MotG Week 4: Ask the Greats!!

[John E. Kelley]

There have been many Greats over the lives of man. Men and women who thought enough outside the box, betimes at their own peril, to change the world. Can you imagine being the first person to discover electricity? Or pasteurization? The written word? Or perhaps what our lives would be like without some of these amazing discoveries? Our lives have been shaped by these Greats in more ways than we will ever know. But wouldn't it be great if we could invade their heads for a day? To ask them a question, or receive advice?

 

One of the things that many of our Greats had in common was words. The words that fell from the lips of these Greats have shaped history as much, or more, as their actions and inventions. During this week of the Month of the Greats, you shall have the ability to ask a Great for some advice, giving you a glimpse into his or her brain and possibly aiding you in a decision. Our very own Key has discovered a Talent for speaking with the dead and she has agreed to communicate with these larger-than-life men and women for us.

 

I, Ishmael Forsaken, shall be your guide in this process in addition to providing you some backstory on each of the Greats that take place in our event.

 

To ask advice of a Great, please do the following:

 

Choose three possible Greats to whom Key can pose the question.

 

Pose your question.

 

Specify if you are looking for a serious or possibly humorous answer.

 

She will then present the question to those you've chosen and post the answer from the first one who answers her.

 

Feel free to ask questions of me or Key if you are ever confused.

 

Good luck! We'll be listening.

[Turin Turambar]

Great idea Ishy and Key. I will give this a go.

 

Could you ask Leonardo Di Vinci, Galileo, and Albert Einstein for their opinions in the ongoing is Star Wars or Star Trek tech cooler. And I want no chiming in about BSG from Einstein.

 

If it is not clear a humourous answer would be appreciated.

[keyholder21]

Turin, I have communed with the spirits today and found da Vinci most eager to answer your question. His response follows:

 

Una risposta per questo Torino Sir,

 

Mentre la questione è di natura pesante, per essere sicuri, si deve guardare oltre la mera superficie di chiedere le idee di questa tecnologia. Chi sono gli uomini che stanno dietro queste idee? Vorrei interessato a sbirciare i loro giornali, per trovare le note su queste invenzioni perché se non ricordo male, ho avuto disegni per una spada laser quasi circa 460 anni prima che costui George Lucas. Inoltre, ho dipinto un phaser sulla tavola dell'Ultima Cena, solo così il mondo avrebbe saputo che era uno dei miei disegni. Quindi, piuttosto che chiedersi quale è più fresco, mi affretto che si dovrebbe chiedere perché non sono queste tecnologie una parte della società attuale? Ho lasciato alle spalle molte idee che sono state considerate solo dopo aver ripensato moderna contemporanei l'idea e ci sono molti di più delle mie invenzioni che non sono mai stata tentata. Forse si dovrebbe cominciare da lì Sir Torino e ci si trova coinvolti in tech "fresco" di una delle due che hai menzionato.

Ciao,

da Vinci

[keyholder21]

Hm. Now that just won't do. I talked to him and suggested that perhaps English would be a better way to go about things. Here is the translation I got:

 

A response for this Sir Turin,

 

While your question is one of a ponderous nature, to be sure, one must look beyond the mere surface to ask about the ideas of this technology. Who are the men behind these ideas? I would interested in peering at their journals, to find the notes on these inventions for if I recall correctly, I had designs for a lightsaber nearly approximately 460 years before this George Lucas fellow. Additionally, I painted a phaser on the table of the Last Supper, just so the world would know it was one of my designs. So rather than ask which is cooler, I would hasten that you should ask why are these technologies not a part of current society? I left behind many ideas which were only considered after modern contemporaries rethought the idea and there are several more of my inventions that have never been attempted. Perhaps you should start there Sir Turin and you would find yourself involved in “cooler” tech than either of the two you mentioned.

Ciao,

Da Vinci

 

And his addendum: You should really learn Italian, as it is the language of myself and of romance. How do you expect to make my inventions a reality, and create the next amazing space dramedy if you cannot read my notes?

[Dwynwen]

I had no idea that good old Leonardo was so cheeky.

