I wouldn’t say I’m obsessed with death.
Not in the way I’m obsessed with, say, always filling my Britta water filter pitcher to the brim or making sure the charge on my cell phone, laptop, iPad batteries never gets below, um, 100%.
Let’s just say, notions of my own demise interest me in that I would like to:
1. Forestall any haste to that inevitability since life is going pretty well right now
2. Make sure I don’t have any more serious system failures, causing me to go undercover and buy some of that legal pot available in my state
3. look really good as I (hopefully) slowly decay
So, I was really interested when I learned about this short internet quiz telling me my chances of dying in the next 5 years.
Yup. You heard me right.
I was all over that quiz like insect repellent at a nudist camp.
Just so you know, the quiz comes from the UK. Apparently, they do research there, too.
Based on 11-13 questions, this quiz-ette tells you your risk of dying within the next 5 years from any cause.
That’s a big claim for knowing so little about a person.
In the US, we want to know everything about everyone. Heck, I’ll click “Agree” to anything I want to download or gain access to on the Magic Web. I know that “agree” means okay to gather data on me to sell. I’ve sold my I don’t know what to I don’t know who I don’t know how many times. Everyone agrees, right? I’d rather be an agreeable soul than a miserable, distrustful, apostle-of-something, disagreeable lout.
And we generally don’t care when you’re going to die. We just want to know what you’re up to while you’re still here.
But, apparently, researchers in the UK can know very little about us, yet they can tell us when we’re going to die.
Curious? I was.
So I took the quiz.
It didn’t take long.
If you have three minutes, you should take it, too. However, you may need longer to recover from the results.
I did.
Full disclosure: I’m 57 (and a half). My calculated risk age is 62, and the chances of my dying in the next 5 years are 3.1%.
I can handle the 3.1%, but 62? Come on! I didn’t even get to submit a photo.
They asked:
1. my age (we’re starting off on the wrong foot here)
2. sex (what it is, not how much)
3. number of children (is only having one super great kid a problem?)
4. how much tobacco I smoke now (none…wait…is pot considered tobacco, I mean, IF I decide to try it?)
5. if I ever smoked tobacco (never)
6. rate my overall health (had to say “good” not “excellent” because I’m still dizzy and, you, know, the hemorrhoid thing)
7. do I have a long-standing illness or disability (hello! chronic fatigue!)
8. my walking pace (score one for me–brisk, Baby!)
9. have I seen a GP for nerves, anxiety, depression or tension (um, who hasn’t? Have you seen the news?)
10. has a doctor told you that you have cancer (odd way of asking this question: yes, but I don’t? no, but I do?)
11. to check off a series of major life stressors, both physical and emotional that happened in the past 2 years (none, whew! But 5 years ago, well…)
12. am I receiving financial assistance (yes, but that doesn’t mean I’m poor, sheesh! My ex-husband owes me that money!)
Do you think this is a valid test of whether or not I’m headed to the mortuary in 5 years?
Why don’t you take the test and tell me your results.
Maybe you’ll feel different after you take it. Maybe…
I did.




Jun 21, 2015 @ 07:19:27
I don’t know Lorna. Some of your answers are pretty troubling.
Jun 19, 2015 @ 17:25:17
🙂
Jun 19, 2015 @ 03:53:06
10% chance of going home
Jun 18, 2015 @ 18:05:18
Oh, Liz, you are way too kind! But what a way to go, huh? 🙂
Jun 18, 2015 @ 17:36:28
I think your readers are in great danger – we’re all going to die laughing!
Jun 18, 2015 @ 16:10:56
Being in the UK I came across that quiz but, unlike you, I wasn’t brave enough to do it. I suppose I just want to cling to the idea that I will live forever with health and true friends as my companion. Perhaps I need to find another quiz which asks the question, “How sane are you ?
Jun 18, 2015 @ 14:52:28
Yeah, I thought of that. Weight is a biggie. I enjoy those crazy tests though.
Jun 18, 2015 @ 13:44:53
Thanks. I will. 🙂
Jun 18, 2015 @ 13:34:29
Nothing surprises me anymore…well, I shouldn’t say that. I still startle pretty easily!
Jun 18, 2015 @ 12:20:22
I’d rather be surprised! 😉
Jun 18, 2015 @ 11:57:48
Your results are fantastic. You go Girl…and go and go and go! 🙂
Jun 18, 2015 @ 11:56:36
Ha! Yes, I have little faith in this test. It didn’t even ask if I own a pet! What kind of test is that? And you’re right, a memory test is more appropriate, but I’d forget to take it! 😉
Jun 18, 2015 @ 11:54:40
I always loved taking these kinds of tests…for fun, that is! 😉
Jun 18, 2015 @ 11:53:04
I knew my laptop was rigged with a two-way camera. Skype is a clever tool of The Man! 😉 Oh, and thanks so much, Al…
Jun 18, 2015 @ 07:24:43
You sound a little paranoid about the surveillance stuff. You’ve been reading too many news reports. By the way, you look very nice in that outfit today….and I love what you’re doing your eye shadow….
Jun 18, 2015 @ 04:39:52
wouldn’t dream of taking the test, we’re superstitious down my way!
Jun 18, 2015 @ 04:08:39
The radio was full of it here, but I didn’t bother. I guess if a car runs you over that isn’t quite captured by the test… If it can scare anybody into being a bit healthier it might be worth it. I think a test to improve my memory would be more useful to me (soon I won’t remember if I’m alive…:)
Jun 18, 2015 @ 01:54:04
I don’t put much store by such tests, but I did it anyway. Happily my UbbLE age is ten years younger than I actually am, and my risk of dying in the next 5 years is 2.7%. I can cope with that. 😀
P.S. If you’d submitted a photo, I’m sure your result would have been drastically different. xx
Jun 17, 2015 @ 21:17:53
I love the way you think! Rock on, Sista!
Jun 17, 2015 @ 21:17:28
Good for you! But how can those vague questions predict anything? They didn’t ask anything about nutrition. I mean, really…
Jun 17, 2015 @ 21:16:01
That’s what I think…
Jun 17, 2015 @ 21:14:51
Thanks, J! I try to fun, and bring a few people along for the ride with me! 🙂
Jun 17, 2015 @ 21:10:00
Thanks! What’s life (or death) if you can’t have some fun with it?! 😉
Jun 17, 2015 @ 21:08:37
I know the feeling. If I were to do the test now, my chances for dying in the next 5 years would sky-rocket to 10%! 😐
Jun 17, 2015 @ 20:23:48
I’ll let yours be vicarious for me. Too tired to find out if I’m tired, lol. 🙂
Jun 17, 2015 @ 17:28:46
one question alone could anyone the percentages,, not brain surgery..I haven’t have that either.. typical from the UK….but I love your humour at it.. 😉
Jun 17, 2015 @ 16:23:44
I have a feeling we will be around for a very long time if only to annoy all those who might wish upon us an early demise. You taking the test is good enough for me. We think so much alike, no need to take it twice. Lol. Hugs and love to you! You comical woman, you, love your posts. 😊
Jun 17, 2015 @ 15:03:14
It lies.
Jun 17, 2015 @ 14:46:37
Okay–even with my chronic condition (kidney transplant) they said my age was 5 years less than what it is and my chances of croaking are 5.6…not bad for a 71 year old. (of course they didn’t ask what the chronic condition is)
But then what really matters is living in the NOW, isn’t it!
Kinda fun though, if the results were really bad, it might not be.
Jun 17, 2015 @ 14:40:41
Don’t believe everything you read or test. You have megga years ahead-let the fun begin.