What year is this?
September 27, 2007 2:44 PM Subscribe
On December 8th, pretend to be a time traveller.
I did
posted by joelf at 2:47 PM on September 27, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by joelf at 2:47 PM on September 27, 2007 [1 favorite]
Must we? Can't we all just talk like pirates, instead?
posted by pdb at 2:48 PM on September 27, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by pdb at 2:48 PM on September 27, 2007 [1 favorite]
Pretend?
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 2:50 PM on September 27, 2007 [4 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 2:50 PM on September 27, 2007 [4 favorites]
Why do I have to do what people on a forum tell me to do?
(Sorry, I'm being a jerk, but this is kinda thin. It's like a friend who keeps trying to make a phrase catch, and you're like "Man, let it go. Stop trying to make 'Totally Zanzibarin' ya' happen.")
posted by klangklangston at 2:52 PM on September 27, 2007
(Sorry, I'm being a jerk, but this is kinda thin. It's like a friend who keeps trying to make a phrase catch, and you're like "Man, let it go. Stop trying to make 'Totally Zanzibarin' ya' happen.")
posted by klangklangston at 2:52 PM on September 27, 2007
Oh boy.
posted by Jon Mitchell at 2:52 PM on September 27, 2007 [4 favorites]
posted by Jon Mitchell at 2:52 PM on September 27, 2007 [4 favorites]
My buddy Scott had a brain tumor a few year back. the doctors told him after surgery he would have some memory loss. Or he may feel "lost time." This made him super excited. Before he went in to get a brain tumor removed he had a party and he BEGGED us all to greet him post surgery dressed in futuristic post holocaust clothing and tell him the year was 2028. Instead we pretended his name was Jimmy and that he was gay.
True story.
posted by tkchrist at 2:53 PM on September 27, 2007 [44 favorites]
True story.
posted by tkchrist at 2:53 PM on September 27, 2007 [44 favorites]
Look, folks, I've already been through this with you all. (perhaps several times in fact)
posted by Pollomacho at 2:54 PM on September 27, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by Pollomacho at 2:54 PM on September 27, 2007 [1 favorite]
Instead we pretended his name was Jimmy and that he was gay...
Last week was his wedding up in Boston. I hope he and Stan are happy together.
posted by Pollomacho at 2:56 PM on September 27, 2007
Last week was his wedding up in Boston. I hope he and Stan are happy together.
posted by Pollomacho at 2:56 PM on September 27, 2007
Yeah, I think it's more interesting if some people talk like pirates, some pretend to be time travelers, etc. Life is more interesting if we all have our own individual quirks. One shared quirk seems kinda lame.
Now if you'll excuse me, I still need to work out some of the details on how to fake my own death.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 2:57 PM on September 27, 2007
Now if you'll excuse me, I still need to work out some of the details on how to fake my own death.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 2:57 PM on September 27, 2007
I still need to work out some of the details on how to fake my own death.
DO NOT make the mistake of lopping off a limb as proof. Man. Do I regret that.
posted by tkchrist at 2:59 PM on September 27, 2007 [2 favorites]
DO NOT make the mistake of lopping off a limb as proof. Man. Do I regret that.
posted by tkchrist at 2:59 PM on September 27, 2007 [2 favorites]
Come with me if you want to live suck.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 3:11 PM on September 27, 2007
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 3:11 PM on September 27, 2007
So...I should lay bleeding out in the street with a broom up my ass and a big neon red sign around my neck reading “Fuck off. Come back and we’ll irradiate your gonads”?
posted by Smedleyman at 3:20 PM on September 27, 2007
posted by Smedleyman at 3:20 PM on September 27, 2007
DO NOT make the mistake of lopping off a limb as proof. Man. Do I regret that.
