So I was asked a month ago or so if I was willing to be roasted. Are you familiar with a roast? It’s that event where people gather together to make fun of one person up on stage–the man or woman of the hour. Roasts are usually really funny and often offensive…though they do seem pretty fun…for everyone but the person being roasted of course. But as someone who enjoys making fun of himself quite a bit my first thought was that being roasted sounded quite fun. Strange, but fun. Awkward, but fun. Fun.

There was some push back though. A roast felt incongruent with the story being told in and around my death.

And so

And so my friends decided to re-frame it as a “Roast & Toast”, as a pre-funeral funeral, as an excuse to party together and to tell stories. It’s still a roast because apparently people still want to make fun of me, but now it’s also a toast because feel bad only making fun of the dying guy and want to make up for it by also saying nice things. Haha, either way I think it sounds fun (I’m kind of partial to any  excuse to get together and socialize!) and I’d love for you to be there with me.

It’s coming up in only a week or so, on Thursday, May 31st from 6:00-9:00. You can see the Facebook page for it here for more details.

Here’s the blurb about it:

(on said date) We will be celebrating the life of Ryan Woods by showering him with memories, pictures, poems, embarrassment, and love. For those who wish to tell Ryan what he means to them by sharing a lovely memory, a funny story…or an incriminating anecdote…Please join us at Compass Church in Vancouver, Washington, from 6-9pm. To create a keepsake of memories, you’re encouraged to prepare to video a segment for Ryan and/or Jess, write an entry in a journal that will be available, or even utilize the area that will be set up to scrapbook a photo or memento.

If you are unable to come, but would still like to send a video/letter/picture to be given to Ryan, please send a private message for details on how to do that.

Let’s laugh, share, cry…but mostly, let’s “Roast and Toast”

Regardless of whether or not you have something you want to share it’d be great to hang out and to see people whom I might not be able to connect with. These days time is my families most precious commodity and we’re finding we have less and less of it to give away. My hope is that the 31st will give me a moment to see many of you whom I haven’t had time to hug, kiss, or give a strong handshake to!

Hope you can make it…and if you do…please be kind.