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The Layonara Community => Just for Fun => Topic started by: Pseudonym on February 13, 2009, 06:46:59 AM

Title: If...
Post by: Pseudonym on February 13, 2009, 06:46:59 AM
Last Christmas I received a book titled "If...(Questions for the Game of Life)". It was one of my favourite presents, perhaps only just pipped at the post by my Flight of the Conchords DVDs.

A book, some 130 pages long, filled with scenarios, choices, questions, dreams, imagination. Essentially the book throws out a provocative question and asks for your answer. Throughout last year I would send a sample 'If' question out as an email each morning to a group of my friends and was enormously entertained by the fascinating and surprising answers that came back. As the book boasts, and I found it to be true, each and every time a kind of synergetic and addictive momentum took over as answers led to other related questions, reasons were demanded, conditions were imposed, other's answers were predicted and inevitably those involved were startled by the responses, at times even their own.

And so, here I present some of the questions from this book. Aside from the truths revealed, the contemplation that is provoked, the confidence or anxiety that surfaces, the self-knowledge that results, or the understanding that might be gained, above all it is hoped that asking these questions inspires optimism as we, the community of Layonara, share together a small part of the unpredictable journey of the imagination, which leads us through the wonderful game of life.

You may feel the desire to answer publicly, you may wish to contemplate in private, ain't nothing to me .. it remains an interesting exercise regardless of how you may wish (or not) to participate. Many of those friends I emailed an 'If' question last year I never received a response. However, of those, many told me they enjoyed the questions without feeling the need to reveal to anyone but themselves their answer.

PS. Please be mindful this is a family server. None of the questions are overtly rude, but ... you know, commonsense.

That said, question #1 ...
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Pseudonym on February 13, 2009, 06:49:49 AM
If you could sing any one song beautifully and perfectly, which one would you pick?
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Leanthar on February 13, 2009, 07:36:31 AM
So many I could choose from but here are two off the top of my head.
 
 Sound of Silence - Simon and Garfunkel
 Silver Springs - Fleetwood Mac
Title: Re: If...
Post by: EdTheKet on February 13, 2009, 08:07:39 AM
Fever - (original by Little Willie John) many have sung it, but at the moment I like Michael Buble's version best. But whoever sings it, I still like it.
Title: Re: If...
Post by: s0ulz on February 13, 2009, 08:09:42 AM
Foo Fighters - Times Like These
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Spike on February 13, 2009, 08:21:26 AM
I would have to say Jeff Buckley's version of 'Hallelujah'.
Title: Re: If...
Post by: pinkpowerbait on February 13, 2009, 11:11:25 AM
Geeze.. that's a tough one..
one that comes to mind is "Stand My Ground" - Within Temptation
Title: Re: If...
Post by: lonnarin on February 13, 2009, 11:22:44 AM
YouTube - Tom Waits - Temptation - 1987 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olM10WRF_Fg)

Because I've been trying to master that classical jazz musician voice of his for years now.  I'm getting close, but thanks to long years of smoking I usually wind up gagging and coughing a fit when I try to hit that range.

And then these classics from my childhood I'm currently trying to re-record industrial/techno style with roaring cookie monster voice ala Laibach.

YouTube - David the Gnome (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAphcvZaS8I)
YouTube - The Neverending Story (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3khTntOxX-k)

I'll certainly post if I ever get them done to satisfaction. :P
Title: Re: If...
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on February 13, 2009, 11:52:11 AM
Quote from: Pseudonym
If you could sing any one song beautifully and perfectly, which one would you pick?

The Music of the Night ~ Andrew Lloyd Weber, from "The Phantom of the Opera
Title: Re: If...
Post by: ycleption on February 13, 2009, 11:59:39 AM
Bridge over Troubled Water - Simon and Garfunkel.
Title: Re: If...
Post by: SuperMunch on February 13, 2009, 06:42:25 PM
Neil Young's Harvest Moon (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQXnvNwGTAY) and Chris Isaak's Only The Lonely (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLGDAGJxt-Y).

Wait, just one?

Harvest Moon.
Title: Re: If...
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on February 13, 2009, 07:36:56 PM
If I had to speak for a very dear friend of mine in terms of a song we could sing perfectly together, I'd have to go with "The Phantom of the Opera" as it was sung by Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman in the original cast of Phantom.
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Pseudonym on February 14, 2009, 07:18:06 AM
If you could do any job in the world for one day, what would it be?
Title: Re: If...
Post by: lonnarin on February 14, 2009, 09:17:06 AM
Quote from: Pseudonym
If you could do any job in the world for one day, what would it be?


