Happy Birthday meara and Jen!

To hell with that no crying crap. I want people bawling their eyes out at my sendoff. There'll be plenty of good food, and stories and laughing are also encouraged, but tears are mandatory.

JZ need have no fear in this regard.

Art Nouveau Cookie jar is appealing as a final resting place

That's lovely.

Art Nouveau Cookie jar

Possibly too small.

Cosigned on the dcp's 'too small' comment...in my experience.

Though, that is a beautiful container. And, given that what is left of us does not remotely look like fireplace ash, it would work!

For what it’s worth, I think about how people will remember me and my guess is that they’d bring up some kind of generosity (that’s the most common compliment I get) but honestly I’d SO much rather be remembered as funny! You don’t have to work at generosity, anyone can do it. But to be funny? Much rarer.

And yeah, it’s so wild that Jacqueline said those words and without even remembering her instructions, we all naturally honor them.

And David, ya got us for better or for worse tho I know it’s a small consolation. And people are very concerned with the after, and will be here for you.

For what it’s worth, I think about how people will remember me and my guess is that they’d bring up some kind of generosity (that’s the most common compliment I get) but honestly I’d SO much rather be remembered as funny! You don’t have to work at generosity, anyone can do it. But to be funny? Much rarer.

I dunno. I know way more funny people than I do generous people, so maybe anyone can do it, but most people don't! Don't sell yourself short here.

I dunno. I know way more funny people than I do generous people, so maybe anyone can do it, but most people don't! Don't sell yourself short here.

Hmmm okay good point. I hadn’t thought of it like that. I guess I was looking at it as to be generous, ya give something of what you have to someone else. Tada! But the ability to make someone laugh can feel like magic.

When I was working the funeral homes answering service job, many people chose to have cremated remains made into jewelry. Which did not appeal to me, but a lot of folks found it comforting to carry that with them through each day. Plus, you could have multiple "stones" made.

That was a weird and very sobering job.

We got H's dad's ashes back in a wood-grained heavy plastic box. Plastic bag inside with his ashes. We kept the box, for whatever reason, after we scattered the ashes. When the funeral home told us "if you have a preferred container for your son's ashes, we will of course use that." Dad's plastic box had a sticker on it (serial number? dunno) and we left it. The funeral home people looked at the box, and we told them, "It was Dad's. They'd both love that we reused it." They told us there would be another tag on it, and did we want them to remove Dad's? "No, leave it. We may reuse the box again; it can accumulate tags and stickers, like old-fashioned luggage. Instead of places, for people." They looked blank for a minute, and then they smiled. H and I both plan to use it. StY knows.

I very much love your analogy of the tapestry, David. I shall keep and treasure that, thank you.

At my Dad's funeral, and for weeks after, everybody asked me, "How's your mom?" Not one person--not one--asked how I was. We will want to know how you are, how Matilda and Emmett and JZ's mom and brothers are--but mostly how you are.

I want to sit at Jacqueline's desk in the attic and look at her Turniphead picture, and the other things she collected for her special space, and be with her for a while. It's a very lovely idea.

When I was working the funeral homes answering service job, many people chose to have cremated remains made into jewelry.

I would like to be made into bling and ink.