The Island Funeral

Apparently, making notes for your own funeral is considered alarming. I call it quality control.

I’ve seen what happens when people are left to choose a soundtrack and a font under pressure.

This piece began as a funeral checklist. The first item wrote itself: play “The Island Funeral” by Inspirative at my funeral.

I know how that sounds. I’m not trying to die. I just know I will someday, and pretending otherwise has never made life easier.

For the record: I’m alive. I’m also aware that the one appointment none of us can reschedule is coming.

Pretending otherwise has never made living any easier.

People get uncomfortable when you say that out loud. Funny, because they seem perfectly comfortable watching you wear yourself down in silence. Give them a polite answer and the conversation ends. Give them an honest one and they don’t know where to put it. Some have their own shit to carry. Some just don’t give a fuck. Either way, you learn to keep the answer short.

So I made a list while I still get a say. Some of it is practical. Some of it is ridiculous.

One item may require a very awkward conversation with IMAX management. I just thought it was funny. Life is a fucking movie, isn’t it?

Let me have the big screen.

I still get to have opinions about the part before all that: what I make, who I listen to, and how I spend the days that are mine.

The ending can wait. I’m going to be difficult about the living part first.

And for the record, the song is “The Island Funeral” by Inspirative. Please don’t improvise.