"Barbarian Invasions" and another meme

[averygoodun42]

Geoff and I just (finally) watched "The Barbarian Invasions." What a good movie. And how sad it makes me feel. As it was finishing up, the thought that crossed my mind was: when I lay dying, will I have friends who will care that much? Would Babe do all he could to make my last days comfortable and full of joy?

If I were to die this year, well, besides the obvious fact that Babe is a child and cannot do anything at all, I feel the answer would be "no." And that's sad.

The question is, will I be able to change that in the time between now and when I do die?

That, also, makes me sad. But at least it's a hopeful kind of sadness.

I guess I relate to Nathalie, and perhaps I'll somehow find strength like she did.



And then there's the meme. Snagged from subvers:

You're Watership Down!

by Richard Adams

Though many think of you as a bit young, even childish, you're
actually incredibly deep and complex. You show people the need to rethink their
assumptions, and confront them on everything from how they think to where they
build their houses. You might be one of the greatest people of all time. You'd
be recognized as such if you weren't always talking about talking rabbits.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Hm. That's one of those books I need to reread now that I'm (supposedly) an adult. I might be able to read between the lines a bit better than I could as a child or teenager.

Comments

[zalena.livejournal.com]

I also watched Barbarian Invasions a few months ago. I thought it was simultaneously a beautiful and horrible film. It's a film I want to recommend to everyone when they start pushing Canada's healthcare plan. The film presents the best-of-all-possible deaths, but only made possible by an insane amount of money. The alternative, which we glimpse at the beginning of the movie, is awful. Ebert had an interesting review, but it didn't address everything I wanted to talk about.

I think we are all starting to wonder about our deaths, particularly the long, lingering, kind as we face not only our own mortality, but that of our grandparents and parents. Both money and time seem to be enormous barriers to having people gather at our bedside. But I also believe that the way we deal with death will probably change with the Boomer generation who will not accept the way things are currently done. This movie presage's that change. With smaller families and women working the possibility of friends and family members being able to care for the sick and the dying is shrinking. I'm not sure that's something we want to lose.*

You might be interested in the work of Elizabeth Kubler Ross who founded the field of thanatology, which deals with the human experience of death and dying and how we can reap the maximum benefit and relief of psychological suffering from the experience. I'm really interested in learning more about her work, in part because she's one of those women who has founded a totally new field of study.

* I realized a few days ago if I could start a business called 'Mother's Little Helper' (the name is intentionally jokey and ironic) I might really enjoy it. I've been helping friends who've been dealing with life changes. The point is that there is a need for practical, pragmatic, help in transitional life spaces. It's different than being a nanny because it's a temporary boost, not an ongoing fix.

A separate but related idea involves being the kind of therapist who makes people take long walks while talking to her; or meets them in the back of a pub with a drink. The idea is that if the talking doesn't make you feel better, the walk definitely will.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

Hee. "Mother's Little Helper", indeed! For a couple of years now (about 32 months, in fact) I've been saying that those with experience with children, whether from being an older sibling or from nanny/daycare jobs, have a valuable and saleable commodity. There are many people out there like me who haven't a clue what to do, and I'm sure that many of them are willing to pay for a little advice and help. Probably pay well, at that.

Yes, as I was going to sleep I realized I hadn't mentioned the class aspect. The class I belong to will never get that fairytale type ending, no matter how close our friendships or families. We just can't afford it, which is one of the things the movie does show rather well, I think.

As for whether to recommend the Canadian healthcare system... there are horror stories anywhere, but I think (based upon real people's experiences I've heard) that there are far more horror stories with our system than theirs. At least the people interned in the hallways of socialized countries aren't condemning their families to bankruptcy for the priveledge of being in a hospital.

[zalena.livejournal.com]

At least the people interned in the hallways of socialized countries aren't condemning their families to bankruptcy for the priveledge of being in a hospital.

Amen to that. The worst thing about privitized healthcare is that inevitably there are things that aren't covered. We pay huge portions of our income for benefits we may never use, or simply won't be covered when the time comes to use them.

The argument that countries with socialized medicine paying higher taxes doesn't hold water; though many of them are facing a financial crisis (much like the US in terms of social security) with aging populations that don't have an equally sizable next generation to support them.

France & Russia are PAYING women to have babies, if this tells you anything about both the crisis and xenophobia.

P.S.

[zalena.livejournal.com]

I took the book quiz and apparently I'm David Copperfield. The description of the book was eerily acurate, but I don't particularly enjoy Dickens.

Re: P.S.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

What was the description?

Re: P.S.

[zalena.livejournal.com]

Coming up from a childhood that may have felt abusive, you have risen through hard work to gain a place of stature in your life. You've spent altogether too much time in factories and end up misspelling a fair number of words. But in general you are seen as a beacon of hope for others who might not be as fortunate. Lots of people keep mistaking you for a magician and are waiting for you to disappear.

[septentrion1970.livejournal.com]

Now that the big reveal is done on the exchange, I can thank you properly for my gift. I'm still squeeing about it.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

You are most welcome! I thought it was wonderful to get a chance to do something for you!