martinimade

Once upon a time, Lisa and Adrienne worked for the same alternative newsweekly. Now, both spend their respective days mining their creative souls and leading hermit-like lives. And so an idea was hatched. Every week, one would send the other a sketch - either in illustration or word form - and the other would make a companion sketch. The result would be posted on both their blogs every week, just for grins. Even if the result isn't award-worthy, the exercise might make both minds more nimble. Hopefully.

There is so much information nestled between the lines of an obit, so much heartbreak suggested by so few words: “predeceased by infant son,” say, or, “died alone at the Matilda Johnson Nursing Home.” And there’s joy, too. “Died peacefully.” “Survived by…” “Loved.” So many stories in those formulaic texts, a life both described and decanted. Still, I can’t help but envy Mr “died on a beach in Hawaii.” Inshallah.