The Life Assessment Meme

The Life Accounting Meme

Life is short. And you only get one. Even if you get more than one, you don’t remember it, and you have every reason to believe that after you die you’ll either be dust, moving on to a higher (or lower?) plane, or reincarnated as something/someone else. The point of this isn’t what you believe, its that your life, as you are living it, is the only life that you in this life is going to have. So Carpe Dium citizen, Carpe Dium.

1) What do you think is your life expectancy?

Honestly? I have a very stressful life (mainly because I stress out about things way too much and get angry), I am very tell and slightly overweight. I’ve also got bad luck with physical accidents (i.e. car crashes) despite good luck and blessing in other areas, so I’d say 65.

2) What does this system say your life expectancy actually is?


Answer
Life Expectancy 83
Details
Ideal Weight 191
Biggest positive factors Age of grandparents,Cholesterol level,Drinking
Biggest negative factors Gender,Weight,Personality type
Assumptions & Simplifications
This calculator uses the averages for life expectancy based on your age, sex, family history and personal lifestyle.

3) Are you surprised?

Not by a long shot. I'm actually QUITE surprised I'm supposed to live that long.

4) Does it change your behavior at all? Not really. I try to live each moment as if it is my last while still being sane about the whole thing.

5) If you had 24 hours to live starting RIGHT NOW, what would you do? Spend it with Jennifer. I’d stay awake the whole time. I’d drive with her back to North Georgia and look at the stars at night and watch the sunset and sunrise. There is something beautiful about both. I’d say goodbye to my family and friends and I’d have at least two last meals where I would have all kinds of ridiculous amounts of food.

6) If you had a month to live starting RIGHT NOW, what would you do? Well for the first 30 days of it would be spent frantically finishing the 4th and 5th novel. I’d also rapidly finish the musical (at least the text part) that I’ve been working on for years and make provisions to have it finished. I’d make a series of stops at the best restaurants in Atlanta and eat at one a day for each day, and then read some of the best books or see the best movies I could. The last day would be largely spent the same way as the first without the last meal being with as much food but instead just something I liked.

7) If you had a year to live staring RIGHT NOW, what would you do? Everything for the 5th and 6th answers, plus I would take the one way trip around the world that I’ve always wanted to take. I’d also write the 6th and 7th novel, finish the T7 product, go to Gen Con, Dragon Con, World Con, Uber Con and Comic Con. I’d also see the Grand Canyon and go on a Cruise, probably a gamer cruise. I would probably run a final email game, even though I don’t ever plan on running another one again. I also picture myself doing a lot more charity work in terms of volunteering. Given how the most efficient thing I’ve done so far to help charities is grant writing, I picture myself doing a LOT of that.

8) If you died RIGHT NOW, what would you be most proud of accomplishing in your life? Well that’s a lot of things. Despite the fact that I’m no longer Mormon, the fact that we got sealed in the temple means a great deal to me; not because I honestly believe it matters to our eternal happiness, but because it was something I’d always wanted to do and I did it. I’d also have to say that, despite the occasional rocky situation, maintaining positive relations (or at least doing the best *I* could in the situation) with everyone in my family would rank up there. Every second I’ve spent with Jennifer. Writing three novels. Starting a business (despite it being pathetic.) Learning to make movies. Getting my Master’s degree. Getting my Bachelor’s degree. Completing the 10 year game with Lucky Day that was run initially by Byeard Maggot. Having run many kickass role playing game campaigns. Visiting Ireland . The public service I did while I was on my mission. Visiting almost all of the States. Spending a good amount of time in Washington D.C. visiting the things that I wanted to visit. Finally getting to see all of a lot of show’s I’d always wanted to see; or simply watching those shows and sharing those moments with people I care about including Buffy, Angel, B5, DS9 and Supernatural. Going to Gencon at least once. Attending Dragoncon every year while I’ve been in Atlanta . Being at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Having a job since I’ve been 16 (despite the fact that a good chunk of them have sucked.) Becoming a master Tech Writer (finally.) Being politically active and trying to make the world a better place. At least starting to do work with charities even though I would want to do more. Surviving about 10 car crashes and getting more life as a result. Helping Grandma Lawson. Spending a year with Grandma Lawson at Augusta College . Watching my brother Greg do some absolutely AWESOME video games. Being able to witness all of my siblings graduate High School (even if I wasn’t actually able to go to three of them.) Climbing two or three mountains even if I think it sucked enough to never really want to do it again. Seeing the view made it worth it. Once. Having spent at least half of my life always trying to do the best I could with my time, even if my priorities changed. Actually having tried most types of alcohols (even if I can’t stand the taste of it.)

9) If you died RIGHT NOW, what would be the things that you would regret not doing? Finishing at least 7 novels. Never being a father. Never being able to go back to Ireland with Jennifer. Never having honestly, truly felt like I made the world a better place in a significant way. Not leaving behind a way to ensure that evil continues to be fought after my death. Not having made arrangements for a flash dance number. Not having a business that wasn’t pathetic. Never having used my Project Management degree. Not having seeing the Louvre. Never getting to pick a puppy that was my decision and not someone else's or circumstances.

10) What has answering these questions taught you? That despite all the things I’d regret, I’ve lived a pretty awesome life and I have firm plans to live a lot more with the time I’ve had. That setting goals and achieving them really is worth it, and that both the little things and the big things matter. And that of it all, the relationships I have with the people I care about, friends and family, really do matter more than anything else, and make anything I do that is worth doing better. Oh, and that the charity thing is more important to me than I had originally thought it was and that I should do a bit more of that.