Talking to Death

We are doing a LIVE podcast on August 13 at 8 pm ET and we want YOU to be a part of it!

Please join us to chat about the show, what we are doing right and wrong, and so you can curse our names if you see fit.

To sign up, go to https://www.talkingtodeath.com/ and RSVP to get all of the information.

We will see you on August 13th!

Sometimes Death is whispering to you and you don't even realize it. This episode recounts, if not the closest of calls, one that was a little too close for comfort. And how different the death conversation becomes when the pronoun is "I" instead of "you" or "they."

People pleasers, rise up! This is your chance to have things exactly your way. We talk about why advanced directives and advocacy are essential to think about now so when it's time for us to exit the stage, everything is as we want it to be. It's my death and I'm not going to take it lying down! (Unless I want to. Actually, I probably should; it will be more comfortable for me and everyone around me. Can everyone see OK? Should I reposition myself so you all have a good view?)

• Respecting Choices
• Where by Domestic Problems

Teenage mental health problems and suicide are an epidemic and almost every person living with or loving a teenager has been affected. This is a personal tale of Amy and her daughter's struggle with suicidal ideation and gestures. It contains open discussion about suicide, which may be triggering to some. 988 is a great resource for people in crisis and those who love them. Please note: This was recorded in 2022 and the situation has tempered and evolved since then.

• Teens in Crisis

• Robbie's Hope

• Duration of Suicidal Crises

• Where by Domestic Problems

When you're face to face with someone who's just suffered a loss, knowing what to say—and worrying about saying the right things—can be a real source of discomfort. In this episode, we stumble through our own attempts to offer some options and try to illuminate what it's like for the people on the other side of the line.

Are you spending your life focused on the things you value? If you look at it mathematically, chances are good that you'll find room for adjustment. The good news is that past performance is not a predictor of future results. It's go time, people!

Show Notes

• How Covid Stole Our Time and How to Get it Back

Is the belief that we're all entitled to the pursuit of happiness turning us into selfish a-holes? (Maybe) What is the difference between happiness and meaning? (So many differences) Where does joy fit in? (The answer involved ice cream.) And does any of this make us more eager to talk about death? (Us, yes. You? Maybe not so much.)

Show Notes

• Is a Happy Life Different from a Meaningful One?
• Margaret Marilyn Adler's Obituary
• The Power of Small Wins
• The Difference Between Joy and Happiness
• Where by Domestic Problems

Andy tries to spoon-feed his mom the Spoon Theory and found some interesting results. Why is it so hard to talk about death and end of life? Andy shares an article from an anthropologist who is working with college students and we share the playlists for our own morning serenades of death.

Show Notes:

• Talking about Death in America: An Anthropologist's View
• Where by Domestic Problems

We can never truly walk in the shoes of someone with chronic or terminal illness, but one brave soul made it her mission to give us a chance. Thus the Spoon Theory was born and offers a lexicon for the limitations and constant decision-making from perspective of someone whose health and capabilities are compromised. The price for this episode: 0 spoons (we hope).

Show Notes:

• The Spoon Theory
• Where by Domestic Problems

Before we get too far into what makes a good death, we explore what makes a good life. Leave it to those brainiacs at Harvard to figure it out. If relationships make for a happy life, how does that affect us at the end of our lives? We're not sure, but we have some theories.

Show Notes:

• Harvard Study of Adult Development
• Where by Domestic Problems