepared to hear him say no but I was very hurt by his attitude as he smiled and nodded in agreement while I explained the negative ramifications of my being held back a semester. I was also taken back when he told me if I wanted to I could petition my grade to the dean but in the end it would do nothing for me except let me 'vent'. I think he might have just been in a bad mood though [especially after only two people passed his class with a B and a little more than 15 with a C while over 25 students did not receive passing grades and even more withdrew]. Anyhow, after much thought I've decided to make the best of it and while I’m retaking anatomy I'm hoping to get into some other classes with transferable units that I could put towards a bachelor’s degree. Right now I’m up in Roseburg, Oregon visiting my dad but when I get back I plan on scheduling a meeting with my school counselor to talk about my options next semester. Since school has ended I've been pretty busy with thankfully much more fun things than finals. The day after classes ended my two littlest sisters spent the night for the weekend. We went to the strawberry festival in Garden Grove and had a blast. We had bought strawberry funnel cake from the Kiwanis club [since I remembered having learned about them in my funeral service ceremonies class heehee] which my sisters thought was very yummy. After my mom picked them up I headed over to my boyfriends to help him clean out his RV for our mini vacation that was in two days. We had such a great time camping out on Doheny Beach for three gorgeous days while I tried unsuccessfully to learn how to surf haha. When we got back we again had to clean out the camper and I had to get ready for my first plane flight [which again was coming up in just two days]. On the 5th of June me and my aunt flew Alaska Airlines from Cali to Oregon. It was a very exciting adventure and I've fallen in love with the sight of hot wheel sized cars and miniature houses. I've never seen anything in the sky as cute as the tops of cumulus clouds. On the flight I started reading Aldous Huxleys novel Ape and Essence, which after starting I became so unable to put it down I finished it later that night. It takes place in southern California and I was very amused when I read the characters were digging up graves in Forest Lawn. I don't really want to tell anything else about the book but I very much enjoyed it although it became a little too dark for me at certain points. Now I'm slowly working through the second half [I finished the first half during winter break before the spring semester started] of the History of Embalming and Preparations in Anatomy, Pathology, and Natural History by Jean Gannal, translated with notes and additions by R. Harlan. Some of it seems like a foreign language to me but i enjoy reading about the history of different cultures and how embalming has changed as time progressed. I plan on rereading it after I finish school and has a greater understanding of the embalming process. Well I've got to stop typing and go hang out with the family, hope everyone's summer is going well, toodles. ~Gaea |
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Gaea Bolender: Posted on Thursday, May 12, 2011 8:55 AM
 This year has been wild for me, I got engaged, moved out, and started mortuary school. Now towards the end of the semester (with finals approaching much quicker than I'd like them too), I Look back and can’t believe how much I've learned in the past few months. There are so many aspects of funeral service I would have never thought of. I've finished thanatology I, and if I do decent enough on all my finals this month I’ll have passed anatomy/pathology, ceremonies, orientation to funeral service, and management I. Management might be the only class I don’t like, but only because I’m not too great at it. Not passing one of my classes would probably be the scariest thing that could happen to me right now, especially because you cannot move on to any second semester classes until all first semester classes are finished. I also was able to attend “The Evolution of Science and Service Embalming and Restorative Art Conference” in April. It was an awesome experience. It showed me how much embalming, viewings, and meaningful services can impact a family. I was so amazed by Vernie R. Fountain's lectures on restorative surgery. It didn’t seem possible to fix many of the severely injured cases he had shown, but after slide by slide and step by step the finished results were unbelievable, you couldn’t tell the person had been in an accident at all. It was very inspiring to say the least. It was also very fun to listen to Dr. Edith Churchman speak about how to be a more effective arranger and how to market your services (and about her trip to Egypt!). It was really cool learning about the importance of organ and tissue donation and how much it can help someone from the speakers from One Legacy. They also explained what impact it has on embalmers, which I had never thought about. I also liked hearing about high profile cases from Keith Green, especially because it had been brought up in one of my classes a few weeks ago. The whole thing was fun and I'm really glad I ended up going. Well I've got to go and start studying, wish me luck on my finals! Toodles! -Gaea |
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