ObQuellPanic Statement: Not a TTFN diary, nor am I planning on joining the choir invisible anytime soon. It was just a broken ankle (spiffy x-ray proof under the dkosacroissant :-)). But I heard this story on NPR today that got me thinking... so follow me below the dingledoodle squigglie dKosagnocchi dividerthingie fold after a word from our sponsor...
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Halloween morning I stepped outside to get the trash to the curb. That first step was a big one... I slipped, tumbled down a few stairs, and landed screaming (and utterly freaking out my friend on the other end of the phone, by the way). Mr. Brillig helped me hobble inside and got me to my doctor, who agreed with me that since I could walk on it without screaming, it probably was sprained and I could accompany Mr. Brillig to his orthopedics appointment (persistent wrist issue) before getting a precautionary x-ray.
For the record... yes, yes you CAN fracture your ankle yet still be able to walk on it. See?
Thanks to mik for highlighting the break, it's hard to see unless you know what you're looking for (or are an orthopedic specialist).
Three hours later we were back at the exact same orthopedic clinic receptionist's desk sheepishly saying "It's her/my turn this time." I've got 6 weeks in an aircast/boot, but it could be a lot worse.
Because it wasn't Worse (aka my right and not left ankle) I can still drive, so was in the car listening to NPR when a story ran about one answer to the question "What will you do with my remains when I'm gone?" In short: Ammo.
Yes, ammunition. Two Alabama state game wardens founded a company to transform cremated remains into ammunition. From their website:
We offer a way to honor your deceased loved one by giving or sharing with him or her one more round of clay targets, one last bird hunt, or one last stalk hunt.
I can honestly say the notion had never, EVER crossed my mind until that very moment. I initially was horrified at the idea, and a piece of me still is cringing as I write this. However, I can understand that in the case of the deceased being an avid hunter or target shooter, it makes as much sense as hikers or boaters having their ashes scattered outdoors, or astronauts making that final voyage into space.
There are far more practices than I imagined that various cultures utilize for keeping or disposing of cremated remains. According to Wikipedia, some of these include keeping them in an urn; being sprinkled on a special field, mountain, or in the sea; scattering via a helium balloon, fireworks, or from an airplane; turning part of the cremated remains into synthetic diamonds that can then be made into jewelry; or mixing them into paint and making a portrait of the deceased. Among others.
It made me think about what I want after I'm gone. Hopefully anything that might possibly help another person will be donated, and Mr. Brillig knows that if Hymn #123, Spirit of Life isn't played at the memorial service I'll haunt him forever, but after that I haven't thought much. I'm not going to be there, and I want those I leave behind to do what feels right for them. I don't have religious issues with cremation, but... for the record... I don't want to be ammo. A nice synthetic diamond, maybe. But since I never fired a weapon while alive, it seems a bit late to start after I'm gone :).
Not that I'm going anywhere anytime soon, knock on wood. I hobble too slowly right now for the Grim Reaper to want to wait for me anyway!
Have you thought about what you'd like to happen after your metabolic processes are history?
Brillig's ObDisclaimer: The decision to publish each nomination lies with the evening's Diarist and/or Comment Formatter. My evenings at the helm, I try reeeeallllyy hard to publish everything
without regard to content. I really do, even when I disagree personally with any given nomination. "TopCommentness" lies in the eyes of the nominator and of you, the reader - I leave the decision to you. I do
not publish self-nominations (ie your own comments) and if I ruled the world, we'd all build community, supporting and uplifting instead of tearing our fellow Kossacks down.
From Thestral:
In JohnAdams999's diary Cantor lies about "whistleblower", was anything but, tmservo433's comment have nailed it in a few ways. "Forget the sex" -there's much larger issues at play. Maybe the sex aspect is just another "missing white girl" to distract us from them.
From Debby:
This comment by AnnetteK is from MeMeMeMeMe's diary of the story of Jimmy Carter's grandson finding audio of Republican strategist Lee Atwater explaining the "Southern Strategy." It's just a really priceless comment. Aren't we lucky?
From blueoregon:
I'm nominating dopper's comment in today's Black Kos diary about some loony Texans wanting to secede.
From Samer:
skywriter brings us the real lesson from L'Affaire Petraeus, in mellow yellow's diary Cantor's Role in Bringing Down Petraeus.
From Avila:
bigjacbigjacbigjac's comments in poetry are always a pleasure to read, and his reply to my mentioning this is one of the best
From Yours Truly, brillig:
In Meteor Blades' Rove and the 50 state strategy diary, wdrath starts a bidding war.
Top Mojo for yesterday, November 12th, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you
mik for the mojo magic!
1) Give them Texas, let 'em secede by xxdr zombiexx — 154
2) Bisexual and atheist, I think. by TomP — 151
3) Awesome... by angry marmot — 144
4) Here's an idea by Tara the Antisocial Social Worker — 143
5) Already the losers are shaping the narrative by jazzence — 116
6) I long believed that Josh Marshall.... by dweb8231 — 115
7) Sorry but I can't support by Sagebrush Bob — 110
8) Such a beautiful family by realcountrymusic — 103
9) What was truly amazing was Noonan and by Pierro Sraffa — 98
10) "The question now is whether the White House... by Meteor Blades — 97
11) so bascially the smegheads who go on about by terrypinder — 94
12) It should but will not by TomP — 93
13) Check your premises. by dov12348 — 92
14) In other Scouting news by coquiero — 91
15) We should respond by suggesting that we try by HoundDog — 89
16) Shit like this is why our party needs to start by JL — 88
17) Better still by Lib Dem FoP — 88
18) Yeah, and all the money New York sends out by LilithGardener — 83
19) When a star falls from the sky... by dabtl — 81
20) A remora is not a lamprey. by biolife — 78
21) What makes me livid by democracy inaction — 75
22) my kingdom by Cedwyn — 75
23) I think that was part of his long term by YucatanMan — 75
24) I noticed this and felt the same by Winston Sm1th — 74
25) who was raised Mormon, n/t by manyamile — 73
26) Well, I'm confused because by mahakali overdrive — 72
27) "political class" = pilot fish for plutocrats /nt by annieli — 71
28) I look forward by gchaucer2 — 68
29) Sasha's got that old soul thing going. by MariaSquared — 68
30) It sounds like... by Miss Blue — 68
Top Pictures for yesterday, November 12th. Click any image to be taken to the full comment. Thank you
jotter for the image magic!