Prompted by Peter Wiggin's comment in another thread.
I have no interest in being 5 again. Probably puberty for me.
February of 1997 I think. Maybe January or December of 1996. I'm not exactly clear on dates, but around then.
Might as well do it all over again from a very young age. After all, I'm old enough to appreciate being a kid at this point.
Mind you, I'd probably do pretty much the same things, as they seem to have worked out for me.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on December 01, 2011, 06:03:58 PM
I have no interest in being 5 again. Probably puberty for me.
This. I'd say about 13 or so. Though honestly, I wouldn't mind a second shot at a lot of things in life. That odd balance between those fuck ups making you into who you are now weighed against the temptation of what could have been, if only.
January 7th, 1995. And I'd give that harpy some justice this time. :mad:
Probably as a kid, maybe about 8 years old. And man, I wouldn't want to do the same things over again! I'd want some real change! Hope and change! ;)
Earlier the better, I suppose.
I'd be richer than God by the end of it anyway. I'd probably be in Congress by now, if I could even be bothered to care, as I would have the mind of an old man by this time.
Question: would I have the same plasticity of mind as a child, were I to go back to my childhood? That is, would I have an easier time learning foreign languages, etc.? Or would I have, physically, the brain of my 29 year-old self? The latter seems somewhat unavoidable (as well as, for the most part, desirable; I didn't go back just to fuck-up like I did the first time). If so, could I prove I was from the future with neuroimaging techniques?
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on December 01, 2011, 06:22:45 PM
January 7th, 1995. And I'd give that harpy some justice this time. :mad:
Who are
you planing to kill?
Another Tim thread? Enough with the alt-hist.
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on December 01, 2011, 06:22:45 PM
January 7th, 1995. And I'd give that harpy some justice this time. :mad:
Wait a minute, you were like thirteen in 1995. :unsure:
Quote from: Ideologue on December 01, 2011, 06:42:38 PM
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on December 01, 2011, 06:22:45 PM
January 7th, 1995. And I'd give that harpy some justice this time. :mad:
Wait a minute, you were like thirteen in 1995. :unsure:
He's talking about that AD&D harpy he failed his character's dexterity roll against that one night.
Quote from: Ideologue on December 01, 2011, 06:30:21 PM
Earlier the better, I suppose.
I'd be richer than God by the end of it anyway. I'd probably be in Congress by now, if I could even be bothered to care, as I would have the mind of an old man by this time.
Question: would I have the same plasticity of mind as a child, were I to go back to my childhood? That is, would I have an easier time learning foreign languages, etc.? Or would I have, physically, the brain of my 29 year-old self? The latter seems somewhat unavoidable (as well as, for the most part, desirable; I didn't go back just to fuck-up like I did the first time). If so, could I prove I was from the future with neuroimaging techniques?
I think one thinks too highly of himself. :whistle:
I was 18. She was 19. And evil.
It all turned out good for me in the end though.
Can I keep my memories until this moment?
Quote from: Siege on December 01, 2011, 07:03:18 PM
Can I keep my memories until this moment?
I assumed that. It wouldn't be as useful otherwise.
I assumed you could keep your wisdom in formulating the question, so why not memories too.
Otherwise, what's the fun of starting over at 13 if you're still a 13 year old nebbish?
I also wouldn't have loaned my parents any money. :lol:
Quote from: Admiral Yi on December 01, 2011, 07:07:19 PM
I assumed you could keep your wisdom in formulating the question, so why not memories too.
Otherwise, what's the fun of starting over at 13 if you're still a 13 year old nebbish?
Well, what's the point of being 5 again if you can't think eating an avocado turns you into an avocado with super powers? :hmm:
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on December 01, 2011, 07:01:12 PM
I was 18. She was 19. And evil.
It all turned out good for me in the end though.
I thought you were older then that.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on December 01, 2011, 07:13:51 PM
Well, what's the point of being 5 again if you can't think eating an avocado turns you into an avocado with super powers? :hmm:
:D Beats me Calvin.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on December 01, 2011, 07:13:51 PM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on December 01, 2011, 07:07:19 PM
I assumed you could keep your wisdom in formulating the question, so why not memories too.
Otherwise, what's the fun of starting over at 13 if you're still a 13 year old nebbish?
Well, what's the point of being 5 again if you can't think eating an avocado turns you into an avocado with super powers? :hmm:
You were retarded as a child?
I was retarded enough as an adult to watch Tim's Axe Cop links. :P
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on December 01, 2011, 07:26:05 PM
I was retarded enough as an adult to watch Tim's Axe Cop links. :P
I am a better person than you.
