About Whatever

Planning My Funeral Was Actually Fun

2026-04-04T20:59:10Z

I was up late last night with a bad IBS flare, so I did what anyone would do, I planned my funeral.

I've been dithering over cremation vs whatever else there is,including being cremated & then shot into space. But sadly, that's a tad too expensive (but still my first choice).

So, I have selected The Cremation Society of PA to roast my mortal coil. My burial insurance plan will cover that expense. I am leaving written instructions to please use a recent photo in my obituary (I don't like the ones where the person is 112 but their photo is from college graduation in 1940). I am writing my own obit because it's going to be my swan song so i might as well do it myself.

Unless I win a lottery, there's not going to be anything of value to leave anybody, so I am instructing the kids to keep, throw, toss or donate whatever they please.

As for a funeral, I do want a viewing so whoever shows up can say that I do, indeed, look just like myself. No flowers, donate to pet rescues instead.

If there are sufficient insurance funds, I want my and Annie's ashes put in an urn and interred in a columbarium (tbd where). Or, if possible, shot way out into space (I don't want a decaying earth orbit, burning up on re-entry sounds redundant).

That's basically it.

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Hey, pneumonia!

2026-03-04T14:33:41Z

I came down with a chest cold on Feb. 16th, woke up coughing with a sore throat and really didn't think too much about that beyond the annoyance. It's winter & I had an eye shot tech who did my scans and was just getting over a cold the week before.

Anyway it kept getting worse, so I finally went to urgent care on the 24th, where the doctor diagnosed bronchial pneumonia. So anyway, I got prescriptions, including antibiotics (I guess because of my right lung being sewn together Swiss cheese) and dragged home. They were big on me hydrating so doing that. I'm so tired and have no appetite, so cooking is a current No-go. I'm still coughing and occasionally waking myself up coughing. The doctor said the coughing would be around for a while.

But I woke up today feeling so much better, so I hauled my kitchen trash out to our dumpsters and now I feel exhausted, like I climbed Mt. Everest without supplemental oxygen. I'm not running a fever anymore though🥳!

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emrinalexander @ 2026-02-23T07:11:00

2026-02-23T12:17:38Z

As of 7 a.m. my area in Lebanon County has approximately 4 inches of snow. In Philadelphia and parts of coastal New Jersey, it looks like over 20 inches.

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emrinalexander @ 2026-02-21T14:33:00

2026-02-21T19:41:18Z

Oh boy, another nor'easter tomorrow into Monday. We're looking at only 2 - 5 inches of snow.

Along the northeast coastal areas,from Philadelphia going north, it's all 60 mile an hour winds and 12-18 inches of snow, plus coastal flooding.

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emrinalexander @ 2026-02-19T10:57:00

2026-02-19T15:58:18Z

I just realized that my eye doctors are named Dr. Weed and Dr. Ho.

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50 Years In Fandom

2026-02-11T18:22:10Z

My 67th birthday is on Sunday, marking my 50th year in some kind of fandom or other 😂.

I started out in original Trek, then there was The Sentinel, Star Wars- TPM, Stargate, Smallville, DS9, Merlin, and The Untamed. So, here I am 5 decades on, still here and Jeebus, that's a lot of years.

I probably don't have another 50 years left, but I'll be doing something fannish forever.

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❄️❄️❄️🥶🥶🥶🥶🥶

2026-01-24T21:56:09Z

This just in - my old employer, Weis Markets, which closes shop for nothing, except Xmas?

The forecast is so bad that every store and pharmacy in the chain is closed tomorrow. Good, but unbelievable!

I got written up once for refusing to come in during an ice storm when there was a huge oak tree down blocking my drive as well!

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Now it's even more freaking cold 🥶🥶🥶

2026-01-24T10:56:01Z

I have my thermostats set at 75. I have never in the 11 years I've lived here had them set (very rarely) over 65. I am wearing a cardigan and socks too (and leggings) and am pretty toasty now. I think I saw a couple of Penguins and a polar bear in the parking lot when I unwisely stuck my head out the storage area door just now.

It hasn't even started snowing yet!

I don't know how people living with this every winter stand it; I guess you get used to it?

Lola gave up and burrowed herself under the blankets, where she's happily snoring.

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Jeebus it's freaking cold ❄️🥶

2026-01-23T13:04:09Z

A snow "event" named Fern is making it's way to Pennsylvania. Sub zero temperatures, 25 mph wind gusts, and light, fluffy snow falling at 1-2 inches per hour at times, are in that forecast. The conservative prediction is 12-18 inches of snow.

I was lamenting our -10 nighttime temps, when I read this for the Twin Cities and also northern Minnesota:

"Lows overnight and early Friday were forecast to approach 20 below zero in the Twin Cities, and into the 30s below in parts of northern Minnesota. Andrew Krueger | MPR News"

The only good thing about it for Minnesota is that I cherish the hope the ICE agents there freeze their fucking balls off.

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Greenland

2026-01-19T18:30:26Z

I got this from one of the sub stacks I follow occasionally:

"Tangerine Palpatine threatened Greenland, so Greenland told him to fuck off with a new red MAGA hat: “Make America Go Away.”

It sold out immediately, because it’s brilliant and funny and they are PISSED.

Bless you, Greenland!"

I need that on a tee shirt.

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🥳🥳🥳🥳

2026-01-01T05:05:12Z

AND that's a wrap on 2025!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2026!!!

