Thought experiment
- Thread starter Death
- Start date
Zarathustra
Spaceman
I would probably tell myself to
a. not smoke so much pot during my sophomore year in college.
and
b. treat my girlfriend better during said year.
a. not smoke so much pot during my sophomore year in college.
and
b. treat my girlfriend better during said year.
ChrisReid
Super Soaker Collector / Administrator
Getting off Death's subject slightly.. here's the story I wrote about getting Prophecy Gold on October 19, 1998 (almost four years now since I bought a "new" WC game).
The Gold Rush.. or How I Got The Last Copy Within Thirty-five Miles
Like many of you, I had to have the new Wing Commander game the first day it was available. For some months we've been anticipating a Gold release on October 14. This was confirmed by the shipping date from the EB offer linked from prophecygold.com.
First things first, from the 10th to the 12th I called and tried to reserve a copy of WCP Gold at the local software retailers. I gave up when the guy at Comp USA said that their computers had no records of a Wing Commander Prophecy 'Gold', but they expected a regular Wing Commander Prophecy to be released sometime in 1999.
So.. on Wednesday, October 14th, I made my way through the local gauntlet of computer stores. In order, I went to Super Software, Barnes and Nobles, Computer City, Circut City, Future Shop, Electronics Boutique, Software Etc., Comp USA and Half Price Books in search of the illusive game. All nine stores came up empty. Two gave me November 2, and EB said it'd be in 'tomorrow'. So, I consoled myself with buying a WC4 (which included a copy of the Official Guide) at Half Price Books.
Thursday I checked back at EB, again 'tomorrow'. On Friday however, they admitted their shippers hadn't gotten it yet, and to come back Monday or Tuesday. On Saturday, I checked nearest cluster of computer stores, some 35 miles away. Their EB didn't even have it in the computer. This was the day LOAF got his at the local Best Buy.
So.. today.. Monday.. I decided to call EB instead of making the trek to the mall. And they had it! But.. they didn't just get their shipment in that morning.. they'd sold all but ONE copy so far in that shipment. Needless to say, I reserved that copy.
When I arrived at the mall and bounced up to the cashier, the salesperson didn't even ask me for a name or anything to confirm it was I who had reserved the game. Either he could sense my enthusiasm, or he recognized me from the visits (houndings) the previous week. I had the box open by the time I got out to the parking lot (I even cut through a Mervyn's to get out more quickly) and read the manual in my car. And as I added the beautiful gold box to my shrine (it turns out it looks best with my copies of Prophecy to the left of it, instead of my idea of it being between the Prophecies) and realized that, boy, it really was worth it.
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=+...s_maxy=1998&selm=362BF48F.7842@aol.com&rnum=9
Ahh.. I remember that day like it was yesterday..
The Gold Rush.. or How I Got The Last Copy Within Thirty-five Miles
Like many of you, I had to have the new Wing Commander game the first day it was available. For some months we've been anticipating a Gold release on October 14. This was confirmed by the shipping date from the EB offer linked from prophecygold.com.
First things first, from the 10th to the 12th I called and tried to reserve a copy of WCP Gold at the local software retailers. I gave up when the guy at Comp USA said that their computers had no records of a Wing Commander Prophecy 'Gold', but they expected a regular Wing Commander Prophecy to be released sometime in 1999.
So.. on Wednesday, October 14th, I made my way through the local gauntlet of computer stores. In order, I went to Super Software, Barnes and Nobles, Computer City, Circut City, Future Shop, Electronics Boutique, Software Etc., Comp USA and Half Price Books in search of the illusive game. All nine stores came up empty. Two gave me November 2, and EB said it'd be in 'tomorrow'. So, I consoled myself with buying a WC4 (which included a copy of the Official Guide) at Half Price Books.
Thursday I checked back at EB, again 'tomorrow'. On Friday however, they admitted their shippers hadn't gotten it yet, and to come back Monday or Tuesday. On Saturday, I checked nearest cluster of computer stores, some 35 miles away. Their EB didn't even have it in the computer. This was the day LOAF got his at the local Best Buy.
So.. today.. Monday.. I decided to call EB instead of making the trek to the mall. And they had it! But.. they didn't just get their shipment in that morning.. they'd sold all but ONE copy so far in that shipment. Needless to say, I reserved that copy.
When I arrived at the mall and bounced up to the cashier, the salesperson didn't even ask me for a name or anything to confirm it was I who had reserved the game. Either he could sense my enthusiasm, or he recognized me from the visits (houndings) the previous week. I had the box open by the time I got out to the parking lot (I even cut through a Mervyn's to get out more quickly) and read the manual in my car. And as I added the beautiful gold box to my shrine (it turns out it looks best with my copies of Prophecy to the left of it, instead of my idea of it being between the Prophecies) and realized that, boy, it really was worth it.