Son of Minya?!
posted by shmegegge at 3:21 PM on September 27, 2007
Son of Minya?!
posted by shmegegge at 3:21 PM on September 27, 2007
I don't understand the reference. You kids and your crazy slang.
posted by tkchrist at 3:26 PM on September 27, 2007
posted by tkchrist at 3:26 PM on September 27, 2007
You guys, they're totally zanzibarin' ya!!
posted by Phantomx at 3:30 PM on September 27, 2007 [3 favorites]
posted by Phantomx at 3:30 PM on September 27, 2007 [3 favorites]
That's my son's birthday. I think I'll pretend to be from 16 years in the past and I'll be all, holy shit, where did that giant, mouthy teenager come from? Then I'll weep a little.
posted by mygothlaundry at 3:33 PM on September 27, 2007 [4 favorites]
posted by mygothlaundry at 3:33 PM on September 27, 2007 [4 favorites]
Great, the internet has dedicated another day to badgering me to make a fool of myself.
posted by nanojath at 3:42 PM on September 27, 2007
posted by nanojath at 3:42 PM on September 27, 2007
One shared quirk seems kinda lame.
Now if you'll excuse me, I still need to work out some of the details on how to fake my own death.
You mean you missed International Reggie Perrin Day? It was a blast. I didn't get where I am today by missing International Reggie Perrin Day.
posted by Jon Mitchell at 4:00 PM on September 27, 2007 [1 favorite]
Now if you'll excuse me, I still need to work out some of the details on how to fake my own death.
You mean you missed International Reggie Perrin Day? It was a blast. I didn't get where I am today by missing International Reggie Perrin Day.
posted by Jon Mitchell at 4:00 PM on September 27, 2007 [1 favorite]
What do they mean pretend? The only way I could get my under-1K MeFi membership number was by coming back to 1999 from 2059 (which, interestingly, waswill be the year MetaFilter Network LLC does its hostile takeover of BuyNLarge Corp).
posted by wendell at 4:13 PM on September 27, 2007
posted by wendell at 4:13 PM on September 27, 2007
I guess I must be weird, given the previous responses, 'cause I think it sounds like fun! A bit of work, maybe, and more fun if you do it with friends. But still an interesting way to spend a day. If it was pseudo-popular , you would have the added bonus of trying to spot others doing it.
I won't remember to do it, of course, but I like the idea in theory.
posted by gemmy at 4:15 PM on September 27, 2007
I won't remember to do it, of course, but I like the idea in theory.
posted by gemmy at 4:15 PM on September 27, 2007
My only complaint is this: why do they have to choose the anniversary of John Lennon's death? I mean, it's such a downer of a date to me.
They really should have selected May 7th instead. That would have been more appropriate.
posted by champthom at 4:27 PM on September 27, 2007
They really should have selected May 7th instead. That would have been more appropriate.
posted by champthom at 4:27 PM on September 27, 2007
Ok, I'm just popping in from January 2008 and hijacking my current me's account (he should be at the shopping mall having a latte so it's fine) to warn you not to do this. Beg you even.
The consequences of the spaghetti incident at Fernando Po's island when the locals read this thread and acted on it are too horrible to even hint at.
posted by Iosephus at 4:28 PM on September 27, 2007
The consequences of the spaghetti incident at Fernando Po's island when the locals read this thread and acted on it are too horrible to even hint at.
posted by Iosephus at 4:28 PM on September 27, 2007
I once hung out at a renfaire with a guy who was dressed up as H. G. Wells, and I was pretending to be an Anglican priest from the 1500s. That was twenty years ago. Time traveller is passe, and the only thing less socially acceptable is being a furry in public. You want a challenge? Try being in a temporal loop.
"There is the theory of the moebius. A twist in the fabric of space where time becomes a loop, from which there is no escape. When we reach that point, whatever happened will happen again."
Now THAT would be teh awesome!
posted by ZachsMind at 4:49 PM on September 27, 2007 [2 favorites]
"There is the theory of the moebius. A twist in the fabric of space where time becomes a loop, from which there is no escape. When we reach that point, whatever happened will happen again."
