Could You Make-up the Dead?

The other day, Hubby asked me if I could get into something new (job-wise) what would I want to try.

By new and "job"...he means not the teaching profession I was briefly a part of before kids.

And, not the job of being a mom 24-7 that i've done for 11 years and 2 months, 3 days 14 hours, 29 minutes 4 seconds.

If I could be an apprentice somewhere, where would it be?

Back in 2002 when hubby punched his frequent flyer card in and out of Kaiser hospital, I wanted to be a nurse.

If somehow I could help him and my kids (and others) I wouldn't be such a worry wart about illness and germs and Crohn's Disease amongst other ailments.

When he came home with IV medication and PICC lines and TPN bags, I was oddly fascinated by how these things could be so scary yet so helpful in his time of need.

Needless to say, I didn't go to nursing school and I'm still terrified of blood, belonging to anyone even myself.

But, while reading the obituaries, I came upon my new AH HA moment and knew exactly what I want to do.

Did you ever watch the HBO show Six Feet Under? About a family who owned a funeral home and each episode started with how the person of the episode succumbed to their death!?

I loved that show.

Sure it gave me nightmares, made me very, very squeamish, and was horribly morbid.

But it's a view into to reality. A view of death that is real and that I fear.

Maybe facing that fear in this way would help me overcome it.

The whole funeral business....freakishly fascinating.

I wonder if I could go to my local funeral home and say, "I want to work here. For free. To learn the ropes." Would they say, you are nuts lady take a hike! ?

I will never forget going to a funeral when I was younger. It was of a few distant relatives killed in a car accident. The church service for the funeral was hot. Like sweating hot. So when we approached the casket I remember the scene so well. The woman's face was melting...I mean the layer of makeup applied was caking and literally dripping near the eye. It gave an eerie visual as if she were crying. I will NEVER forget that...and I still wonder what it's like to do a makeover on a corpse.

Is it something I could do? I'm not sure.

But, I think I want to find out.

17 supporters in group:

  1. Adoption of Jane said...

    I absolutely Loved 6ft Under! It is the only show where the Show Finale made me feel Satisfied. That Finale was AWESOME. Made you really look at life! Love your post!

  2. Diane said...

    in my experience, you know you are doing something good - honoring those who've passed and helping the families find some closure. its a whole different frame of mind. if its something you're interested in, i encourage you to give it a try. :)

  3. Unknown said...

    That would be a scary sight-her face melting! You are brave-go for it!

  4. Eyeglasses & Endzones said...

    I never watched it but I heard it was a great show.

    If I could do anything I would be a lipstick and nail polish namer for Revlon or OPI or something!

  5. Julie C said...

    We need to discuss this on Sat! Hmmmm....I'll have to think of my new profession as well.

  6. Tenakim said...

    agreed! BEST FINALE EVER- Six Feet Under!
    Also makes me think of the movie My Girl which alwasy makes me cry like a baby!

  7. Erin said...

    I have a friend who does hair and makeup at our local funeral home. My sister helps her once in a while.

    I could totally do it...but I don't know if I could handle children, and those killed tragically.

  8. Rachel said...

    I never saw that show, but I wanted to! (darn -- no HBO cable plan)

    I give your props for thinking you could work with the dead.

    Me? No -- my imagination is wayyyyy too vivid. I get scared in my own home. Yep, I'm a wuss.

    Following In My Shoes

  9. Angela @ Nine More Months said...

    Loved that show! I don't think I would be bothered by actual dead bodies, but maybe by how they died, or the amount of dead bodies I would have to handle. Too sad for me.

  10. Anonymous said...

    I think that would be a cool job.... Until you had to make-up a little kid. That would just be rally sad.

  11. Tiffany said...

    Jen we are more alike than I thought. LOL

    I loved that show and was so sucked into all they did. I could handle the dead people but I COULDN'T handle the families crying. I hate when people cry. Maybe I could work at night when nobody is there.

  12. Wendi said...

    I loved that show too...in a creepy kind of way.
    I did hair and makeup on a non-breathing person ONCE.
    My instructor in Cosmetology school said they were the easiest people to satisfy and they never complained.
    That part was true.
    But I prefer the breathing people...complaints and all!

  13. Unknown said...

    Okay, I've always wanted to do that. Although death freaks me out some, ever since I saw My Girl when I was little I thought it would be a fascinating job.

  14. Liz said...

    I don't think I could do it....I mean, I could work at the funeral home selling caskets or something, but I don't think I'd ever be able to work around the dead people. Too freaky/creepy for me. Now my BFF & hubby want to own/run a funeral home & I think they'd both be great at it, but me? No thanks! I'll answer the phones for them!

  15. Martha said...

    Interesting. I would never have thought. I didn't watch that show much. I would love to do something medical, without blood involvement. Radiologist maybe - ultra sounds and x rays?

  16. Amy Amy Bo Bamey said...

    I don't think I could be a nurse or make-up the dead!

    I would love to be a detective or involved with forensics somehow.

  17. mollybloom said...

    Jen, you need to read this book: http://www.amazon.com/American-Way-Death-Revisited/dp/0679450378

    It's an in-depth look at the funeral industry. It's a pretty funny satire; I use a chapter from it in my classes & students either love it or are completely horrified. I did have one girl say she wanted to be an undertaker after reading it!

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