I figure the whole reincarnation thing happens pretty much immediately. You die and then you get the next available slot. As far as I know, I was born on time. This was January 17th, 1961. But that means I was conceived (for purposes of this thread) on April 17th, 1960. And who died on that date? Eddie Cochran.
I was** Eddie Cochran**
Who were you?
According to Wikipedia, the most interesting person to be born nine months (and two years) before I was born was Peter Stoner, a mathematician and astronomer who dabbled in Christian apologetics.
And two years? Purgatory?
According to my former life’s wiki page, my music “captured teenage frustration and desire in the mid-50’s.” I feel pretty good about that.
Looks like I am the reincarnation of mob boss Lucky Luciano!
Either of these two. Since I am neither a boxer or a sex symbol (except in my own delusional mind), I’m not sure which one got stuck with me.
Primo Carnera, Italian boxer (b. 1906)
Jayne Mansfield, American actress (car accident) (b. 1933)
You must have some awkward ghost memories and deja vu.
I am apparently H.G. Wells.
Thomas Beecham, conductor
I’ve never conducted, but I’ve been yelled at by a few.
Kurt Atterberg (a Swedish composer) and George W. Snedecor (an American mathematician) are the closest but it’s only 8 months + 28 days, and I don’t think I was born early. As a matter of fact, my mum liked reminding me of how long it took :dubious: . If not them, then Edward Beck (a senior British Army officer) at 9 months + 5 days.
That would explain my love of all things British and Classical music. Snedecor, however, is difficult to figure out.
Rudolf Klein-Rogge – Rotwang himself from Fritz Lang’s Metropolis! He was also Dr. Mabuse, that Napoleon of Crime in Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler and *Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse. (along with roles in the Cabinet of Dr, Caligari and Die Nibelungen and a bunch of films I never heard of.)
Well, there were lots of other people who died around then, but I’d like to think I was more consequential than that. and Albert Einstein and Shemp Howard didn’t die close enough to my conception date.
Nobody remotely interesting seems to have died in late July or early August 1975, which is when I reckon I was conceived, but when I was a teenager I found out that Ulrike Meinhof died on the day I was born. I thought that was sort of awesome, at the time.
Paul Landowski: the sculptor who made the big Jesus in Rio de Janeiro
Well done. Are you so inspired in this life?
I think you were Dmitri Shostakovich, the famed composer and pianist.
My likeliest date of conception would have been May 1, 1967. Can’t find anyone I’ve ever heard of who died within a week of that date. I guess I’ll be J. B. Lenoir, African-American bluesman. If I stretch the dates a little further, I could get Konrad Adenauer or Edward Hopper, but I think I’d rather play the blues and die at 38.
Oh, wait, I’ve figured it out. The soul remains in transition for four days after death, and only enters the body at the time of birth. Therefore, your last incarnation died four days before you were born.
I am Neal Cassady!!!
Apparently, I was Gordon Harker, British actor (Facts of Love, Champagne, Inspector Hornleigh). This explains so much! (Not really)
Nobody. I am a non-reincarnated person. The veritable first of my kind. A babe, if you will. Be kind.
I remember a joke Carlin did about reincarnation.
“I suppose it would be nice if reincarnation were a reality, but 1 have problems with the math. At some point, originally, there must have been a time when there were only two human beings. They both died, and presumably their souls were reincarnated into two other bodies. But that still leaves us with only two souls. We now have nearly six billion people on the planet. Where are all the extra souls coming from? Is someone printing up souls? Wouldn’t that tend to lower their value?”