Mortality and music
or, How to plan your own wake.
I come from a family with a tradition of funeral wakes on either side. My Dad's family is Scouser Irish, while Mum's mostly comes from a rural background in the south of England. From talks with various older family members, wakes were traditional but seem to have died off (no pun intended).
For one reason or another, I've started considering my own mortality. Throw into the mix my recent departure from the-soon-to-be-former-Mrs Boysenberry, and I've realised that no one has any clue about what I want when I die/disappear. Morose? Possibly. I just don't want some dickhead member of my extended family deciding what should or shouldn't happen.
Ideally, I'd like to be left on a wooden platform, for the birds to pick at. Knowing that would probably scare the crap out of attendees, as well as be difficult to organise with the bureaucracy of Canberra, I guess it's onto my second option.
Burn me. None of this burying malarky, taking up valuable real estate. I really want my ashes to be scattered from Point Hut Crossing onto the Murrumbidgee. Maybe a stupid, romantic gesture, but I see my ashes making their way down the river to the Murray, and onward to my home state.
Music. I'd rather not have to listen to someone else's choice, to be honest. Some might be able to pick the artists I like, but very few would pick the right songs. Of course, these will change over time, without doubt.
Music to be played as people enter. Joy Division - Atmosphere.
Music to be played as the fire burns.Electric Six - High Voltage - Had a change of mind, and need to think about this a bit more. Pink Floyd - The Great Gig In The Sky.
Music to be played as people leave. Fatboy Slim - Bird of Prey. This, too, may change.
Music to be played as my ashes are scattered. My favourite folk song from school, but with a twist. The Pogues - Bound for South Australia.
Eulogies. Well, if someone wants to get up, they can. Nothing formal; no priest to interpret what my life and death meant. Pass around the talking stick, and let people decide what they want to say, and how much. At this point, music is up to people. What I want is tunes that people will remember me by. They won't necessarily be my choice, but, hey, I'll be cinders so who cares? :)
I come from a family with a tradition of funeral wakes on either side. My Dad's family is Scouser Irish, while Mum's mostly comes from a rural background in the south of England. From talks with various older family members, wakes were traditional but seem to have died off (no pun intended).
For one reason or another, I've started considering my own mortality. Throw into the mix my recent departure from the-soon-to-be-former-Mrs Boysenberry, and I've realised that no one has any clue about what I want when I die/disappear. Morose? Possibly. I just don't want some dickhead member of my extended family deciding what should or shouldn't happen.
Ideally, I'd like to be left on a wooden platform, for the birds to pick at. Knowing that would probably scare the crap out of attendees, as well as be difficult to organise with the bureaucracy of Canberra, I guess it's onto my second option.
Burn me. None of this burying malarky, taking up valuable real estate. I really want my ashes to be scattered from Point Hut Crossing onto the Murrumbidgee. Maybe a stupid, romantic gesture, but I see my ashes making their way down the river to the Murray, and onward to my home state.
Music. I'd rather not have to listen to someone else's choice, to be honest. Some might be able to pick the artists I like, but very few would pick the right songs. Of course, these will change over time, without doubt.
Music to be played as people enter. Joy Division - Atmosphere.
Music to be played as the fire burns.
Music to be played as people leave. Fatboy Slim - Bird of Prey. This, too, may change.
Music to be played as my ashes are scattered. My favourite folk song from school, but with a twist. The Pogues - Bound for South Australia.
Eulogies. Well, if someone wants to get up, they can. Nothing formal; no priest to interpret what my life and death meant. Pass around the talking stick, and let people decide what they want to say, and how much. At this point, music is up to people. What I want is tunes that people will remember me by. They won't necessarily be my choice, but, hey, I'll be cinders so who cares? :)
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