Immortality

'The more we write the less we die' Brian Kessler

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2012690/BEL-MOONEY-The-moving-story-Ive-heard--Dads-life-words.html

http://www.livesonrecord.com/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/familyhistory/8519082/Battle-of-Britain-son-Ive-got-something-to-tell-you....html
Good idea or morbid? Exactly how do you introduce the idea to an elderly relative? Does the idea extend to the terminally ill? I think this is an excellent idea, if you can afford it. My uncle spent a great deal of time researching our family history and it makes very interesting reading. If the technology to record voices and take photographs had existed a couple of hundred of years ago how amazing it would have been to hear my ancestors stories in their own words instead of just reading stats about them - where they were born and died, who they married, how may children they had. My grandfather died in 1967 and if someone had taken the time to record him talking about his life it would have become my most treasured possession. Of course it would have had to have been copied onto new devices over the years, reel to reel, cassette, compact disc, mp3 and onto the computer. Imagine if video had been available? Yet stored in the back of cupboards I have lots of videos of my children when they were young. Will they ever see the light of day again as video players become obsolete? Surely we should be keeping our personal family history accessible and updated? There is evidence of some interest from my children. Not long ago my son was sharing family photos with his girlfriend and he delighted in telling me 'Wow, mum you used to look like a super model!' 'Really? I preened. 'Do I still look like one then?' 'No - you now look like you've eaten one' was his witty reply. He was disappointed that he couldn't play some of the videos and asked what was the point of having all these events recorded for posterity if they cant be watched.

How would I feel if my children sent an interviewer round to ask me about my life? Amazed they were showing any interest? Worried they knew something about my health I didn't? Or proud that they wanted to have a record of me before I got too old, too cantankerous and too vague?

Having spent several enjoyable outings with my mum and dad I must say that if I had the odd several hundred pounds to spare I would consider it money well spent. Only problem is my mum and dad would see it dangerous as writing a will....tempting fate. That's the problem. We all think we are going to live forever.

Ratdiaries is my life on record. Free and, as far as I know, with no need for reformatting. As I have said many times before - hope you read it one day guys. And for the sake of my great great great great grandchildren if you are reading this I would like to clear something up...I looked like a supermodel until the day I died.