The Death Clock

Eek! This sounds like a terrible name for an entry, doesn’t it?

Maybe it’s the crummy weather that’s been hanging around for the last couple of days that piqued my interest in something I read while reading one of Gretchen Rubin’s blog entries. I’ll blame it on the grey clouds that just can’t seem to keep the rain from spilling out.

So, she’s usually all about the happiness side of things. This is why I was surprised she was even poking around the Internet in such a way that she would come across a site called Deathclock.com. I wasn’t going to click on it. But I guess much like her, I had a strange morbid curiosity.

Put in your birthdate, sex, BMI, whether you’re a smoker or not, and your mode. Mode meaning are you optimistic, pessimistic, or normal? And that’s supposed to tell you when you will die!? Really? So, of course I did it.

I struggled with Mode. As much as I hate to say it, I have teetered more on the glass is half empty zone during a lot of different periods in my life. In trying to be truthful, especially feeling a little stuck at the moment not sure how I’m going to make this novel thing come true, I went ahead and chose pessimistic for kicks or to seal my fate in cutting out from this life thing sooner. That was enough to scare me. February 24, 2042. I would live another 29 years and die at the age of 61. Going to this site was not a good idea. Or was it?

Haha. Luckily I get to alter the clock. Cheer me up a little. I went back and tried “Normal.” Phew, May 4, 2060. But after doing the math, that only gives me 47 more years and I would die at 79. One more alteration. I’m going to choose “Optimistic.” Yes! I’m now making it to 92.

I should have slapped myself for even doing this. Accurate? Not really. I tried all three again and got different answers. At least it makes me feel a little better that this is all based in, um, malarkey?

Why would she have brought it up and what was it telling me? Well duh, become an optimist. Don’t become an optimist because of what a dumb death clock tells you, but become one because there is some evidence which points to the fact that happier people do live longer, beat out diseases, are way more fulfilled. Optimism is, in one word, happier.

Obviously the end is inevitable. And while we don’t have complete and total control over our lives, we do have the power to make changes that will ultimately give us a better life.

The real reason I got sucked into the vortex of the Death Clock entry is because I’ve spent most of the day poking around on other people’s blogs to spark creativity and ideas for how to find a way to make my blog better. Part of a new commitment of about 24 things I am trying to be a better writer. Today’s task was to read through at least 3 other people’s blogs. Tomorrow I get to overhear conversations and people watch. That ought to be fun!

I’m doing this to help develop the characters, plot line, tone, point of view and genre I will use when I attempt to pump out 50,000 words during National Novel Writing Month in November.

If interested in these ideas, click on this link: Write to Done

You’ll also be happy to know that in looking through other people’s blogs, I needed to do some updating on the About Me and Inspiration sections. I’ll probably add another new page in the next week or so.

By the way, I’m not endorsing anyone should do the Death Clock exercise themselves…unless you’re needing a really big kick in the butt to get yourself to finally be an optimist!!

I had to have some fun with this…:):):)