Bank CEO: That way I could give back all the money the bank stole via predatory adjustable rate mortgages, call off all the foreclosures in the queue, donate all that bailout money to cancer research, donate the private jets to the Make a Wish Foundation and be known as the first one ever who didn't give himself a 40 million dollar retirement package.
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Spike on February 14, 2009, 10:26:16 AM
Quote from: lonnarin
Bank CEO: That way I could give back all the money the bank stole via predatory adjustable rate mortgages, call off all the foreclosures in the queue, donate all that bailout money to cancer research, donate the private jets to the Make a Wish Foundation and be known as the first one ever who didn't give himself a 40 million dollar retirement package.


And there was me going to say something like Fireman ;) .
Title: Re: If...
Post by: pinkpowerbait on February 14, 2009, 10:56:21 AM
Quote from: Pseudonym
If you could do any job in the world for one day, what would it be?


I may be crazy.. but I'd like to run a daycare.. lots of kiddos!   :)
Title: Re: If...
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on February 14, 2009, 11:01:54 AM
Quote from: lonnarin
Bank CEO: That way I could give back all the money the bank stole via predatory adjustable rate mortgages, call off all the foreclosures in the queue, donate all that bailout money to cancer research, donate the private jets to the Make a Wish Foundation and be known as the first one ever who didn't give himself a 40 million dollar retirement package.

Lonn, I would LOVE to see that happen, but sadly, human weakness lies in once we have power or status like that, we loath to give it up...  But hey!  if you can pull that off via hacking their accounts and wire transfering it all to a Cancer Foundation, I won't tell... ;)
Title: Re: If...
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on February 14, 2009, 11:04:04 AM
Quote from: Pseudonym
If you could do any job in the world for one day, what would it be?

Any Job...  I woulda wanted to play Aragorn in the Peter Jackson "The Lord of the Rings" Trilogy...

But I'd take Bard in "The Hobbit" too!

Although, getting to be one of the Fountain Guards of Minas Tirith woulda been cool too...  Those guys are epic...  Like...  Dwarven Defenders...  except not Dwarves...  >.>
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Dezza on February 14, 2009, 06:00:44 PM
Senior Cyber space analyst and hack meister at CIA operations at Langley!

Think of the possibilities of one day at that!
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Link092 on February 15, 2009, 03:06:43 PM
to the first one, it would be "Babe, I'm gonna leave you"-Led Zeppelin
second one, I would want to be a telemarketer for one day....
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Pseudonym on February 15, 2009, 04:18:55 PM
If you could eliminate one habit you have, what would you stop doing?
Title: Re: If...
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on February 15, 2009, 04:20:27 PM
I would stop being lazy!
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Alatriel on February 15, 2009, 06:11:42 PM
I would stop procrastinating... but I'll get to that eventually.
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Lord Dark on February 15, 2009, 06:11:51 PM
If we're doing serious answers, I would have to say chewing my nails when I'm nervous or anxious.
Title: Re: If...
Post by: minerva on February 15, 2009, 08:12:00 PM
If you could sing any one song beautifully and perfectly, which one would you pick? :
 
 Amazing Grace
 
 If you could do any job in the world for one day, what would it be?
 
 Thought long and hard on this one, but still kept coming up with my own job - veterinarian.
 
 But for just one day I would like to perform at the peak of my ablities with all the diagnostic tools available to me and with a brain uncluttered with the fog of age and self predjudices.
 
 With a team of like individuals that never utter the phrase 'its not my job or I'm on break" and without having my hands tied by financial constraints or politically correct rhetoric that boils down to "he/she is not worth it to me".
 
 For one shining 24 hours I would like those who seek my aid to truely understand that compassion has no pricetag but medicine does.  That age is not a disease and the older pet deserves a healthy life as much as the younger one.  That miracles do happen and hope is not for the foolish.
 
 
 If you could eliminate one habit you have, what would you stop doing?
 
 I would stop the stress eating that has greatly affected my physical and emotional health.
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Dezza on February 16, 2009, 01:58:53 AM
I have this terrible habit I would love to stop...going to work!
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Serissa on February 16, 2009, 07:43:28 AM
Job for a day--I'd like to work with Minerva
 
 Bad habit--I'd like to stop being a packrat (although it wouldn't help much unless my husband were cured, too)
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Harlas Ravelkione on February 16, 2009, 10:31:26 AM
Song: Doesn't matter which one as long as it makes at least 10 ladies faint - one of them being my girlfriend.

Job: President of the United States of America.

