Thread: Well, he died doing what he liked to do.

As someone who regularly hikes into remote mountain trout streams (my only risky hobby other than shaving!), I can tell you that the prospect of dying 'with my boots on,' though not a prospect I relish, would be, to quote the old Indian speaking of Brad Pitt's character in "Legends of the Fall," a "good death." Good being a relative term here, as opposed to, say, suffering an aneurysm in an endless faculty meeting. So I happily take my chances with the gravity and rocks, or the slight risk of lightning, exposure, or drowning . I do it because it does more to keep me truly alive, and feeds my troubled spirit more than any other thing I do.

In any event, I suspect that we are all in more danger behind the wheel driving to our dangerous activities than we are doing the activities themselves. This is probably the ultimate YMMV topic.

edit: As you all know, most outsiders who find out we actually shave with str8s think we are borderline crazy, and that this is very dangerous; obviously, other than the occasional careless cut we all get, it's not really. But while I stand by what I said above, I must admit that the thought of the remote possibility of say, nicking my carotid with a spike-point and dying in spraying gouts of blood all over the bathroom horrifies me, and is NOT a way I'd want to go. Has anything like that ever even happened?

My overactive imagination and morbid curiosity will be the death of me yet, before anything else.

In my younger days I was a smoke diver (interior fire fighter). I never thought that 'this would be a good day and place to die' but I was always spiritual and mentally ready for the event should it happen. I knew each and every time I entered a burning building the chances of getting dead were much higher than if I were sitting in my recliner watching TV. Would I have died doing what I liked? Well... it depends on how you word the answer. I didn't like risking my life by entering a burning building but I was happy to be able to offer my assistance to people in need. In the end the results is the same, dead is dead. You only live once and then you're dead forever...

Originally Posted by Joed

You only live once and then you're dead forever...

There are a few SRPers that would disagree with that.