I have cardiac arrhythmia and have actually thought extensively about this since dying young was (and is still) a possibility, and the thought of being able to plan the details was comforting. First of all, even though it is a bit silly to pump a body full of formaldehyde and put it out in a fancy box for the world to see (and tell how "lifelike" it looks, flying in the face of obvious facts), it serves a perfectly psychologically valid and necessary purpose. I lost a friend in high school while I was away and couldn't come to her funeral, and my grieving process was stilted and made harder by the fact that I couldn't see her corpse. For this reason, whether I'm ultimately buried or cremated, having an open coffin (all the way open, not just at the waist) at my funeral is somewhat important to me. I'd like mine to be mahogany (dark wood just has a sense of dignity) and satin lined, because I think that shows respect for the body. I will wear my sunday best (pintucked blouse and ...