Bad habit: Stop trying to solve problems when listening is all it takes. ;)
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Black Cat on February 16, 2009, 04:05:28 PM
Song: O Fortuna - Carl Orff, Carmina Burana

Job: Knight of the Round Table (and not one in the Monty Python version)

Bad habit: Daydreaming (if that's a bad habit). I already stopped smoking *grins*
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Pseudonym on February 16, 2009, 06:43:10 PM
See, interesting isn't it?

If the world could henceforth have only one single art form, what do you think it should be?
Title: Re: If...
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on February 16, 2009, 06:52:03 PM
Art...  Art...

Literature?  Does that count?
Title: Re: If...
Post by: pinkpowerbait on February 16, 2009, 07:00:45 PM
Quote from: Pseudonym
If you could eliminate one habit you have, what would you stop doing?


*thinks of the laundry that needs to be folded*

Procrastinating.
Title: Re: If...
Post by: pinkpowerbait on February 16, 2009, 07:01:52 PM
Quote from: Pseudonym
See, interesting isn't it?

If the world could henceforth have only one single art form, what do you think it should be?


Music :)
Title: Re: If...
Post by: lonnarin on February 17, 2009, 07:42:43 AM
Quote from: Pseudonym
If you could eliminate one habit you have, what would you stop doing?


Shedding hairballs the size of Tribbles.
Title: Re: If...
Post by: lonnarin on February 17, 2009, 07:44:55 AM
Quote from: Pseudonym
See, interesting isn't it?

If the world could henceforth have only one single art form, what do you think it should be?


Torturing the guy who banished all the other art!
Title: Re: If...
Post by: s0ulz on February 17, 2009, 08:00:27 AM
Quote from: Pseudonym
If you could do any job in the world for one day, what would it be?


Head of the CIA.

Quote from: Pseudonym
If you could eliminate one habit you have, what would you stop doing?


The habit of delaying things to the very last moment, only to make things more interesting (read: difficult) for myself.

Quote from: Pseudonym
If the world could henceforth have only one single art form, what do you think it should be?


Music.
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Link092 on February 17, 2009, 05:54:44 PM
Habit- Stop remembering usless info, and remember something important.

Art form- Prose.
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Pseudonym on February 19, 2009, 05:09:38 AM
If you could find one thing, besides money (or something readily converted to money), in your family attic, what would you want to discover?
Title: Re: If...
Post by: lonnarin on February 19, 2009, 07:42:50 AM
Quote from: Pseudonym
If you could find one thing, besides money (or something readily converted to money), in your family attic, what would you want to discover?


Jeffrey Combs and a mad science lab.  Or perhaps the Necronomicon.
Title: Re: If...
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on February 20, 2009, 12:06:16 PM
Well, ignoring the fact I know just about everything that is in MY families attic, if there was one thing I could just happen upon one day, it would have to be one of the following:

1. A vintage copy of the Lord of the Rings from the 1970's.
2. a relic from World War II (my grandfather was in the war)
3. an original copy of the Declaration of Independence.  (An Ancestor of mine signed it)
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Ravemore on February 20, 2009, 04:19:26 PM
A remote control that can "mute" people when I click it at them...
Title: Re: If...
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on February 20, 2009, 04:36:53 PM
Quote from: Ravemore
A remote control that can "mute" people when I click it at them...

Well, if we are talking about ANYTHING I could find...

The ENTIRE! costume which Viggo Mortensen wears in the Scene at the Black Gate in Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, meaning the armor, sword, cloak, everything!  And all in my size  :)
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Link092 on February 20, 2009, 05:22:05 PM
Quote from: Pseudonym
If you could find one thing, besides money (or something readily converted to money), in your family attic, what would you want to discover?



A Quantum Harmonizer and a Photonic Resonation Chamber, used to cause a parabolic disstability in the fission singularity....
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Lord Dark on February 20, 2009, 06:43:34 PM
If I could find anything in my attic that wasn't money:
 
 It'd be a yellow Camaro that turns into a big robot named Bumblebee, or Iron Hide, his cannons are pretty cool.
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Nehetsrev on February 20, 2009, 09:48:54 PM
If I could find anything in my attic that wasn't money:

The TARDIS.  Enough said.

Of course, first I'd have to have an attic to find it in. *sighs*
Title: Re: If...
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on February 20, 2009, 09:55:18 PM
Oh?  and Where would you go with your TARDIS?
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Link092 on February 21, 2009, 02:02:58 AM
I would go 400,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 years into the future, in an alternate reality, and go Dalek hunting....
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Pseudonym on February 21, 2009, 06:57:22 AM
If you were given a racehorse, what would you name it?
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Lord Dark on February 21, 2009, 11:14:38 AM
Quote from: Pseudonym
If you were given a racehorse, what would you name it?
 
