More on Poppy's Funeral...Expectation Management

This is a Public Service Announcement for anyone attending the funeral on Friday.

We met with the Rabbi today. He has stressed in the past that the funeral is for the mourners and we should speak as much as necessary.

I disagree with this policy, but I'm not running a synagogue.

By my estimation, there will be 6-7 speakers at the funeral. Some will invariably be less interesting than others. It's also my experience that people think that 5 minutes or whatever timeframe is longer than it is actually.

My advice: Prepare yourself. Bring a magazine or a Sudoku.

Poppy and Nana wouldn't have and probably would think it rude if you did, but they certainly had no patience for long funeral services with uninteresting speeches so you could have perhaps convinced them that it was ok.

(Note: checking email on a mobile device is permitted at funerals and weddings which go on too long--defined by you)