i suppose the better way of expressing this would be to conceptualise the entire universe as an aggregate of predetermined factors, "me" being a particular bunch of such factors. Would it be a little easier to see how "living" (in the universe) then does not absolve "me" of the grasp of determinism?

Bear in mind that although your factors were the product of determination, this does not imply you were designed to make the choices you make. — Relativist

Thank you for your very constructive feedback. I'm just not sure that I can agree that it follows from the fact that my factors were predetermined, that there is an "alternative" to the choices that I have and am making. But then again, this is predicated on the fact that I see "me" as merely a whole that cannot be changed excepting when the predetermined factors differ, and that "living" is just further aggregation of these "factors", except external to the body (so rather than my DNA, that every event that has happened was also predetermined).

I understand your issue with my conflating causation and implication though.