Sorry for the absence. What with some odd bits of non-funeral work that involved deadlines, Christmas, a weekend away that didn't happen because of the snow and a busy month, I've not been anywhere near the blog.
It's been a turbulent time;
there have been some curly funerals (going to hospital to see a terminally ill man to arrange the funeral of his father was...interesting),
I've managed to upset a colleague (turf wars, as if there isn't enough crap in life already),
and the bad weather has caused an underlying level of anxiety and forward planning never before seen at X.Piry Towers. I think that every set of words I've written has been emailed to the crematorium, just in case I don't get there. At one point I was stomping around saying "that's it, I'm getting a Land Rover - I don't care how old and tatty it is, I just need something better than the car I've got..."
And underlying anxiety is par for the course with this job/being self employed. I had got to the point where I thought "I can't take any more bookings - I simply don't have time to meet people and to give the funeral words the care and attention they deserve", but the next morning, I woke up panicking because I hadn't heard from a former regular FD for a while. (They have new arrangers in, but I'll keep plugging away).
So, apologies for a negative post, but I feel flippin exhausted. Gloria, I think I need to give your mindfulness a try, get some balance back.
But I do genuinely wish everyone a happy new year. May you all be as fulfilled and fascinated by life as you wish to be.
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2 comments:
How nice to have you back in blogland, XP! You encapsulate here so many of the tensions of our work, at a practical level. I hope your offended colleague gets over it soon, let's be grown up, and say that overlaps happen, big deal, what's one funeral more or less to a sensible celebrant?
The weather was worrying, even round here where, oddly, we weren't nearly as troubled as further south. Emailing a ceremony to the crem - now why didn't I think of that? I emailed one to the FD and even to the poor family, although in the event I got through OK.
Isn't it odd how insecure we get? I've often had a similar wobble,i.e. "I'm knackered, but why haven't I heard from FD X?"
I think you may need Auntie Gloria's anti-stress chat - or of course, that might push you right over the edge - but do try not to work too hard, you won't help your potential future clients by blowing up now, and winter is upon us. We can't pace the way work arrives, the GR being the old bastard he is, but we can sometimes, if necessary, just say no, can't we?
Mindfulness - a great help, though the usual trap applies of feeling too busy and rushed to do a bit of the meditation which would prevent me feeling too busy and rushed.Sometimes I think "Catch 22" is as much an inescapable part of our lives as one of the laws of physics.
Ah well. Hang in there, kid, the daffs will soon be out.
Have a good 2011.
x
GM
XP, a very happy 2011 to you, too!
Phew! I think we could all do with a good Gloria to cheer us up at times like this! (And there's nothing quite like January to dim our zest and darken our spirits. Well, there's Feb, too, of course...)
I did a snowy one in the Black Country. I did as you did, only I emailed the script to the FD. Not for the first time I wondered why FDs, belt and braces in all things, never have a contingency for a snowbound or simply punctured celebrant.
We must swim bravely against the current, XP, emulating the plucky salmon. 'Tis our destiny.
Things can only get better!
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