Stargazer

Writer's Block: Famous last words

2009-11-10T22:35:24Z

If you were close to death, what would you choose for your last words? To whom would you want to say them?

"I Love you" to humanpacifier

Writer's Block: Instant attraction

2009-11-09T14:19:22Z

Do you think romantic chemistry is instant or evolving? Have you ever given someone a second (or third) chance and lived to regret it? Have you ever fallen in love with someone you didn't particularly like or desire at first?

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Yes, but the evolution is so slow we can't really see it. This is something Ray Comfort just doesn't understand.

Oh, you didn't mean real evolution in terms of real (bio)chemistry, did you?

Writer's Block: Necessities for My Home(page)

2009-11-08T15:23:55Z

What are the can’t-live-without things on your web homepage?

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Huh? My web homepage? For which website? Or is this a Yahoo-centric thing?

Writer's Block: Opposites attract (sometimes)

2009-11-07T16:00:15Z

What are your favorite web or mobile apps? Which ones do you use everyday?

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Being a musician always helps :-)

I'm not as concerned about politics or religion, although seriously doubt I could be with someone who was a creationist or a New Age crystal healer who claims to be a reincarnated Atlantean or a member of the Klan or someone who could only talk about makeup and clothes and was ultra-gossipy.

Most of all, though, she has to be able to put up with me and my neverending "hobby of the week" syndrome. Luckily I have found that person!

Writer's Block: Green-eyed monster

2009-11-06T13:40:04Z

If your romantic partner told you that, given the chance, he or she would sleep with a celebrity/public figure you disrespect, would you be amused, jealous, or bewildered? How would they react if the situation were reversed?

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I would be furious, especially if that celebrity were, say, Jim Carrey.

But I know humanpacifier wouldn't even dream of doing something like that, so I have nothing to worry about.

Writer's Block: Staying In-the-Know

2009-11-06T13:38:00Z

How do you use the Internet to stay informed about the things that matter to you?

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Ummm... by reading stuff on the Internet that interests me? It's kind of a vague question to begin with. 20 years ago one might have answered with "I use archie and gopher and WAIS and USENET" but in this day and age it's just "open your browser and go". It's like asking "How do you use your TV to keep up with current events?"

Writer's Block: Here's looking at you

2009-11-05T13:31:12Z

What is your all-time favorite, romantic movie scene? What about it speaks to you?

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"Stop that."
"Stop what?"
[timidly] "Stop that. My hands are dirty."
"My hands are dirty, too. What are you afraid of?"
"Afraid?"
"You're trembling."
"I'm not trembling.
"You like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life."
"I happen to like nice men."
"I'm a nice man."
"No, you're not. You're... "
[They kiss]

Writer's Block: Change is good

2009-11-04T13:26:46Z

If you had one night left to live, what would you do? Would you prefer to spend your final night with a loved one or alone? What would you choose for your last meal?

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My life is always in transition... I start each day off as an uncarved block of clay, ready to sculpt into something new and exciting.

Writer's Block: Relive in the moment

2009-11-02T12:34:04Z

If you could relive one hour of your life so far, what would you choose and why? Would you do or say anything different? How do you think it would change your life?

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There isn't a single hour I could pick, there are far too many. Every step you take is the beginning of a 10,000 mile journey.

Writer's Block: Time traveler

2009-11-01T11:59:24Z

If you could go back in time to another decade, which decade would you choose and why? Would you want to return or stay there? What if you could bring one other person with you?

Submitted By iammeanttolive

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Oh, I don't know... maybe the decade 540 - 530 BC, in the Persian Empire, under the rule of Cyrus the Great, who was the first of the Zoroastrian Shāhanshāhs

Writer's Block: Would you talk to the dead?

2009-10-31T13:50:22Z

Have you ever participated in a seance? If not, would you consider it? What spirit would you summon and what question would you ask them? Do you believe we can get messages from the dead?

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Have you ever participated in a seance?

Not seriously, and not in recent memory

If not, would you consider it?

No

What spirit would you summon and what question would you ask them?

The Spirit of Enlightenment and Reason... luckily, a seance isn't needed for that!

Do you believe we can get messages from the dead?

No

Writer's Block: Mysterious benefactor

2009-10-29T13:39:23Z

If you could give a secret gift of any value to one anonymous recipient, who would you choose and what would you give them?

Submitted By enchantra71

View 780 Answers

If the recipient is anonymous, how do I know who they are?

Writer's Block: Nature or nurture

2009-10-28T11:16:06Z

Do you think your moods are controlled by your brain chemistry or that your brain chemistry dictates your moods? Do you believe people are born with particular emotional temperaments or that they are primarily shaped by environmental factors?

Submitted By abelincoln1864

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Do you think your moods are controlled by your brain chemistry or that your brain chemistry dictates your moods?

Aren't you asking the same question twice here? Of course our moods are controlled by brain chemistry (a more accurate way of stating it than "dictating"). What else would be controlling it? I am sure the reality is far mroe complex than that, since our body chemistry is controlled by more than just the brain.

Do you believe people are born with particular emotional temperaments or that they are primarily shaped by environmental factors?

What I *believe* is immaterial here. I havent' doen enough research into this to formulate an opinion one way or the other, but I am sure the reality is far more complex than what this question is asking.

