So nice to have so much actual experience to draw from.

In much less important news, I have such a quandry! I still can't decide if I actually want to get the Invisalign. The orthodontist said that to actually fix my mouth would take real braces and teeth pulling, but I definitely don't care enough about my overbite for all that. Just straightening out the front is 12-18 months and several thousand dollars, although apparently I have the best possible insurance for this. I have the money. But is this where I should be spending it? I have to decide today for maximum FSA benefit. On one upside, my night guard is getting manky, and that would be $500 to replace, so there's an upcoming dental expense that this would replace. Dither, dither, dither!!

I'd lean away from anything that involves tooth-pulling, because teeth are not replaceable, so if you lost one or two naturally, you'd still have some to fill the gaps. But then, I've had 4 pulled because eventually root canals and crowns didn't save teeth, so I'm hanging on fiercely to all that are left.

I'ms so sorry for your loss, tommyrot. Also, I think if you have a nicer pair of trousers, you could get away with just buying a dark blazer to put over a dress shirt and tie.

Yikes, Jesse. I don't know; my dentist recommended braces for my lower bite a year or so back, but I'm really disinclined. They don't bother me much, frankly.

tommy, the rules on black appear to be pretty flexible. Dark colors generally are appropriate, but I wouldn't worry if you can't find a solid black suit. Of course, if there are sticklers in your family...

I'm off to the mountains today: I have an appointment at a ski shop to buy New! Ski! Boots! for the first time in 15 years. (Not that there will be any skiing in California this winter, but I might be able to ski in Colorado at some point.) And then I will spend the weekend splitting and stacking wood at the ski lodge. I'm going to bring my laptop, though, hoping to do some writing.

I need to fish out my camera, too, and take some pictures of Dad's dog. If I want to find him a new home, I need to provide evidence of his cuteness.

Also, I think if you have a nicer pair of trousers, you could get away with just buying a dark blazer to put over a dress shirt and tie.

I should have said this, too, in addition to pimping for Men's Warehouse. Tim bought a suit because he didn't have nice dress pants or a blazer (his clothes were, at best, dress-casual for, say, a super laid-back company; this is what happens when you work in a warehouse). So since he would have needed to buy pants and a jacket anyway, he decided he wanted a suit. But if you already have dress pants and only need to buy a blazer, do that. Unless you want a suit.

Have you set a date for the funeral yet?

No, I think we're deciding this afternoon.

eta: I'm driving up today, then probably back to Chicago and then back up before the funeral.

I'd lean away from anything that involves tooth-pulling, because teeth are not replaceable, so if you lost one or two naturally, you'd still have some to fill the gaps

Yeah, I don't think she was seriously recommending it. Anyway, I like my overbite. Invisalign or GTFO!

Jesse, FWIW, my dentist said I'd have to have a tooth pulled to get my teeth straight. The Invisalign orthodontist said, pfft, no problem. All my teeth remain in my jaws and they are straight now. I was absolutely opposed to pulling healthy teeth. So if you haven't seen a dedicated Invisalign orthodontist yet, I'd suggest doing that before you make up your mind.

tommy, nobody in our old-fashioned town came to my mom's funeral in black, not even us. I think you're fine in a dark jacket.

I had never heard of Party Girl. I knew of Funny Girl, but I've never seen it. Princess Bride forms a certain amount of my vocabulary.

Also, I think if you have a nicer pair of trousers, you could get away with just buying a dark blazer to put over a dress shirt and tie.

Absolutely. I wouldn't get something you wouldn't wear again. I went shopping for something to wear for my dad's funeral and ended up with a yellow and gray dress. He would have liked it.

Oh yeah, she said they would be straight and all there, just not directly on top of each other. And I have to decide today if I'm putting a crapload of money into my FSA, hence all of the dithering. Without a timeline, I just wait until the decision pops into my head, which it usually does, eventually.