Crafts 4 Morticians: Christmas Edition

It’s the day after Christmas.  Here I am in Hawaii with very little to do other than stare blankly at my mother’s cat and inject leftover pie directly into my veins. My… 

December 26, 2011 | Blog

For the Death of Jeanne

This is Jeanne. My friend Usha got her as a Christmas present.  I didn’t get, like, ANY early 20th century pictures of dead people this year.  I checked way in the bottom… 

December 26, 2011 | Blog

Two Major Fun Thangs in Deathland

Man, Wednesday, you are exciting. This morning I did an hour long interview with NPR in Connecticut. The host was Colin McEnroe who was dapper and funny. The other guest was writer Mary… 

December 21, 2011 | Blog

Super Sad Mega Bawl Party

Article in the New York Times about the “contrived” wailing grief videos of North Koreans that have been flying around the internet.  Was Kim Jong Il secretly a really great dictator and… 

December 21, 2011 | Blog

Regarding the Hands

Mortician’s note: This is the first piece from Austin funeral director Sarah Wambold, who I first met via this interview with Thought Catalog, where she proved to be a kindred spirit in… 

December 15, 2011 | Essays // Essays by Contributors

Ask a Mortician, Episode 4

Hark!  Beholdeth Ask a Mortician Episode 4. In which I finally attempt to answer your questions about how to become a mortician whilst enjoying a holiday meal.  I’ll leave the details of… 

December 14, 2011 | Blog

Fortnight Journal Piece, the First

The first of six pieces (an essay) I’m producing for Fortnight Journal is online today.  It’s about my first real contact with the concept of death.  If you’ve any interest in the… 

December 12, 2011 | Blog

Little Death Coincidences

Do we all remember Jonathan Brandis, from seaQuest and Ladybugs and every Tiger Beat/ Bop Magazine cover of the mid 90’s? He, of course, hung himself in 2003. Then there is dear… 

December 11, 2011 | Blog

My God I love getting to do this.

Here is a message from Ms. Mandy Corrado, reader of the Order: Hey there! One of your posts (not sure which one; maybe the coffin shelves) sent me down a rabbit hole… 

December 9, 2011 | Blog

In other news, bones taste like…

Remember this woman from My Strange Addiction on TLC? Who stuck her finger in her husband’s cremated remains and ate them so she could be close to him?  As if we need… 

December 7, 2011 | Blog

Guest Essay on Natural Burial

The insanely talented (and tenacious) writer Susie Kahlich wrote an essay about her experience with natural burial for the Order of the Good Death.  I literally cannot recommend it highly enough. READ… 

December 6, 2011 | Blog