Thanks a lot for willing to give more details about your mother’s last days. This is shocking how fast it went, and I admire you both for having been able to keep a humorous mood until the end, for humor and love are the most powerful weapon we know to fend off suffering and accept the inescapable lot of death.

Thanks a lot, also, for your kind words towards my father. When I visit his grave (I don’t know when, I’m now living far from our native town), I’ll tell him. He was such a sensitive man (I’m not saying that because he was—and still is—my father, but because it was who he really was), he would have been touched to know that someone in the USA—a country he never visited, and a language, English, he didn’t speak at all) would thought of him once he was dead. I believe it matters. I mean, the benevolent thoughts and prayers we may have for other people—whether we know them or not, whether they are alive or dead—are not vain. They make a difference, though we don’t see it, don’t feel it, and can’t see it, because all this takes place in the invisible.

Thank you for you trust!

Thank you, Aurélia!! I very much relate to you. I was really sad when I first read about your father, and reading about it now, it’s just as emotional. I didn’t mean to get you teary-eyed, but I’m only the messenger—the news was unexpected because Mom’s death really was unexpected. Well, the speediness of it, I mean. Her symptoms got drastically and hastily worse as the final days came and went, so, “I think I have six months” turned into, “I really don’t feel so good,” to, “I think I’m dying.” The full details are a lengthy story, and that night, when I was beside her (along with Dad) was the longest night of my life. It sucks, but “She’s not suffering anymore!” outweighs the worst of my grieving, thankfully. She and I exchanged morbid humor pretty much till the very end. At one point, she laboriously and haltingly whispered, “This sucks.” Which was typical Mom. Also, seems like Sailor Mercury and Sailor Neptune do prevail in my life—Mom’s final word was, “Water.”

You’ve got a good eye for detail, by the way. As I wrote above, directed to Adam, I didn’t want to distract and hog attention about this topic, and I only waited for an opening. Please don’t feel guilty for not asking directly, because I wasn’t completely ready to address it, anyway. I really didn’t want to be, out of nowhere and without any context, like, “Cool, some of the voice actresses have been revealed for the Sailor Stars dub! Speaking of Sailor Stars, Mom’s dead! :D” With that aside, you nailed it. When I changed my avatar to Alice crying in her lonesome, that was my quiet way of announcing, “The crap has hit the fan.”

Thanks again, and I also give my respects to your late father. It sucks whenever good people suffer at the end of their lives but being loving and devoted really goes a long way.

Aww. Thanks. :’)

However I have to confess that, when I saw you had changed your avatar to that of a prostrate Alice, sadly sat alone in the dark, I thought : “Something is happening with Joseph’s mother. I’m afraid that her condition has worsened. Should I ask him or not? This is a delicate question, and in the middle of all my silly bantering posts, I have to find the right moment to ask him.” So, I didn’t ask you… but I had noticed your new Alice avatar and still wanted to get the right moment to ask you about your mother.

Please, allow me to express my sincere condolences to you and your family.

Sleep well, Joseph’s mother, and please know that it’s a pleasure to know your son .

Now, if you were waiting for a major update from me before changing your avatars to whatever you like, I guess you can go ahead right now. That's because…

Mom died. Mon May 17, 6:12 AM Pacific Time.

http://u.cubeupload.com/Magic_Emperor/Parents1.png

Hehe.

http://u.cubeupload.com/Magic_Emperor/Parents2.png

(Figured I should make the reveal as Sailor Moon-themed as I could! She and I exchanged dark humor until the very end. Sleep well, Mom.)

As for Mercury’s quote to Kunzite, I knew it, but I admit I’m not sure of its meaning: is it because of Kunzite’s white hair that she tells him “to go bleach his roots” or does it have another meaning? But, in this case, I don’t understand why he should go bleach roots that already and naturally are bleached? Unless he has lied to us and has been dyeing his hair since 1992… Wow, Mercury, how naughty of you! If I was a creep myself, I would say that you are jealous of Kunzite because he stole your man from you…

2. No matter what differences we have, we are all united by the necessity of urination. Urination United!