Quote from: The Brain on December 01, 2011, 07:23:26 PM
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on December 01, 2011, 07:13:51 PM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on December 01, 2011, 07:07:19 PM
I assumed you could keep your wisdom in formulating the question, so why not memories too.
Otherwise, what's the fun of starting over at 13 if you're still a 13 year old nebbish?
Well, what's the point of being 5 again if you can't think eating an avocado turns you into an avocado with super powers? :hmm:
You were retarded as a child?
I was. Still am.
High school, I guess.
I miss Melody. :( I'm so lonely.
Quote from: garbon on December 01, 2011, 07:00:23 PM
Quote from: Ideologue on December 01, 2011, 06:30:21 PM
Earlier the better, I suppose.
I'd be richer than God by the end of it anyway. I'd probably be in Congress by now, if I could even be bothered to care, as I would have the mind of an old man by this time.
Question: would I have the same plasticity of mind as a child, were I to go back to my childhood? That is, would I have an easier time learning foreign languages, etc.? Or would I have, physically, the brain of my 29 year-old self? The latter seems somewhat unavoidable (as well as, for the most part, desirable; I didn't go back just to fuck-up like I did the first time). If so, could I prove I was from the future with neuroimaging techniques?
I think one thinks too highly of himself. :whistle:
Not really. My future knowledge would make me enormously wealthy. Also, I speak to the American people.
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on December 01, 2011, 07:01:12 PM
I was 18. She was 19. And evil.
It all turned out good for me in the end though.
I thought you were my age or a bit younger. Am I thinking of HMBob?
Quote from: Ideologue on December 01, 2011, 08:05:26 PM
Not really. My future knowledge would make me enormously wealthy. Also, I speak to the American people.
Where are you getting the capital to invest?
Quote from: garbon on December 01, 2011, 08:17:49 PM
Quote from: Ideologue on December 01, 2011, 08:05:26 PM
Not really. My future knowledge would make me enormously wealthy. Also, I speak to the American people.
Where are you getting the capital to invest?
It only takes a little to start. Scrape together fifty bucks for a way out of the money call on something you know is about to explode and you're off and running.
Parents. Shouldn't be difficult to convince them I've murdered Earth-2's younger Ideologue and replaced his mind with my own. I think I'd be on the road by 1991 at the latest. Yi had a good idea in some old thread about betting on presidential elections; do people also bet on party nominations? Also, there's the stock market.
Even failing that, at one point I had about $50,000 in assets. It may or may not be possible to prevent my mother's death so I might have that coming again. :( Perhaps if I started early enough I could derail her health problems?
And failing that as well, I'd be ridiculously smart by small child and teenage standards. I could probably get into an Ivy League school. That's where things may get dicey, as I run into the limits of my accumulated knowledge and skills in high school and college. Presumably I would still be learning, though, and with all the discipline of a law student, as opposed to a high school drunk, and not just regurgitating pre-loaded answers; I'd like another crack at getting math, if nothing else. In any event, that's a third path to wealth, if the hardest.
Alternatively, as a small child again I would have a lot of time to draw. I could be a comic artist. That's no road to riches, but I think it'd make me happy. :)
Might as well do the teenage years again. :w00t:
Quote from: Ideologue on December 01, 2011, 08:30:15 PM
Parents. Shouldn't be difficult to convince them I've murdered Earth-2's younger Ideologue and replaced his mind with my own. I think I'd be on the road by 1991 at the latest. Yi had a good idea in some old thread about betting on presidential elections; do people also bet on party nominations? Also, there's the stock market.
Sounds like it wouldn't be too difficult to convince them that you need a lifetime's worth of haldol.
Quote from: Jaron on December 01, 2011, 08:35:26 PM
Might as well do the teenage years again. :w00t:
What did you do during your teenage years besides playing pc games and eating like a whale?
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on December 01, 2011, 08:25:49 PM
Quote from: garbon on December 01, 2011, 08:17:49 PM
Quote from: Ideologue on December 01, 2011, 08:05:26 PM
Not really. My future knowledge would make me enormously wealthy. Also, I speak to the American people.
Where are you getting the capital to invest?
It only takes a little to start. Scrape together fifty bucks for a way out of the money call on something you know is about to explode and you're off and running.
$50 worth of Apple stock bought in 1997 would be worth about $21,799 today. Ide could buy a Honda Accord.