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SIGNAL BOOST

2025-12-31T17:27:27Z

perclexed is in a super stressful situation. She is in desperate need of bariatric surgery. She is on SSDI and we all know how small those payments are. So, she could really use some financial assistance right now. There are a ton of things Medicare doesn't cover.

So, here I am signal boosting her info. I have needed so much help at different points in my life, including this year, and fellow fans have always been there. I know things are tight budget-wise for all of us, but if you are able to help her out, please do.

You can check out her post for the full story: https://perclexed.dreamwidth.org/987341.html

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emrinalexander @ 2025-12-31T12:06:00

2025-12-31T17:08:21Z

I just got this email:

"Dear emrinalexander,

Someone has chosen to upgrade your Dreamwidth Studios account.

The account type that was purchased is:

Paid Account for 12 months

Your new paid time expiration date is: 2026-12-31

Congratulations on your paid time!"

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO WHOEVER GIFTED ME THIS!!!!

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Question

2025-12-23T12:20:29Z

I know this sounds weird, but did anybody send me a UPS package? I got an email saying one had been delivered on 12/19, with a blurry photo. It's not at my building mailboxes, I asked at the leasing office and they checked their mail room, but nothing turned up. I have had confused delivery people just tossing things in the nearest building, so I checked around the complex, but nada. I can only surmise that someone helped themselves to the box.

Anyway, if it was someone on here, thank you but I haven't actually found the package yet!

And if not, the missing UPS delivery mystery deepens!

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Longest Night

2025-12-21T21:44:37Z

HAPPY WINTER SOLSTICE!!!

Here we are, longest night of the year, and Christmas on Thursday. As always, it seems this entire year went by in about a day.

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emrinalexander @ 2025-12-10T22:51:00

2025-12-11T03:54:06Z

My right eye is remaining stable, so I am now being referred at last for cataract evaluation and surgery, probably in February.

I'm a little scared about the procedure, but if it improves my vision at all, that will be wonderful.

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🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳

2025-12-08T17:30:16Z

I got my full SNAP benefits today!

Happy Dance. And tomorrow is Senior Discount Day at my grocery store, 10% off the store brands, which I buy anyway!

HAPPY DANCE HAPPY DANCE

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emrinalexander @ 2025-12-03T08:47:00

2025-12-03T13:51:53Z

That doofus dumbass in the WHITE HOUSE is going to withhold SNAP from Democratic Governor states (like mine) if they don't turn over recipient immigration status data, income & tax info, etc. There's already a lawsuit on this from February.

All parties agree to respond on Monday 12/8, which thankfully is the day my December SNAP pays in.

Not again. Will this crap never end??? Why is he so hellbent on starving people?

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emrinalexander @ 2025-11-28T04:38:00

2025-11-28T09:44:12Z

My favorite local thrift store, that I could easily walk to, has moved into the former Joann Fabric store a couple miles away. And then they raised all their prices so that stuff costs ridiculous amounts, like at Goodwill, and their free donations now cost as much as new stuff does across the street at Target.

My friend Debbie was trying to find thrifted stuff for her new home that wouldn't cost her an arm and a leg. She gave up and went over to Target. "At these prices, I might as well get a brand new thing," was her comment.

It's ridiculous and sad to realize that in 2025 thrifting prices are the same as brand new.

This is the same store where I bought a set of 6 assorted Corelle dinner plates for $2.50 in 2016.

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Thanksgiving

2025-11-27T14:24:26Z

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to those who celebrate. I am very grateful this year, with a huge amount to be thankful for.

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So, I guess I should lift weights

2025-11-21T17:18:08Z

I was looking at recent pics of the Obamas. They look so good in their 60s! It makes me want to eat more granola and go to a gym. Or, you know, at least walk around my apartment more.

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emrinalexander @ 2025-11-14T18:28:00

2025-11-14T23:30:16Z

The infamous Jeffrey Eppstein on tRump in an email:
"I have met some very bad people,” Epstein wrote in the email, “none as bad as trump.”

He continued: “not one decent cell in his body.. so yes- dangerous.”

When slime like Epstein think you're bad news...wow.

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RUNNING AROUND YELLING YES!!!

2025-11-14T12:11:15Z

Surprising me is an understatement & I hope for the 42 million Americans like me:

MY PRODIGAL SNAP PAYMENT SHOWED UP THIS MORNING!!!

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The Gov Shutdown is over

2025-11-13T01:38:17Z

The House has voted to end the government shutdown.

The legislation was passed 222-209, largely along party lines.

tRump is planning to sign bill to end the shutdown at 9:45 pm ET, according to an updated scheduled released by the White House. UPDATE: He has signed the legislation, things are now open for business.

Earlier today, my own state of Pennsylvania, which has been without a budget for 130 days, finally passed legislation funding the state government with a slight increase over last fiscal year, to, I think I read around 50.1 billion.

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emrinalexander @ 2025-11-10T17:47:00

2025-11-10T22:56:08Z

I have pretty much given up on ever getting my food stamps back. First they aren't, then they are, then they aren't, then they are, but oops, nope, no they aren't, and now dumbass has gone running to the Supreme Court again at 4 p.m. saying letting 42 million low income people basically starve is the way to go.

Meanwhile, ending the shutdown with these clowns in DC riding the bicycles is going to be a dragged out circus as well

So yeh, I give up. I'm just going to stop checking my account, and looking at news updates, and calling the PA DHHS 800 line to see what's happening (spoiler, nothing). There's simply no point in having a stroke over it, and the sooner I forget about it, and stop having panic attacks, the better for my blood pressure.

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