Tuesday 26 May 2009

Stiff old funeral directors make me laugh!!!


Ohh you’ve got to see the funny side of the funeral industry, half the industry are a bunch of old crooners stuck in their ways, fighting with other funeral directors over business, bitter and twisted arguments over who has the contract for the hospital, moaning about the coroners, and stealing car keys from each other hearses... http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/may/12/funeral-hearse-keys-stolen

After 3 years I have met many bitching, moaning, competitive old boys with one foot in the grave while their heads so high in the clouds they have a altitude problem.... I’ve been cold shouldered by about a 2/3 of funeral directors that I have met along the way!

I did a presentation to a group of funeral directors last week - most walked into the room and avoided me!! However during my presentation I felt the room was divided. Most sat there and smiled while a handful sat there and scowled or looked utterly bemused ... one even shook his head and walked out!!! How can you possibly be offended by a beautiful photo and video tribute??!!!

I will say though, at least 1/3 of the industry are Lovely! There are funeral directors out there who are pretty special, who really do think about family needs, who think much further than the profit margin on a coffin.... Those who are amazing are the ones that embrace the changes in trends and cultures, bend over backwards to help families and don’t turn their nose up at an unusual request. These funeral directors are the ones who will walk away smiling when they’re business is growing while others are failing – they are the future.

My theory on this... The ‘crooners’ are fearful of change, too dam lazy to allow their minds to think out of the box so they hide their fear with ignorance and stubbornness.

So my message to my grumpy old chums is this... life is short as you well know, there is plenty of business out there for everyone , do your job well and you’ll have nothing to worry about!

Tuesday 5 May 2009

Precious friends



This is the photo of me and my girlfriends at a picnic a few weekends back.

There we were sitting in the sun having our photo taken, feeling nostalgic and thinking how lucky we are to have such a great friendship. Seconds after this snap was taken one of the girls told us she was having a baby and getting hitched! This beautiful news made us overspill with happiness and caused a fantastic reaction from each one of us! Our screams could be heard from the other end of the park!

There we were crying and jumping up and down like utter lunatics followed by a massive group hug - what a bunch of overexcited girls we must have looked like! Our reaction caused my daughter Connie (in the photo on my friends lap) to burst into fearfull tears, I don’t think she had ever witnessed such a reaction and she wasn’t quite sure what to make of it all!!

When I remises about that moment I get all teary because it just highlights how I feel about the most beautiful simple things in life. This is life at its best, so simple so beautiful, no flash car or big house, no designer suit or swanky dinner can make you feel that way – to truly be overwhelmed with excitement for someone you love - friendship is so powerful.

I am well aware that life won’t always be this simple, maybe that’s why I’m such a sentimental fool. Every day I look at my husband, my daughter, my family, my friends and even my 2 cats and just feel so grateful for what I have because I know all too well how precious they are and how in a flash it can all be gone. Life is short and can be very sweet.

Have a good day everyone.