I probably spend more time agonizing over what I want done with my body when I die than I should. I don’t like the idea of being buried, for any number of reasons, not the least of which is that it’s a waste of land space. I also wasn’t wild about the idea of being burned into ashes – the thought of being lit on fire is really scary to me. But even though it’s the more environmentally friendly solution, then what is done with me?
Add to that, that my husband’s wish is to be cremated. Burning him is even more horrifying to me! I can’t imagine keeping his ashes in an urn in my house as a reminder that the man I love is now nothing but burnt up ashes. And if I put him in a cemetery somewhere, either I won’t be able to visit him, or his family won’t, since we live on different sides of the pond.
I wouldn’t mind being burned if I was actually being recycled into something useful. I could become a part of nature, making a positive contribution to our deteriorating reefs and restoring our fragile ecosystem. How cool is that?!! Look what I could be!
Spiny Norman initially likes the idea, as well, so I hope he’ll fully come on board. If he agrees, then I want whichever of us that goes first to have their ashes kept someplace safe until the other one’s time comes. Then I want our ashes mixed and put into one Reef Ball, so we can spend eternity intertwined and contributing to the planet.
All I can say is that they better still be in business in 50-60 years!
Typical pseudo-environmentalist BS. Sure, one or two reefballs has no measurable impact, but aggregately these new reefs will raise the sea level and flood coastal cities! All for vanity.
Shayna, if it wasn’t for my abiding fear of deep water I’d be right with ya. Not that I’d be afraid post-mortem, I suppose. How do people visit you, though?
First: I read the thread title as “Eternal Beef Balls! THIS is what I want done with my body when I die!” And I was wondering how the devil one could get beef balls out of long pork? And why would anyone want to?
Second: I’ve got it all planned. When I die, I’m going to have my pelt preserved as a bear skin rug to haunt my sister’s house.
I, too, spend too much time thinking about what will happen to my remains when I shuffle off this mortal coil. I found a different solution, though. I’m going to be made into diamonds. I’ve told my husband that I want him to use the diamonds to make a wedding ring for his second wife. I, personally, find this hilarious. For some reason, he doesn’t.
Id rather they just throw me overboard and give the crabs dinner. Why do they always have to cremate first for these alternatives? If they do it over the Mariannas trench in the middle of the ocean, it’s not like I’ll wash up on shore anywhere.
I want to have the process where you get freeze-dried into a small pile of biological matter, put into a cardboard box and they plant a tree sapling on top. I think I’d like to be an apple tree. With the added bonus of bearing… special fruit.
You might. Once. But only for 20 minutes. [sub]Dammit, someone had to say it…[/sub]
I want to be burned on a pyre with all my wordly goods. I believe the fine for improperly disposing of a body is less than what a traditional funeral costs, and my family can tap a keg and roast weenies and have a fun wake.
Alternately, I told my son to have me cremated and take me on a road trip, stopping at truck stops across the country to leave a spoonful of me in every salt shaker. To make up for those years I worked in a truck stop and had to stop myself from snapping, “Eat me!” at rude and hateful truckers a dozen times a day. We probably won’t do this, though, 'cause it’s really gross and mean to the nice truckers. But sometimes it’s nice to fantasize.
personally, I want my ashes lifted in to low orbit, then stragecally released to make a meteort shower over a night time wake attended by my friends… It can be done for just 500 tons of carbon added to the atmospere… but what do I care… I will be dead…
Having had to be rescued from nearly drowning in an undertow that had taken the life of someone the week before (though they didn’t tell me until after I’d been dragged up on shore), I, too, have an abiding fear of deep water.
BUT. . .
I love fish and fish tanks (we have 2) and ocean life and the environment. And since I won’t have to actually breathe when I’m down there, I figure I’ll be like a mermaid – able to live fully under water and be a part of that world. Seriously, how cool would that be?
As for how people visit you:
So someone could take a lovely boat ride and scatter some flowers or fish food over your “burial” site, or, if they’re skilled, dive down and visit you. I’d much rather someone get a nice cruise out to a beautiful place in the ocean to come “visit” me, maybe have a margarita with their feet up on the rail, than driving out to a morbid cemetery filled with creepy dead bodies everywhere. ::shudder::
The apple tree idea is hilarious. And pepperlandgirl, as always, you are an evil genius, woman! And while that, too, is an ultra cool idea, it doesn’t utilize 100% of your remains, so you could have your carbon extracted from your ash and made into a diamond, and have the rest of you mixed into a reef ball!!
I give you Compacted Dignity, a contradiction in terms if ever there was one.
A solid shape of my choosing. Hmm. I wonder what options are on offer.
It’s OK, I guess.
Now, where to put me. I’ve considered all the possible venues and decided to have my head glued to a piece of wood behind the bar at my local pub. Then, all those people who have failed to return my largesse in buying various rounds of drinks over the years will feel seriously and justifiably embarrassed whenever they go in there.
My only reservation is that I’m reluctant to make myself posthumously available to a company that shows such disdain for correct grammar and spelling.
Have you been reading up on the so-called “Mike” apples from Eastern Connecticutt of a few years ago? (Link goes to a .pdf - it’s the fourth story down.)
And if I put him in a cemetery somewhere, either I won’t be able to visit him, or his family won’t, since we live on different sides of the pond.
