What Do You Want on Your Tombstone?

Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
edited November 2009 in All Encompassing Trip
Last year I read a story about Plan Your Epitaph Day which is observed on November 2 (Dia de Los Muertos). One suggestion was to take your epitaph from a song title. I haven't picked mine yet but "Given to Fly" has a certain appeal. :thumbup:

Found this info here: http://www.hardiehouse.org/epitaph/planhome.html

PLAN YOUR EPITAPH DAY

Dedicated to the proposition that a forgettable gravestone is a fate worse than death. You too can be in a league with --

William Shakespeare:
"...Curst be he that moves my bones."

and W.C. Fields:
"On the whole, I'd rather be in Philadelphia."

Why do you need an epitaph? Because, if you do nothing, someone else will put your name and dates on your gravestone, period. If you are terribly unlucky, they'll add something like "Dearly missed" or "Beloved Cousin" or maybe even worse.

"Do not act as if you would live ten thousand years. Death hangs over you." --Marcus Aurelius

Don't give up your power over the most important words of your life. Take control: it's your life, it's your death, it's your stone -- YOU say something!

A small sampling from cemeteries around the world:

"Here lies the body of Richard Hind,
who was neither ingenious, sober or kind."

Poet H.J. Daniel's epitaph for his wife:
"To follow you I'm not content.
How do I know which way you went?"

Lawyer Sir John Strange:
"Here lies an honest lawyer,
and that is Strange."

Julian Skaggs of West Virginia:
"I made an ash of myself."

Plan Your Epitaph Day is an international observance featured in Chase's Calendar of Events and in Wireless Flash News Service. Mark your calendar -- it occurs every year on November 2 to coincide with the Day of the Dead.

Lance Hardie, creator of Plan Your Epitaph Day, has been interviewed by media personalities across the United States, Canada, England and Australia. He is at work on a book titled How to Write Your Own Epitaph -- and Live Long Enough to Enjoy It, due to be in print by the Day of the Dead. Contributions are welcome, preferably accompanied by anecdotal notes, references, and pictures if possible. Credit will be given, of course.

As a committed epitaph crusader and consultant, he lives by the motto: "Make it worth dying for." He also writes epitaphs for pets, including pet projects that have bit the dust and pet peeves that have been laid to rest.

Look what Byron did to Castlereagh:

Posterity will ne'er survey
a nobler grave than this:
Here lie the bones of Castlereagh:
Stop, traveller, and piss.

Whatever you do, don't let that happen to you!


I also like the one for Mel Blanc, "the man of a thousand voices," who did the voices for Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, and other Looney Tunes characters--"That's All, Folks!" :clap:
"The stars are all connected to the brain."
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • Given to...Given to... Wyoming Posts: 4,997
    Pepperoni
    "...would you like some forks?" EV 12-02-06
  • Pepperoni

    haha, beat me to it!
    "It's all happening"
  • JOEJOEJOEJOEJOEJOE Posts: 10,651
    Black Swan Killer
  • Pepperoni

    Classic! :lol:

    But I want on mine:

    Too weird to live, and too rare to die
    Walk Tall, Kick Ass, Learn to Speak Arabic, Love Music, and Never Forget You Come From a Long Line of Truth Seekers, Lovers, and Warriors. HST

    CHILLIN LIKE BOB DYLAN!!!
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    "what the fuck're you looking at?"
  • JOEJOEJOE wrote:
    Black Swan Killer


    Adele
    David

    Wife of Nat

    Mother of Larry, An Asshole and Swan Killer
    2000: Camden 1, 2003: Philly, State College, Camden 1, MSG 2, Hershey, 2004: Reading, 2005: Philly, 2006: Camden 1, 2, East Rutherford 1, 2007: Lollapalooza, 2008: Camden 1, Washington D.C., MSG 1, 2, 2009: Philly 1, 2, 3, 4, 2010: Bristol, MSG 2, 2011: PJ20 1, 2, 2012: Made In America, 2013: Brooklyn 2, Philly 2, 2014: Denver, 2015: Global Citizen Festival, 2016: Philly 2, Fenway 1, 2018: Fenway 1, 2, 2021: Sea. Hear. Now. 2022: Camden, 2024Philly 2

    Pearl Jam bootlegs:
    http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
  • Pepperoni
    :lol::lol::lol:

    I won't have a tombstone, I'm donating my body to science. but if I did...
    Bitch
    "In the age of darkness
    want to be enlightened"
  • mickeyratmickeyrat Posts: 40,936
    "what the fuck're you looking at?"
    to which the reply is" an awesome sight, a dead lawyer"!!!!!!! :mrgreen:
    _____________________________________SIGNATURE________________________________________________

    Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
    you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
    memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
    another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
  • WhizbangWhizbang Posts: 1,314
    "what the fuck're you looking at?"

    damn you!!! I was thinking the same thing!!!
    believe it or not, we don't "need" anything. that is only the spoiled brat in us trying to fill some temporary solution to an emptyness that does not exist.

