ohhhh, temptation
Sep. 27th, 2007 05:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rivendellroseAnd on the "oh, this is a bad idea, but I'm going to be sooooo tempted" front...
Pretend to be a Time Traveller Day
It's like Talk Like a Pirate Day... only even geekier. And even more likely to earn me bizarre looks from the everyday folks on the streets of Seattle. I mean, seriously... Example suggestion from the comments: ""Walk up to random people and say 'WHAT YEAR IS THIS?' and when they tell you, get quiet and then say 'Then there's still time!' and run off." <--Is exactly what I would want to do, if only I were brave enough. ♥
Wish I thought I could have a copy of The Scarf done in time, but that's just too much to hope for. XD
Stare long and hard at telephone and power lines. Ask people what they're for. Ask them what wires are. Then continue to ogle them. This works for all periods of time that are not related to our era.
- Repeatedly push the buttons on vending machines. Jump when somebody finally walks by and uses it, which causes a loud, startling noise when the can comes out, and stare at the can when they open and drink from it.
- Go around with a small notepad, a pen and a sack. Pick up random trash items and coins (pennies are the best), look it over carefully and hold up in the sunlight, then check your notepad. Decide whether or not to keep it, then dump it in the sack, cross off something on your notepad, and mutter something about being rich when you get back to where you came from.
- Gasp loudly and wide eyed whenever you see a famous figure that's still alive on TV (this works well with President Bush), then yell "THERE'S STILL TIME!!!!" while running down the street. I know this also works well with newspaper headlines and asking for the date, but this is much more entertaining to freak people out about celebrities.
- Speaking of which, here's one that takes some skill, but it's nice to help folks out with false notions. Walk up to random people on the street, look them over carefully, and ask who they are. If they say their name, gasp audibly, shake their hand vigorously, and say "THE [insert name here]?!? Sir/Madam, it is a pleas- nay, an HONOR to meet you!......Could I have your autograph?" Present pen and notebook, filled with other historical figure's "signatures", such as George Washington, or Ghenghis Khan. If they try to ask you about what's going on, just say "Oh, you'll know!" and wink at them. Giggle excitedly when they are done, thank them profusely, bow politely, and skip away.
- Try to see what's inside electrical outlets. Do this for long periods of time.
- Make a bunch of totally fake currency from somewhere that doesn't exist yet. Try to use it to pay for stuff. When they tell you that they don't take that currency, apologize, and shuffle away, looking abashed and saying "It's too new, I knew I should have taken the older stuff" while shuffling through your wallet, which is stuffed quite haphazardly with other currencies of a fictional sort.
- Ask where the locations for famous places that are in totally different continents. When they point this out, say "Oh. Thanks." And then walk away, muttering something angrily about how he sent you too far and that he would have to recalibrate the figures.
- Carry around a bunch of mechanical components which have no relationship to each other at all. Ask people on the street if they have seen other mechanical objects (you should list a mix of things that currently exist, haven't existed for years, and make up some others), and say that you're trying to fix a "cybernetic flying chariot" if they ask why you are collecting things. Be vague and evasive if they pry any further.
- Stand in a spot near a well traversed area, continously looking into the sky. If somebody asks you why you are there, say "I'm waiting for it." If they inquire any further, chuckle and say "You'll know soon enough." Then resume looking into the sky.
- This is the same as the last one, except this time you should be fully decked out in religious paraphenalia (stick with your time traveler garb, and add some out of place touches here and there), and holding the symbol of your chosen religion high up in the sky while you look up, as if you were signalling the arrival of your deity.
- Play antiquarian of the ages. Go around asking people the most inane questions related to your time, like "What is a 'cell phone'?" and "What kind of vegetable is a 'blog'?", and when you talk, use the lexicon of our day and age in the entirely wrong context in this manner, frequently mispronouncing words as if they were normally said that way. Whenever somebody responds with any kind of answer, nod knowingly and murmur "I see...." while jotting down every last detail furiously into a notepad. Thank them once you are done, and flip through your notes, making little additions, while walking away.
- Warning: expert level stunt. If people recognize you and know your name in a public place but don't speak to you on a direct basis, this might work quite well if you've got a knack for acting.
Dress up as a really old version of yourself. Add facial hair if you're a guy, or wear a wig to give the impression of a different hairstyle than your own if you're a woman. Make sure that your face is not too concealed, but just enough to make direct recognition of your face slightly more difficult than usual.
