More thoughts...

I had to go to a funeral yesterday. M and G picked me up for the drive down to Old Town Alexandria, and since we had allowed for traffic, we got there about an hour early. We decided to go another 11 miles and see if we could see Mt. Vernon: the answer is no, we couldn't (wasn't open yet), but it was a nice side-trip anyway! The drive was gorgeous in my eyes -- very gray, stark, and misty, which I loved. It seemed appropriate for a funeral, and for Thanksgiving; my favorite was when you couldn't see the difference between the river and the sky. Lovely.

Anyway, during the funeral service, I started thinking: What would my funeral service be like? I was born in a Catholic hospital, raised a Southern Baptist missionary kid, and went to British and Lutheran schools… in Hong Kong. I call my religion "Phredism" because it's mine, an amalgam of everything I've learned and believed through the years and the main tenet of Phredism is "Do unto others as you would have done to you." I can't imagine having a church service for my immortal soul since I believe it's already been taken care of.

I started thinking about the music I would like to be played: Solace (Scott Joplin), Rhapsody in Blue (George Gershwin), All Good Gifts (from "Godspell"), and Every Little Thing She Does (The Police). And on the classical side, maybe "The Heavens are Telling" or anything by Mozart. I'd like to maybe record something with my nephew, maybe "Angel" by Sarah McLaughlin. That would be kind of cool to have my voice at my own funeral. If not, then I'd love for Stephen to sing something, especially if it's his own composition. And "I Wish" by Stevie Wonder. OK, pretty much anything by Stevie Wonder. "Bridge Over Troubled Water"? And what was that song I heard last night by Rare Earth? "I Just Want To Celebrate (Another Day of Living)," yeah, that's it. Elton John, Beatles, Motown (Marvin, 'Retha, Rev. Al Green, Smokey, Gladys and her Pips, etc. etc. etc.), Coldplay, U2, Crowded House, TOFOG, … oh the list goes on, who can choose? ;-)

As for words, I'd like to be able to say something to everyone who had been in my life and made me a better person. And then I realized that it would be a better idea to go ahead and say it while I'm still alive!

So:

• Thanks to the Hoodlums who have stuck with me through thick and thin and thick (and thick) again.
• Thanks to my family who love me anyway.
• Thanks to my parents for raising me to think for myself.
• Thanks to Mom for always being willing to stand on her head.
• Thanks to Dad for introducing me to mystery books, crossword puzzles, and Shakespeare.
• Thanks to my kitties who snuggle with me when I am down.
• Thanks to Sara, Rachel, Emily, and Stephen who give me inexpressible joy, always.
• Thanks to my brother for being there when I needed him and for always ALWAYS laughing with me.
• Thanks to my sister "K" for being such a wonderful, caring, amazing person and thanks to her and her husband for letting all of us invade their space for so many Thanksgivings!
• Thanks to my sister "C" for opening up about things she didn't want to talk about, so when I experienced them I knew what I was in for and wasn't as scared. And thanks for sitting on Dave when we were kids.
• Thanks to my in-laws for recognizing what wonderful people my siblings are, and loving them even AFTER you met the rest of the family.
• Thanks to the people who serve our country, in unbelievable ways.
• Thanks to Ang who will sit down right next to me even (especially) if she has nothing nice to say.
• Thanks to the police and all emergency personnel who go into the situations from which the rest of us run away.
• Thanks to all of my ex-boyfriends who taught me something even though it hurt. Every time.
• Thanks to all my high school teachers for being brave enough to move overseas to teach ornery, obnoxious, smart-ass "third culture" kids. And for doing such a great job of it! (Especially Mr. Matthews, Mrs. Chern, Mrs. Jiminez, Mr. Kohl, and Mr. Meyers)
• Thanks to the people who walk their dogs down the street and let me meet them. I can't have a dog in my apartment, so I really NEED my dog fix!
• Thanks to the dogs I meet who give me waggy tails and puppy kisses.
• Thanks to my DC friends for laughing at my jokes and making me giggle and "lol out loud" when I really really need it.
• Thanks to the people walking on the sidewalk who make eye contact and smile.
• Thanks to the guys behind Monty Python for making me laugh and laugh and laugh.
• Thanks for sunshine and for rainy days.
• Thanks to Todd for letting me hear the Elton John/John Lennon concert (awesome!), Rare Earth, and Motown, and all of the great bands to whom you've introduce me.
• Thanks to my friends at Crowe Crossing for their imagination, artistry, hilarity, and caring.
• Thanks to Dale Wilson (and "The Sting") for introducing me to Scott Joplin music.
• Thanks to my best friend from college (M) who introduced me to DC so many years ago and helped convince me to move to DC. And G for loving her, and for being the token man in the Hoodlums.
• Thanks to Mike, Andy, and Ben for being the best trivia team EVER (even if you did move away and leave me stranded).
• Thanks to Pioneer Woman for making me laugh, smile, and drool over her cooking. And for convincing me to start this blog (without even knowing it).
  

I'm pretty sure this list will continue!