    I have eaten so much gold I crapped excellence - drtyfrnk29

    Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all!
  • normnorm Posts: 31,146
    wake me when it's over
  • TheBeach wrote:
    Pepperoni
    :lol::lol::lol:

    I won't have a tombstone, I'm donating my body to science. but if I did...
    Bitch


    My dad did that. Not the bitch thing, the other.
  • catefrancescatefrances Posts: 29,003
    FUCK OFF!! IM SLEEPING.
    hear my name
    take a good look
    this could be the day
    hold my hand
    lie beside me
    i just need to say
  • Thoughts_ArriveThoughts_Arrive Melbourne, Australia Posts: 15,165
    FUCK YOU LOL
    Adelaide 17/11/2009, Melbourne 20/11/2009, Sydney 22/11/2009, Melbourne (Big Day Out Festival) 24/01/2014
  • pandorapandora Posts: 21,855
    edited November 2009
    I have a drawer- its there next to my father in law who was one of the few coolest men I've ever known.
    I see it each time we go home to Milw to visit- it is a little weird to stand there next to your resting place.
    This especially so since i lost my sister to cancer a few years ago. Feel much more mortal.
    I guess if I would say right now what I would want there on my drawer it would be
    "Meet you on the other side."
    Post edited by pandora on
  • OffHeGoes29OffHeGoes29 Posts: 1,240
    "I'm too cool to die"

    or to quote Dark Magic

    "spellbindingly complex. It's deep, dark, and intense"
    BRING BACK THE WHALE
  • Heatherj43Heatherj43 Posts: 1,254
    Whew!
    Save room for dessert!
  • petrocspetrocs Posts: 4,342
    Live Forever
    Shows:
    9/24/96 MD. 9/28/96 Randalls. 8/28-29/98 Camden. 9/8/98 NJ. 9/18/98 MD. 9/1-2/00 Camden. 9/4/00 MD. 4/28/03 Philly. 7/5-6/03 Camden. 9/30/05 AC.
    10/3/05 Philly. 5/27-28/06 Camden. 6/23/06 Pitt. 6/19-20/08 Camden. 6/24/08 MSG. 8/7/08 EV Newark, NJ. 6/11-12/09 EV Philly, PA. 10/27-28-30-31/09 Philly, PA., 5/15/10 Hartford,5/17/10 Boston, 5/18/10 Newark, 5/20-21/10 MSG
  • ClaireackClaireack Posts: 13,561
    Didn't Spike Milligan have 'I told you I was ill' or something similar put on his? :D
  • DeLukinDeLukin Posts: 2,757
    "If you can read this you're probably standing on my chest. Thanks a lot, asshat."
    I smile, but who am I kidding...
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    "so then my buddy said 'hey, what's the worst that could happen?'...""
  • "Everything was beautiful and nothing hurt"
    Everything not forbidden is compulsory and eveything not compulsory is forbidden. You are free... free to do what the government says you can do.
  • nuffingmannuffingman Posts: 3,014
    Claireack wrote:
    Didn't Spike Milligan have 'I told you I was ill' or something similar put on his? :D
    I think he wanted to but not sure if he did. It would have been excellent! I know the church can stop this sort of thing.

    I think I'll have

    "Passed away in front of the telly, 6 feet under and really smelly"
  • Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    Claireack wrote:
    Didn't Spike Milligan have 'I told you I was ill' or something similar put on his? :D
    Yeah, but it's written in Gaelic I think. Quite a few people have used "I told you I was sick" or something like that.

    The writer Dorothy Parker picked "Excuse my dust" which fits with her kind of humor.
    pandora wrote:
    I have a drawer- its there next to my father in law who was one of the few coolest men I've ever known.
    I see it each time we go home to Milw to visit- it is a little weird to stand there next to your resting place.
    This especially so since i lost my sister to cancer a few years ago. Feel much more mortal.
    I guess if I would say right now what I would want there on my drawer it would be
    "See you on the other side."
    I like that. Succinct and positive. :thumbup:
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."
  • Who PrincessWho Princess out here in the fields Posts: 7,305
    "so then my buddy said 'hey, what's the worst that could happen?'...""
    You know, your signature would make a pretty good epitaph for some people, Clint. ;)
    "The stars are all connected to the brain."
  • nothing....not having one. cremation and ashes tossed. leaving this place as i came in; no remnants. hope the only mark in leave is in hearts and memory...


    off she goes...
    Stay with me...
    Let's just breathe...


    I am myself like you somehow


  • Ms. HaikuMs. Haiku Washington DC Posts: 7,282
    Not much:

    Name
    Start Date - end date
    Given to Fly - there she goes!
    There is no such thing as leftover pizza. There is now pizza and later pizza. - anonymous
    The risk I took was calculated, but man, am I bad at math - The Mincing Mockingbird
  • nothing....not having one. cremation and ashes tossed. leaving this place as i came in; no remnants. hope the only mark in leave is in hearts and memory...


    off she goes...

    i'm trying to figure out a way to go without costing anyone a dime. Even cremation costs quite a bit (money is energy) and they use a lot of gas.

    I guess when it comes to that time I'll find a bonfire somewhere that is burning extremely hot and jump in.
    Everything not forbidden is compulsory and eveything not compulsory is forbidden. You are free... free to do what the government says you can do.
  • Ms. HaikuMs. Haiku Washington DC Posts: 7,282
    "so then my buddy said 'hey, what's the worst that could happen?'...""
    hahahaahahahahahaha, best laugh I had all day! :lol:
    There is no such thing as leftover pizza. There is now pizza and later pizza. - anonymous
    The risk I took was calculated, but man, am I bad at math - The Mincing Mockingbird
  • nothing....not having one. cremation and ashes tossed. leaving this place as i came in; no remnants. hope the only mark in leave is in hearts and memory...


    off she goes...

    i'm trying to figure out a way to go without costing anyone a dime. Even cremation costs quite a bit (money is energy) and they use a lot of gas.

    I guess when it comes to that time I'll find a bonfire somewhere that is burning extremely hot and jump in.


    i really haven't looked into it much, but it's got to cost a lot less than burial and all that encompasses. and i certainly hope either thru life insurance and/or personal savings, my passing won't cost anyone anything...except of course a devastated heart at losing me here...;)
    Stay with me...
    Let's just breathe...


    I am myself like you somehow


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