<snip>

>
> Consider yourself lucky. My parents used to take us to family funerals
(great
> aunts and great uncles) from the time I was very young. I was a pall
bearer at
> the funeral of my best friend who was killed in a motorcycle accident when
I was
> 14, and again 4 months later for another friend who was killed in a car
> accident. I hate funerals, but attendance is, IMO, a matter of doing the
right
> thing, whether you like funerals or not. Aside from being flooded with
old and
> sad memories at funerals, the services themselves just **** me right off.
> Ministers always use the services as an opportunity to push their
mythology and
> try to explain the their god has a reason for the person's death.

AMEN BRUDDAH!!!!!!!

>
> > We attended a "dead spread" luncheon at the home of the 46-year-old
friend's
> > widow after the funeral. All of the close friends and family were asked
to
> > bring a dish to pass. I brought King Ranch Chicken and peach cobbler.
Lots
> > and lots of people attended, so there was *tons* of all sorts of food
and
> > copious amounts of alcohol.
>
> A few people in my wife's family have done memorial cocktail parties
instead of
> funerals or wakes.
>
>

OOOOOoooooooooooooohhhhhhhh! A memorial cocktail party! I'm going to have
to drill that into people's heads. That and donate all that's left of me;
where I'm going I won't need it!

It's perfect!

helen