When you are Gone.
Maybe you have heard of the English television show “Monty Python”. In it’s original form it was a TV show with short sketches. Brought to you in unmistakable British Humor – or Humour I mean. British humor is a kind of humor you like or don’t like at all. Talli-ho and all that stiff upper lip stuff. Absurd to the max. John Cleese used to be the lead actor. They used this little one-liner to glue the little sketches together: “And now for something completely different”.
1 An Now for something completely different
And Now… For Something Completely Different…
You know, both you and me are youngsters, little puppies. Active. Overactive sometimes. We are not old yet. And even ‘yet’ sounds decades away.
We live a full life – some fuller than others – and like to stay busy. We have jobs – or not. But still… We.are.young.
We are not ready to plant a patch of dandelions on our tummies when we are six feet under. No way Jose’.
Ok this may come as a shock to you, so I am trying to be as careful as I can: “You Will Die“. Sometime in the future you will, believe you me. I was as careful as I could be…
And when that time comes, what will happen to your blog? I know it is probably something you have never thought about, but you (and probably your family) have invested a lot in it.
Last Will
Ok now I’m thinking. What do I need to do?
First of all – you need to stay calm. It’s not like you are tipping over while you are reading this post. It would make a great headline in tonights paper though: “Blogger dies while reading a post – The JanBierens Dot Com is a DEATHTRAP“.
Seriously.
You have invested a lot of time, effort (and possibly money) in your blog. If not for yourself, you could make things a bit more easy for the loved ones you leave behind.It’s not an easy subject, but have you discussed this with them? I did not, I have to admit.
So take a pen and paper and start jotting down some of the things you might have to think about, before Mr. D comes knocking on your door.
A Contract?
Think About…
In a ‘randomish’ order some things you might consider.
- Find someone that can do ‘blog-related’ stuff for you – someone you trust can get the job done the way you want it. After all, it’s your party…
- Make a document containing your passwords. Your Hosts administrative panel, your ‘blog connected’ e-mail, the password for your FTP upload program, Pay-Pal account, Billing accounts, E-Banking account connected to your blog, Social Media accounts and so forth.
- Make a document of people you want to be informed. Friends – you might have more that you think, Affiliates, business partners,
- If you make money with your blog, you are responsible for (a part of) your family’s income. Is there someone that can take over things for you? As you can imagine direct family members might not feel they want to do this because of emotional reasons. Again, is there someone you can trust to do that?
- Have you made a decision if the blog should stay active? Maybe you want to sell your blog if you have taken permanent residence in blog heaven? Do some research on that.
- Make clear to everyone involved what you don’t want to happen to your blog.
- In most cases just making a document stating what you want to happen will be sufficient. If there’s more money involved you might want to consider legal documents to state your wishes.
And Now For Something Even More Completely Different:
A toughie, huh? But seriously – you may want to think about those kinds of things now. It could save your loved ones some grief. They will be going through a hard time and they don’t need to worry about your blogging aspiration things.
Smile
I spent some time searching for a ‘funny’ picture to kinda bring a happy ending to this post.
While you are blogging away just think about the fact that you make a difference in the world. At least you took the trouble and honesty to write your thoughts on ‘virtual paper’.
You are doing, what so many people are just dreaming about – writing. For an audience. How small or big an audience does not matter.
It is on the Internet for many ears to come. Trust me.
The Internet does not forget. There will be always traces on it now, leading back to you. Whether you wanted that or not. Because some guy once said – many moons ago:
If you don’t want it to be public knowledge, don’t put it on the Internet.
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Sweet and oh so true. I just have to say, the cutey in the pic? Yeah, she has freckles right?
Brenda recently posted: Wanna Hear About My Crazy Dream?
Hi Brenda
Admittedly… not a subject a lot of people think about. I didn’t, but maybe I should… As for the freckles? Nothing escapes you,
I don’t have plans for mine, if I should pass. They can linger forever in the www world, unless between now and then I can find someone to pass it onto
My hubs dang sure couldn’t manage it! Shewww!! Blog illiterate. Gives ya lots to think about. Hmmm maybe I should put a WILL tab on my blog? 
Brenda recently posted: Healthy Lifestyles and the Wellbeing of American Warriors
Hah!
That would be awesome and make some eyebrows raise! Next to the ‘about’ and ‘contact’ tabs.
Jan, I have never given a thought to it….and now when I am thinking….I can think of so many passwords I need to share, how can I do that? Never easy to disclose those things.
Even if I prepare a document for the same, I am changing those passwords very regularly, how to keep a track of those.
You have given a food for thought.Now I will keep on thinking…till I find some robust solution.
Thanks
Sapna
Sapna recently posted: 8 Must Read Tips to Increase Readership
Me either, Sapna.
It takes some dedication to get things in order in the first place. After that it’s going to be easier – after a;;, you are not changing passwords on a daily basis, are you.
There are some software tools for that – keep track of your passwords, using one master key password, but you still need to change your passwords when you changed them. Food for thought. I take that as a compliment. It’s not an easy subject.