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=+...s_maxy=1998&selm=362BF48F.7842@aol.com&rnum=9
Ahh.. I remember that day like it was yesterday..
cff
Kilk'dymga'qith laq Ik'vikvi
Be careful what you wish for...
Would you really want to know that a family member would die tomorrow? Would you really like to see his last seconds and/or try to stop it and fail?
I had my father and grandmother die about 2 years ago, a good month apart, and was present too close in boths deads so I know what I talk about...
Wedge009
Rogue Leader
The trouble is that I think we all have a habit of carrying on, expecting everyone to wake up the next morning. And some of us treat others rather poorly because of that assumption. Knowing that someone close to them will die very soon is a hard, but sometimes 'good' reality check.
Why, you have such high esteem for us.
I'm sure many of us did something similar and regret it, but it isn't the end of the world. Just seems like it...
I remember you telling this story before, but I'm sure it was about your new GBA, not KS...
Bandit LOAF
Long Live the Confederation!
No... I'm pretty sure it was KS.
I ordered my GBA from some crazy Asian country and got it a week before it came out in the US... and then I played Commander Keen... and got frustrated because it was impossible to see... and put it away until I got a TV-out dealy.
Oggy
Rear Admiral
Hmm...only one chance to change the past when there are so many things I would have done differently...top three are
a) told myseld not to kiss that scottish girl in the pub after winning a rugby match as then I wouldn't have caught glandular fever and would have been fit for Midlands and England Rugby trials.
b)Told myself not to get involved with my ex-girlfriend, as this would have spared myself a lot of pain and you can't miss what you haven't had.
c)Have bought frickin' Kilrathi Saga when I saw it in Virgin Megastore all those years ago.
still, you can't put an old head on young shoulders, so that begs the question, would you have even listened to yourself anyway.
a) told myseld not to kiss that scottish girl in the pub after winning a rugby match as then I wouldn't have caught glandular fever and would have been fit for Midlands and England Rugby trials.
b)Told myself not to get involved with my ex-girlfriend, as this would have spared myself a lot of pain and you can't miss what you haven't had.
c)Have bought frickin' Kilrathi Saga when I saw it in Virgin Megastore all those years ago.
still, you can't put an old head on young shoulders, so that begs the question, would you have even listened to yourself anyway.
Death
gh0d (Administrator)
Ok, it seems that everyone who wanted to comment has done so. I didn't say anything at the time, because a) frankly I wasn't sure of what one thing to try to change, and b) I didn't want to color anyone else's answers.
(Secondary feature, shameless bump of my thread. [Blair]It's a priveledge of rank.[/Blair])
Anyhow, for me the "when" is not too long after the start of 9th grade, maybe a month or two at the most. New faces and places (moved to SC just before the start of my freshman year in HS), and actual homework that required actual effort. Being the lazy cuss I was/am, I slacked off, compounded by not wanting to seem to "nerdy" to the strangers surrounding me.
What I would tell my past self is simple: "It may seem that not doing the work is the easy path, but it's not. Work hard and damn the social consequences, because further down the road being a lazy f*ck will bite you in the ass, hard, like a rabid pitbull."
Whether I'd actually listen to myself is another issue, but one that's beyond the scope of this thread.
(Secondary feature, shameless bump of my thread. [Blair]It's a priveledge of rank.[/Blair])
Anyhow, for me the "when" is not too long after the start of 9th grade, maybe a month or two at the most. New faces and places (moved to SC just before the start of my freshman year in HS), and actual homework that required actual effort. Being the lazy cuss I was/am, I slacked off, compounded by not wanting to seem to "nerdy" to the strangers surrounding me.
What I would tell my past self is simple: "It may seem that not doing the work is the easy path, but it's not. Work hard and damn the social consequences, because further down the road being a lazy f*ck will bite you in the ass, hard, like a rabid pitbull."
Whether I'd actually listen to myself is another issue, but one that's beyond the scope of this thread.
cff
Kilk'dymga'qith laq Ik'vikvi
Originally posted by Templar
Damn, I'd like to do somthing.
As I said trying and failing isn't a road I'd exactly wish someone. Been there, done that.
In a certain way it strenghtened me a lot. I learned a good deal about myself that way. How I react in a crisis situation and such. Still...
PS: As pessimistic as I am there probably isn't much I'd like to change in my past. A good deal of ones personality also comes from failures. Better have experienced a bloodied nose in your youth then when your are older and the consequences are much bigger. Oh, I made enough mistakes where you say "I wished I would have known earlier". But in a way I don't regret them.
I agree, the events of our past shape our personality of today. Who would we be, or what would we be doing had certain events not taken place. Due to a tragedy in my own life at a young age I have pondered that question often. I am forced to admit, that such conjecture is futile. However, it is almost certain that I would not be the person that I am today. Perhaps I would not be married to my lovely wife, or even exist. My point, the past may sometimes seem like a wound, but eventually the wound heals and we learn from the experience. Like me, I learned that I have no talent for snowboarding only after I had broken my leg.