How One Man Found Purpose in Being a Death Doula (Michael Rogers)
Only audio of Michael can be heard. There are no questions asked or any reaction to what Micahel says. The audio is clear and consistent. There are no major peaks or areas where the sounds become too soft/dull. The story ends at 1:57 but there is outro music that prolongs the recording over 3 minutes. I find this meaningless because it doesn’t add much to the story in my opinion. Sure the music allows the listener to sit with the story and let it sink in but they don’t need the music to last almost as long as the story they just heard. The story itself pulled me because death is a morbid thought that most wouldn’t want to ponder on for too long. Michael talked frankly about how understanding what happens after death can be a guiding light for how to live your life. It will force you to think about how you would like to be remembered. I also enjoyed the photos that were posted along with the story. It gives the listener a tangible idea of Michael’s life.
Amor Eterno: Remembering Ana Guissel Palma on Dia de los Muertos (Kathy Lopez and Cesar Viveros)
Audio is very clear and sharp. Consistent throughout the whole recording as well. There is a short introduction to the story before it begins to give some context on the conversation. I don’t mind the intro but I don’t find it particularly useful since I believe there are enough context clues in the story itself to decipher what is going on. Once the story does begin, it is like a conversation between Kathy and Cesar more than it is an interview. For me personally, I really enjoyed this conversation because it feels very intimate and raw. There is also an outro track that plays for about 20 or so seconds. As it approaches the end of the time, it begins to fade out. Another story about Death put from the perspective of the loved ones. Again it’s about how we want to be remembered. I think of my deaths in my own family. The stories we tell about our passed family members keeps them alive in our memories and those stories will continue to be told for generations. There is also an added layer of identity in this story. I don’t know why, but I felt an understanding when Kathy mentioned she had to translate to the paramedics the day Ana passed away. Being a child of immigrants and being a first gen American in my family allows me to empathize with Kathy on a different level.