Now THAT would be teh awesome!
posted by ZachsMind at 4:49 PM on September 27, 2007 [2 favorites]
*hits future self with my half-empty latte cup*
Stop embarrassing me, asshat!
posted by Iosephus at 5:19 PM on September 27, 2007
Stop embarrassing me, asshat!
posted by Iosephus at 5:19 PM on September 27, 2007
I'm going to go back in time and abduct Ann Coulter from the hospital and give her to a lovely hippie family to raise. No, wait. I did that already. Maybe I'll just pretend like I'm Popeye stuck in a temporal loop.
"I yam who I was, and I couldn't have been standing no more!!"
posted by ericbop at 5:35 PM on September 27, 2007 [1 favorite]
"I yam who I was, and I couldn't have been standing no more!!"
posted by ericbop at 5:35 PM on September 27, 2007 [1 favorite]
They should choose 11/9 for time travel because we really need to reverse the effects of 9/11. (Except for Europeans, who've been reversing it all along. Cheaters)
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 6:09 PM on September 27, 2007
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 6:09 PM on September 27, 2007
fandango_matt: In the future, people will treat stupid web memes like pirates and ninjas and zombies like the goldfish-gulping and phone-booth-stuffing fads that they are.
Whaddayamean? Phone-booth-stuffing is awesome! In fact, if I knew of one in town, I'd totally go stuff it right now.
posted by Kattullus at 6:15 PM on September 27, 2007 [1 favorite]
Whaddayamean? Phone-booth-stuffing is awesome! In fact, if I knew of one in town, I'd totally go stuff it right now.
posted by Kattullus at 6:15 PM on September 27, 2007 [1 favorite]
On December 8th, pretend to be a time traveller.
Only if you lend me your DeLorean.
posted by flatluigi at 6:20 PM on September 27, 2007
Only if you lend me your DeLorean.
posted by flatluigi at 6:20 PM on September 27, 2007
One of the ones I've done in real life was to get my friend to shave his head, draw a bar code on the back of his neck, stagger up to people and say "WHAT YEAR IS THIS" then run off. Then a second person walks up to that same person later with a photo and says "HAVE YOU SEEN THIS MAN"? It helps if you have a little eyepiece or small piece of obtuse technology on you.
Ok, now, see, *that's* funny.
posted by mediareport at 8:44 PM on September 27, 2007
Ok, now, see, *that's* funny.
posted by mediareport at 8:44 PM on September 27, 2007
This isn's (quite) just some guy on a forum. Dresden Codac is a webcomic whose current story arc involves (incompetent) time travelers. It's one of my favorite webcomics, and I hadn't seen this but now I will be doing it. My entire family will disown me, it'll be great.
posted by Skorgu at 9:03 PM on September 27, 2007
posted by Skorgu at 9:03 PM on September 27, 2007
I read Dresden Codak daily. I saw the pretend to be a time traveler thing and thought it was pretty cool. Didn't think to post it to the front page of Metafilter.
I find that pretending that you've lived for thousands of years is more interesting. Well, if you've got a good grasp of history and how to make up interesting details about what it's like seeing the world pass you by.
Or pretend that you're death, as in Meet Joe Black. I once went around carrying a jar of peanut butter. No one got the reference. They noticed me and declared me weird. But that was high school, so no damage done.
Oh, wait, I totally forgot that my best friend and I once convinced a rather dull girl at school that a foam scepter I was carrying around was actually a time traveling device. HOLY CRAP! Repressed memories. There was a period of time I believed that this very same best friend made me repeat the sixth grade because he could control time. I didn't discover this until a period of time during sixth grade that I had severe paramnesia. I wonder when I stopped believe that... Probably when college wrung the spirit of wonderment from my heart. It crushed, my folks. I don't time travel anymore. Not even in my memories.
posted by Mister Cheese at 12:55 AM on September 28, 2007
I find that pretending that you've lived for thousands of years is more interesting. Well, if you've got a good grasp of history and how to make up interesting details about what it's like seeing the world pass you by.
Or pretend that you're death, as in Meet Joe Black. I once went around carrying a jar of peanut butter. No one got the reference. They noticed me and declared me weird. But that was high school, so no damage done.
