Your last days?

[Jez Layman]

Hey everyone, I need some help. I'm working on research for a book I'm trying to write at the moment and I need some input. My question to you is if you knew you were going to die in a few months, what are some things you would like to do? What would you like to see?
No, you did not win the lottery first. This is you, as you are now, about to die in a few months. What do you do?

For more info check out my blog post on it here: http://typesetjez.blogspot.com/2008/04/research-help-your-last-days...

[Theresa]

Well, if I was really in love with someone, I'd marry that person. Like if it was a real, strong love affair. If I had enough time, I'd have a baby with that person. If I didn't, I would make sure I made all the proper "donations" so that that person could have my biological child, if he wanted to (I don't know if you have a male or a female with a terminal illness).

Aside from those things... I would spend my final days doing all of the small things I wanted to do at the moment... reread my favorite books, spend some time beating that game I could never finish, visit some sites of good childhood memories with my family and friends... things like that. Nothing extravagant, considering I didn't win the lottery first.

Good luck with your book!
(I tell you this as I go to work on my own)

[Jez Layman]

I like the idea of revisiting places of childhood memories, I'll try to work that in.

And it's a girl, she's 19. She's avoiding relationships because she doesn't want to have someone fall in love with her, then she just leaves. Which is sad, really.

Thanks for your input, and good luck on your book too!

[Donna G]

First thing is first I would plan for what would happen next in my childs life. Making sure that he would be well taken care of. Being 21 and a young mother there are a lot of things to stress about. Especially since I am a full time student and have a part time job it isn't easy. If I were to find out that I would die in a few months I would want to get on the ball and start doing the things I continually tell myself I will do. For instance, I enjoy swimming and walking, going on bike rides and doing yoga. The things I would enjoy doing on my last months here on earth would be that of making my health better. I feel it would put me in a more spiritual state for my leaving and I would be at peace with my body, spirit and soul. There is nothing like a fresh and energized body ready to go. I don't think I could leave this world spending my last days sitting in front of a computer or forced to go to work and stress over the little things in life when I know there are more serious problems in the world such as war, starvation and just an all around poor standard of living. I know that I have had it easy here in NY but sometimes I may feel like my world is crashing around me. If i were to find out I was going to die I would make sure that all the people in my life know how much I am appreciate all they have done for me. I would do it with a smile. There is nothing more that I want than to be happy, there is no reason not to be. However, since I will never know when my time will come I have to continue to have that outlook on life, it could be worse. I love everyone who has entered my life regardless of their thought on death, mortality and just the way things are seen from there perspective. I am an understanding individual and I like to put a smile on someones face no matter what the situation. Even in death I will laugh.....its just my style. :)

hope this helps

[Jez Layman]

It definitely did, thanks so much. You have a great list there :)

[invisible b!]

Along with everything the other girls said;
I would finally be honest with everyone. I'd tell them everything i've ever felt and thought about them, good and bad. I wouldn't want to leave wondering minds behind.

I would probably take a vacation with family if possible. Scrapbook memories for them and such. :)

[emmet]

-hang out in my school's library for a full day, just exploring and reading, without worrying about the impending essays i need to be doing specific research for.
-actually take out fifty books like we're theoretically allowed to do.
-let my friends here know i'd be heading out in two weeks, and if they want to hang out with me between now and then, that's cool, i'll be around, reading and such.
-return books to library.
-give away most possessions, either to specific people or to thrift stores.
-hitchhike home.
-go over my post-death wishes with my parents.
-finish writing "the bearded man's woman", and any other things i felt inspired to wrap up.
-burn notebooks and delete unfinished/just plain bad writings that i'd rather not have representing me from beyond the grave.
-make the most definitive mixtape ever.
-spend time with loved ones and all that jazz.
-if possible, see tom waits in concert. maybe some other people too, but waits is the essential one.
-i'm probably out of time by now.

this is a pretty specific list, because i think specific lists are pretty, but honestly, i think the main thing would just be going ahead and doing the things i tend to reluctantly say "no" to because i'm always thinking about potential consequences. it's kinda cheesy, but i actually kind of think knowing i was going to die soon would be a little bit cool because of the lack of concern it could bring...

[Jez Layman]

I love the bit about the library books, I can absolutely see my character testing things like that. Hitchhiking might work for this also. Thanks for helping!

[emmet]

no problem.
i've always wanted to hitchhike some significant distance (such as the two provinces that lie between my school and my home), but i never have due to concerns about time and safety. if i were going to die anyway, i'd be able to make the experience itself top priority, which would be jokes.

[Jez Layman]

I'm the same way. I'd love to hitchhike, but it really wouldn't be safe for me, a 5'2" 100 lb girl. I've also always wanted to give someone roadside assistance, but couldn't for the same reason. So if I knew I were going to die, I'd hitchhike somewhere too.

[emmet]

i've done a bit of hitchhiking locally, because it's a pretty standard way of getting around where i'm from, but i always feel like a bit of an imposter when some awesome old hippy picks me up and starts telling me about their hitchhiking adventures, and i have no stories to share, because my hitching experience is basically limited to simple trips to and from work.
strangely, i think it's less my own personal wellbeing than how irresponsible it would be of me to go and disappear from the rest of my life and possibly get myself killed that tends to occur to me first when i'm dissuading myself from going on adventures. but i feel like if i were dying, i'd have the right to be a little bit selfish and drop out of things.

[Ladyj]

be bad be freaky ....do illegal shit ..then repeant and hope i go to heaven

[JD]

That sounds like a book I'd like to read... maybe even a movie! Don't leave out a single detail.