I skipped a funeral last week. This guy played in some local punk bands hung himself and we knew eachother, but were not friends, but I got a bunch of crap for skipping the viewing from some of my friends. I told them that this was a mourning event for his friends and family and not a "scene event" to be seen at, and to treat it like the latter was disrespectful. Peter Tosh said "let the dead bury the dead, I am living man, I have work to do"

Yeah, I kinda feel the same way. I wonder if my boss (who has worked with her for 25 years and knows her well) will be irked because I don't go to the viewing or the funeral, but I feel it would be like "gawking" rather than paying respects, since I really didn't know her and was with her a total of probably 30 minutes over the past 6+ years, and talked to her probably a grand total of 30 sentences (pretty much all project status updates/questions).

I would feel kind of like paparazzi, I think. Yeah, that explains it. I had no plans to go to any of the events anyway, but had a twinge of guilt here and there because of it.

This probably stems from the fact that in other situations, I make it a point to attend funerals as a show of support for the living and respect for the dead. I have missed the funeral of one uncle and one aunt in my whole life, and those will bother me forever. I know people who refuse to go to funerals, and I suppose I understand that, but it still chaps my drawers because it just does not seem "right" to miss a funeral. I guess it really depends on who the departed (and his/her family) was to you.

Of course that last rant has nothing directly to do with this situation, I'm just sayin'...

Where the hell is everyone these days? Did the U.K. fall off the edge of the world when I wasn't looking?

They're probably on a bank holiday of some sort.

I tend to view wakes as more of a thing for the living, though. If I know someone who is attending the wake, I will go for their sake. i may not even know the guy who died.

Hmmmm...yeah, I have done that before also, slightly different angle than I have for this VP though. Going in support-of I whole-heartedly approve of (now you can sleep easier - no need for thanks). Even that though, for me, I would limit to close friends and family (the supportees, I mean). For example, I know my boss will go, but I don't feel any need to go with him...but I assume you mean friends and family when you say "someone who is attending the wake" so we probably feel the same way about that.

I went to the funeral of my second ex-wife's grandfather even after a very bitter divorce, because I knew him pretty well and was part of the family for many years, seeing him regularly and spent a lot of time with him. I was nervous about that, but the family was glad to see me there, even though as soon as it was over they probably went back to hating my guts. I left right after the service and a few goodbyes and "sorry about your loss"es. I did not take my girlfriend with me, even though she half-heartedly offered to accompany me *L*

That was kind of an odd day, but I would do it again. My motivation there was to him and secondarily to the family. I would have left if, as I expected, I entered the church and any of them stood up and said "what the HELL are YOU doing here, asshole?".

It should be OK to eat Top Ramen from 2005, shouldn't it? Maybe 2004. I mean, it's dry...noodles have not turned to dust...little packet of spices are not yet turned to stone.

Let's give this a go....

Pfft...What do you think the cockroaches are going to live on after the nuclear apocalypse ;-)

Good point! *LOL* It was OK...spice pack was a little "off", but as I remember, they were that also when fresh off the shelf.

What is this "gambling" that you speak of?

Unprotected sex with a USC cheerleader in my marital bed while my latina wife is expected home from work at any time.

Sorry...I assumed that was self-explanatory.

Top Ramen ought to be fine... Bottom Ramin probably wasn't good when it was first gotten.

-PatP

Just curioius, but where do you draw the line between gambling and suicide ?

-PatP

I had to laugh at that as I typed it out, Pat...as if. I was reminded of a comment made by my mom early in my relationship (back when Patricia was The Bolivian). My mom said "you better be careful, she might get mad at you and stab you while you sleep, you know how those latinos are". Ahhh Mom, who has never really met or spoken to a latina (she lives on the coast of Oregon in what appears to be an all-white retirement community).

Yahoo! Answers is another of those websites that I like to read and toy with from time to time.

There are a LOT of screwed up people out there that not only should not be voting, they should not be tying their own shoes.

Oh that, sure.
I just never new there was a name for it.