Oh, wait, I totally forgot that my best friend and I once convinced a rather dull girl at school that a foam scepter I was carrying around was actually a time traveling device. HOLY CRAP! Repressed memories. There was a period of time I believed that this very same best friend made me repeat the sixth grade because he could control time. I didn't discover this until a period of time during sixth grade that I had severe paramnesia. I wonder when I stopped believe that... Probably when college wrung the spirit of wonderment from my heart. It crushed, my folks. I don't time travel anymore. Not even in my memories.
posted by Mister Cheese at 12:55 AM on September 28, 2007
I think it's kinda cool if you do it with your friends, but imagine if you do it alone... everybody will think that you're a retard or something...
posted by lungs at 2:21 AM on September 28, 2007
posted by lungs at 2:21 AM on September 28, 2007
I came here to make this comment, but seeing how many favorites it got, my evil (or at least wacky) archnemesis decided to go further back in time and beat me to the punch.
posted by Eideteker at 3:25 AM on September 28, 2007
posted by Eideteker at 3:25 AM on September 28, 2007
I think it's kinda cool if you do it with your friends, but imagine if you do it alone... everybody will think that you're a retard or something...
posted by lungs at 2:21 AM on September 28 [+] [!]
As a retard, I'm honestly comfortable with that
posted by jaymzjulian at 3:26 AM on September 28, 2007
posted by lungs at 2:21 AM on September 28 [+] [!]
As a retard, I'm honestly comfortable with that
posted by jaymzjulian at 3:26 AM on September 28, 2007
It's like a friend who keeps trying to make a phrase catch
I think this is so totally fetch.
posted by inigo2 at 6:19 AM on September 28, 2007
I think this is so totally fetch.
posted by inigo2 at 6:19 AM on September 28, 2007
Save the cheerleader, save the world.
posted by fallenposters at 7:51 AM on September 28, 2007
posted by fallenposters at 7:51 AM on September 28, 2007
Given the date suggested, I think I'll go back some 27 years on that date and arm myself with a nice shiny pistol. I will then hang around the Dakota building looking for a skanky looking guy called Mark Chapman.
posted by Sk4n at 8:21 AM on September 28, 2007
posted by Sk4n at 8:21 AM on September 28, 2007
Ooh. Champthom - I didn't see your earlier reference to the date.
posted by Sk4n at 8:24 AM on September 28, 2007
posted by Sk4n at 8:24 AM on September 28, 2007
Bonus points to anyone who tries this while taking a flight to/from the US. Or crossing a border.
And we'll pass the hat for some help with the bail money.
posted by Artful Codger at 10:47 AM on September 28, 2007
And we'll pass the hat for some help with the bail money.
posted by Artful Codger at 10:47 AM on September 28, 2007
DO NOT TRUST PRESIDENT NICK NOLTE! *cough* *cough*
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 11:01 AM on September 28, 2007
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 11:01 AM on September 28, 2007
The ironic thing is actual time travelers would go out of their way to blend in and not be noticed, and here we're talking about people going out of their way to be noticed by complete strangers AS time travellers.
Provided you believe time travel is an inevitable scientific discovery, it's very plausible you have already met one or more time travellers in your lifetime and were completely oblivious to it.
posted by ZachsMind at 5:55 PM on September 28, 2007
Provided you believe time travel is an inevitable scientific discovery, it's very plausible you have already met one or more time travellers in your lifetime and were completely oblivious to it.
posted by ZachsMind at 5:55 PM on September 28, 2007
Skorgu writes "Dresden Codac is a webcomic whose current story arc involves (incompetent) time travelers."
Wow, this one is great. I love the reference, among others.
posted by krinklyfig at 6:50 PM on September 28, 2007
Wow, this one is great. I love the reference, among others.
posted by krinklyfig at 6:50 PM on September 28, 2007
I'm back! What did I miss?
posted by doctorschlock at 10:24 AM on September 29, 2007
posted by doctorschlock at 10:24 AM on September 29, 2007
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posted by ND¢ at 2:47 PM on September 27, 2007 [1 favorite]