 Biscuit! ;)
Title: Re: If...
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on February 21, 2009, 11:19:25 AM
The-Fastest-Horse-Ever...
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Ravemore on February 21, 2009, 11:37:23 AM
Quote from: Pseudonym
If you were given a racehorse, what would you name it?


Yaber Flaber.
Title: Re: If...
Post by: lonnarin on February 21, 2009, 11:45:32 AM
Glue-Should-He-Lose
Title: Re: If...
Post by: pinkpowerbait on February 21, 2009, 01:11:10 PM
Quote from: Pseudonym
If you were given a racehorse, what would you name it?


Im with lonnarin on that one..
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Link092 on February 22, 2009, 01:31:03 PM
Quote from: Pseudonym
If you were given a racehorse, what would you name it?


Mr. Ed
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Thief Of Navarre on February 22, 2009, 08:54:27 PM
Quote from: Link092
Mr. Ed


Mr. Ed-the-Ket? Ohh its too cheesy for words! ban me....!!!
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Link092 on February 22, 2009, 10:29:51 PM
*hides behind a solid steel wall with a peep hole that is a couple hundred miles away, and watches what happens to ToN. maybe a huge hammer of Lore-master Wrath will smite him?*
Title: Re: If...
Post by: s0ulz on February 23, 2009, 02:22:38 AM
Quote from: Pseudonym
If you could find one thing, besides money (or something readily converted to money), in your family attic, what would you want to discover?


A '57 Les Paul... 8)

Quote from: Pseudonym
If you were given a racehorse, what would you name it?


Breakfast.
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Chazzler on February 23, 2009, 04:09:54 PM
Quote from: Pseudonym
If you were given a racehorse, what would you name it?

Simple. Meatwurst-Sausage.
Title: Re: If...
Post by: minerva on February 23, 2009, 04:34:05 PM
I've had shares in a few Standardbreds in my day. Best one was a sale barn reject that grew up to surprise us all.  His name was Moose's Accolade, Moose for short.  Ugliest head on a horse but a sweet disposition.
 
 If I had to name one all by myself - not sure if it's taken, but I'd name a Throughbred mare = Beggars Could Ride,  Quarterhorse = Penny Wise , and a Standardbred gelding = Moose Don't Run or Got the Trots ;)
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Pseudonym on February 26, 2009, 04:58:14 PM
If you had to name the worst job in the world, what would it be?
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Chazzler on February 27, 2009, 07:13:33 AM
Quote from: Pseudonym
If you had to name the worst job in the world, what would it be?

Tech Support!
Title: Re: If...
Post by: s0ulz on February 27, 2009, 07:41:09 AM
Quote from: Pseudonym
If you had to name the worst job in the world, what would it be?


Crash Test Dummy
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Script Wrecked on February 27, 2009, 08:28:56 AM
Official food taster (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_taster) for the King/Queen.

Also, chief bullet catcher (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Bullet%20Catcher) to the President.

;)
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Link092 on March 01, 2009, 02:09:56 PM
Quote from: Pseudonym
If you had to name the worst job in the world, what would it be?


Theoretical Physicist.

Worst Jobs in Science 2009 | Popular Science (http://www.popsci.com/scitech/gallery/2009-01/worst-jobs-science-2009)
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Sol_seeker on March 01, 2009, 02:42:13 PM
For the worst job...

One of the jobs at a big animal shelter where one person has to euthanize animals all day.
Title: Re: If...
Post by: lonnarin on March 01, 2009, 04:25:43 PM
Quote from: Pseudonym
If you had to name the worst job in the world, what would it be?


The guy who intently observes people trying to fill the cup when they go get a pre-employment urinalysis.  How do you tell your mum that you get paid 10 bucks an hour watching people go to the restroom all day and frisking them for smuggled pee?
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Link092 on March 01, 2009, 11:47:49 PM
Quote from: Link092
A Quantum Harmonizer and a Photonic Resonation Chamber, used to cause a parabolic disstability in the fission singularity....


I wonder how many people got that....
Title: Re: If...
Post by: ShiffDrgnhrt on March 02, 2009, 08:30:01 AM
Quote from: Pseudonym
If you had to name the worst job in the world, what would it be?
 
 Working at the Welcome desk at a University Student Center...
 
 "Hi, is this the Student Center?"
Title: Re: If...
Post by: Pseudonym on March 04, 2009, 06:34:38 AM
If you had to cast living actors to play each of the people in your house right now in a new film, who would you choose to play each person? (you included!)
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