Last Wishes (revised 'cause nihilanth mentioned the Tibetan Book of the Dead)

[azurelunatic]

When I die, which eventually (though hopefully not for a long time) I shall, there are several things I want done.

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Body:

I am an organ donor. "In case of accident, donate my remaining body parts. It's the Betan way. Waste not, want not." (Or however that quote goes. Barrayar and/or Cordelia's Honor.)

It is my family's tradition that the physical remains are to be cremated. I have no argument with this, though it would be nice if someone could take a tissue sample in the interests of science, should anyone ever want to be doing genetic studies of stuff.

ras_sinister would probably appreciate my skull, and I wouldn't mind him having it.

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Writing:

I have a substantial body of writing, mostly journals but some other stuff. My novel-in-progress at this time is ectogenesis. I would like someone to take care of my novel for me. Though it is not done, I have a large number of notes. In the case that it is not done, someone might want to finish it.

Also, my journals. I do not mind my journals eventually becoming more public/more published, though the standard rules for the privacy of those written about should apply. My LJ is to please remain in place. Livejournal does not have a hard-and-fast policy about what to do with the journals of the deceased other than respecting the wishes of the next-of-kin. Journals that I administer that do not have action outside of my writings include: azurelunatic, garnetdagger, and a journal that my parents know of, as well as my writing journals ectogenesis and rosalynde. It is my wish that my journals remain intact. I'm a substantial enough part of the LJ community that I would be rather notably missing if deleted.

(hot_chocolate, eris_raven, and shammash do not count, as they are not "me".) I have a co-administrator for kittenhate; that one's not really my baby. Someone should appoint a new administrator for holyterrors in the event of my death.

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Friends:

I would like that my friends be notified in the event that I die, because it sucks if you have a friend and they die and no one tells you.

Notices should be placed in my Livejournal, and in the http://www.dendarii.com email list.

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Religion & afterlife:

The Tibetian Book of the Dead intrigues me sufficiently that I think an English translation thereof should be read to my departed self. Can't hurt, and just maybe might help me.

I believe in all sorts of interesting things. One of my death-custom beliefs is that I will likely appear in the dreams of those I love (or otherwise, if their waking minds can handle it) to wish them well and to let them know that I am, contrary to the obvious, quite all right. (Torgen did it for me, and I barely knew him, so I can do nothing less for you guys.)

Another viewpoint that I hold is that I, and you, will come around some day again, whether in this universe's continuity or not. I may or may not have echoes of my past clinging to me, but it'll still be the essential me. I've warped enough already that I understand the fluidity and impermanence of personality at least in part.

I would ask that someone who knows my spiritual side best help with the taking care of my magical equipment.

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Memorial:

I think I should like it if people were to gather and share memories. I think I should also like it if far-off friends could at least have the illusion of telepresence. At the present moment, I am not fond of the style of ceremony where one person drones on and on and on. I am fond of the Friends Meeting format, where people are moved to speak and share things. It would please me if someone were to read "High Flight".

In the more lasting scheme of things, it would be nice to set up a scholarship for CTY. Specifically, it would be nice to make a scholarship for returning students in their nevermore year, with hidden preference given to female, poly/pagan/bi, writer, and multiple personalities. I may have already done this. Other favorite places for donations include libraries.

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Stuff:

I'll have collected an extensive library by the time I leave. I would prefer that my library be left in the hands of someone who will appreciate my books for the worlds they unlock, rather than someone who sees them as junk or as the money they might or might not get. (Selling off some of the ones that aren't your bag to a used book store is kosher, though you may regret it later.) Some of my books are very beat-up: those ones are meant for reading.

I may likely have a large collection of magical tools and spell components. Of those, many will be significant only to me, and possibly to a few others who may not be among my immediate executors. That's fine. I would ask that someone who knows me on that side of my life be allowed to help out with taking care of that stuff, as they're most likely to know what to do with any given thing if I haven't left specific instructions.

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Kids:

I may or may not have children. If I leave children who are under their majority, custody of them should of course go to the person designated for them. This would probably be their other genetic parent, and/or my long-term partner(s). If there's no one designated, and my children are old enough to have voice in the matter, their preference should be taken into account.

I would prefer that a child of mine be brought up to respect the religions of others, to embrace magic in whatever form, and to be given the choice of putting their own name to whatever speaks to them best when they're of age to decide (and some do decide early).

I would prefer that a child of mine be brought up to love books.

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Pets and Plants:

I will likely have betta fish and African violets for all eternity. (I'm violet-less at the moment, sadly.) These are low-maintainence pets that demand that you feed/water them on a regular basis, and not much else.

If I have a cat, that cat should go to someone who will love him or her.

If I have a chicken, that bird was likely raised to be a pet, and it would be unethical to slaughter it for food. Food birds were not raised with such love.

Comments

[wibbble]

I believe that LJ, unless the next of kin tell them they want to removed, gives accounts of members who have died permanent status.

[azurelunatic]

I don't want my next-of-kin doing that, which is why I'm making it explicit.

[elance.livejournal.com]

I like the way you did this, very logical and simply laid out.

I should do something along the same lines, I suppose. *sigh*

[azurelunatic]

Everybody should.

I've been detailing who should get my library since age fifteen.

[wibbble]

One of the many things I've been meaning to do is write a script which would post to my journal, and email people messages. Then burn that script onto a CD, put a note on it for my passwords so that someone could log into my machine to use it, and give it to my mother or something.

Of course, I'd probably have it delete some things from my HD too.

I wonder how my mother would react, if she looked through things like my email archives, my journal, letters and cards I've received...

How much worse would it be to realise that not only is your son dead, but that you never really knew him anyway?

[azurelunatic]

I don't know.

My parents know that they don't know all of me, but are content that by what they do know, they raised a relatively happy and healthy and wise kid.

[azurelunatic]

Regarding my book: my wishes: here