knowhere
The upside of this, however, is stubling across gems like this, from my favourite news site of all.
Possibly the world's most unapologetic smoker will be remembered in future by a memorial she would have approved of - an outsize concrete ashtray in the garden of the nursing home where she died at 105.
Staff and residents promised to think fondly of Marie Ellis when they slip outside for cigarette breaks and flick their ash into the gently curving monument, or use it to stub out butts.
"We all remember Marie for her smoking," said Maria Kallis, matron of the Eaton Lodge home at Westgate in Kent. "That's why we wanted to do this. All of us will use it and think of her. There's not a day goes by when we don't mention Marie."
The ashtray was dedicated yesterday at a short service conducted by Canon Roy White, chaplain to the town's nursing homes, while 11 residents and staff looked on.
Miss Ellis, whose gravestone inscription "ashes to ashes" raises smiles from her friends, was cremated in December. Mourners left the cremato rium chapel to the strains of Smoke Gets In Your Eyes by the Platters.
Miss Ellis, who never married, defied medical opinion to reach her great age despite smoking an estimated 495,000 cigarettes since taking up the habit at the age of 15. She worked as a typist before retiring. She was also celebrated at the home for her unhealthy diet, taking three spoonfuls of sugar in her coffee and often adding it to soup.
She died of a heart condition, apparently unrelated to her 90-year addiction.
Awww bless!
So it's the election today, which means hell night at work. I'll be there until at leasy 2.30am. Luckily, they're not expecting me in till 6pm. And there will be free pizza and beer. Apparently, election night protocol involves getting roaring drunk. Woo hoo!
I have a confession to make. Part of my fabulous new job is editing the infamous letters page, one of the most popular features of the newspaper. We get some really insane, ridiculous letters, and we'll print pretty much everything. When I took the job, I was told I would have free reign to select and edit and - brace yourself - even rewrite if necessary. The serious, ethical journalist in me was shocked at this. Surely you can't just make shit up! No way!
But alas... last night I acquisced. I had a lot of space to fill, and slim pickings with which to fill it... sooooo... I wrote two of the letters myself!!! Ack! Terrible, eh? They won't be too controversial, I'm sure. Just silly inconsequential dribble. But I still feel a little guilty.
The best part of the job, however, is getting to pick the pictures that are printed alongside some of these nonsensical letters. Last night I chose a photo of Animal from the Muppets. For no reason, really. It didn't even have anything to do with any of the letters. But that's the beauty of it - it doesn't have to! I also came up with a random headline.. "Taking the road to know where." It was kind of loosely tied to a batch of letters about Iraq/politics/a plan to take down road signs. But I'm not sure it makes sense.. or even what it means. Luckily, no one questioned it.
