8,540 and Counting . . .

Life is fragile, like the dew hanging delicately on the grass, crystal drops that will be carried away on the first morning breeze. - Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

Yesterday, the remarkable 8,541st day of my remaining life on earth, was not so bad. Intrigued, L. asked about the Death Clock, and I sent her this link.

Well, it turns out that although I am going to die May 5, 2028, she will live to be 100 and won't die until Saturday, July 5, 2064. She's going to outlive me by more than 25 years! Of course, her BMI is 19 (mine's 26). I offered to take her out before 2064 if she thought 100 was too old, but I wouldn't want to do it much before 2028, as I don't want to spend too much time in jail.

But that site is just a ploy for a vitamin company, and only considers gender, smoking and BMI in it's longevity calculations - more accurate actuarial calculations include things like wearing seat belts, marital status, religious beliefs, presence of disease, safe sex practices, etc.

The Death Timer also uses drinking and what country you live in, but only a "yes/no" algorithm for obesity rather than BMI, and it gives me November 20, 2028 for my day of death. Only six months more than Death Clock. . .

Day 4 Death gives me until September 4, 2039 (age of 84), and also predicts, with a 44% probability, that I will die under in-patient care and, with a 31% probability, from heart disease. It also provides celebrity deaths for the day of the year - I will die on the anniversary of the death of Hank the Angry Dwarf from Howard Stern's show.

The most comprehensive list of factors that I've found is on Bella Online. It includes a lot of lifestyle issues like stress, outlook on life, etc. It gives me until January 25, 2036, but two more years if I get a pet.

So all I really learned from all of this is 1. I am going to die, and 2. I can expect to live to be somewhere between 74 and 86 years old. All of which I already knew.

All this may be moot however. The Inca calendar ends in December 2028 - therefore, a lot of people think that's when the world will end. Not to much use planning beyond that date . . .