MLMM

Friday Faithfuls — And In The End

Fandango13 Comments

For this week’s Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie Friday Faithfuls, Jim Adams has asked us about the inevitably of our own deaths. Well, isn’t that an interesting topic for a Friday the 13th?

Jim asks these questions:

Do you hate talking about your death and are you planning to postpone all the decisions and leave them up to somebody else?

I do not particularly like talking about death, but I know it’s inevitable, so my wife and I are prepared, at least legally. We have living wills documenting the distribution of our assets, and we have our home in a revocable trust deed with our children as beneficiaries. So we are prepared in that regard.

Have you made any arrangements that will determine what you would want to happen when you die?

As far as our assets, yes (see answer above).

If you can no longer take care of yourself, would you like to live in a nursing home or receive in-home care from a caregiver?

I’d rather be at home with a caregiver, but if it ever gets to the point where I’m either physically or mentally incapable of caring for myself, I’m glad I live in a state that permits death with dignity.

Do you have a will, and do you know how you want your assets to be distributed?

Yes. See my response to the first question.

If you have pets, have you figured out what will happen to them?

It will be up to our kids to make that determination.

Do you have life insurance, and do you think it is enough to take care of your final expenses?

We have small life insurance policies, but I am confident that the money in my retirement savings should be more than sufficient to cover such “final” expenses.

Do you want a big funeral?

I don’t want a funeral at all. Just a simple farewell with my immediate family.

Have you decided where you will be buried, or if you want to be cremated, or if you are donating your body to science?

I had decided to be cremated, but now that human composting, or natural organic reduction, is legal in California, I’m thinking about going that route.

Will you be writing your own eulogy?

No. My eulogy will be this:

MLMM Lucky Dip — 7 January ‘23

Fandango11 Comments

“Grandad,” Frank said, “Why, at your age, would you get a DNA analysis?”

“I just got a call that my cousin, who I haven’t seen in years, passed away,” Henry said. “He and I were quite close back in the day. We used to play chess regularly and he was very good at it. But then my parents moved us away and, sadly, he and I lost touch. I’m going to take a plane to attend his funeral the day after tomorrow. Anyway, I got the DNA test to see if there are any other relatives, even distant ones, who ought to be notified.”

“I’m so sorry, Grandad,” Frank said. “How did your cousin die?”

“He was my age,” Henry said, “I’d like to say that he died peacefully in his sleep, but apparently he ate some blowfish at a Japanese restaurant. Blowfish that is improperly prepared is very poisonous and he suffered an agonizing death.”

“Yikes, that’s awful.”

“Yeah, well at least he’s somewhere over the rainbow now,” Henry said. “Oh wow, look at the time. I have to go book my flight. Can you hand me my cane? And would you mind, Frank, having some flowers sent to the funeral home?”

Written for the Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie Lucky Dip. The idea is to use the nine random story cubes above as “ideas” for inclusion in our response.

Friday Faithfuls — New To Me

Fandango23 Comments

For this week’s Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie Friday Faithfuls, Jim Adams has asked us about the latest disease making the rounds, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV.

Jim asks these questions:

How long you have been aware of RSV? I first heard about this disease this past October when my one-year-old granddaughter was diagnosed as having RSV. Then, in early November, my local newspaper had a headline about this winter’s “triple threat” of the flu, COVID, and RSV.

Did you or any one you know get RSV? Yes, as mentioned above, our granddaughter.

Do you think that life expectancy will continue to decline, or do you feel that better health care and hygiene, healthier lifestyles, diet, and improved medical care will reverse the trend? I am afraid that, between climate change being unabated and new and mutating diseases on the loose, the life expectancy trend will likely continue to decline.

If a scary new pathogen is lurking right around the corner and there’s not much you can do to stop it, do you want to know about it? I certainly think it’s important to know about these threats to our health and welfare. I’m willing to potentially isolate myself if that is the only way to stay safe.

Do you feel that anti-vaxxers are responsible for the reemergence of infections that were once well-contained? You’re damn right I do. What a bunch of selfish, ignorant jerks they all are. My son-in-law refused to get the latest COVID booster shot because it made him temporarily lose his equilibrium, he claimed. Oh boo hoo! He just tested positive for COVID, thus putting my daughter and the rest of us at risk.

What are your thoughts on antibiotic-resistant bacteria that have developed the ability to defeat the drugs that were designed to kill them? Unfortunately, I think these viruses and bacteria will continue to evolve and mutate in order to survive and thrive. Thus, medical science will continually be playing catch-up and these viruses and bacteria will continue to cause havoc on humanity.

Sorry for my relatively pessimistic outlook, but that’s the way I feel.

Friday Faithfuls — Climate Change

Fandango12 Comments

For this week’s Mindlovemisery’s Misery Friday Faithfuls, Jim Adams has asked us what we think about climate change.

Let me start out saying that I think human life on Earth is doomed. With that out of the way, let me answer Jim’s specific questions.

How serious of a problem is this? I think this a very serious problem and if it’s not taken seriously and addressed soon, it could spell the end of human kind on the planet.

Do you think that man will be able to slow down or possibly reverse global warming? Do you think that scientists will be able to get control of the carbon dioxide that is warming the Earth and save us before it is too late? I hope that climate scientists will come up with solutions that will stem the tide or possibly even reverse global warming. But unless people are willing to make certain sacrifices in order to implement those potential solutions, including a willingness to fund them, it won’t happen. I think too many people are banking on God saving us from something that is our own undoing, and I think that’s magical thinking.

Do you think that we will be able to reach the ambitious goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050 as called for in the Paris Agreement to keep global warming to no more than 1.5°C? I think it’s unlikely. The powerful fossil fuels industries and conservative politicians will ensure that we miss that goal.

Do you want to breathe cleaner air and be able to drink fresher water? Of course I do. Who would argue against breathing cleaner air and drinking potable water?

Do you feel bad that this is happening? I’m an old fart who, with luck, may have between 10–20 years of life left. I feel really bad for our children and grandchildren, who will have to suffer the consequences of the selfishness, shortsightedness, and greed of those who came before them.

MLMM Photo Challenge — The County Fair

Fandango8 Comments

“Yes, it was a boisterous day, and quite honestly, I’m exhausted,” Dan said to his wife. “It’s a miracle after all that craziness that I can still walk.”

“I know, honey,” Dorothy said to her husband, “but the grandkids had a field day at the county fair. Did you hear their rendition of ‘Saturday in the Park’? They’re so adorable.”

“Maybe so,” Dan said, “but there seems to be an inextricable link between spending time with our grandkids and my aching sacroiliac.”

“Go sit down on your easy chair, old man,” Dorothy said. “I’ll turn on the gas fireplace, go fix you a cup of hot chocolate with a shot of Baileys Irish Cream, and we can sit and watch reruns of ‘Law & Order.’ I’ll bet you’ll be snoring away in no time.”

Dorothy kissed her husband on the forehead, turned on the TV, and went to the kitchen to make him his cup of hot chocolate. She figured the odds were 50/50 that he’d be asleep by the time she came back to the living room. Which would suit her fine.

She put a little extra Baileys in the hot chocolate.

Written for Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie Photo Challenge. Photo credit: unattributed. Also for these daily prompts: Your Daily Word Prompt (boisterous), The Daily Spur (miracle), Ragtag Daily Prompt (field day), My Vivid Blog (rendition), Fandango’s One Word Challenge (inextricable), and Word of the Day Challenge (fireplace).