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Friday five: Aliens
Jul. 16th, 2010 11:50 am1. You are on your way to work, when suddenly a wormhole to the far side of the galaxy opens in the middle of the road. You are thus the first to meet the alien being that emerges. Despite your protestations, you are now Earth’s unofficial First Contact ambassador. What will you say to the visitor?
In all probability? "Um. Hi. Oh shit."
2. A wandering trading caravan emerges from the wormhole. They plan to stay on Earth for a few weeks, and then will move on to the next planet and the next. Whatever you said must have really impressed them, because they offer to let you and a few other humans come along with them. The only catch is that the caravan probably won’t be back to Earth. Would you go? Why or why not?
Hell no. I'm a very land-bound type of person; I have enough trouble when I don't have native vegetation in the right proportions. I shudder to think what I'd be like after a few years of nothing but non-native vegetation.
3. Suppose you decided to go. The master of the caravan will allow you to bring along whatever trinkets and baubles you think will sell on alien worlds, and will also allow you to bring exactly five other items that you may always keep. Clearly, he does not mean practical items like shoes or a toothbrush. What would you bring?
My spouse, my cat, a new computer with seriously boosted storage (onto which I will hastily download Project Gutenberg and as much other reading as possible), my own pillow, and a stuffed animal.
If this trip does not come with a good wireless plan so I can stay online, all bets are off.
4. Suppose you decided to stay home after all. The caravan master offers you a parting gift. You may choose among super-brain pills, a flying car, a robot butler, or an invisibility belt. Which would you choose and why?
My brain is super enough already, thanks, and since I have no desire to be a either a burglar, a spy, or a voyeur, invisibility leaves me unmoved. It would have to be either the car or the butler. The butler would probably have an edge as long as we live outside major cities; goodness knows we could use a specialist in management and housekeeping around here. If we're in traffic-jam land, the car would probably win.
5. Suppose you ended up taking the super-brain pills. You now have a head the size, shape, and color of a watermelon. But you also now have the most fantastic mind the world has ever seen. What would be the first task you set it to?
*hoots with laughter* What is this, a size fantasy? I doubt I'd do anything different than I normally do. Analyze literature, because it's fun. Teach my classes, because that's my vocation (which probably just got harder). Extra brain cells aren't going to help negotiate my polygons, get the weeding done, or solve the wold's problems, and there's only so many hours in the day to do stuff so taking up particle physics as a hobby is unlikely. Moreso than I already do, anyway. So, yeah, go on as usual.
In all probability? "Um. Hi. Oh shit."
2. A wandering trading caravan emerges from the wormhole. They plan to stay on Earth for a few weeks, and then will move on to the next planet and the next. Whatever you said must have really impressed them, because they offer to let you and a few other humans come along with them. The only catch is that the caravan probably won’t be back to Earth. Would you go? Why or why not?
Hell no. I'm a very land-bound type of person; I have enough trouble when I don't have native vegetation in the right proportions. I shudder to think what I'd be like after a few years of nothing but non-native vegetation.
3. Suppose you decided to go. The master of the caravan will allow you to bring along whatever trinkets and baubles you think will sell on alien worlds, and will also allow you to bring exactly five other items that you may always keep. Clearly, he does not mean practical items like shoes or a toothbrush. What would you bring?
My spouse, my cat, a new computer with seriously boosted storage (onto which I will hastily download Project Gutenberg and as much other reading as possible), my own pillow, and a stuffed animal.
If this trip does not come with a good wireless plan so I can stay online, all bets are off.
4. Suppose you decided to stay home after all. The caravan master offers you a parting gift. You may choose among super-brain pills, a flying car, a robot butler, or an invisibility belt. Which would you choose and why?
My brain is super enough already, thanks, and since I have no desire to be a either a burglar, a spy, or a voyeur, invisibility leaves me unmoved. It would have to be either the car or the butler. The butler would probably have an edge as long as we live outside major cities; goodness knows we could use a specialist in management and housekeeping around here. If we're in traffic-jam land, the car would probably win.
5. Suppose you ended up taking the super-brain pills. You now have a head the size, shape, and color of a watermelon. But you also now have the most fantastic mind the world has ever seen. What would be the first task you set it to?
*hoots with laughter* What is this, a size fantasy? I doubt I'd do anything different than I normally do. Analyze literature, because it's fun. Teach my classes, because that's my vocation (which probably just got harder). Extra brain cells aren't going to help negotiate my polygons, get the weeding done, or solve the wold's problems, and there's only so many hours in the day to do stuff so taking up particle physics as a hobby is unlikely. Moreso than I already do, anyway. So, yeah, go on as usual.
