Whoah. Viewing. Intense. I, like, don't want to be viewed. And now I know my my mother doesn't want to be viewed either.

It's strange being back in New Orleans. I feel weird, but we will be taking some advantage of the locale tonight by finding food downtown. I need to decompress after the viewing. Watching D's mother deal, watching her sister, watching her son refuse to deal...

Viewings tend to the barbaric, for me. But I have open-casket funeral issues anyway. Too damned many as a kid.

Oof, ita. We had viewings for a couple of my grandparents. Wasn't too traumatic, but also reinforced not my thing. Watching reactions at funerals is always the part that kills me. I can stay all about my reaction until the minute I look at someone, then I start taking them on and it's always rough.

Hope you find good food and have good conversations.

I hope you are able to adequately decompress, ita. Viewings have never had the advertised closure effect on me either.

I've found the viewings to be - helpful isn't exactly the word. Grounding maybe, or something. I get they're not for everyone. But for me it's been a big part of processing and grieving.

ita, I hope you're able to have a calm and soothing evening, and wish the best for you and your family.

Mmm yeah viewings are tough. But you`re there with family, you`re together. That`s the important bit about funerals.

We already have a candidate for worst dressed of 2010

Is that a bedazzled wetsuit?

Completely unrelated... compare and contrast. The pair after those two is a little more dramatic.

Mmm yeah viewings are tough. But you`re there with family, you`re together. That`s the important bit about funerals.

Yeah, that. And you don't have to only be sad the whole time. That's OK.

I don't like viewings. I don't want to be viewed. I get earwormed with Forest Lawn and get hysterical giggles, which really is not respectful. Or understood by others.