Random thoughts, post-funeral

Went to a funeral this afternoon.

1. When I got up this morning with Katherine it was sunny. When we went to her swim class at 9:30a, it was 60 degrees outside.

   It had started snowing when I got to I-70 at 2:30p, and was coming down heavily in Evergreen when I arrived there for the service. Coming back around 4:30p, it was 25mph time on I-70 coming down the grade at Gennessee (thank you, Subaru), and it was around 30 degrees most of the afternoon at home, and dropping.

   Colorado spring weather. Go fig.

2. The Bergen Park Free Evangelical Church uses the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, which was convenient, if unexpected. I also knew all the hymns. It made for an odd cross-fertilization between Religious Life and Job Folks, as a number of other people from the company (including several from Houston) were there. (And interesting, in a random way, to see who went up to communion, who seemed to know what hymns, etc.)

3. The church itself was an interesting mix of pineboard siding, loving-hands stained glass, and hi-tech sound system and projection system. It was also packed full with friends, co-workers, and family. Steve had a wide circle.

4. I so have to plan my funeral, including what readings, what music, and what themes are not to be part of the proceedings. My preference is that the priest, to the extent he knows me, talks about me, and to the extent he doesn’t, simply shuts up.
   Themes not to be part of the sermon include (A) “I don’t know anything about Dave, but let me generalize from knowing that he worked with computers,” (B) “Aren’t we all lucky that we’re saved by Christ, unlike (explicitly or implicitly) those other poor, damned souls,” and (C) “Dave believed X, Y, and Z. Thus, he is saved (see (B)).”

   As to (A), folks trying to draw forth stereotypes from my interests is the last thing I want (hell, I’ve lived with the negative consequence of it for forty-odd years). As to (B) I don’t believe it and I certainly don’t want it thrown in the face of those who have been good enough to attend my funeral service. As to (C) it is highly unlikely that the officiant will truly know what I believe, and the more orthodox it sounds, the less likely it is to be true, beyond a general belief in the existence, omnibenevolence, and purpose of the Deity (with a variety of theological extrapolations from that which hit on enough Christian bits to qualify me as such, or at least make me comfortable in Christian settings, but which also include some bits that would probably get me stoned in some quarters, and I’m not talking about taking drugs here).

5. It’s amazing how some songs, normally heard played stirringly on the organ by a very competent competent organist, can sound a lot dorkier when played on the piano by a barely-competent pianist. Especially when the words are projected on the screen from a badly laid out PowerPoint presentation.

6. Steve was a great guy. He had his faults, as do we all, and his temper was occasionally one of those, but, in general, he was a rare combination in the IT world of competence, enthusiasm, helpfulness, and interests in things outside of the IT/job realm (family, outdoors activities). It was a pleasure hiring him, a pleasure working with him, and I’m sorry (both personally and from a corporate aspect) that he’s gone.

7. Dude died of a heart attack. Makes one think of what impact one’s own death would have if it happened, say, RIGHT NOW. Loved ones taken care of? Final messages sent? Things you always meant to do done?

   Gives one pause.

   What would I regret (presuming I would have a post-death existence to have regrets over) were I to die right now? Not regret as in, “Wish I’d done that differently” (though of those, I have a few), but regret as in, “Wish I’d gotten that taken care of before I died.”

   Hrm.