: I am taking

January 07, 2002

I am taking a class in news writing at Portland

State. It is raining. For much of this evening I've had Rolling Stones songs in my

head. I've been thinking about two of my new years resolutions: to gain greater

professional and personal satisfaction. I'm pursuing the one and too much of a coward to

do anything about the other.
Obituaries. For my class next week, I will have to write

an obituary of a classmate. Someone else will write my obituary. We will interview one

another.

Q: Where were you born?
A: Bangkok, Thailand.
Q: What is your cause

of death?
A: ...

I need to come up with my cause of death by next Monday. There

is something personally satisfying about declaring my own cause of death. Life and death

in newsprint: personals and obituaries. They share a peculiar affinity, no? Each is a

concise presentation of all the best things one person has (or had) to offer. At the same

time, they are the written incarnation of lust and decay. The future: my obituary. The

moment: my personal ad.

And then the phone rings.

Posted by Courtney_Sherwood at January 7, 2002 12:00 PM