MetaChat - If you had a crystal ball

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02 April 2008

If you had a crystal ball that could tell you the truth about any one thing about yourself, the future, or anything else, what would you want to know?

post by: ThePinkSuperhero at: 13:05 | 20 comments

Do human beings make it to the ships (i.e. get off this ball of rock and go to infest the galaxy like the sentient cockroaches we are)?

posted by By the Grace of God 02 April | 13:06

This is grisly. . .but will I outlive my wife? It makes a big difference on my retirement, if I take monthly payments until my death, or if she keeps getting them after I die. If I choose the money till the demise of danf option, it's far more per month.

Not that I am planning to check out any time soon, but it's time for me to start thinking in these terms, and of course I need to choose the plan that takes care of her in case I die first. . it would be foolish not to (and would not fly with her, since she has far less in her pension).

posted by danf 02 April | 13:14

Will I ever get lucky?

posted by eekacat 02 April | 13:14

Is A Song of Ice and Fire ever going to come to a decent conclusion?

(I'm assuming the boring next-week's-lottery-numbers are out of the question).

posted by TheophileEscargot 02 April | 13:20

My mind is flooded with things I want to know about the past, actually.

posted by Specklet 02 April | 13:21

I want the lottery numbers and I don't care if they're boring.

posted by mygothlaundry 02 April | 13:24

I'm with BTGOG, I want to know if we colonize the galaxy (universe?)

Failing that, do we figure out how to manipulate the ecology of the earth to dramatically raise the carrying capacity, or do we just burn through everything, reduce biodiversity to the point that the entire globe is a monoculture, and otherwise just fuck everyhting up?

posted by Schyler523 02 April | 13:31

While it's tempting to ask what I should do to ensure happiness for me and mine, I actually think I've got a pretty good handle on that. What I'd really be interested in is knowing how to stay one step ahead in case of calamity (world war, invasion, pole shift, massive climate change, etc). So some sort of carefully worded question involving both if this sort of thing is going to happen and what I should do to prepare.

posted by jtron 02 April | 13:32

I'd like to know the exact date I can buy a new Apple computer and not have Steve Jobs make the model I just bought obselete the next day.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 02 April | 13:35

I'm with the lottery tickets. Preferably Powerball, and a big jackpot. Other than that, I figure I'd rather be surprised, pleasantly or not-so-pleasantly. I'd just rather be surprised with a nest egg plus some money invested so that I could help fund those things that will help more of us survive.

posted by lleachie 02 April | 13:39

Do I get what it is that I'm currently seeking?

posted by sperose 02 April | 13:58

Am I ever going to lead an organized life, where I do not forget appointments and I know exactly where XYZ is in the house?

posted by LoriFLA 02 April | 13:58

Lottery. I could do sooo much if I won a large jackpot. Failing that, I would ask for the cure for mental illness/learning disabilities/mental etc.

posted by MonkeyButter 02 April | 14:00

Will our baby have autism?

Sorry, I know that's a downer, but I'm really starting to worry about it what with all the media coverage lately.

posted by tr33hggr 02 April | 14:07

TheophileEscargot, we need to go to George R. R. Martin's house and cut his cable, so he doesn't have NFL and livejournal to distract him from FUCKING WRITING!

Hell, I could probably go on Mastermind on that series at this point.

posted by By the Grace of God 02 April | 14:10

I don't need a crystal ball, but I do miss Ask The Capn'.

posted by rainbaby 02 April | 14:14

BTGOG: I was fooled for a horribly long way in to his April 1 entry. I can just see Modular Man fighting dragons with his shoulder-mounted rocket launcher...

Meanwhile, if you want fantasy with fiendishly-complicated plots, believable characters, a decent dose of angst and an actual ending, the Engineer trilogy by K.J. Parker is worth looking out for.

posted by TheophileEscargot 02 April | 14:23

Hey yeah, where is the Capn?

Will our baby have autism?

I encourage you to do some research on how television affects developing brains.

posted by Specklet 02 April | 14:50

Why is there something rather than nothing?

posted by ibmcginty 02 April | 15:07

There are too many things I want answers to, so I'll stick with lottery numbers.

posted by deborah 02 April | 21:14

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