My feelings about Amy Winehouse have always been similar to those I feel for Charlie Sheen: admiring, extremely maternal, and not widely shared by other women in my age bracket. In the short time she's been gone, I've seen comments on Facebook that made me walk away from the computer in a rage. Someone wrote, "Why are we mourning a drug addict instead of the people of Norway?" Several people immediately "liked" this comment.
I would like to have written, Believe it or not, some of us actually have it in our heart to mourn both situations. But Agatha wisely pointed out that if I commented, I'd receive the follow-up comments in my inbox.
There's that narcissism, the hubris that makes me think if only I could have had her in my home, I could have nursed her into sobriety and health with ham sandwiches.
I am too late, Amy, but these are for you. I don't know if you prefer mayonnaise or mustard, so I made both.
I feel the same way. Damn her parents for using her and not helping her. She was an addict because she was in pain. Such a loss!
Posted by: Michelle | July 23, 2011 at 01:59 PM
That's interesting and puzzling. All my FB friends who have commented (most local, except you) are saying RIP, Amy or positive comments about her music. Think it's geographical? Hippy NoCal? I totally agree with you. FWIW, I think we can hold two (maybe even more) thoughts at the same time....'cuz we're evolved that way. Or maybe I just agree because I've spent a lot of time with drug users and their offspring so I have a bit of a soft spot for those who lost their way.
Posted by: Dixie | July 23, 2011 at 02:04 PM
I'm with you. I wonder if it's a mother-of-girls thing, feeling so awful about what happened to her? I pondered for a moment whether I was fixating on her death because my brain cannot comprehend the enormity of the horror in Norway, especially at the youth camp, but then I realized that no; both situations are just making me exquisitely sad. Addiction and mental illness are both woefully undertreated worldwide -- think how different this weekend would have been if they weren't.
Posted by: Kathy | July 23, 2011 at 07:43 PM
Shame on me, I had somewhat the same reaction as the person on FB. You are right, of course. Talent and a life, wasted.
Posted by: kmkat | July 23, 2011 at 08:14 PM
Not a surprise about Amy, but still sad. I wonder if she'd have preferred wheat or rye. And if she preferred rye with seeds.
Posted by: Glenna | July 23, 2011 at 08:37 PM
I was not a fan of hers, except when I first heard "Rehab" I did burst out laughing in my office, in appreciation of the hilarious lyrics. However, I certainly didn't see any need to post unfunny jokes and snide comments about her death on FB or elsewhere. (Probably more of my FB friends did post messages of sympathy, mostly women.)
Posted by: TXC | July 23, 2011 at 09:33 PM
You were the first person I thought of when I heard the news.
It's just so effen sad. And I agree with Michelle, damn everyone who used her and didn't try to get her some help.
Posted by: Heather | July 23, 2011 at 10:28 PM
Genuinely sad here about both situations. My father called me to let me know that she had died - he likes her music too!
Posted by: Ingrid | July 23, 2011 at 10:33 PM
What, a drug addict isn't a child of God? I don't mean to sound all preachy-preachy, but . . . There's an image in one of the psalms somewhere of God as a mother hen protecting her chicks under her wings. I love that, and I have definitely thought of it more often since I became a mother.
Posted by: Tamara | July 24, 2011 at 05:41 AM
I really did'n know much about her,her music and her problems.But this makes me sad-- so young and talented.This is really,really sad.
Posted by: Irma | July 25, 2011 at 08:40 AM
Amen.
Love those sandwiches. You are awesome:)
Posted by: Jen from Windy Ridge | July 26, 2011 at 11:22 PM