Writer's Block: Seeing stars

2009-10-27T12:30:21Z

Which character from any film, television show, or book would you most like to take on a date and why?

Submitted By blue_mariposa88

View 2247 Answers

Susan Calvin... I don't "date" anymore but we'd at least go out for beers and talk about robots all night.

Writer's Block: Yes, offense taken

2009-10-25T11:45:17Z

If a friend or relative makes a racist or homophobic remark, do you tend to confront them or let it slide? Are you more likely to confront them if it offends you directly or someone else who seems reluctant to speak up?

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Luckily I have not been put into this position as none of my friends or relatives (or co-workers), as far as I know, are homophobic or racist, or if they are, they keep their mouth shut about it.

Writer's Block: Take the pain away

2009-10-24T23:56:49Z

If you could say anything you want to the person who has hurt you most in life, what would it be? Did you ever confront them? Why or why not?

Submitted By secret_berry49

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Sure did! I said to him "Brett, you lazy sack o' sh*t! Stop sitting around feeling sorry for yourself! It's your own fault things are this way! Just get out there and do what you need to do!"

Writer's Block: So funny I forgot to laugh

2009-10-23T11:15:02Z

If a friend cracks a corny joke, do you force yourself to laugh politely? What about if it's your boss or teacher? Do you get annoyed if someone else pretends to be amused?

Submitted By maxwearsboots

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There are only two people I know of that could ever out corn me in the joke realm, and that is humanpacifier and my father. My father died last year so the competition has been cut in half now. Corny jokesters don't seem to be in vogue these days anymore, hardly anyone has the timing and the talent for it.

I've never seen anyone laugh politely at my stupid jokes and puns, they either groan in pain or laugh their pants off.

Writer's Block: War and peace

2009-10-22T12:16:27Z

Many countries require all citizens to fulfill a mandatory period of service in the armed forces. Do you agree or disagree with this policy? Do you think the current recruitment system creates or sustains socioeconomic inequality?

Submitted By jeepgirl77

View 605 Answers

Having a volunteer military is ideal, because the people who are in the military want to be there and they will make better soldiers. Having a world where armies are completely unnecessary is even more ideal, but I am not so naive to think that this will happen in my lifetime.

Books books and more books

2009-10-18T03:03:34Z

The problem with transferring the contents of one bookshelf to another (actually, splitting across several bookshelves in a novel attempt at re-organization) is the temptation to read through every single book I have arranged in piles... and worse, they are all music books and I keep discovering books I forgot I had.

Not even really forgot, I knew i had them, I just hadn't touched them in a while.... books on jazz guitar and bass, Middle eastern music, Celtic music, Renaissance dance music, classical guitar... the list goes on...

One new shelf is nothing but books I plundered from my dad's house, mostly books on composing, orchestral scores, etc, to add to my own collection of music theory and composition books .... I will plunder his vinyl record collection next month, and hope to bring back the Beethoven Bicentennial Collection (a HUGE boxed set of darn near everything Beethoven wrote) and his boxed set of the Ring operas, among other things.

Writer's Block: Come here often?

2009-10-17T16:12:39Z

What's the best pick-up line you ever heard (or tried)? What's the worst? If you're instantly attracted to someone, will a stupid pick-up line dampen your interest?

Submitted By downfall35

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"Is that a Unix manual?" Not that anyone has ever used this with me, but it would be the *only* pickup line I would respond to, or something related like "I know how to use bash" or "I coded the HTML for my webpage by hand in pico".

Writer's Block: Nothing to fear but fear itself

2009-10-16T14:27:26Z

What is your biggest fear? Have you tried to overcome it?

Submitted By teammccracken

View 1471 Answers

Getting stuck in a rut. The easiest way to get out of a rut is, of course, to have someone confuse you.

Writer's Block: Happy go lucky

2009-10-14T13:33:26Z

Do you believe some people are more fortunate than others or do you think people create their own luck? In your opinion, are some people cursed?

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No, yes and no.

Writer's Block: What is your muse?

2009-10-13T13:18:14Z

If you're trying to create something, like a story, a composition, or a design, etc., do you find yourself imagining how others will react to it? Does that impede or enhance the creative process?

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In general, I create for the sake of creating and if someone likes the final work of art and/or music or not, I don't worry about it so much. You can't please everyone. Once you start trying to please everyone, you are appealing to the lowest common denominator and the creation ends up being bland, homogenized, politically correct, and uninspired.

Writer's Block: My Favorite Neighborhood Business

2009-10-13T00:45:21Z

What is it about your favorite local small business that keeps you coming back again and again?

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My favorite local business is Victor Litz Music in Old Towne Gaithersburg... it's family owned and smaller, of course, than the big chain stores like Guitar Center... but the people there are friendly, helpful, and always willing to give me a deal on stuff. And it's close to a real good brew pub...

Writer's Block: Cyberstalking

2009-10-12T11:32:35Z

Do you keep tabs on ex-boyfriends and -girlfriends over social networking sites? Do you think it's emotionally healthy or dangerous? Amusing or painful?

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Considering I only have one ex- who is also the mother of my first 3 children, I somewhat stay in contact. No, I don't stalk, I'm not an emo teenager. I have better things to do with my time.