(no subject)

[serene]

I don't want to die the way Heather did(*). That is to say, while I'm glad we live in a world where at least in some places, it's legal to get help in dying if you've chosen not to live any more, it's something I can't see wanting for myself.

However, I want to live the way she did, with my ass shaking, and my sexuality as a joy to myself and others. I want to show people that bodies are made for joy and fun. I want my fat to be political until it doesn't have to be any more. I know Ani was right, as she is about so many things: "Every time I move, I make a Woman's Movement."

And I want people to feel as sorry that I'm going as they did Heather. And I want them to talk about how I made the world a better place. Heather made the world a better place.

I want that.



(* See http://laurietobyedison.com/discuss/?p=348 )

Comments

[wild-irises.livejournal.com]

Body Impolitic is back up now.

You make the world a better place every day, sweetcheeks.

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Thank you, dearheart, and I'll change the entry to reflect that it's up (glad it is!).

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

I'm still not able to get to Body Impolitic, but I'll leave the link up because I'm sure it's temporary.

[cassidyrose.livejournal.com]

Thank you for posting this.

I can see where you are coming from on the death thing, however, having seen (literally) too many people in my life dying horrific unassisted deaths due to cancer and other awful diseases I think I would chose Heather's path when I reached the point of no return and was in so much pain that my life was nothing but excrutiating pain. Maybe I wouldn't chose it, but having seen the alternative I am pretty sure I would. But again, I don't know.

Thank you for what you said about living. It is important to live this way.

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

In the people-are-different department, I have also experienced lots of horrible deaths of people I loved, and I didn't come to the same conclusion you did.

People are different. Water is wet, too. :-)

[semy-of-pearls.livejournal.com]

I am sorry to say I had never heard of her, or the projects she worked on. She sounds like someone I should like to more.

I'll raise a glass to her tonight.

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

someotherguy were trying to figure out if they know you from the SCA. Do we know you in person? (You don't have to answer if you don't want.)

[semy-of-pearls.livejournal.com]

Could very well know me from SCA. I've been active in West Kingdom for a long time.

This is myself and a friend from an event last year. My SCA name is Margrethe Astrid Ravn.

http://history.westkingdom.org/Year40/Photos/CB32.htm

*waves*

[dbubley.livejournal.com]

I'd like the option. I'd prefer to die naturally, in my sleep, from an event that is as quick and painless as possible. Given that I can't really choose my preference, I'd opt for the choice Heather did have.

Living like Heather? In part, maybe yes, maybe no. I don't enjoy performing as much as I enjoy watching. Even if I could pull off a strip act with perfection, I'd probably be bored with the whole thing about the third or fourth time I was on stage. I could be in the audience forever. I really appreciated the way Heather lived her life, but it's not the life I want to live, well not exactly the life I want to live. I'd like to live as a complement to the life she led. Damn, she was good at what she did!

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

I'd prefer to be awake and aware, free of pain and fear when I die, because I'm curious to see what it's like. Dying, that is.

I certainly don't want to be a performer in the way Heather was, but I want to live with the kind of verve she showed, and I guess I see my life itself as some kind of performance art.

(And I feel like I should stress that I want to have the *option* to choose to commit suicide, but that it doesn't strike me as something I'd do -- exactly my stance on abortion, for what it's worth.)

[dbubley.livejournal.com]

I want to know what death is, but I'm not at all sure I want to know first-hand about dying.If there is absolutely nothing after death, then I just want it to be free of all pain and discomfort. If there is something else on the other side of death then I want to know about that something else.

Getting from here to something else is kind of iffy. How painful will it be? How long will I need to be aware of the in-between? I could be wishing myself away from something wonderful. Maybe I'll find out on the other side? It could be worth the pain and discomfort?

I have a pact with my sisters that if we can we'll come back and spill the beans. So far neither Margie nor I have seen or talked to Karen since she died. I'm afraid of dying, but my concept of death doesn't seem nearly as terrifying. I think of dying as violent and full of angst, but death as peaceful.

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

I think I'm nearly the opposite. I experienced a near-death in violent circumstances, and since then, I've felt like a painful, violent death is something I can handle.

Not existing at all after that? (And that is what I think happens.) That's harder to wrap my mind around.

[dbubley.livejournal.com]

I think, therefore I exist.

Sometimes I have dreams about finding webpages that can answer these sort of questions.I wake up feeling very satisfied until I try to remember what that answer was.

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

That's fascinating!

And yes, I think, therefore I exist, for some broad definition of "think". (For instance, when I'm unconscious, I still think I exist.)

[minimo.livejournal.com]

A wonderful hostess will always be missed, and that would be you. So yes, we will definitely speak well of you when you go.

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Thanks, darlin'.

[glossolalia.livejournal.com]

Stripping with Heather to the cheers of over a hundred Burners (to "Baby Got Back", of course) will remain one of my happiest and dearest memories.

I just read about this, and I am stunned. I didn't know she was gone. That woman was a house a-fire, with more passion and rage and fun than could be held in a single body. Just being around her was like a quadruple-shot of espresso to the soul.

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

That's beautiful. I am so sorry for your loss, truly.

[glossolalia.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Damn, but she was truly da BOMB. They broke the mold and everything. :-)