Tips To Help You Plan For A Loved One’s Funeral

Planning a funeral can be a long process, but if you don’t have a lot of time to spare because a loved one has passed away and you have the added pressure of time constraints, the funeral planning can be even more stressful and unnerving. That’s why many elderly individuals choose to plan their funerals in advance in order to help their children by having everything in place when they pass away.

Whether or not you choose to plan a funeral in advance, however, the same basic requirements need to be fulfilled. Continue reading to learn some tips that will help you successfully plan a funeral in a short amount of time while ensuring that all of the details will be met.

Determine How the Body Will Be Laid to Rest

The first thing that needs to be done is a determination needs to be made regarding what will be done with the body and how it will be laid to rest. Did the deceased wish for his or her body to be embalmed and buried traditionally or naturally? Or did he or she want the body to be cremated and the ashes placed in an urn within a memorial at the cemetery? Was there a request made that the ashes be scattered in a specific location?

Whenever it comes time to plan a funeral for a loved one, you have to try to recall what your loved one would have preferred. Did he or she leave specific instructions? Or did the person hint at what his or her preference for burial was at some point before the unexpected death? No matter what, try to do what the deceased would have wanted, as it is the best way to honor that person’s life.

Choose a Funeral Home

Choosing a funeral home is an important step to take if you wish to have a private viewing of the body or you want a memorial service to be scheduled to honor the deceased. Again, planning in advance can save a lot of time and frustration, but in the event that a funeral home was not booked in advance, ask for referrals from friends and family who are there to help you cope and help you make the proper funeral arrangements for your loved one. They will be able to direct you to the right funeral home based upon their experiences, and this will save you the trouble of having to research local funeral homes while you grieve and attempt to get through this difficult time.

Submit an Obituary to the Local Newspaper

Sometimes your funeral home will submit an obituary to the newspaper or at least help you write one. This is a wonderful way to honor the legacy left behind by your loved one, as well as to inform distant friends and family of the passing.

While planning a funeral, try to stay strong. You will get through this difficult time, especially with the help of your friends and family and the professionals who will ensure the funeral goes smoothly.

Ignoring The Signs – Why Failure To Adhere To Traffic Control Measures Is A Major Cause Of Car Accidents

While many people sort of think of car accidents, or minor ones at least, as a fact of life, and something most people will have to deal with at some point in their lives as drivers, it is still the case that the majority of bumps, collisions, and even more serious accidents could be avoided. Most car accidents are caused by somebody, whether it is the driver of one of the cars involved, a pedestrian, a cyclist or motorcyclist, or even the people who should have been maintaining the roads. This is why car accident related litigation is so common these days – where there is someone at fault, someone is normally going to sue them.

Where driver error comes into play in a car accident, one common cause is the failure to properly adhere to traffic control measures in place on the roads. Here we look at what this means and why it is so dangerous.

What Kind of Traffic Control Measures do People Ignore?

Traffic control devices and measures can mean anything from traffic lights and pedestrian crossings to road markings, signs and temporary things like warning lights on the freeway and traffic cones where road works are taking place. Anything designed to instruct the driver to take a certain course of action, whether it be to stop, wait, change lanes, or take an alternative route, is effectively a traffic control measure.

Why Do People Ignore Them?

There are a number of reasons why signs, markings, lights and traffic control and safety equipment gets ignored by drivers. If it is something temporary, it could be that a driver who knows the route well is driving on auto pilot and doesn’t notice the new sign or warning there. This is often the case when road works are being carried out or when temporary deviations and other measures have been put in place to cope with adverse weather or the fallout from an earlier road incident. In other cases, drivers may judge that it is safe to ignore the red light or run the pedestrian crossing because they don’t see any hazards, and think they can make it. In some cases, it is simply that the driver is reckless, perhaps because they are in a hurry.

Why Is It So Important to Adhere to These Controls?

