Your Last Day by The Vixen, KristinawithaK
August 22nd, 2007 1:52 AMDisclaimer 2: This task has been completed by Kristina with a K, not The Vixen (who is convinced that she's indestructible).
This is the most intense, time consuming, exciting, tiring and overall epic task I've completed so far. It took 14 hours, 100+ pictures, $70 (gas, food, postage, bridge toll, homeless donation), 100 miles (round trip, two different routes), 13 phone calls (part of the task), 7 music albums, 2 battery changes (for the camera), 2 hours of downloading, editing and uploading pictures, 2 cars (mine and the one I test drove), 2 bridges, a bay, an ocean, a city and after all that, I can say that it's been one of the best days I've had in a long time.
I was originally intrigued by this task because it seemed to be the perfect excuse; I could set aside all my priorities for the day and simply enjoy myself without any attachments. However, it seemed as if this task became by biggest priority. Who knew that a simple prompt from an online forum/game could compel me to live a single day to the fullest, as if it were the climax of my life?
I've felt apathetic for a very long time now. This past June was the end of the hardest, most painful period of my life and to tell you the truth, even though I feel completely rejuvenated, I'm burned out as well. And so when I woke up today, I realized that in order to embark on this new section of my life, I must revisit my past and remind myself of all the good things that have brought me this far. Like loved ones, health, music, art, both mental and physical exploration, isolation, meditation, writing, giving away, apologizing, laughing (long and hard), smiling at strangers, complementing, confiding.... So I did as much as I could today, and I feel like I did enough.
My original intention was to write up a fairly detailed summary of the day. I wanted to outline moment by moment so that you'd get a decent viewpoint of my experience. But I realized that this task didn't call for half a book on "What I did today," and that I only needed to provide evidence and explanation for the symbolism of different activities preformed on my "last day."
After reviewing my pictures, I noticed that to the outside eye, my day could have been just like any other and that there really wasn't anything amazing about it. But I guess it all comes down to personal preference. I'm the type of person who enjoys simplicity and re-visitation. But I also like doing things that aren't as "symbolic" more than fun or ridiculous (test drive a fast car). So why did I choose to document the things I did?
1.) Breakfast/morning- this is probably my favorite time of day, when my room is lit just enough to get me to crawl out of bed. Being half British, I am all about my tea (PG Tips is preferred but Tetley is just as good). Breakfast is also when I begin to reconnect with the world; I check email, news, sf0 and all while eating waffles and sipping on tea. And I have to say, a good breakfast time makes for a good day. And it did.
2.) Run- Why the hell did she go on a run, on her last day?? you're probably thinking. Why not? My tri-weekly run has become somewhat of a cornerstone in my routine. It gets me outside, works my body and gets my blood pumping. I love feeling my body move the way it's supposed to. I run up at Tilden Park, the regional park that follows the top of the ridge of the North Berkeley Hills. It's a beautiful place, especially in the morning when the sun is still rising above the east, highlighting the view of the bay and the GG bridge.
3.) Re-connecting- After taking a shower and getting dressed, I rang up a whole bunch of people I haven't seen or spoken to in a while. I decided that any long goodbyes would complicate things, so I opted for hellos. Anyways, I'm generally bad at keeping up with communication so I was left with a great feeling after talking to the 6th person on the list.
4.) Post Office- I decided that I would send my little sister a hand written letter via good old usps. I haven't written an actual letter in a while and I have to say, it felt so much more productive than a phone call or an email. I also decided to mail an overdue payment for my Canadian credit card, just for the hell of it. Lastly, I sent a special package, but I don't think the recipient knows it.
5.) Test Drive- After running to the post office, I decided "Hell, if this is the last day of my life, I'm going to test drive a fast car!" And why not? And so I drove on down to Oakland Volkswagen and took their lone 2004 R32 for a spin. It was gorgeous. It's the same body as mine (20th anniversary edition gti, 2003) but it has a 3.2L six cylinder engine with AWD. And it's fast. After giving the dealership spokesperson a headache on highway 580, I took up back to Oakland and then drove my own slow-poke car on to San Francisco.
