FINAL WORDS

"I Told You I Was Sick." 10 Famous Last Words Explained

Image: Matt Botsford

One wise old man once said: "Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inextinguishable source of magic. Capable of inflicting injury and remedying it. But in our opinion that isn’t the only thing words can do. Even in the darkest times, words can also make us laugh and find the magic behind the afterlife. In this article, we’ve gathered ten famous epitaphs that had a thing or two to comment on. Read on and enjoy!

Image: Emre Turkan

We already know that the end of this road called life is the same for us all, no one can escape death. Now, for Mel Blanc, the man of 1000 voices, that knowledge was perfectly represented by his most iconic line.

Mel Blanc was a legendary voice actor and the voice of over 400 characters among those you can find Bugs Bunny and other Looney Tunes. And the words were forever fixed on his tombstone.

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This phrase belongs to Joan Hackett, the American film and television actress. Joan had many prominent roles in her life, including Will Penny, Mourning Becomes Electra, and Only When I Laugh which won her the Gloden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress.

She was diagnosed with cancer in 1981 and her death came on October two years later. Her remains are buried in The Abbey of The Psalms Mausoleum at Hollywood Forever Cemetery and whoever visits her tomb receives a final request from her: "Go away - I’m asleep!"

Image: Unseen Histories

Our final words deserve a good thought before we make any decision, they can be forever used to remind the world of our important contributions and that was the case of Martin Luther King Jr. who quoted himself in one of the most famous speeches in history "I have a dream."

Faithful to his inspirational spirit, Luther King’s final words are "Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty I’m free at last!"

Image: Austin Ban

It is no surprise that the best epitaphs come from people who knew their way around words while they were alive. Dorothy Parker is a true testament to that.

The American poet and writer was one of the founders of the Algonquin Round Table, a group of writers, and literary critics who got together at the Algonquin Hotel to collaborate in columns that were published across the country.

Parker was known for her witty remarks and her final words are one last joke for us: "Excuse my dust!"

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No, this is not a glitch, you’re still in the right article. This extremely long number is Pi and it is also the choice of words, or number better, of Ludolph van Ceulen.

The German-Dutch mathematician was the first person to calculate the numerical value of Pi to bring more precision to the constant. The result of his lifetime work is a number of 20 digits and an amazing epitaph that will stay forever with his remains.

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The Ramones made history with their music, and however tumultuous, Dee Dee Ramone’s contributions made him the legend he is still today.

His final words are just a reflection of the essence of the punk rock band and his troubled life, a final goodbye from a rebellious spirit who lived on his own terms and left an indelible mark on the history of music. But everything must come to an end and so he says: "OK… I gotta go now."

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Hollywood can turn your life straight upside down, but no one ever said the road is any easy. Bette Davis is not the exception, but her resilience and determination brought overwhelming success as a result.

Now, her epitaph "She did it the hard way" is proof of the numerous challenges she had to overcome, but is a reminder of what can be achieved if one is driven by tenacity.

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Talk about a wordplay, right? Is this epitaph inviting us to step into the afterlife? Is it an opening credit to an eerie movie?

Considering it is Jack Lemmon’s epitaph, a beloved actor, one can easily imagine it reflects his connection to his craft. As short as "in" can be, it makes us think of a person who is always "in the scene" and never truly out of the spotlight. Short, powerful, and a great way to be remembered, don’t you think?

Image: Kelly Sikkema

Death on its own is a sad, tragic business for everyone. So we do need someone to be brave enough to toy with it and make irreverent remarks on its consequences.

Spike Milligan, a legendary Irish comedian and writer took that job seriously and chose an epitaph that can make anyone laugh in the face of such adversity. "I told you I was sick" is a genius reminder of his legacy. And a reminder to pay attention to our loved ones’ warnings, right?

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We couldn’t end this article without mentioning what is probably one of the most famous epitaphs in the world. None other than the great Charles Bukowski is to thank for it.

"Don’t try" is actually a phrase he used to describe his writing. According to him, that was the key to good writing, which can’t be forced. But as an epitaph, it captures the essence and philosophy of his views and contributions. And in this context, it is a reminder that we are all going the same way, there’s nothing we can’t do about it so we might as well live today!

How do you like your food?

Beyond "well done" and "rare": words to describe how you want your food

Image: amirali mirhashemian

Taste is subjective; what seems overcooked to some may be perfect to others. What is too salty for one person might be too bland for someone else. Fortunately, over time, certain terms have been widely agreed upon to describe and distinguish the different stages of the cooking process and the varying degrees of seasoning typically used. Everyone knows what "well done" and "rare" mean, but many other words can describe how we want our food, often with great precision. Do you use any of these?

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If "rare" is still too cooked for your taste, then "extra-rare" or "blue" describes the doneness level you're looking for in a piece of red meat.

This is a steak that is lightly seared on the outside but remains red and cool on the inside. To achieve this, a blue steak is cooked for a very short period of time, just enough to brown the surface. The result is a steak that is soft and tender, perfect for those who love a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

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One of the two most well-known terms for doneness, "rare" describes a steak that is browned on the outside but remains very soft and red on the inside. The center is warm, though not hot to the tongue, typically cooked to an internal temperature of about 120–125°F.

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What if you don’t want your steak to be too juicy, but not dry either? Then you ask for it "medium rare." This steak is firm and browned on the outside, but still very tender in the center, with a warm red middle and a slight pink ring around the edge. This is considered by many chefs as the ideal doneness for flavor and texture balance.

Image: Tim Rüßmann

Pink but not too juicy. That is a good, short definition of a "medium" cooking point. This steak has a small ring of gray-brown on the outside and a warm pink center, with only a hint of red. For cuts with more marbling, this is the point where the fat begins to melt, enhancing flavor and tenderness.

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A bit more cooked than "medium," "medium well" is the point at which a steak starts to become noticeably firm. The meat is mostly gray-brown throughout, with only a slight hint of pink remaining in the center.

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You know this one. "Well done" is the most thoroughly cooked level of doneness on the menu. The steak is uniformly brown or gray throughout, with no trace of pink in the center. It’s typically quite firm and can be tough to chew, though it can still be flavorful, especially with the right cut and seasoning.

Image: Emerson Vieira

Most people consider this level of doneness flavorless, dry, and tough to chew, but some genuinely enjoy it. An overcooked steak is usually solid light gray throughout, with a heavily charred exterior that can add a distinctive, smoky flavor.

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Moving on from meat doneness, you’ve probably heard this one. Al dente is an Italian expression meaning "to the tooth," used to describe pasta that is cooked just enough to remain firm to the bite.

In contemporary Italian cooking, it’s considered the ideal texture for pasta and is achieved with a relatively short cooking time.

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Sometimes you don’t want your egg soft-boiled, but you don’t want it hard-boiled either. A medium-boiled egg offers the perfect middle ground. At this stage, the white is fully set, while the yolk remains jammy, thick and creamy, but not runny.

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How do you like your broccoli? Cooked but not overdone or soft, right? The correct term to describe this cooking point is "tender crisp." Broccoli or asparagus prepared this way is cooked until tender while still retaining a slight crispness.

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When fully cooked, the meat of a fish should easily separate into flakes. A "flaky" fish is well-done, tender, and moist.

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A "seared" fish is cooked quickly over high heat—usually in a pan—to create a browned crust while keeping the interior less cooked. This technique is often used for tuna or salmon.