I have about a half hour commute from work, even though I work less than 10 miles from my house. Love the city, really. Usually I pass this time sitting in silence and mentally working on the next story, but I’m between books at the moment and taking a mental break.

So I turn on the radio. A new song by Nickelback is playing (easily distinguished by Chad Kroeger’s emo-riffic, growly voice). It starts with a phrase like ‘Each day is a blessing, not a right’. Wow. That’s a really nice way to look at things. I begin to think that Nickelback has gotten a little zen on me, and listen closer.

The main hook of the song? Live each day as your last.

And I’m afraid this is where Nickelback and I are going to have to agree to disagree.

You see, this started me thinking. What would I *do* if I only had one day left on earth? Nothing good for me, my friends, nothing good. I suppose I could be all introspective and spend it at the beach and walking up and down on the sand as the waves wash over my ankles, pondering life.

But the beach is 6 hours away from here, yo, and I’ve only got 24 to live. So that’s right out.

To be honest, I’d probably do all the things I’m not supposed to. I’d eat like a madwoman, and all the stuff I’m not supposed to. Fried twinkies? Fried Oreos? Fried anything? Ranch sauce on my pizza? Bring it on, b&tches! Someone’s only got 24 hours to live! Anything goes!

And then, I think I’d go gambling. Bet it all on black and see how far that takes me. Oh, oh, and I think I’d like to graffiti a wall. Or three. Because if I’m dead the next day? You are so getting some crudely painted words on the side of your house/car/office. I imagine I would be pretty terrible at graffiti too (I have a really bad artistic eye) but I think it would be fun.

What else? Oh, okay. If it was my last day on earth, I sure wouldn’t spend it at work. I’d probably tell them that I was never coming in again, and go out in a blaze of glory, throwing paper everywhere and knocking over fax machines in a rampage. That sounds nice.

But where does this get you, Nickelback? Because if that’s my last day on earth, it’s an orgy of hedonistic fun and burning bridges. But since it WON’T be my last day on earth, that would be bad. And the next day, I’d have all the ramifications. Except I’d be too busy living that day like it was my last as well.

I mean, if this cycle of destructive living continued, I’d end up weighing 500 pounds, broke, unemployed, and a criminal.

Sorry, Nickelback. I think I’m going to stick with my nice, conservative, occasionally-thinking-ahead lifestyle, as tempting as you make it sound.

(Speaking of thinking ahead, I'm probably going to update my website this weekend. Exciting, right? I know. It's a wild, free-wheeling life I lead.)