"A blog is to a writer what a canvas is to an artist." ~ Colleen Redman

13 Thursday: Sushi Belushi

belush80.gif1. The worst part of being dressed up as a Blues Brother for Halloween and wearing a buttoned-up shirt and tie is that my bra strap slipped off my shoulder while dancing at a party and I couldn’t find a way in to put it back. Pictures HERE.
2. This week I attended the Radford University counseling class on grief and loss that uses my book (The Jim and Dan Stories) about losing my two brothers a month apart as part of their curriculum. I speak to the class, do some readings, and answer questions. It was my fifth time attending, the first time being in 2003.
3. My poet friend Mara whose husband died the same month my brothers did and her twelve year old daughter Kyla also attended as speakers to give their perspectives on grief and loss. Mara’s father and Kyla’s grandfather died a little more than a month ago and they talked about that too.
4. After the class, we went out for sushi, which is when Kyla showed me the sushi shirt (pictured) hanging behind the restaurant counter. “Next year I want to wear that shirt, put on dark sunglasses and be Blues Brother John Belushi Sushi,” I said.
5. When Mara introduced herself and Kyla to the class, she said, “Think of us as the Gilmore Girls, but they have better writers.”
6. For me, speaking to the class is a little unsettling, kind of like being on Jay Leno and having to talk about myself and the making of my last movie instead of just acting in the movie.
7. When I told Mara that Rumi did not write down his poetry but spontaneously recited it as people followed him around and wrote it down, she was jealous and said, “I want someone to follow me around and write down what I say.”
8. I began the talking part of my presentation by trying to put the class at ease, telling the story of how I recently received a Sports Illustrated mailing in my brother’s name that was soliciting a renewed subscription from him. On the envelope in big letters next to Danny’s name it said, “We Want You Back.” I was able to laugh and say, “Yeah, I know what you mean. Get in line.”
9. Beatles music played a role in the book I wrote, especially the song “Let it Be,” which we sang to Dan when he was dying and then at his funeral. Kyla sang George Harrison’s “Blackbirds” to her grandfather when he was sick and at his memorial party. The RU professor teaching the class ended it by playing THIS song. We sang along.
10. Every time I do the class I get some version of a question about whether or not I believe in an afterlife. My current short answer is this: My heart tends to believe it. My mind tends to not believe it.
11. Read about two past classes HERE. Blog writings on grief and loss are HERE.
12. I’ve never seen The Gilmore Girls and when Mara referred to her and Kyla that way I was thinking of The Golden Girls (three elderly ladies living together) and was confused. I asked her about it later and she explained it over sushi.
13. Kyla was Facebook for Halloween. I like eel.
More playing 13 Thursday HERE.

November 5th, 2009 Colleen Redman Posted in Thirteen Thursdays
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