Open to Hope, Other Losses

Cartoonist Keith Knight on How Words Live On

Monday, February 9, 2015

Cartoonist Keith Knight in Tears

Keith Knight is a “gentleman cartoonist” whose various, nationally syndicated comics are published in the Washington Post, MAD, Daily Kos, Medium.com, and the Funny Times. Visit Keef on his website and watch the documentary on his work. A vet’s rates don’t come down just because it’s a dying rat Don’t rate a deathbed experience by the number of words exchanged Use a smart phone to become your family’s personal historian He who laughs in the face of spiders is king Play back absurdities of the day out loud Immortalize the deceased with talk bubbles Your To Do List   A vet’s rates don’t come down just because it’s a […]

Death of a Parent, Open to Hope

Writer Penny Slusher on Somber-Free Rites

Thursday, January 8, 2015

writer Penny Slusher

Buying presents for the dead and gifting them; knowing your “mama dance” and texting as the deceased: this and more when memory artist, Nancy Gershman talks with writer and actress Penny Slusher about somber-free rites. Currently, Slusher is working on a one-woman show about the house she grew up in Bristol Tennessee, and how living with tragic events affected the family in their daily lives. Take your meals with the dying, whether they’re hungry or not Be what the dying need you to be Behave as if the dying still care about manners Study your mom so one day you can do The Mama Dance Before you […]

Bereavement

Poet Dana Jerman on Griever Dreams and Signs

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Dana Jerman

Not only is there is no wrong way to interpret dreams and signs, but they can become catalysts for a great day. This and more when memory artist, Nancy Gershman talks with writer, photographer and performing poet Dana Jerman of Chicago. Visit her on blastfortune.blogspot.com.  Flush out icky feelings with words  Use one dream element as a creative impulse for your day Some relatives are warmer through the mail than in person Instead of silence, upset somebody with your feelings and opinions Enjoying the friends of a dead friend is the perk of funerals Acknowledge good, bad and ugly feelings inside, as they pass It’s our job to […]

Death of a Grandparent, Open to Hope, Special Topics

Writer J.W. Basilo on Starting Fresh When the Old Guard is Gone

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

writer J.W. Basilo

How can you use a death and a birth to foster a new culture of decency around the dinner table? This and more when memory artist Nancy Gershman talks with Chicago-based writer, performer, and director J.W Basilo. A National and World Poetry Slam finalist, Basilo is also a PushCart Prize Nominee, and co-host of the Uptown Poetry Slam. His work has appeared on NPR, CBS, WGN and the Chicago Tribune. Catch him on http://BustedMouth.com and http://chicagoslamworks.com. Start a tradition when the Old Guard dies New at the head of the table? Speak your mind Be truthful about the dead without crossing yourself Complete the conversation before anyone’s dying, […]

Bereavement, Open to Hope, Other Losses

Comic Yisrael Campbell on Uplifting the Dying

Saturday, August 23, 2014

comic Yisrael Campbell

How can you use your talents to make the dying feel like they’re at the center of your universe? Be a DJ on a pretend radio station with your friend’s name in the call letters: this idea and more when memory artist Nancy Gershman speaks with Yisrael Campbell (born Chris Campbell): a comedian of Irish and Italian descent, who grew up Catholic in Philadelphia and now lives with his wife and four kids as an Orthodox Jew in Israel. The star and writer behind the critically acclaimed Off Broadway show “Circumcise Me,” Yisrael brings his one-man show to The Edinburgh Fringe Festival August 2014. […]

Death of a Grandparent

Playwright Taren Sterry Finding the Funny in Sadness

Monday, August 4, 2014

Playwright Taren Sterry

Taren Sterry is a comedic actress and playwright who also teaches improv, presentation coaching, public speaking and team building. She is a full time manager of Volunteer Training at Visiting Nurse Service of NY Hospice and Palliative Care. Her nationally acclaimed one-woman show, 180 Days, is about her first six months working in hospice. Visit Taren at www.tarensterry.com and www.180daysplay.com. Finding the funny when your option is profound sadness Restage awful memories as comedy to alter the past Everyone, even a sourpuss, can notice one positive thing Not even those in the business are immune from death Compassionate listening deepens any relationship Close mindedness isn’t permanent […]

Bereavement, Death of a Parent, Open to Hope

Playwright Ann Randolph on Writing about Grief

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

playwright Ann Randolph

How is a performance and a post-show creative writing workshop sparking a national discourse on grief? This and more when memory artist Nancy Gershman sits down with playwright and comedian, Ann Randolph to talk about her one-woman show, LOVELAND – and the transformative and healing power of writing about grief.  Learn more about Randolph’s week-long “Write Your Life”workshops, by visiting Ann at www.AnnRandolph.com. “When you’re dead jokes” can be conversation starters  Ashes exposed can bring strangers together With nothing left to lose, liberated behaviors surface Writing about grief in a group setting forms “community” Turn your inner critic into a character you can stand up to  We […]

Death of a Parent, Open to Hope

Comic Steve Mittleman About Forgiving Hard Parents at End of Life

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Comedian Steve Mittleman

It’s easy to forgive the hardest parent when they thank you through tears with: “Nobody cared for me as much in my whole life!” Or when they write a letter that gets delivered to you on the day of their funeral. This and more, when memory artist, Nancy Gershman talks with comic, Steve Mittleman who travels the world doing stand-up for corporate events and private functions. Visit him at SteveMittleman@aol.com. Don’t be surprised to discover you speak fluent “Stroke” Genuine bonding so often begins at End of Life  Improve your chances to get a letter from Dad the day of his funeral […]

Death of a Spouse, Open to Hope

Comic Janice Messitte on Being a Newly Wedded Widow

Monday, March 24, 2014

Janice Messitte

In the space of two weeks, newly wedded  Janice Messitte – stand-up comic, singer and actress  – went from planning a dream “Jewnorican” wedding to planning her husband’s funeral.  Hear how she used her comic’s wit to survive, as she sits down with memory artist, Nancy Gershman to recall the details. Double check on your husband – especially when he looks fast asleep Mothers: be as happy as your happiest child  Don’t beat yourself up for losing the husband on your watch Don’t sap your energy tracing bad luck to a possible curse What audience can there be for a videotape […]

Death of a Parent, Open to Hope, Your Grief

Comedy writer Joe Janes on Truthful Memorialization

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Comic Joe Janes

Truthful memorialization means talking about Mom stoically eating Joe’s tofurkey. Or Mom openly guzzling “horrible things” like caffeine-free diet coke in front of her vegan son. How Joe honors these mischievous moments and more when memory artist Nancy Gershman talks with Joe Janes, a Chicago-based Emmy award-winning comedy writer. Joe teaches comedy writing at The Second City and Columbia College and offers an improvisational writing workshop, “3 Plays. 3 Days. An Intense Writing Intensive.” Joe writes regularly for WNEP Theater and Robot vs. Dinosaur. Visit Joe on his website, joejanes.blogspot.com. Cracking up at a funeral is good for you  How to pick a person to sit with the dying […]