Quote from: Siege on December 01, 2011, 08:57:06 PM
Quote from: Jaron on December 01, 2011, 08:35:26 PM
Might as well do the teenage years again. :w00t:
What did you do during your teenage years besides playing pc games and eating like a whale?
I wouldn't want to redo them if I thought I did them right.
Quote from: Tonitrus on December 01, 2011, 09:31:24 PM
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on December 01, 2011, 08:25:49 PM
Quote from: garbon on December 01, 2011, 08:17:49 PM
Quote from: Ideologue on December 01, 2011, 08:05:26 PM
Not really. My future knowledge would make me enormously wealthy. Also, I speak to the American people.
Where are you getting the capital to invest?
It only takes a little to start. Scrape together fifty bucks for a way out of the money call on something you know is about to explode and you're off and running.
$50 worth of Apple stock bought in 1997 would be worth about $21,799 today. Ide could buy a Honda Accord.
Wow, that'd be earth shattering!
I think almost no one does high school right. Or maybe it's just us Languish nerds. :hmm:
8 or 9 maybe?
Avoid the banality of early childhood but early enough to try and cut off getting ill before it happens and to not believe my dad and his bollocks of you shouldn't care what other people think, you'll never be a footballer, etc....
Childhood is the yearning to reach adulthood.
Adulthood is yearning to reclaim childhood.
4 or 5. S and I were actually just having this conversation a few minutes ago- she wants her childhood back out of nostalgia, and I want mine back for a do-over. :P
Quote from: Tyr on December 01, 2011, 11:19:53 PM
8 or 9 maybe?
Avoid the banality of early childhood but early enough to try and cut off getting ill before it happens and to not believe my dad and his bollocks of you shouldn't care what other people think, you'll never be a footballer, etc....
He was right about the soccer, you know.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on December 01, 2011, 11:24:28 PM
Quote from: Tyr on December 01, 2011, 11:19:53 PM
8 or 9 maybe?
Avoid the banality of early childhood but early enough to try and cut off getting ill before it happens and to not believe my dad and his bollocks of you shouldn't care what other people think, you'll never be a footballer, etc....
He was right about the soccer, you know.
He most likely was (though I was pretty awesome as a kid, played with the 11 year olds when I was 7 and all that). But that's not the kind of thing you tell a kid. Especially when it involves discouraging them from exercising, socialising, etc...
Quote from: garbon on December 01, 2011, 08:48:06 PM
Quote from: Ideologue on December 01, 2011, 08:30:15 PM
Parents. Shouldn't be difficult to convince them I've murdered Earth-2's younger Ideologue and replaced his mind with my own. I think I'd be on the road by 1991 at the latest. Yi had a good idea in some old thread about betting on presidential elections; do people also bet on party nominations? Also, there's the stock market.
Sounds like it wouldn't be too difficult to convince them that you need a lifetime's worth of haldol.
Nonsense. Unless you know a lot of four year olds who
sound like adults , let alone who know who the governor of Arkansas was, dictator of Iraq was, and who Boris fucking Yelstin was in the 1980s?
Also I could demonstrate knowledge and skills that I could not possibly have learned on my own. E.g., speaking Spanish, writing in Cyrillic, rattling off nerd trivia, mentioning relatives I've never met, talking about tort law, and so forth.
And it's not like I have to predict world-shaking events. I was alive during Star Trek TNG in first run. How am I predicting how Picard gets out of that sticky situation with the Borg? How do I know about that horribly racist episode before it airs? How do I even know what racism is?
"Dad, can we get cable in 1989 so we can get the Comedy Channel so I can watch Mystery Science Theatre 3000? I really like that show. Granted, the first season's really shaky, in large part because J. Elvis Weinstein is like a fraction of the talent that Kevin Murphy is, but it's still better than the 1988 KTMA season, and it does have its charms."
The first movie I ever went to go see was Transformers: The Movie (the good one). Optimus dies. Megatron becomes Galvatron. There's an amazing part where Hot Rod and Kup are tried by a kangaroo court. Hot Rod unlocks the Matrix of leadership becomes leader of the Autobots. How do I know that? I'm watching it opening night. I shouldn't even be able to read terribly well yet, and there is no . At this point, I am four years old.
Hell, go far enough back and I'm a talking infant. With a vocabulary of like 50,000 words. Somewhere, Noam Chomsky's pants have become a dairy factory.
So, no, I don't just walk up to them and say "DUR I AM FROM TEH FUTURE GIMME JUICE BOX."