Thanks for sharing!
Pingback: Nobody likes to think they are going to die
I’ve thought about it Jan and I have a spreadsheet with all my log-in information on it. I also have a list with all my accounts that need to be paid for and how to access the ones that bring in mula for me.
Although I am much older then you, I’m still young. Hell, I’ll always be young as far as I’m concerned but I know for a fact that I won’t have my blog forever. I also know that there will be no one to take over my stuff when I’m gone so my family can do with it what they want. I don’t have any children of my own so whatever I make goes to my nieces and nephews and if my brother wants to keep that money coming in then he would have to learn what I do and he has his own business and is not interested at all.
I have a feeling that what I will do will fall by the wayside but that’s just part of life and death. Let’s just hope that I’m long retired and enjoying the sweet life by the time death comes knocking on my door. One can remain positive about that topic. I sure do.
~Adrienne
Adrienne recently posted: Why Some Automatic Settings Are A Very Bad Idea
Hi Adrienne,
You must be one of the few people I know that are ‘Prepared’…Well you know what I mean. I haven;t given it any thought until now, but there has to be ‘some arrangements’ made, Jotting down passwords and usernames is definitely a good start.
I don’t know the about ‘the age thing’… as you know my profile picture was taken back in 1824, black and white.,,
Just enjoying what you do helps a lot in reaching an absolutely high age and interacting with people keeps one even younger (I’m tippy toeing right now… lol)
Hi Jan,
I feel better
‘Cause I’ve already told that to my girlie and what to do if I die and what I need to happen after my death too and vice versa. It’s just mad, but we will never know. I prefer uncertainties figured out before they beat us.
I like the checklist you have made
Probably the one you made for ya, right?
You will either see a death notice or girlie start posting on my blog
lol… Remember ~ Mayura”4Ever” 
LITERARY… But I will be (Don’t ask HOW)
Cheers…
Mayura recently posted: Display Instagram Photos on Your Website with SnapWidget
Hey Nayura,
Anyways, I like the title of your blog – forever is an awfully long time. It’s always good though to think about those things for a while and then “continue as you are”. Nothing wrong with that.
. Thanks for the input, Mayura!
I wanted to say “when you’re really young”… etc. etc.
By the way… Now it won’t surprise me anymore when the main subject on your blog changes from awesome Google and Blogging tips and tricks to “Nasty Nail polish”
Hi Jan,
Morbid subject, expertly delivery!
Honestly, I have thought about this one before but shrugged it off before the though could gather substance. Who wants to think about death? It beats me…
But as you say, one day, we would have to think about something very different. Some of us, that is.
For others, death will not be a planned affair. The even more morbid truth is that death has no fear of youth.
Some of us will die young. So it does no harm to start thinking of death, now.
Yeremi Akpan recently posted: Guest Post Marathon: Wanted, 100 Guest Post Blogs!
You nailed it, Yeremi.
It’s a toughie to think about and we’re all *not* prepared. I was thinking about the fact when you – as a blogger – are responsible for (the major) part of income for your family… What if that income goes, then what. Like I said not an easy or popular subject to blog about, but so is talking about life insurance…
I’ve heard about Facebook and what you can do after this life. But for the blog I hadn’t thought about it. Of course Adrienne and Mayura are always so prepared
This gives me something to think about – who would want to continue it? I supposed if it’s making tons of money someone would but if not, probably no one
Your last quote is so true “IF you don’t want it to be public knowledge, DON’T put it on the Internet.” Maybe we could add the word stupid after it – LOL
To many more years of blogging Jan!
Lisa recently posted: Can A Tweet Seats Event Create A Social Buzz?
LOl @ Lisa!
I mean you are so right, who wants this little itty bitty blog~o~mine. No one really is prepared for that, but if the income you have from blogs or blogging form the major part of income for your family, it’s god to feel responsible for that. Oh and the last thing we’re waiting for is “a deceased blogger’s url sale out”. On the other hand… Maybe that could be the new ‘next market’? Let’s hope not..
Many happy healthy blogging years to you, Lisa!
I have thought about what will happen but haven’t done a thing yet because I expect to live to be 130 or at least 97.69 which means I have more than 50 years before I need to worry about this.
It is not a bad idea to look into thinking about it. Sometimes I wonder what would happened if I dropped dead tomorrow, meaning would this look like Pompei and show an accurate snapshot of the last few days of my life or would it be something else.
Jack recently posted: What Happens When You Get Bored With Blogging
Hi Jack!
Hmm that could be interesting. I mean what if an old English female archaeologist stumbled upon the remains of your blog, a couple of hundred years from now. For one it would make an awesome script for a Hollywood Movie! Working title: “Jack’s Ashes”. You know I’m just kidding, right?
Seriously, it’s something to look into if one has some time to spare, even when one still has dozens of years left on the odometer of life! I wish you many happy blogging years, Jack. Thanks for stopping by!