Shirley Goodman 1935-2012

As my sister tells me, "I am not very sensitive to other's feelings". My mother was comatose for a good few days, so even though I was scheduled to come to see my parents for Christmas not till Friday, I came a day earlier. I got things squared away at work (even though we had a new WILL IT BLEND episode being released on the "end of the world").

I got to the house and went to see this frail, week yet sweet woman who gave me all I have... my life, now ready to leave hers. I barely got a nod and a grunt when I told her that I was here. Stephanie received the same.

Later that night, we met as a family, all who was there and took turns telling her good night. The next day she was still breathing, but not even moving. My sisters Connie and Pam continued to move her around to try to make her comfortable, but we didn't even know what she was feeling.

Finally, a blessing was given by Connie's father-in-law, who was also a patriarch, and asked The Lord to relieve her of her pain. And not more then 3 hours later, she passed. After about 30 minutes, with family gathering, calling hospice and giving the official report, I let my other family members know, then put a posting on Facebook.

My sister, Pam became upset with me the next morning because her kids found out about it on Facebook before she could call them herself. It was 2 in the morning, so I didn't figure many people would have read the post till later, but I was wrong. I assume I will always do something wrong in the sight of my sister Pam, not sure how to handle it.

All I can think of is Mom is now in a better place and no longer having to deal with this evil and mixed-up world. Love you, mom.



- POSTED BY KELS GOODMAN

THE LATEST... (START BLOGGING BACK UP AGAIN)

It has been an interesting day. In fact, it has been an interesting few weeks. Interesting few months.

Yesterday, I went to the re-baptism of Rob Diamond. It was the most spiritual baptism I had ever gone to. It meant several things. I was asked by Rob to give the opening prayer. During the opening song (before the prayer) many things floated into my mind, that I was still processing.

Thus, as I started to say the prayer, I broke down and cried, which I don't do much. And I can't talk very well when I am crying, so I struggled through the prayer. I then exited the chapel as they started the meeting.

What went through my head first was how joyous it is to see a friend in the film world come back into the fold and make a decision to live according to what he believes. Rob has been through a lot these past 20 years. Much of which I know nothing about and wish to keep it that way. But, the film business is an ugly business. I jokingly tell young people who want to get in that if you are not strong in the Gospel, you might as well just leave the faith now, because it will be challenged. I can't count how many married mothers who want to be actors in the film business have left their spouses and left their church to go "change the world" or go "seek after their fortune" in becoming actors or actresses in film.

That is what I have said many times, in LDS Cinema, there are those who are "just LDS enough" to be in an LDS film and dump the church. I feel it a big reason why LDS Cinema struggles. We are not giving the "glory to God" like many successful Christian movies do. (save that for another discussion). So to see a fallen soul come back into the fold, is much to cry about.

I met Rob through my second wife, Heather. While I was married to her, I come to Utah and worked on a film with Dave Sapp that Rob was producing. Heather kept telling me about him, but I had never heard of him. She said we would get along and she was right. I consider him a close friend, and it is our hope that we have more films to work on together.


In the midst of all this, the night before, I was informed that my father had been in the hospital and has leukemia and if he doesn't do the extraneous (28 days of treatments in the hospital) that he would only have weeks to live. He has chosen against the treatment. I don't blame him.


Ironically, my mother, who has been fighting cancer for 3 or more years, is now in a bed-ridden position, and was also given 3 weeks to live (which was 6 weeks ago, and is actually doing better then my dad.

So we are waiting to get my father home from the hospital and my mother is already at home, being set up with a hospice program. Thanks to my two sisters who live there in Vegas near them, they are being taken care of. I personally have taken 6 trips to Vegas in the past two-three months.

So in the Goodman family, we are overwhelmed by these events, but have a calm feeling toward our lives here-after. I have a brother and sister who passed away years ago and I am sure they are awaiting their arrival. I feel for those who don't have some sort of comfort as to the other side. Such as my favorite drummer, Neil Peart.... but I will save that discussion for another blog post.

Until then, 2013 is going to be a full plate of events, keep in touch.

- POSTED BY KELS GOODMAN