Part of me wants to be turned into a Lifegem so my descendents can wear me as a creepy haunted necklace, but more realistically I want to be disposed of in whatever way is best for the environment. Maybe I could just be chucked into an anaerobic digester and recycled as energy.

One person on my India team asked if I like books and the co-worker from Hawaii who I'm meeting there is also bringing gifts and had asked if Crowley liked pumpkin. So more personal-ish? She has worked with the team longer, I'm the newbie so I don't really have ideas of person specific gifts. The majority are men.

My sister has the ashes for both of my parents. As far as I'm aware they are still sitting on a shelf. I never did see Mom's ashes or the urn, even though I ended up paying for all of it.

Sigh.

I want anything remotely useable donated. H and I had always assumed cremation, but with disclosures over air and water pollution we're thinking elsewise. I'd always thought a body farm would be useful, and nine tons more thinkable for me than burial. I know I'll be dead and it won't matter, but I'm claustrophobic--sealed in a coffin in a vault...(shudder) NO. Also, WA is now doing human composting, so that will probably be what we do. Though I do have a place in NC where I'd like to be scattered, as well as one here in PNW. I really don't want any sort of marker.

We scattered FiL's remains on a prominent landscape feature, and some of StE's as well. If his kids want to visit, they have that location--it's picturesque, and they had all visited several times and they know he loved the place. We also scattered some of his ashes at Ft. Macon--another place he loved--looking out to sea. And brought the rest with us. He's also scattered at Deception Pass, looking out onto the Pacific. H likes to say he watches from both shores.

Suzi, Googling around, people seem to be in agreement with meara, that something local-ish might be appreciated. I'm seeing mixed messages about edible stuff - some say it will be so appreciated, others that it won't clear customs. I asked whether personal to know whether something with your company logo might be appreciated (we've done giveaways at work with multi-tools, multi-tool pens, and power banks that all went over very well with all genders), but if they're the same company as you, maybe not. The first thing that popped into my head was bookmarks...the idea of something with either pretty Colorado scenery, or something that you made yourself (I have no idea how long beading something would take, or how much labor, but it popped into my head so I'm throwing it out there).

I don't know if you can get it through Customs, but if you were here on the Right Coast, I'd think about maple syrup or maple sugar candy, which is pretty damn exotic nearly everywhere else in the world. Tree blood! Also, Indians that I've met appreciate sweets, so there's that. A couple of times I've suggested breakfast places around here to foreign visitors, with an injunction to try real maple syrup on their pancakes.

What local goods could you get from Colorado? Anything cowboy-related, like a miniature Longhorn figurine? Or little dreamcatchers, like the kind that people hang from their rear view mirrors?

I've not had any issues getting packaged food through Customs in India, but YMMV.

For those planning on medical donation, have a backup plan. My beloved was MRSA-colonized by the end, and the medical school wouldn't take him, so a quick alternate had to be arranged.

Thanks for the ideas. I checked with my US co-worker on how many she was bringing. There is a group of 10 people that we interact with on a regular basis plus 90 field staff. She is bringing something for everyone. I can't imagine that. I'm ok with finding something for the 10 people that I work with.

All the ideas that pop in my head are crafty - crocheting the CO flag into a bookmark, making mini cross stitches of the flag (but that would involve Hobby Lobby and I try very hard not to give them my money). Or something with the mountain line, that is very Colorado. Hmmmmm. I have between now and late Wednesday to make any purchases and if I go crafty, I have until late Sunday. The more I think of bookmarks, the more I'm liking the idea - some with the flag, some with the mountain line, and maybe something else Colorado-ish. Oh, if I had time I'd do something with Blucifer and the Blue Bear (if you aren't familiar, google them. One is universally loved and the other universally hated).

Doing 15 crafts this week sounds bananas to me! But you know the projects and yourself.

Maybe I'm a weirdo, but I find it a little baffling to care what happens to my body when I die?

Also along these lines, I'm annoyed at people who want to make really specific restrictive bequests. You won't be here to see what we do with your money! And yet we will be locked into whatever you say!

Dear friends: when you are making charitable bequests in your will, just give the money unrestricted, would you?