6.) Actual Drive- If you haven't yet noticed, I love driving. City driving is so-so, but I'd kill for a good mountain road with smooth paving and lots of orgasmic turns. Driving over the bridge and through SF was nice (I rarely do it) but once I got to highway 1, well, I was home. I think that driving and movement in general symbolizes so much about me as a person as I'm always going from one place to the next (physically, emotionally and mentally). And I feel that going on scenic drives allows me to catch up with myself. Which is why I chose to do this on my last day.
7.) Moss Beach and dinner- My parents first took me to Moss Beach when I was about 6 months old. And I've remained attached every since. It's a very special place to me, an environment with a sense of timelessness that follows me around when I stroll down the path towards the beach. The light is also always ambiguous. It's never sunny, but the outlines of clouds can never be distinguished. It's like a pleasant white light that fills the background. Princeton Harbor is also an old haunt of mine, the restaurant being one of my favorite. Check out their fish and chips.
Near the end of the day, this project didn't seem to be so much of a task rather than a mission to live the day to the fullest. Which is what the prompt was aiming for, I guess. And it was funny, because after the sun set and I was making my way over the San Mateo bridge, I felt that it could have been my last day and that I had done enough to leave satisfied. But I'm not leaving, for it wasn't the last day of my physical life, but the end of a long, drawn out chapter in my life that needed to be finished. Hello again.
54 vote(s)
- Lizard Boy
- YellowBear
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- Darkaardvark
- rongo rongo
- K!
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- The Villain
- Loki
- Blue
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- Bex.
- Lincøln
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- The Villain
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- visivo
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- Tøm
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- susy derkins
- .thatskarobot
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- Not Here No More
- Minch
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- zane norman
- Terpsichore
- meredithian
- Juliette
- GYØ Vicki
- Anna Louise
Favorite of:
- Tøm
- Orion
- Eli
- Lincøln
- .thatskarobot
- Spidere
- The Animus
- meredithian
- Morse Kode
- Not Here No More
- artmouse
Terms
everyoneshouldsee36 comment(s)
This makes me realise how hard it would be to be satisfied that I had made the most of any given day. I find this completion oddly overwhelming.
But let's face it, I would have voted just for the underwear.
Thought provoking! It was especially interesting that you reached out to contact a number of people, but spend a lot of time doing things on your own.
It beautifully captures the feel of a full and peaceful last day. The ending makes it even more beautiful. Hello again.
I still don't know if I'll be able to do this task, but this completion inspires me to try.
I don't think I could possibly complete this task in earnest (without losing absolutely everything I have) but this completion makes me think that maybe last days don't have to be melodramatic. Beautiful job.
I've been waiting for someone to do this task, and you did it wonderfully! :D
So I ended up going to sleep around 3 am and then got up at 7 to take care of my friend's kid. We're watching cartoons right now. Thanks for all of your complements! I'm still in a total daze right now; there's so much more that I want to say and pictures I want to include but I think it would go completely overboard if I did that. I do want to figure out how to add some songs from my playlist of that day. I took all the photos myself, almost dying when I took them on the bridge and on the road. But yes, thank god for the 10 second auto timer!
And no, I've never thought about a will. I have nothing to give away exept maybe a bunch of antiques and my car. And no, you can't have it Yellowbear.
Kristina,
Living your last day vicariously through your pictures has made me incredibly happy.
I will reread this post every time I feel a little down.
This is the best task in SFØ. I hope everyone has a chance to do it.
You have no idea how wonderful it was to read what you wrote. I knew that this project would make me very happy, but hearing it come from someone else is particularity special. However, it makes me a little sad knowing that your experience with mine had to be a vicarious one.
...and now I'm doubly impressed. Your emotion is so apparent in your voice; it sounds like it was a really powerful experience for you. Thank you for sharing it with us.
All I am saying is if it was my last day…
I'd fricken open up a Bentley or at least a Mercedes-Benz E320 on the open highway.