Head out to the place where you hang out at. Ask somebody there who has talked to you more than once (somebody who you can trust) if they've seen you (or rather, your younger self). Give them a package, say it's for your younger self, make it very imperative that your younger self recieve the package, warn them not to open it, and then vanish mysteriously. Before you do, make sure they get a good look at you (while trying very badly not to be seen directly in the face), and if they ask you who you are, give a really bad fake name, and say you knew your younger self from a while back. You may also drop some other hints of you "two" being somehow related, but hold back a bit to let them think about it.
The package itself must be labeled with very specific information about yourself, including the carefully notated time your younger self will be arriving later, and what you look like (and what exactly you will be wearing at the time, and it would be nice if you put down distinctive features, like an odd hat, then used them later), plus maybe something personal or mysterious sounding to let the speculation flow about its contents. It should also be stuffed with packing material, and nothing else.
Later on, arrive back at where you were, but in normal attire, and ask if they've seen anybody odd looking if they don't tell you right away. Ask about what they sort of look like, and if they wise up enough to think they look like you or they think it is you, laugh at them and say that it's preposterous, as you were somewhere else at the time. Ask them after that if they did anything unusual (if they don't give you the package), and the package should show up right away if they're a good person. If they left it closed, open it right in front of them, search through it, and then act as if you've seen something very frightening. If they opened it, chide them for doing so, and remark that there's nothing in it anyway (when this comes up), and as you're halfheartedly skimming through it, stop suddenly and give the same frightened reaction.
Pull your hand out of the bag, stare wide eyed at the object clutched within (which is nonexistent, but they don't know that), and scurry out of the establishment, yelling "THERE'S ALMOST NO TIME LEFT!" as you make your exit, trailing packing material behind you and holding the "object" up high in your fist.
Timing is important. You must let them know what you want them to know, and cut them off before they can know any further.
If done correctly, you'll never run out of good conversational material when the story does catch up with you.
Pretend to be a Time Traveller Day
It's like Talk Like a Pirate Day... only even geekier. And even more likely to earn me bizarre looks from the everyday folks on the streets of Seattle. I mean, seriously... Example suggestion from the comments: ""Walk up to random people and say 'WHAT YEAR IS THIS?' and when they tell you, get quiet and then say 'Then there's still time!' and run off." <--Is exactly what I would want to do, if only I were brave enough. ♥
Wish I thought I could have a copy of The Scarf done in time, but that's just too much to hope for. XD
Stare long and hard at telephone and power lines. Ask people what they're for. Ask them what wires are. Then continue to ogle them. This works for all periods of time that are not related to our era.
- Repeatedly push the buttons on vending machines. Jump when somebody finally walks by and uses it, which causes a loud, startling noise when the can comes out, and stare at the can when they open and drink from it.
- Go around with a small notepad, a pen and a sack. Pick up random trash items and coins (pennies are the best), look it over carefully and hold up in the sunlight, then check your notepad. Decide whether or not to keep it, then dump it in the sack, cross off something on your notepad, and mutter something about being rich when you get back to where you came from.
- Gasp loudly and wide eyed whenever you see a famous figure that's still alive on TV (this works well with President Bush), then yell "THERE'S STILL TIME!!!!" while running down the street. I know this also works well with newspaper headlines and asking for the date, but this is much more entertaining to freak people out about celebrities.
- Speaking of which, here's one that takes some skill, but it's nice to help folks out with false notions. Walk up to random people on the street, look them over carefully, and ask who they are. If they say their name, gasp audibly, shake their hand vigorously, and say "THE [insert name here]?!? Sir/Madam, it is a pleas- nay, an HONOR to meet you!......Could I have your autograph?" Present pen and notebook, filled with other historical figure's "signatures", such as George Washington, or Ghenghis Khan. If they try to ask you about what's going on, just say "Oh, you'll know!" and wink at them. Giggle excitedly when they are done, thank them profusely, bow politely, and skip away.
- Try to see what's inside electrical outlets. Do this for long periods of time.
- Make a bunch of totally fake currency from somewhere that doesn't exist yet. Try to use it to pay for stuff. When they tell you that they don't take that currency, apologize, and shuffle away, looking abashed and saying "It's too new, I knew I should have taken the older stuff" while shuffling through your wallet, which is stuffed quite haphazardly with other currencies of a fictional sort.
