Foo - Pick your era

If you could spend your 60 years, give or take, in any past period in any part of the world, when would you choose? It's a given that you'd be familiar with the language/culture, etc. and not be dropped in in a Star Trek "City On the Edge Of Forever (http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Original-Episode-Forever/dp/6300213323)" fashion. A time of war? Or a point when fantastic inventions came about? Or art? The birth of a country?

I would love to have been part of Lewis and Clark's "Corps of Discovery Expedition". Granted I may not have lived to 60, but it would've been an unbelievable journey.

I would like to see what it was like living as my ancestors did before the rest of you started crawling off the boats and spreading the smallpox & STDs around.

The summer of 1968...free love and all the drugs you could imagine.

The summer of 1968...free love and all the drugs you could imagine.

1967 was the Summer of Love.
I was 11.

The summer of 1968...free love and all the drugs you could imagine.

As opposed to paying for it?

I would like to live in the Caveman era...whenever that was

As opposed to paying for it?
one way or another, we all do. :innocent:

1967 was the Summer of Love.
I was 11.

ok...1967 then. I was 0

Post WWII America late 40's early 50s as a young adult.

Post WWII America late 40's early 50s as a young adult.

As male or female? Maybe I should've thrown that into the mix too.

one way or another, we all do. :innocent:

So true....so true

As opposed to paying for it?

I would like to live in the Caveman era...whenever that was

hmmm..... hair make good handle.....:D

hmmm..... hair make good handle.....:D

:innocent:

As male or female? Maybe I should've thrown that into the mix too.

male.

Either London, 1640 to 1700 (I would need to bring enough DEET with me to keep the fleas off and not get the plague, or Paris between 1910 and 1970. Of the two, probably Paris.

If I could live in the future, I'd want it to be a couple centuries after we perfect interstellar travel and are colonizing new worlds. Gosh, that's really what I've always wanted to do.

Either London, 1640 to 1700 (I would need to bring enough DEET with me to keep the fleas off and not get the plague, or Paris between 1910 and 1970. Of the two, probably Paris.

If I could live in the future, I'd want it to be a couple centuries after we perfect interstellar travel and are colonizing new worlds. Gosh, that's really what I've always wanted to do.

What if you went into the future, and found yourself all alone?

As opposed to paying for it?

I would like to live in the Caveman era...whenever that was

Even after living with the Amish? Don't you want electricity?

WWI era. I'd go to war all gung-ho, but faced with the grizzly red dog of battle I would soon become a conscientious objector. While my comrades cheerfully sang "It's a Long Way to Tipperary", I'd be in a dark corner contemplating reality. At some point I'd get holed up with a corpse of the enemy, whom I killed in the heat of the moment but later regretted when I discovered he had a wife and children. While waiting in the trenches for bombardments I'd write anti-war poetry which would only be published after my death. I'd be killed in battle just before the war ended.

My father was born in 1929. He always said he was born at the right time. His father had a decent job through the Depression. Too young for WWII, in college during Korea. Came to Southern California in the early 50s. Started and raised a family in the 50s and 60s. Retired with a pension.

So many of the things that were expected or normal are extinct or dying out. On one income, with a family of 6, we could afford a camper. I remember taking off on a Friday evening for a weekend in the desert. That's gotten out of reach for many. We weren't rich, just upper middle class.

I would have liked to be a Roman soldier, maybe during the Punic Wars. What things would I have seen or done? Would I have been a good soldier and maybe become a veteran or a centurion? Would I have been killed? I mean, you read about entire legions marching off into the wilderness to do the will of the republic and vanishing! It wouldn't have been easy and enlistment terms were usually for about 15 to 20 years but that is where I would have liked to be.

WWI era. I'd go to war all gung-ho, but faced with the grizzly red dog of battle I would soon become a conscientious objector. While my comrades cheerfully sang "It's a Long Way to Tipperary", I'd be in a dark corner contemplating reality. At some point I'd get holed up with a corpse of the enemy, whom I killed in the heat of the moment but later regretted when I discovered he had a wide and children. While waiting in the trenches for bombardments I'd write anti-war poetry which would only be published after my death. I'd be killed in battle just before the war ended.

Christ Almighty,just say 1918.

The next four years should be just "effen" dandy again.

Call me crazy, but even with all the bad stuff, I still believe our current era is the most amazing time to live in human history.

I kind of like living in an age where a toothache or a flea bite arent fatal.

What if you went into the future, and found yourself all alone?

Always carry a dirty picture book when time traveling:thumb:

I'm surprised that no one has spoken up for the 30 B.C.-30 A.D. time frame.

Near Santa Barbara in the 1600s before the Spanish infested it.

Post WWII America late 40's early 50s as a young adult.

I'm guessing you are a white guy.

I've had spinal surgery, twice. So for me now is a good time to live. Modern medicine rocks.

I wouldn't want to live in any other period. Life in history sucked compared to today. Don't romanticize the way people lived years ago like we missed out on the golden age of humanity. The world was full of disease, very short life expectancies, constant war, slavery, and global political instability up until the post-WWII era. The past 50-60 years has probably been the most peaceful, prosperous, and overall delightful period of human existance ever.

However, I would love to go back to the time of Christ and meet the man who literally changed the world and shaped western society.

I wouldn't want to live in any other period. Life in history sucked compared to today. Don't romanticize the way people lived years ago like we missed out on the golden age of humanity. The world was full of disease, very short life expectancies, constant war, slavery, and global political instability up until the post-WWII era. The past 50-60 years has probably been the most peaceful, prosperous, and overall delightful period of human existance ever.

However, I would love to go back to the time of Christ and meet the man who literally changed the world and shaped western society.

And what if you discovered that Christ did not exist ?

And what if you discovered that Christ did not exist ?