Even if it looks safe to do something, things can change in an instant on the roads and therefore if the signs are telling you not to go, you shouldn’t. While it may sometimes seem over careful, the traffic control measures are there for a reason and when it comes to something with the potential to do as much damage as a car, as well as cost you a lot of money in the ensuing lawsuit, it is always best to err on the side of caution. As many drivers will attest, something as simple as running a red light or failing to stop at a level crossing because you think there is plenty of time, can have devastating and sometimes even fatal results, so it is always best to ‘do as you’re told’ on the road.

All Of Your Friends Getting Engaged And You’re Still Single? Tips For Coping With Being The Last Single Girl In A Group!

There comes a time in most groups of friends where it seems like everyone has big things going on in theirlove lives, like getting engaged, married and having babies. While this is normal because statistically most people tend to do this at around the same age and most people are friends with people in their own age group, it can be quite disconcerting for those in a social group who are at different points in their personal lives. It can actually be quite depressing if you haven’t found the right person yet and would really like to, when you see all of your closest friend picking out wedding dresses, but there are always some positives to think about.

Freedom, and Possibility!

Certainly your life may to you seem dull compared to friends who are comparing notes about their upcoming bridal showers, weddings and honeymoons, but remember that after the wedding is over that is the high point of their life basically behind them! While they will, in a year’s time, probably have a life that involves watching TV with a takeaway once a week and choosing new kitchen appliances, you could be in the midst of an amazing new romance, be doing wonderful things with your career, or traveling the world. It may seem like you’re the unlucky one now, but all this means is that you have the best days of your life still ahead of you. You may find that already, as happy as your friends are to have found the people they want to be with forever, there are aspects of your life they envy – the grass is always greener after all!

You Can Keep Them Grounded

Planning a wedding may look fun, but people do have a tendency to let it stress them out. As someone who is probably not full of enthusiasm and interest about the minutiae of your various friends’ big days, you can explain to them that invitation stationery is quite a boring topic to bang on about for a whole lunch, and that they needn’t get so hung up on it all. They may feel stressed and anxious, but you are there to remind them they are just walking down an aisle in a nice dress, not performing brain surgery, and that it is best if they occasionally talk about something else! This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be a supportive friend and take an interest (even if you actually wish you could never hear another word about weddings again), but stick to the big things like admiring the beautiful diamond engagement rings, checking out the dress and giving your thoughts on the venue, and keep them grounded if they start obsessing about napkin rings.

Being the single girl in a group of friends who all seem to be involved in exciting, thrilling life changes can be sad, but think about the good things in your life and try and keep your friendships in a territory where their lives and weddings aren’t the constant focal point, and you can survive it – remember, it’s only a brief phase anyway!

Stacy Ann Ferguson Is Now Officially Fergie Duhamel!

She’s been married to Josh Duhamel for almost five years, and finally Stacy “Fergie” Ferguson has taken his last name.

The “My Humps” singer officially changed her name from Stacy Ann Ferguson to Fergie Duhamel, and it became final when a judge signed the documents this morning (August 16).

Lady Gaga Debuts Lyric Video for "Applause" Watch Here!

Mirroring the covershot on her upcoming album, Lady Gaga sported some colorful face paint on the streets of Hollywood on Wednesday (August 14).

Though the official video for her latest, "Applause," is to premiere on “Good Morning America” on Monday, the Gaga let loose they lyric video for the single.

Lady Gaga on VMA Wardrobe: No Meat or Veggies, Just Textiles

Once again showing off her colorful makeover, Lady Gaga stepped out for promotional work in Los Angeles, CA on Tuesday (August 13).

The “Applause” singer donned a black getup with colorful makeup while visiting press to dish about her latest single and upcoming album ARTPOP.

Eva Longoria: Lunch Lady in Brentwood

Making the most of a beautiful afternoon, Eva Longoria stepped out for some lunch in Brentwood, California on Thursday (August 8).

Casually chic in a white top with blue jeans and silver sandals, the “Desperate Housewives” dame seemed annoyed with the shutterbugs as she scurried past.