My week.

A big thing happened, and I haven’t been able to write about it yet, simply ’cause I had to catch up on sleep, etcetera, so … here’s a rundown of what I spent my week doing.

My grandmother passed away on the 21st of February 2008, after a two-to-three-year long stay in a home for people who can’t take care of themselves, or are really sick and too old to do anything about it, etc. She just died of old age (rather than the tumour in her stomach) and left us. A sizable portion of her family attended the funeral, including her brother, all of her living children, most of her grandchildren, and at least one friend of the family. As such, I had to head down to Vancouver on Monday night (after school) and stay with my Uncle George, along with my parents, and since George’s apartment isn’t all that big, it was quite crowded with me, my mom, my dad, George, and his ladyfriend Kathy there. My parents were lucky enough to get the “guest room” (it’s a room with a bed, and a TV, but I don’t know if George has any other use for it) with the pull-out bed, but were unlucky enough to both be sick with horrendous colds, which they STILL are getting over. I, on the other hand, slept on George’s couch the first night, which got me about 4 hours of uncomfortable sleep, and 5 hours of rolling over and being in pain. The cramps and overall pain from that experience still hasn’t left me. The second night (after the funeral) I slept on the floor in his living room, atop some cushions from said couch. It really didn’t work, but at least this time I didn’t die from sweating too much. (George’s apartment is always way too hot. Everyone agrees.) Sadly, I only got two hours of sleep on the floor, and like 8.5 of tossing/turning/groaning/complaining. It was just awful.

Anyway, we ate on the Ferry on the way down on Monday night, and I had chicken strips and fries, which were alright. After disembarking and driving out of the ferry terminal, we set course for George’s apartment. Or at least I thought we did. Turns out my parents didn’t tell me about the “viewing”, as it was called, wherein you see the open casket with the dearly departed in it. Didn’t really bother me, as my grandmother looked quite peaceful, and regal. We arrived late, however, just before they had all locked up, and most people (including George) had already left.

We met up with my Aunt Faith and Uncle Leonard (from Ontario) and my cousins Cindy and Judy (who look 30, but are apparently 40-something) and my parents decided we should all go out and get a coffee, or something. It was at this point we started walking (yes, walking) to the nearest White Spot, about three blocks away… two of which were uphill. I’m not usually in that bad of shape, mind you, but I really hadn’t gone to the gym or anything for a week and a half ‘fore this, and was sick the week before that, so I was in hell. But once we got there, I got free dessert and tea, so it was all good.

After that, we all walked back to the funeral home, and got into our separate vehicles, and went to our separate destinations. We finally arrived at George’s apartment building, and, after my parents called George like four times, went inside and up the elevator to the 9th floor, Room 1, where we saw George and Kathy. We all put our luggage near the washing machine (don’t know why, it’s just what we do) and set off in different directions. My mom headed to get changed in the guest room, as she hadn’t since she left work and went straight to the ferry. My dad kept unpacking, and then went out to the living room, and I went to use the washroom. We all ended up in the living room (with the TV on, but turned way down, and on the TV listings station.. for no apparent reason) and while my parents talked to George and Kathy, I busted out my PSP and played some Pokémon LeafGreen using gpSP, a GBA emulator. I kept playing ’til like.. 10:30, and then switched it off, plugged it in, and went to bed, as everyone else already had.

The next morning, after recovering from some of the horrific agony of sleeping on a couch from the ’40s, I had an egg sandwich .. or something, and we set out for the funeral home. Once we got there, we met up with my grandmother’s brother, Faith and Leonard again, Cindy and Judy again, and finally my Aunt Jean, Cousins Sara and Sean, Uncle Frank, Aunt Linda, and cousin Jennifer, Jennifer’s son, and Sara’s daughter, only one of which I remember the name of. (Faith Joan *last name*, named for my aunt Faith, and my mother.)

Frank, as per usual, set himself aside from everyone else, by sitting on the opposite side of the room, with his family. The service started, the presiding Minister spoke some kind (though preach-filled) words, and after my grandmother’s brother (Claude) spoke about my grandmother (Mildred), some music played, and we were hurried out of the room, and into the “tea room”, where there was free food, and we all talked to each other.

I spent the majority of my time drinking punch, talking to my cousin Sean (who used to live with me and my parents for a year or two, but then moved out, and eventually to Victoria) and my parents. After a few long hours, we all got into cars, and formed a funeral procession, and all drove to the cemetery where my grandmother (and grandfather, as he was cremated, and put into an urn a few years ago, which now rests at my grandmother’s feet, in her casket) was to be interred. It was then sprung upon me that I was to be a pallbearer, and after we all had a good grasp on the casket, we walked my grandmother to her final resting place. (The pallbearers were (in order from my left side, to the right side) Someone (either Claude or Frank, can’t remember which), George, Me, and on the other side, Sean, my dad, and Christian (a cousin I forgot to mention!))

Anyway, there was an ending ceremony, wherein we were invited to “spread some earth upon the casket as a sign of respect, and one last farewell”, which I partook in. Then we finished, and all parted ways. And by that, I mean me, my dad, my mom, and … I believe.. Cindy, got into our car, and drove away following Leonard, Faith, and .. Judy.. and someone else, to a pub between the White Spot and the funeral home. I had my first real meal of the day (chicken strips and fries) and while everyone else had something alcoholic to drink, me and my dad stayed sober. (I was the designated passenger!)

