It's the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine)

It was Deasy's funeral on Friday, and standing room only at the crematorium, followed by a wake at St George Labour Club. I left after a while to do a surgery, and came back afterwards to find them still going strong, which would have pleased JD no end. Even though he'd been in good health, he'd discussed things beforehand with a friend, as people do, and had said he definitely didn't want any religion in the service. He must also have said he wanted The Laughing Policemen played, as that's what he got. Bit bizarre, but very JD.

Should I find myself in such a situation - and I'm going to be doing some rather dangerous things next week, by which I don't mean cycling round Bristol City Centre, although Charlie Bolton has emailed to offer me a bike lesson - I think I'd go for REM's 'Find the River' on the grounds that it's not quite as depressing as most of the music I listen to, and not as noisy, so it won't upset the old folk. Plus there's something quite comforting about Michael Stipe's voice, and something quite apt about the lyrics. (This is the sort of thing I think about when walking home from work of an evening....)

I put this on public record because I had a similar conversation with my (former church warden) mother once, about not wanting a religious service or hymns. Her response was something along the lines of - well if you go first, you won't be around to have any say in the matter! So it could be Lord of the Dance after all.