Welcome to The Art of Memorialising - an audio newsletter by Peter Billingham from Death Goes Digital and Memorable Words Eulogy Writing services bringing you the latest news on digital immortality, digital legacy, digital life curation and all things #Deathtech.
Thanks for reading.
You’d have thought I would have learnt by now...
I’m in my 60s. I’ve been around the block a few times.
There are a lot of things I know - I know.
Now, I’m not saying I know it all - far from it!
And that’s the problem.
I want to know more. I never want to stop learning. Never want to stop growing my skills and knowledge. Oh, and I never want to stop travelling!
What about you? Are your learning days done?
My curiosity quotient is expanding, not contracting as the years pass.
Einstein famously suggested I should never stop questioning. My curiosity cannot help but be in awe when I …
‘Consider the mysteries of eternity, the marvellous structure of reality’
... and how websites, and apps about life curation, memorials and planning your life legacy are growing at speeds faster than Einstein’s speed of light!
Ok, exaggeration. But even so, faster than I imaged back in 2016 when I started writing about those subjects.
Take, for instance, how Artificial Intelligence is becoming a tool in afterlife memorials and creating your digital twin. Someone who a family can communicate with even after a person has died.
I’ve even written about how AI will become part of funerals. Even I didn’t realise how quick it would actually happen!
Marina Smith MBE, through the power of holograms and artificial intelligence seems to have a ‘conversation’ with mourners at her funeral using Storyfile. (via BBC). That’s incredible!
Just as fascinating as how you can create amazing images with Artificial Intelligence with a few words …
But that’s not what I am talking about here.
I’ve learned there is something I haven’t yet learned.
There is still an important truth I don’t get. I know it’s not it’s not possible, but I still keep on trying.
There are lots of things I love to do (walking for miles, playing the guitar, owning a dog, Friday night steak and chips) - Oh, and writing is one of them. I love to write.
I write books, like - Gathering Rosebuds In Kerala. But what I do, mainly, is write eulogy speeches for people across the world. Or when working in my local area writing and leading funerals as a celebrant.
I write eulogies. That’s what I do. It’s what takes most of my time. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to combine something I love with helping others.
I spend most of my days writing about people I have never met. About the way they lived their one and only ‘wild and precious life.’ But sadly life ended. I try to put into words what heartbroken people are feeling, but cannot verbalise. Yes, maybe it’s a rare vocation, but an immensely rewarding writing niche I find.
My curiosity itch wants to to learn how to write eulogies even better. I keep scratching that one too.
I also want to share my learning as a eulogy speechwriter with others so I’m writing a new book.
‘I Just Want To Say A Few Words: The Ultimate Eulogy Toolbox - A Simple and Easy Step-by-Step Guide How To Write A Eulogy for A Loved One, Friend or Colleague.’
Almost 90% of my first draft is completed.
It’s going to be around 100 or so pages of the best ideas, methods and ways anyone can use to write a few words of a eulogy. Published, hopefully, before the end of the year.
But here I go again. You see ... I haven’t learned what I haven’t learned. Yet.
I haven’t learned ….
… I just can’t do it all!
There is a limit to the amount of work you can do! So I just try to do as much as I can, and then when I’ve done that, I try to do some more.
But it leaves me, like last month, not being able to do some things I want to do like write The Art of Memorialising Newsletter.
And I’m very sorry about that.
I find these subjects piquing my curiosity, so I search the web and share the latest news with you - a subscriber to The Art of Memorialising.
If you missed last months newsletter, please email me and tell me. I’d be over the moon if you did.
What is the greatest benefit you get from reading the Newsletter or Podcast? Can you email me and let me know please?
It’s a great feeling to know that you are doing something you love to do, but you can’t do it all. Sometimes, you need to decide what is important to you and what is not.
I’m not afraid to admit I can’t do everything. I just haven’t learned it. Yet.
I’m experimenting with the format of the newsletter to change to briefer bullet points like this month? What do you think?
The most important thing I need to learn is I can’t do it all - but I’m betting some of you do too? What good things do you need to stop working on so you can focus on the best things? I’d be interested to hear that too!
Let’s see what’s been happening in the fascinating world of The Art of Memorialising.
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MM’s (Memorialisation Morsels)
MindBank Ai Creates a SOUL for your Personal Digital Twin Using AI Generated Music. You can combine your voice with music to create ‘SOUL music.’ (Soundtrack of Universal Life) The final output is a personalised soundtrack of a story from the person's life. (via einnews.com)
What Did Ray Kurzweil Predict? (Raymond Kurzweil is an American computer scientist, author, inventor, and futurist.) He speculates three fields: nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, and genetic biology, will be the source science uses for humans to achieve human immortality. (via rebellionresearch.com)
Digital Keeper - End of Life APP - Whatever you do don’t let this email go to spam! New app, ‘Digital Keeper.’ Each week, the subscriber receives an email asking, ‘How are you?’ If there is no response after four days a "digital asset succession notice" is sent to designated people. (via mainichi.jp)
Enjoy A TED Talk? - Try - The potential of your phone to leave a digital legacy.
The National Funeral Directors Association Report of change in US funeral market as a result of the pandemic. The present and future of funerals is cremation and buying online it seems. (via fox10phoenix.com)
Will Digital Avatars of Films Stars make new films even after they have died? It’s not as far fetched as it sounds. (Via Nationalpost.com)
A Podcast With AI‑Generated Steve Jobs Raises Ethical Concerns. Who controls your voice and digital avatar after you have died? Is using an artificial intelligence version of someone going to be commonplace? (via the swaddle.com)
It’s You … only digital and dead. ‘An avatar that looks like you, talks like you, has your memories, and can speak to your great great great grandchildren. You will live forever digitally.’ Top futurist Dr Michio Kuku shares his vision at Dubai Future Forum (via gulf news.com)
Can we elongate human life using bio longevity, bionic continuity, and digital immortality? Transhumanists want to replace God with the Machine, tapping into a deep religious impulse of the human race. (via mindmatters.ai)
And Finally - a new tour de force? - The cycle of life: France welcomes its first bicycle-hearse (via euronews.com) An unusual-looking cargo bike is attempting to shake up the funeral business in France.
Who do you know who would find this information interesting?
Please, can you forward the email to them? I’d be very grateful.
Let’s start a conversation - info@deathgoesdigital.com
Until next month, (hopefully) keep safe, and keep going.
Pete
You’d have thought I would have learnt by now...