I have long designed my mausoleum in my mind. It would be a cube without doors or windows. For access, narrow stairs would come to the middle of the square floor. And the walls would be covered with my paintings from floor to ceiling. Painted white, the walls would be lined with battens, so that the boards with paintings could be rearranged from time tot time. For lighting, there would be one large candle only. Of course, my remains would be nowhere around, for they would be scattered after cremation. In my mind, the cube would be about ten meters on every side. As I was taking a shower this morning, though, I realized that I did not have enough paintings to cover the mausoleum walls of that size. Now I have a bit more than three hundred boards painted on both sides. Leaving a few spares, about seventy-five of them could go on each wall. Given their dimensions, the cube could not be larger than five meters on every side. A bit disappointed after my shower, I am redesigning my mausoleum in my mind. The first thing that came to me was that the walls could be on the thick side. Of course, the mausoleum should be insulated from all sounds. Inside, complete silence must reign at all times.

Addendum (February 6, 2013)

Going through my writings, I just came across the first piece in which my mausoleum is described in some detail (”Testamentum CXIV,” February 22, 1998). And it is a solemn will and testament, too. Alas, I have written so much over the years that I am starting to lose the thread! I shudder when I think of the years ahead. I will be repeating myself over and over again. What is even worse, I will keep discovering my repetitions and pointing them out for all to see. The pits.