 

I'm wondering if you could ask Freud, Jung, and Adler their opinions of Dr. Phil. I'd love to hear a humorous answer.

[The Bard Babe]

Could you perhaps ask JS Bach, WA Mozart or perhaps Tchaikovsky their opinion on Justin Bieber?

[Elgee]

... I do hope they can keep their responses within the PG13 limit ... *snorts with laughter*

 

Would you be so kind as to ask Leonardo Da Vinci, Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh their (serious) opinion on "Happening"?

[keyholder21]

Dwyn – I know, right? I was quite surprised. I guess when someone is a legend you don’t think about his or her temperament much .

 

I made sure the boys knew I needed the answer in English this time. Of course, they immediately began analyzing why I would want such a thing. Freud told me it was because I had an Electra Complex and wanted Uncle Sam, Jung told me that subconsciously I wished the Redcoats had won the Revolutionary War, and Adler well, he just said “you go girl!” and that was that.

 

Anyway, to get to the responses. Boy, all three of the fellas seemed to want to chime in about Dr.Phil, but I believe Adler did have the most enthusiastic (if not necessary the nicest) response:

 

Delightful Dwynwen,

 

What an interesting name! You must tell me if the unique spelling of your name has helped or hindered you in your life thus far. Has your name encouraged you to be unique? Or have you dreaded it? Did it make for a difficult childhood? Tell me, did you feel it made you inferior or superior to your classmates?

 

Ah, I am getting ahead of myself. I do happen to do that occasionally. The world is such an interesting place that it’s difficult to focus on just one question. Curiously, I believe I am overcompensating for my rather singular focus during my life, by stretching my mind to every possible question now. But I digress…

 

It grieves me to see what psychologists have been reduced to. This …impostor on the new-fangled television screen is the most well known “psychologist” in current times. I fear for the human race. It must be them feeling inferior to his self-proclaimed star quality. Rise up, I say! Do not let use you to make himself seem superior. After all, with his issues with the Texas State Board, his failed weight loss products, Britney Spears “intervention”, and several lawsuits, do you really want him telling you what to do?

 

I should think not.

 

Also, who “retires” from psychology, seriously? It’s not like one can stop analyzing people. I don’t just turn off that part of my brain. Though that maintains that I have a brain to begin with…

 

Oh dear. I should probably stop here.

 

Best Regards,

Alfred [Adler]

[Leala Sedai]

I'd like to ask Shakespeare, Homer, and the anonymous person who first started throwing around Beowulf their opinion on fanfiction.

 

Definitely want a humorous answer. ;)

[keyholder21]

Mozart is, apparently, not a fan of Bieber.

 

Lovely Bard Babe,

 

I feel insulted that my name should appear in the same sentence as that twit! Does he not realize this has all been done before? As if the gender ambiguity is new? Pshaw! He is not the first, nor the last and certainly not the best at that. And the floppy hair in his face? A real man wears wigs. Everyone knows that.

 

As far as that screeching he calls singing, I am appalled that more people know his name than mine. I mean REALLY PEOPLE. It’s not as if he can sing Opera. You’d think writing pieces for a variety of instruments would be more appealing than gurgling about wanting to be your boyfriend anonymous gender friend.

 

In denial,

W. Amadeus Mozart

 

P.s. Stop humming that terrible song about my name to yourself. You know you’re doing it. Knock it off.

 

 

That's all from the Greats for now! I'll be back later this evening or tomorrow morning with answers for Elgee and Leala and anyone else who might pursue an answer from a Great :).

[Crystal Tipps]

I would like to ask Emily Bronte, Shakespeare and Jane Austen what are their thoughts are on the Twilight books? It can be serious or humerous, I don't mind :)

[Leala Sedai]

I LOVE Mozart's answer! xD

 

And Tipps, that was almost my question, too!

[Dwynwen]

Adler seems really nice! Thanks for poking him for me.

 

These are hilarious. I could read them all day.

[ElusiveAthena]

I would like to question Sappho, John Keats or Virginia Woolf their opinion on "postmodernism". Either humourous or serious.

[Daruya]

I'd like to ask Xenophen and/or Colonel Alois Podhajsky what they think about modern-day "horse whisperers" like Monty Roberts, