Pass the gravy and a copy of your 'Do Not Resuscitate' form.

I'm a dedicated reader of the New York Times health section, and lately I've noticed a bombardment of stories about end-of-life care. They even have a whole blog called "The New Old Age" about caring for elderly parents. What to do with Mom when she can't live alone. How to make sense of Dad's Alzheimer's. How to help your parents move into an old folks home when they can't sell their house in a collapsed real estate market.

But this takes the cake. Today's Boston Globe features a story about a blogging movement called Engage with Grace that encourages people to talk with their families about their what to do when their number's up. At Thanksgiving.

I don't mean to diminish the importance of this, because I think their message is certainly a good one. We should have these conversations. And it makes sense to have them when everyone is around, and there are plenty of witnesses. The death of a loved one is obviously a miserable subject, and it can be helpful to negotiate a person's wishes with several people around, who can help each other from getting too emotional. It's also important to do it before you think you need to, lest someone dies unexpectedly.

But really, guys? At Thanksgiving?

"Hi, James. How is everything at Penn State? And in the event that you are unable to speak or decide for yourself, would you prefer to die at home or in a hospital? Are you gonna have the pumpkin or apple pie?"

I think my family holidays are awkward enough, thanks. My bigger concern is with the media's obsession with these kinds of stories. Mostly leaning toward the "taking care of your parents" side of things So many sad stories to tell, but why so many right now? On one side we have the media squeezing every last saccharine drop of human interest fluff out of the Obama family (national crisis, anyone?), and everyone else is busy writing about whether euthanising your mother is appropriate.

I guess I can't catch my break. I'm already worried about never being able to find a job, buy a house, get credit, or pay off my student loan debt. This Thanksgiving, I was hoping to enjoy my day off, overeat, overdrink, and oh, I don't know. Maybe laugh. But no. You know what? I am being told to think about my death and the deaths of everyone around me. Let's just invite a lawyer along and make sure everyone's will is in order. I want to make sure that if I meet an untimely death that Kermit gets a good home, and someone makes sure to tell Celine how much I love her.

Photo courtesy of Connie.