After my dad discovered some sort of… video poker game, thing, that involved everyone from different bars all over B.C., he bought a few tickets, and won on every single one (kept buying more), ‘cept for the last two. And with that, he paid for his gambling, as well as my mom’s Keno ticket, and still had about $3 left over. We then paid, and walked over to Judy’s place, I think it was… where we said goodbye to Faith and Leonard, and Judy and the other woman whose name I can’t recall. Then Cindy got into our van again, and we drove her home to her place in Richmond. There, we met her husband, and son, and a friend of hers, and her son. After sitting around bored for the longest time (every adult had gone outside to smoke, or talk, and the two kids had no interest in me what-so-ever) my parents came out, and we drove back to George’s.

Once there, we used the washroom, talked to George for a li’l while, and then we all (including George and Kathy) headed out to Coquitlam to look for a Red Robin or a White Spot. We found a Red Robin, and I had buffalo chicken strips and fries. It was awesome. We had all sorts of unlimited lemonade, and a tower of onion rings. It was quite cool. After my parents picked up the bill, we headed back to George’s, and I went back to playing Pokémon LeafGreen for the rest of the night. Then I got to sleep on the floor, or at least try.

The next morning, we left George’s quite early (after a doughnut or something) and went out to Lougheed Mall again, and went to the Wal-Mart, where we bought cat food, a Brita filter and new base-station (old one was leaking), a couple o’ drinks (including an Arizona) and … something else I’m sure I’m forgetting. Anyway, we finished up there after I checked out prices on DSes, and games, and saw that they had tonnes of Wiis, DSes, and GameCubes, while they had only one 360, and one PS3 left. It felt like some weird bizzaro Wal-Mart.

We headed out to the ferry, whereupon I had chicken strips and fries for lunch. Then my dad got into his car and drove to IGA to pick up some stuff for my parents dinner, and me and my mom headed home, after a quick stop for gas. I quickly did laundry and unpacked, before heading out to Saffron for dinner in celebration of Ty’s birthday (over a week late) with Ty, Ben, Jeff, Quin, and Christa. Most of us had butter chicken or shai paneer, but Christa had a chicken burger. We finished up, laughed, cried, and all left after an hour or so. Ty caught the bus home, Ben and Jeff walked home, and I got a ride with Quin and Christa back to West Sechelt. After that, I came home, watched a bit o’ TV, and pretty much just went to bed, as I had to go to school the next day.

On Thursday I went to school, as per usual, ‘cept I had forgotten my iPod, so I listened to a bit of music on my PSP. We played Hockey, and I got hit in the face with a ball, and nearly lost my beard to the end of someone’s stick, as they weren’t being all that careful. Luckily, I was fine. Ater that, I went home. Fun Thursday, eh?

Friday I struggled to get up in the morning, and even left home late. I got to school before it started, though, and played some Pokémon LeafGreen before school started. For some reason I really couldn’t stay awake, or even focus very well, but I at least got some Science done. I fell asleep three times during school, but didn’t really seem to bother anyone, as no one else was doing much either.

After school, I went to Quin’s, and played even more Pokémon LeafGreen, while he played Emerald. If you like, you can make a joke about the “my pokemans, let me show you them” meme here. I’ll even pause to give you room to laugh.

Okay. Anyway, just before he started to raid Karazhan with Christa, I left and walked home. Checked my mailbox, got nothing but junk. Got inside, went downstairs to my room, and plugged in my PSP to charge. That’s when I started to catch up on internet news, etc. After that, I watched a bit of TV, read some stuff, ate dinner (spaghetti) and then sat down to write this post.

Thankfully, I’m finally done, as I really just don’t want to write this anymore. Hopefully someone’ll read it from start to finish, ’cause it took quite the effort! ;)

February 29, 2008 · Filed Under Journal

4 Comments 

List: Favourite Composers

I was sitting around earlier, listening to video game music from different games, and the soundtrack for Super Smash Bros. Brawl, when I decided to make a list of my favourite composers. Enjoy. (Not really in any specific order.. but my two favourites are the first two.)

If you want to hear some GOOD music, give those a listen. :)

February 16, 2008 · Filed Under Announcements, Journal, Projects

2 Comments 

The Lazy Podcast #10: Wiidiculous.

First of all, a note about the title: I’m waiting for BillyBob to come online sometime, because I rented Mario Strikers Charged to play with him ($10 for 7 days. jeez.) and it’s nearly been four days now, and he’s still not on. It’s getting Wiidiculous.

Okay, so, I’ve not posted in a while, nor have I posted a podcast since the 8th of October, so here we go. In this one, of course, I start of as usual, by playing my guitar poorly and talking about it. Towards the end I have actual information that only the people who listen to the end (or skip to) get to hear! That’s right, I’m withholding information, baby, and if you don’t like it, you can listen to the podcast.

Anyway, in this one I play chords. Yeah. Chords. Three of ‘em. D, G, and Em. Impressive? No, but I still like ‘em.

So without further adieu:

February 13, 2008 · Filed Under Announcements, Gleipnir, IRC, Iðunn, Journal, Mjolnir, Nasir, Podcast, Projects, School, Ullr

1 Comment 

SAAAAAAAAALT.

I just found out that my next-to-daily (on the weekend, or when I’m off school) meal of Campbell’s Tomato Soup and Premium Plus crackers has 115% of my daily recommended salt intake.

Yeah.

If I eat that, I can’t eat anything else that has salt in it. That sucks.

February 4, 2008 · Filed Under Announcements, Journal

3 Comments