• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Catherine Gacad

  • About
  • Categories
    • Archives
    • Blogging
    • Burning Man
    • City Guides
    • Education & Politics
    • Favorite Books
    • Finances & Retirement
    • Parenthood
    • Relationships
    • Religion
    • San Francisco Bay Area
    • Travel
  • Hire Me
  • Subscribe
    • Feedburner
    • Bloglovin
    • Feedly
  • Search

All Posts

What do you want your tombstone to say?

This was on the Daily Post a week ago. What do you want your tombstone to say?

I don’t want it to say a damn thing because I don’t want a headstone. I don’t want to take up a plot of land in a cemetery. I have no interest in hanging out with dead people who I have nothing in common with. The thought of throwing thousands of dollars away on a casket makes me want to roll over in my grave. Also, I despise the idea of open caskets. I don’t want anyone looking at me after I’ve died. I think that’s really grotesque.

Make sure I’m cremated, then please take those ashes and spread them a la Osama Bin Laden. Better yet, bring me in a pink box to the Temple. I couldn’t think of a better place to be than Burning Man.

I dislike cemeteries. I don’t like going to them. I don’t enjoy visiting. When I’m dead, I’m dead. Don’t feel obligated to pay your respects by bringing me flowers. I don’t want people to do that. I’d rather they remember me in surprising ways. Like opening up a menu and remembering how much I loved to order french fries. Or breaking out a Scrabble board and remembering how I loved that game.

That’s what matters. Tombstone don’t mean nuthin.

Related

Tweet
Pin
Share
0 Shares

08.16.11

Tweet
Pin
Share
0 Shares

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to my site, derived from an advice column I wrote while getting my MBA. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. I give helpful, opinionated advice based on my own experience and from the expertise of my extensive network. For more, click here.

Categories

  • Archives
  • Blogging
  • Burning Man
  • City Guides
  • Education & Politics
  • Favorite Books
  • Finances & Retirement
  • Parenthood
  • Relationships
  • Religion
  • San Francisco Bay Area
  • Travel

Popular Posts

  • An Exploration of World Religions: Zoroastrianism
  • A Flowchart for Choosing Your Religion
  • Why Do Guys Date Girls Who Barely Speak English?
  • Touring Sunnylands, "Camp David of the West," near Palm Springs
  • UC Berkeley English Department
  • How to Avoid Fecal Coliform Bacteria on Your Next Flight
  • What to Know About the Lair of the Golden Bear
  • Daily Interviews
  • Pre-Thanksgiving Not So Good News
  • Oysters at Cafe des Amis

Back to top

© 2025 Catherine Gacad.