- Ask where the locations for famous places that are in totally different continents. When they point this out, say "Oh. Thanks." And then walk away, muttering something angrily about how he sent you too far and that he would have to recalibrate the figures.
- Carry around a bunch of mechanical components which have no relationship to each other at all. Ask people on the street if they have seen other mechanical objects (you should list a mix of things that currently exist, haven't existed for years, and make up some others), and say that you're trying to fix a "cybernetic flying chariot" if they ask why you are collecting things. Be vague and evasive if they pry any further.
- Stand in a spot near a well traversed area, continously looking into the sky. If somebody asks you why you are there, say "I'm waiting for it." If they inquire any further, chuckle and say "You'll know soon enough." Then resume looking into the sky.
- This is the same as the last one, except this time you should be fully decked out in religious paraphenalia (stick with your time traveler garb, and add some out of place touches here and there), and holding the symbol of your chosen religion high up in the sky while you look up, as if you were signalling the arrival of your deity.
- Play antiquarian of the ages. Go around asking people the most inane questions related to your time, like "What is a 'cell phone'?" and "What kind of vegetable is a 'blog'?", and when you talk, use the lexicon of our day and age in the entirely wrong context in this manner, frequently mispronouncing words as if they were normally said that way. Whenever somebody responds with any kind of answer, nod knowingly and murmur "I see...." while jotting down every last detail furiously into a notepad. Thank them once you are done, and flip through your notes, making little additions, while walking away.
- Warning: expert level stunt. If people recognize you and know your name in a public place but don't speak to you on a direct basis, this might work quite well if you've got a knack for acting.
Dress up as a really old version of yourself. Add facial hair if you're a guy, or wear a wig to give the impression of a different hairstyle than your own if you're a woman. Make sure that your face is not too concealed, but just enough to make direct recognition of your face slightly more difficult than usual.
Head out to the place where you hang out at. Ask somebody there who has talked to you more than once (somebody who you can trust) if they've seen you (or rather, your younger self). Give them a package, say it's for your younger self, make it very imperative that your younger self recieve the package, warn them not to open it, and then vanish mysteriously. Before you do, make sure they get a good look at you (while trying very badly not to be seen directly in the face), and if they ask you who you are, give a really bad fake name, and say you knew your younger self from a while back. You may also drop some other hints of you "two" being somehow related, but hold back a bit to let them think about it.
The package itself must be labeled with very specific information about yourself, including the carefully notated time your younger self will be arriving later, and what you look like (and what exactly you will be wearing at the time, and it would be nice if you put down distinctive features, like an odd hat, then used them later), plus maybe something personal or mysterious sounding to let the speculation flow about its contents. It should also be stuffed with packing material, and nothing else.
Later on, arrive back at where you were, but in normal attire, and ask if they've seen anybody odd looking if they don't tell you right away. Ask about what they sort of look like, and if they wise up enough to think they look like you or they think it is you, laugh at them and say that it's preposterous, as you were somewhere else at the time. Ask them after that if they did anything unusual (if they don't give you the package), and the package should show up right away if they're a good person. If they left it closed, open it right in front of them, search through it, and then act as if you've seen something very frightening. If they opened it, chide them for doing so, and remark that there's nothing in it anyway (when this comes up), and as you're halfheartedly skimming through it, stop suddenly and give the same frightened reaction.
Pull your hand out of the bag, stare wide eyed at the object clutched within (which is nonexistent, but they don't know that), and scurry out of the establishment, yelling "THERE'S ALMOST NO TIME LEFT!" as you make your exit, trailing packing material behind you and holding the "object" up high in your fist.
Timing is important. You must let them know what you want them to know, and cut them off before they can know any further.
If done correctly, you'll never run out of good conversational material when the story does catch up with you.
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no subject
Date: 2007-09-28 12:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-09-28 12:54 am (UTC)Either way, the sticking block is more my own shyness when it comes to non-scripted/real-life type stuff than anything else. It's tempting, though!
no subject
Date: 2007-09-28 12:59 am (UTC)I would have done this in High SChool. I was pretty gutsy then. Now I'm just like, eh, whatever, don't look at me.
no subject
Date: 2007-09-28 06:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-09-28 01:19 pm (UTC)Now, if I can just finish building that Omni...