Dying has been on my mind lately; more out of the curiosity of not knowing than anything else. After learning how expensive it is to have a traditional burial, I am going to be cremated. A vault will cost more than $2,700 and a casket will cost about the same. Being cremated will only cost about $3,000. I also learnt that I can have my ashes turned into diamonds. However, I am not sure how many diamonds can be generated from my ashes. I wonder if my daughters would like to have their mother on their fingers or around their necks. Turning ashes into diamonds will be expensive and will cost between $15,000 to $20,000 per carat. I am sure that both my daughters will prefer to have the cash instead of these diamonds. Check out LifeGems at http://www.lifegem.com . They charge about $2,500 per .25 carat and apparently they only take the carbon from the ashes. My children can still have my ashes. Rowena wants to throw me out into the ocean although I would like to be cast upon ocean currents that would take me around the world. I would like to be able to return home to Malaysia one day.

Last Tuesday, I completed my training to be a volunteer for the Hospice of Central Michigan, http://www.hospicecentralmich.com/. I have enjoyed the training very much, especially the spiritual care session. Last Tuesday, we visited the Lux Funeral Home where we received a Funeral 101 session. I learnt that it is expensive to die in Michigan. A concrete vault costing at least $2,700 is required so that the ground will be protected. Then you select a casket costing at least $2,700 plus another $3,000 approximately for the services. It is much cheaper to get a divorce. The sky is the limit here. You will also receive a video showing pictures of the individual with selected music and scenes. I also learnt more about enbalming than I really want to know. Remember to die with your mouth shut because otherwise the mortician has to pin your jaws shut with a long stainless steel pin. Being cremated is cheaper than being buried. In fact the cheapest casket for cremation is only $195 and I believe that I can build it myself!

I have always thought that I would not want any viewing of my dead body but apparently the viewing is for the living. They need it to feel good about my dying. I am not sure that I care at that point. Time will tell. More later.