See, you're really not thinking this through. I've thought it through. Because
Replay is my favorite sci-fi novel. It speaks to me. <_<
I can't imagine anything more isolating that being a 36 year old trapped in a child's body. Adults aren't going to be your friend - too creepy. Other kids aren't going to have anything in common with you.
The idea of going back to childhood is compelling, but only to experience all those firsts again for the first time. I mean I watch my kid get so enthralled, so excited by such ordinary things - our cat, a car, a ball, his shoes - and I know I must have once found the world just as thrilling, but of course that sense of innocence and newness is long since gone.
Ide, there'd be a good chance many events would happen differently from how you remembered them, because of ripple effects from future your insertion in the timeline.
Ultimately, yes, but I doubt I could have much effect on Robert Stack's outstanding vocal performance as Ultra Magnus recorded in 1985 or the 1991 decision of a Middle Eastern dictator to invade a neighboring country.
My belief is that social and political systems are very robust, in the short term, to butterfly effects. Now, if I went back fifty years (I suppose through physical time travel), my differing actions would change the entire genetic makeup of half the population of the United States, if not the world, and we'd have different personalities involved in politics, although perhaps the underlying social movements would remain relatively unchanged.* But I would certainly be unlikely to change 1960s counterculture or the failure of our efforts in Vietnam.
*Fun fact: this is why all those dumb movies and books that think that only "overt" actions can change the past are fucking retarded.
Age 19, right after school and military service.
Instead of going the public administration route that put me inadvertedly on the path of accounting that I've "enjoyed" for the past 12 years, I should have gone to university, though I wasn't sure what to inscribe (probably history or literature), and aying for it would have been very hard, even with state support.
But overall, my current life isn't *that* bad.
Of course: history and literature, the age-old paths to success... ;)
Quote from: Ideologue on December 02, 2011, 12:16:36 AM
Of course: history and literature, the age-old paths to success... ;)
At least I would be miserable with something I'm interested in. :P
Quote from: Ideologue on December 01, 2011, 11:45:50 PMSomewhere, Noam Chomsky's pants have become a dairy factory.
:lol:
Quote from: Barrister on December 01, 2011, 11:49:43 PM
I can't imagine anything more isolating that being a 36 year old trapped in a child's body. Adults aren't going to be your friend - too creepy. Other kids aren't going to have anything in common with you.
Seriously. See Alia Atreides for a wonderful example.
Seventh grade would be a great time to begin, but then again, I have no memory to re-live my home life. I don't think I have the energy, but post-home life its too late to effect meaningful desirable change.
Wait, that's not true- freshman year of college I could've made an important, different choice. So I guess i'll go with that.
Quote from: Barrister on December 01, 2011, 11:49:43 PM
I can't imagine anything more isolating that being a 36 year old trapped in a child's body. Adults aren't going to be your friend - too creepy. Other kids aren't going to have anything in common with you.
I think the worst part would be nicotine withdrawal.
It'd be interesting to experience a collapse of sexual desire, though.
I can imagine not having kid friends wouldn't be so bad. Little children (one's own excepted) are obnoxious. At the high school level, I think one might just come off as rather mature.
And I can think of plenty more isolating experiences. I mean, you've seen Castaway right? And how about gaol?
rather than buy apple shares,
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0904494.html
leverage yourself to the hilt go all in on shorting the major bankrupcies of our time, presumably a much better "investment"..
At almost any point between late high school and college, I guess. Childhood is nice but as a memory, I have no particular interest in reliving it. Late teenage and early adulthood would be far more interesting moments to start applying my new found wisdom. I'd no doubt use most of it to get into more girls' panties than I did.
I can pretty much pick the exact date. Age 17, I wouldn't have sacrificed my studies for boys and booze had I known how easy both are to come across later in life. I'd have taken the Oxbridge exams, gone to Cambridge (my school was a feeder school) and met and divorced someone rich. Or become a spy.
I first read the topic as "if you could Pedo your life, what age would you start...
17. Largely the same reasons as Brazen. The only reason I'd go younger would be to not give up musical instruments :(
1955
The day after my stepfather died, I guess. Anything before that, I'd probably kill him myself.
Right after I graduated from High School. So many things I would do differently.
Of course someday I will think 'if only I could go back and be 34 again' so I guess maybe I should try to do things better right now.
Around 5. Much later and the time to effect meaningful change is over. :hmm:
Less dicking around with computers and more exercise.
