I’ve noticed with the downturn in the economy, there is an upsurge in what has been predicted for some time – the creative economy. Well, it’s here; it has arrived. Ingenuity brought on by that nagging shrew of a MOTHER…. necessity.
My friend in Seattle, who was laid off from his job a few months ago, comes up with an idea for a new business almost daily. He has launched two already, one entitled Set for You, a kind of umbrella organization that has something to do with the theater, dinners, interiors, cards and massage. You can use your imagination and take your pick. Another one is his Le Garage or “garage as shop” where three days a week he sits out back in his fabulously decorated garage selling his unique and curious possessions. No question about it, when there are no jobs, you’ve got to be creative to make a buck. The gas man don’t wanna know from lay-off.
The other day my sister called with a new money making idea for me. She constantly keeps her ears open for ways to help me increase my business. I suspect it’s for fear of my ending up on her doorstep with a dog, a cat, a daughter and an ex-husband who shows up from Brazil several times a year. “Why not write obituaries,” she suggests. “Recession or not, people never stop dying, and who wouldn’t love to have a well written obituary?”
Hmmm, I think, I do love the obituaries. It’s the first thing I turn to in any newspaper. There is something about 50, 70 or 95 years crammed into a 5-column-inch slot which fascinates me. What does a son choose to say about his father’s life, or a niece about her maiden aunt’s? What would we choose to say about our own? I’m always intrigued to see which threads are picked up from the intricate tapestry that makes up a life.
I ponder the logistics of adding this new offering to my repertoire of business services – web content, press releases, newsletters, articles, e-zines, speeches… and now obituaries. Do I write them for those just recently “gone” or for those still breathing? Even with the drawback of a quick turnaround, I figure that the “dearly departed” would be, hands down, the less demanding client. Fewer revisions.
Clearly, working with someone to condense his or her life into 500 words could be quite an undertaking. Not only would I have to listen with rapt attention to the whole saga, I’d have to ferret out the feelings from the facts, dig for the themes, determine the plot. And what of the lessons learned? The disappointments endured? The characters, the conflicts, the resolution? There’s a lot of material to be unearthed to get to the essence. And of course, I would need to get to the essence.
Now just so you know, Obituaries 101 for those “do-it-your-selfers” can be found right on line. Google away and you’ve got the dos and don’ts of obituary writing complete with a template and samples. They’ll even write it for you for 15 bucks. Eschewing all that, I would have to get creative, to spin the specifics into a compelling narrative. I’d have to find some captivating angle, then shape it to make the tears flow and the laughter ring out. Knowing me, I’d want to craft a real cliffhanger. After all, for each of us, isn’t it the greatest story ever told? If not, it certainly needs to be. And how much is that worth?
So for those of us a bit concerned about how we’ll be remembered – you know, not enough degrees, good deeds, board memberships or loved ones left behind, I am happy to be of service, providing an out-of-the-ordinary, heart and soul kind of account. A lasting and loving tribute that sums it all up in one triumphant tale. All offers considered.
Sixties Chick 