Hello everyone,
Approximately 7 hours ago I wrote a post wherein I told you that I was conducting my first (albeit with friends) mock interview for the funeral celebrants course.
The two ladies arrived at 4pm, after a brief run through, we began. IPad in hand I was recorded from the moment the front door was opened and I walked in, giving my condolences and pointing out a good (pre-planned place to sit). I was shaking so at first, and the initial questions could have been a little more slowed. Also my comment of "As I said, I am sorry for your loss", which sounded so superficial, I can only blame my nerves.
The girls basically bounced off one another for their answers (they were 'sisters') who had lost their mum. Apart from the fact that their dearly departed mum was either a hippie of the 70's and never grew out of it. Mother Teresa or the best thing since sliced bread…..to the point I had to refrain from yelling 'NO MORE' as I was about to burst out laughing and grab a bucket. I let it go, and we all went to the flow, they answered the questions and got into a rhythm. We stopped for a cuppa and they said they almost felt as if it were real and that I had drawn them in. Now of course they are darling friends so they may just be boosting my confidence with this, but I did feel more confident as we went on.
Two and a half hours later we were done, much longer than what I anticipated.
We reached the end, we did it..we played it back and though it was serious affair with some smiles and a bit of laughter and the cups of tea shared, the three of us have never laughed so much, listening to the answers, as they had to ad lib (which they did excellently I may add) trying to conjure up a 'pretend' mother figure and have full knowledge about this person between them with very little prior discussion. They did well - we did well. I did it *SIGH OF RELIEF*. So now I sit back with a well earned glass of wine and a little less butterflies floating around till the next one comes along.
Now tomorrow's homework is to assemble it and then write a Eulogy from my notes. That will be the 1st DVD down.
Hallelujah!
Ramblings From A Mum 
Well done RM I knew you could do it. As you say it is a relief to have that out of the way. Good luck with the eulogy.
Thank you kindly Summer, yes quite a relief..onward and upward 😀
I knew you could do it. 🙂
Thank you Nelson – appreciated 😀
Congratulations! As Nelson said, I knew you could do it!
wipes brow – lol it appears so – strange but true 😉 xx
you did it!
yesm *nods* thanks luvey xx 🙂
Yay! Congratulations! Each time will be easier and the more you practice, well the more comfortable you’ll be. You’ll be great at this, Jen, I know you will. 🙂
Awww – thank YOU – yes hopefully it will be – right now I’m writing up 3 eulogies then get on to that one to do…my sore fingers 😦 Thanks for the confidence and compliment Jen 🙂 x
Stick the poor fingers in ice water; now, back to work with you! 😉
roflmao – how very sweet and considerate 😉
hehe I try 😉
pure evil 😉
LOL! I wish. My life would be easier if I were! 😉
email 😉
Took me a minute. I thought you meant my email was evil. I should take a nap LMAO!
Jen, this is great – sounds like you are on the right track! I know what you mean when you saw how nerves can alter the way we say things, or the way things sound. Makes me remember one of the first boys I took home at around age 14. My dad was going to take him, me, my brother and a couple of other friends into town so the boy had to go in the boot. Just before he closed the door, my dad asked if he was ok. ‘Absolutely poo!’ he said. Afterwards he was like – what does that even mean? Why I would I say something like that?! (Maybe I should write a blog post about it…)
Gabs I think you need to now, I wonder what goes through our little brains (or doesn’t) as nerves take hold. I was trying to act naturally and speak clearly, I sat down at the table to conduct the interview with my grieving girlfriends opposite me and “blah” spills out. I shall write a disclaimer when I send it in 😉 Thanks for reading lovely xx
Well done, and it can only get easier from here.
Thanks love, yes I feel much more confident (strange but true) of course when it’s the ‘real thing’ it may be a completely different story! xx 🙂
its probably good to rehearse these things….when i was a pastor i did quite a few meetings with surviving relatives and got everything from the highly emotional to some really bizarre things as well….smiles…would be an interesting vid i am sure…smiles.
I did not know that you were a pastor – or perhaps I read and didn’t remember (sorry) yes I think the fact that the girls had to ad-lib when one started something – it had to be finished and though it sounded alright, it was perhaps a little over the top. They are wanting to see my interviewing skills – so hopefully (apart from the first 5 minutes with nerves) I did okay. I wrote my first ‘practice’ eulogy yesterday and I have another 3 to complete. I did not realise how long or involved they can be, hence not writing much on the ‘blog’. Thanks for reading Brian 🙂