I love all the gorgeous views but… I am not voting for your panties…
So the Berk isn't the 'sco, and this has little to do with your last day, but I'm led to pose a question, dear Vixen. I've got this friend, "John". John had a kick-ass wood-paneled station wagon back in the day until the night ninjas of Chicago stole it. Point being: that wagon was friend to all, a valuable commodity, and people think John's a real driving type. Now in San Fransisco, John thinks it might be car time again (environment be damned). Now, John isn't much of a stick shift driver, but remains the kind of character everyone thinks should know a manual transmission. The question is - does John ignore the pain-in-the-neck hilly reasons to avoid a beast with three pedals, or defy them - to the point of purchasing a vehicle he can't properly drive (yet)?
P.S. A good story, well-told, of a planned-but-plausible Last Day with good mix of the wacky and the sentimental. For some reason it's the test drive that makes it for me.
Incidentally, What You'd Do on Your Last Day is, at it's core, a pretty alienating thing to post on the internet. "Feel Free to Sum-Up Your Life in a Few Paragraphs" wouldn't find many takers.
If he gets the car, I'll teach him to drive.
Oh, and "John" would feel right at home; I got my first manual car before I even knew how to drive it. It's a wonderful experience, learning how to drive with your own car. Major bonding time.
This is an amazing task completion - kudos [and votes] to you, Vixen :)
This has to be the best completion of a task I've ever seen. It's so touching. Wow...wow.
Thanks guys! I'm still dazed after it all. I started school the day after and I was pulled back down to earth, but it was definitely the best thing I ever done to finish off a summer with a bang. I definitely don't feel that it's the best completion ever done, I applaud so many of the older members for their consistent effort; so many of them go beyond with ALL of their completions. And I'm only just getting there.
Probably my favorite task completion ever.
I'm calling it the hobo coat from now on.
I hope that in your real last day, you might have more friends around. I guess if i had a last day i might spend it alone too, but knowing that i wouldn't be around tomorrow i might want to see people i enjoy. I suppose it saves one from goodbyes taking up the whole day. I agree with some of the others here that i don't think i could wholeheartedly attend to all the things i'd want to do and still end up able to actually continue my life if i took on this task. So anyway, nice job...it really feels like someone's last day.
Having your friends around on your own last day is your prerogative, and not mine.
I chose not to do so because my last day was about ME and reflecting on my life in relation to my experiences. That's nice of you to worry about me, but you really don't need to. I thought long and hard about what I wanted to do for this task, and what I'd like to transpire on the final day of my life and I can safely say that I'm satisfied with how it turned out.
Some people want to do something crazy on their last day, like bungee jumping for example. I wanted to revisit the beloved and familiar aspects of my life. As for the crazy things, I want to experience those in my every day life, not wait till I'm dying to do so.
I say: fix your estrangements with others, call at least one person you love at least once a day, spend time alone with yourself once in a while, splurge on a guilty pleasure here and there (like test driving a fast car), live epically, take advantage of advantageous situations and always remember, don't leave life until the last minute.
-V
PG Tips tea rules. Tetley, Twinings and Typhoo have nothing on PG Tips.
...I am such a weirdo.
Vixen, you have made my day just seeing yours. That was the most beautifully artistic rotation of the earth.
I do not have the time to do the things I would do on the final day of my life...and since they would probably end my life I am going to put my vote in for a less threatening ending...or supposed one...I love how this was completed.
i'd never voted for this... maybe i'd been having a bad day. not no mo'!
p.s. does sean know how to frickin' drive yet??
That was WoW! Your last day was so relaxed and so full of positive reflection. It seemed like an absolutely fulfilling day, I am glad that I was able to experience a day so wonderfull thru your perfect choice in pictures and words.
Also.
I should add, and I can safely say this: Best. Completion. Ever.
Thank you, that means so much to me.
It's encouraging that people still find this completion inspiring but I definitely look forward to the day when someone else blows us out of the water with this task.
Wait... so who would you be on your last day?
Kristina, The Vixen or a little bit of both?
Maybe a little of both. But I feel that I should take most of the credit. But shhh! Don't tell her I said that!
i was just greeted by your piggy undies.... i mean when i logged in... not in person
This was very touching to read! What a great completion!
Well done! I feel like I will never be able to do this task for several reasons, not the least of which being that I would probably need to do several life-threatening things in order to complete it correctly.