Death time line

Yes, I would certainly want to know how and when I was going to die.

I was surprised to read in earlier comments that more than one person would use this knowledge to take revenge on people who had hurt them. I think putting a finite time frame on my life (especially if it was relatively short) would help me finally get over past pain because it would mean I probably wouldn't have to risk of running into that person again. I would, instead, use the knowledge to influence my investing (I know that's nerdy, but how would nice would it be to know exactly how much retirement money you'll need and how much longer you have to work?) and to travel and spend time with the people I love the most. I'd want to spend my days as happy and busy as possible to keep my mind off my looming death and to suck the marrow out of the rest of my short days.

I've mentioned before on this space that I currently work on the block that separates the White House from the main World Bank office, and I live on Capital Hill. I've talked with my geographically similar friends many times about where we would want to be if The Bomb went off. Obviously, the first choice is to be as far away as possible. But if you're going to be in the blast zone, would you rather be killed instantly or live in horrible pain from radiation poisoning? Most of my friends said they'd rather die instantly and avoid the pain. But I would want to live. I don't care how much pain I was in, I would want that last bit of time to call or see the people I love one more time, to say goodbye and I love you. Plus, I figure, if it was really so intolerable that I wanted to die, I could always kill myself, on my own terms and by my own decision. And who knows? Maybe I could be saved.

If you could only know one thing about your death--the how or the when--which would you pick? I think I'd rather know the when so I could plan out the rest of my life to drain every once of enjoyment from it. I think if I only knew how I was going to die, it would make me too paranoid. What if I found out I was going to die in a plane crash? Wouldn't I avoid planes--not just for my own life, but for everyone else's sake who would be flying with me? Or what if it was some seemingly small disease--wouldn't I turn into a total hypochondriac?

I once wrote out my fantasy obituary. I'd highly recommend that as an exercise to anyone!

Six Feet Under

I am a little obsessed with death.

So, would I want to know when and how I would die? Hell yes I would! I think it would fuel my need to see the world a bit, and push my relationships with people. I might not take people for granted as much as I do. Frankly, I've been called an ice queen (the inspiration for last year's Halloween costume), so maybe my impending death would help remedy things. Of course, it could also fuel some new phobias or compulsions. Like what if you died from some disease you caught because you didn't wash your hands? I'd probably wash my hands 'til the skin came off.

And speaking of diseases, this might be old news to most of you, but I think this stuff is too cool. I'm buying this one and this one, and giving them to my friend Chad for his birthday, just so I can say I gave him syphilis and gon0hrrea.

Sorry about this post being late. I was going to do it last night, but I was really sick (still am, hence me being home right now writing this), and it was all I could do just to make myself stay awake long enough to watch Pushing Daisies. Hmm...which is perfect for this topic. Has anyone else seen this show? It's cute - quirky and weird. It's about a guy who can bring dead people back to life with a touch and put them back under (permanently) with another. However, he has to put them under within a minute of bringing them back, or someone else nearby dies.

Hmm...this one tending towards stream of consciousness. I guess that's what you end up with when I'm not feeling up to par.

Death Is Coming.

It's October, the month of Halloween, and as such I decided to select a topic that lends itself handily to the macabre: death. Your death, to be exact. I have to admit that I found the inspiration for this topic on one of those lame MySpace surveys, but I have improved it somewhat. See, what I want to know is, if you could learn in advance the exact time, date and manner of your death - and know for a fact that it was accurate - would you want to know?

If you learned that you'd die in your sleep at the age of 103, would that cause you to change the way in which you lead your life? Would you take more risks? Or would you be more cautious? (After all, you wouldn't want a rash decision to make the intervening 60+ years hellish.)

If you learned that you would die fairly soon, would you try to change things? Even though you knew for a fact that Your Time was unalterable? Or would you simply try to make the best of the time you had left? And if so, how?

PS - No Physical Harm :-)