He did exist. The debatable part is the whole "Son of God" thing. There is no question he was a real person.

Post WWII America late 40's early 50s as a young adult.

http://blu.stb.s-msn.com/i/A9/289B375F69378E697251AD5AB21.JPG

I would like to live in the Caveman era...whenever that was

If the sculptures are accurate, dieting wouldn't be a concern.

Can I take the internet with me?

One of my favorite books as a tweener was Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court. I would love to go back just about to any time period with my current knowledge, as limited as it is. They'd either kill me out right or revere me as a god.

And of course with the proper vaccinations.

To be hones, I'm pretty happy right where I am- old enough to remember everything being analog but young enough to adopt new technology without needing a kid to decipher it for me. I was just talking to my sister about this- she's a newly minted MFA in photography looking for her first faculty position. What she doesn't really comprehend is how valuable she is: not only did she spend functional time mastering chemical photography, but she has since gained a ton of experience with digital image technologies. There are so many photo departments stuck spinning their wheels trying to figure out how to transition their curriculum from chemical to digital.

If you had trouble reverse engineering all this, I was born in 1980 and she was born in '83.

1700's on the Spanish Main as a Privateer.

Alternatively, about 500 years in the future, as the spacegoing equivalent....

1700's on the Spanish Main as a Privateer.

Alternatively, about 500 years in the future, as the spacegoing equivalent....

There has been some quiet talk in recent months about the issuance of Letters of Marque to deal with the pirate problem in the Gulf of Aden and the Sunda Straits. You might still be able to make this one work for you.

As to the 'romanticizing' of earlier eras, for my own part I would simply welcome an opportunity to talk to Isaac Newton face to face.

WWI era. I'd go to war all gung-ho, but faced with the grizzly red dog of battle I would soon become a conscientious objector. While my comrades cheerfully sang "It's a Long Way to Tipperary", I'd be in a dark corner contemplating reality. At some point I'd get holed up with a corpse of the enemy, whom I killed in the heat of the moment but later regretted when I discovered he had a wife and children. While waiting in the trenches for bombardments I'd write anti-war poetry which would only be published after my death. I'd be killed in battle just before the war ended. And your good friend, who convalesced with you and survives the war, would go on to set the tone for the next two generations of English poets?

To be hones, I'm pretty happy right where I am- old enough to remember everything being analog but young enough to adopt new technology without needing a kid to decipher it for me. I was just talking to my sister about this- she's a newly minted MFA in photography looking for her first faculty position. What she doesn't really comprehend is how valuable she is: not only did she spend functional time mastering chemical photography, but she has since gained a ton of experience with digital image technologies. There are so many photo departments stuck spinning their wheels trying to figure out how to transition their curriculum from chemical to digital.

If you had trouble reverse engineering all this, I was born in 1980 and she was born in '83.

You can get a degree in photography? What do you do with that?

You can get a degree in photography? What do you do with that?

It's like jazz. If you have to ask, you wouldn't understand.

You can get a degree in photography? What do you do with that?

jack squat if you're not in academia.

If you are in academia though, you teach 9 months out of the year making $60k to start with encouragement to produce work, and bonus pay for any teaching you do over summer or winter sessions. Then, after a three year stint, a paid year of sabbatical leave to produce more artworks.

1980's. Can't get enough of MC Hammer.

... oops, duplicate post ... that sure wouldn't have happened in the 80's. Just sayin'. :innocent:

jack squat if you're not in academia.

If you are in academia though, you teach 9 months out of the year making $60k to start with encouragement to produce work, and bonus pay for any teaching you do over summer or winter sessions. Then, after a three year stint, a paid year of sabbatical leave to produce more artworks.

I had no idea. I love photography and would have liked to have taken a couple of photography electives back in college. Pretty sure it wasn't offered. That paid year off to go take pictures sounds freaking awesome! I assume to justify the expendature by the school your work would need to receive some level of critical acclaim from the experts. Has your stuff ever been published? I would like to see some of it.

Maybe the 70s or 80s when wearing bike shorts was awesome? :p :D

Nah, I would of loved to experience the days of the cold war and been in a high ranking status in military intel... Would of been awesome to get into the Office of Strategic Services (now known as CIA). I am big into old spy movies and such and I am getting a PhD in the area of Intelligence now so its something I really get into :)

I had no idea. I love photography and would have liked to have taken a couple of photography electives back in college. Pretty sure it wasn't offered. That paid year off to go take pictures sounds freaking awesome! I assume to justify the expendature by the school your work would need to receive some level of critical acclaim from the experts. Has your stuff ever been published? I would like to see some of it.

It's actually my sister. She's in Fiji right now on a Fulbright scholarship. She just landed a job in the UWisconsin system, so when she gets back she'll be teaching in the midwest. I'll PM you her website.

And your good friend, who convalesced with you and survives the war, would go on to set the tone for the next two generations of English poets?

Ideally, yes.

Life in history sucked...
never has a hero of our race's short history been so eloquent.


Don't romanticize...
no.


...disease, very short life expectancies, constant war, slavery, and global political instability
class is key.


I would love to go back to the time of Christ and meet the man who literally changed the world...
that would be paul, literally.

me, i'd go back to the roaring twenties. i have a thing for chaplin, flappers, sinclair lewis, all that...

Let's keep this out of P&R territory, please.

1700's on the Spanish Main as a Privateer.



Man, that's about as miserable an existance as there ever has been. They used to have to go to taverns and scoop up passed-out drunks to find people to do that job. That's were the term "Shanghaied" came from. Life "before the mast" was pretty awful.

You can get a degree in photography? What do you do with that?

Aside from the technical aspects, I don't think you can teach anyone to be a good photographer. It's like art, you have it or you don't.

Anyway, right now I'd take any era before computers were invented.