Tuesday – Preparing For a 48 Hour Day
Feb. 12th, 2008 02:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ninanevermoreToday on my drive into work, I was thinking about the two day's next month I will be working in a funeral home. A real, honest-to-goodness funeral home, with dead bodies and everything. It is for a program The Corporation offers calls "A Day in The Life," where people from the corporate office are sent out to experience how business is handled at our service locations. They call it this despite the fact that it takes 2 days.
I'm only doing this because my boss volunteered me, but I think it will be interesting. At the orientation, I was told that on the first day they will interview me and ask parts of the industry what I am interested in observing, and make sure that I am not exposed to anything that will "make me uncomfortable."
"Like a dead body?" my husband said when I told him, "Because that would make me uncomfortable. And, let's see, what else? Oh, how about a dead body?" He looked genuinely freaked out, and which I found strange since he's not going to be the one doing this for his job.
"It's not about what makes you uncomfortable," I told him, "It's about what makes me uncomfortable. Dead people don't bother me so much. Mostly, they just lie there and mind their own business."
"So, if they ask you to watch an embalming, would you do it?" Jeff asked.
I thought for a moment. "Maybe. I mean, I plan on writing about whatever I see. Even if I faint or throw up, that's still an interesting story to tell, don't you think? In fact, I think it becomes an even more interesting story."
Growing up, Jeff and I had vastly different experiences with the dead. I was born in a large extended family to middle-aged parents who were born to middle-aged parents, so I probably attended more funerals than weddings during my childhood. My parents didn't believe in shielding us, so if they went to a funeral they dragged up kids along. I learned to associate funerals with the great home-cooked meals that came afterward, and with time to catch up and play with my many cousins. Jeff's parents both came from small families, so there just weren't that many people to bury. When they did have a funeral, they left the kids at home. As a result, in his 40's he still has the squeamishness about funerals that I got over by the age of 5 or 6.
Only one idea about this freaks me out, and that is how I will have to dress for two days straight. The corporate office where I usually work, has a business casual dress code, so this is what most of my wardrobe consists of. The funeral home locations are all business formal. Female employees are required to wear stockings, and avoid short skirts and blouses that show cleavage. (Rats. I've been told my cleavage can raise the dead, and I was hoping to put this to the test. On the other hand, the guy who said that to me was very drunk, so he may have been exaggerating.) Also, no "bright or festive" colors, please. To put it simply, I should dress I will be attending a funeral, since there is a good chance that I might be.
My dilemma is that I own only one appropriate black suit, which would work if the program really were, as the name implies, a single Day in the Life. But it's Two Days in the Life of the funeral Industry, and I will either need to go shopping, improvise, or wear the same suit two days in a row. I'm leaning toward the last idea. I could buy a second suit, but one conservative black suit that doesn't show much leg or any cleavage is enough for any girl's closet, unless she happens to works full time in a funeral home. Since I will only be visiting one in a sort of corporate cultural-exchange program, the second suit would get worn once and then collect dust in my closet.
I have 5 weeks to resolve my wardrobe dilemma. Until then, I get to wear my brightly colored sweaters and casual slacks and not worry that anyone is thinking any less of me for it. I'll dutifully report back whatever happens in those two days, and if I faint or throw up, I promise to come clean about it for your reading pleasure.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * # * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
I'm only doing this because my boss volunteered me, but I think it will be interesting. At the orientation, I was told that on the first day they will interview me and ask parts of the industry what I am interested in observing, and make sure that I am not exposed to anything that will "make me uncomfortable."
"Like a dead body?" my husband said when I told him, "Because that would make me uncomfortable. And, let's see, what else? Oh, how about a dead body?" He looked genuinely freaked out, and which I found strange since he's not going to be the one doing this for his job.
"It's not about what makes you uncomfortable," I told him, "It's about what makes me uncomfortable. Dead people don't bother me so much. Mostly, they just lie there and mind their own business."
"So, if they ask you to watch an embalming, would you do it?" Jeff asked.
I thought for a moment. "Maybe. I mean, I plan on writing about whatever I see. Even if I faint or throw up, that's still an interesting story to tell, don't you think? In fact, I think it becomes an even more interesting story."
Growing up, Jeff and I had vastly different experiences with the dead. I was born in a large extended family to middle-aged parents who were born to middle-aged parents, so I probably attended more funerals than weddings during my childhood. My parents didn't believe in shielding us, so if they went to a funeral they dragged up kids along. I learned to associate funerals with the great home-cooked meals that came afterward, and with time to catch up and play with my many cousins. Jeff's parents both came from small families, so there just weren't that many people to bury. When they did have a funeral, they left the kids at home. As a result, in his 40's he still has the squeamishness about funerals that I got over by the age of 5 or 6.
Only one idea about this freaks me out, and that is how I will have to dress for two days straight. The corporate office where I usually work, has a business casual dress code, so this is what most of my wardrobe consists of. The funeral home locations are all business formal. Female employees are required to wear stockings, and avoid short skirts and blouses that show cleavage. (Rats. I've been told my cleavage can raise the dead, and I was hoping to put this to the test. On the other hand, the guy who said that to me was very drunk, so he may have been exaggerating.) Also, no "bright or festive" colors, please. To put it simply, I should dress I will be attending a funeral, since there is a good chance that I might be.
My dilemma is that I own only one appropriate black suit, which would work if the program really were, as the name implies, a single Day in the Life. But it's Two Days in the Life of the funeral Industry, and I will either need to go shopping, improvise, or wear the same suit two days in a row. I'm leaning toward the last idea. I could buy a second suit, but one conservative black suit that doesn't show much leg or any cleavage is enough for any girl's closet, unless she happens to works full time in a funeral home. Since I will only be visiting one in a sort of corporate cultural-exchange program, the second suit would get worn once and then collect dust in my closet.
I have 5 weeks to resolve my wardrobe dilemma. Until then, I get to wear my brightly colored sweaters and casual slacks and not worry that anyone is thinking any less of me for it. I'll dutifully report back whatever happens in those two days, and if I faint or throw up, I promise to come clean about it for your reading pleasure.
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no subject
Date: 2008-02-12 08:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-12 08:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-12 08:50 pm (UTC)I'll be interested in hearing about your experience.
no subject
Date: 2008-02-13 03:58 pm (UTC)They take all the fun out of dressing up for a funeral.
no subject
Date: 2008-02-12 10:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-13 04:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-13 05:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-13 05:44 pm (UTC)I've done it!
Date: 2008-02-13 06:32 pm (UTC)Besides, you've got 5 weeks and a conveniently placed pair of adoring grandparents -- you can do it!
Re: I've done it!
Date: 2008-02-13 06:35 pm (UTC)Or even a another boring Navy suit.
no subject
Date: 2008-02-14 08:20 pm (UTC)Good luck with it. I expect to see action packed stories on your return.
And heck, wear it twice. I'd opt for a new suit, but that's because I'm a shopaholic and it doesn't bother me that I'll only wear it once. :P
no subject
Date: 2008-02-14 09:55 pm (UTC)*sigh*
no subject
Date: 2008-02-20 07:21 pm (UTC)or perhaps just buy a new skirt??? or maybe even a new pair of dress slacks????
no subject
Date: 2008-02-20 08:58 pm (UTC)