More focus on important studies like economics and less time wasted on meaningless bullshit in school.. :hmm:
Quote from: Barrister on December 01, 2011, 11:49:43 PM
I can't imagine anything more isolating that being a 36 year old trapped in a child's body. Adults aren't going to be your friend - too creepy. Other kids aren't going to have anything in common with you.
Meh, I'm teenager in adults body. I still have nothing in common with adults around me.
:hmm:
Quote from: szmik on December 03, 2011, 01:32:14 PM
Quote from: Barrister on December 01, 2011, 11:49:43 PM
I can't imagine anything more isolating that being a 36 year old trapped in a child's body. Adults aren't going to be your friend - too creepy. Other kids aren't going to have anything in common with you.
Meh, I'm teenager in adults body. I still have nothing in common with adults around me.
:hmm:
all the self delusion of a teen none but the sexual recovery time of an old man?
Quote from: Brazen on December 02, 2011, 05:52:04 AM
I can pretty much pick the exact date. Age 17, I wouldn't have sacrificed my studies for boys and booze had I known how easy both are to come across later in life. I'd have taken the Oxbridge exams, gone to Cambridge (my school was a feeder school) and met and divorced someone rich. Or become a spy.
Amen, sister.
If I didn't let pussy dictate how college panned out and the hubris of youth getting dazzled with blue and white flashing lights, I'd be a fucking senior foreign correspondent getting ready for one of the Sunday morning talk shows right now.
I'm not trapped in my body.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on December 03, 2011, 09:47:31 PM
Quote from: Brazen on December 02, 2011, 05:52:04 AM
I can pretty much pick the exact date. Age 17, I wouldn't have sacrificed my studies for boys and booze had I known how easy both are to come across later in life. I'd have taken the Oxbridge exams, gone to Cambridge (my school was a feeder school) and met and divorced someone rich. Or become a spy.
Amen, sister.
If I didn't let pussy dictate how college panned out and the hubris of youth getting dazzled with blue and white flashing lights, I'd be a fucking senior foreign correspondent getting ready for one of the Sunday morning talk shows right now.
Btw, how's that book of yours coming along?
Quote from: Syt on December 04, 2011, 03:21:47 AM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on December 03, 2011, 09:47:31 PM
Quote from: Brazen on December 02, 2011, 05:52:04 AM
I can pretty much pick the exact date. Age 17, I wouldn't have sacrificed my studies for boys and booze had I known how easy both are to come across later in life. I'd have taken the Oxbridge exams, gone to Cambridge (my school was a feeder school) and met and divorced someone rich. Or become a spy.
Amen, sister.
If I didn't let pussy dictate how college panned out and the hubris of youth getting dazzled with blue and white flashing lights, I'd be a fucking senior foreign correspondent getting ready for one of the Sunday morning talk shows right now.
Btw, how's that book of yours coming along?
How's my dick taste when you kiss your wife?
Quote from: CountDeMoney on December 04, 2011, 04:20:54 AM
Quote from: Syt on December 04, 2011, 03:21:47 AM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on December 03, 2011, 09:47:31 PM
Quote from: Brazen on December 02, 2011, 05:52:04 AM
I can pretty much pick the exact date. Age 17, I wouldn't have sacrificed my studies for boys and booze had I known how easy both are to come across later in life. I'd have taken the Oxbridge exams, gone to Cambridge (my school was a feeder school) and met and divorced someone rich. Or become a spy.
Amen, sister.
If I didn't let pussy dictate how college panned out and the hubris of youth getting dazzled with blue and white flashing lights, I'd be a fucking senior foreign correspondent getting ready for one of the Sunday morning talk shows right now.
Btw, how's that book of yours coming along?
How's my dick taste when you kiss your wife?
:rolleyes:
Quote from: CountDeMoney on December 04, 2011, 04:20:54 AM
Quote from: Syt on December 04, 2011, 03:21:47 AM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on December 03, 2011, 09:47:31 PM
Quote from: Brazen on December 02, 2011, 05:52:04 AM
I can pretty much pick the exact date. Age 17, I wouldn't have sacrificed my studies for boys and booze had I known how easy both are to come across later in life. I'd have taken the Oxbridge exams, gone to Cambridge (my school was a feeder school) and met and divorced someone rich. Or become a spy.
Amen, sister.
If I didn't let pussy dictate how college panned out and the hubris of youth getting dazzled with blue and white flashing lights, I'd be a fucking senior foreign correspondent getting ready for one of the Sunday morning talk shows right now.
Btw, how's that book of yours coming along?
How's my dick taste?
Could be a dangerous question to ask a German :hmm: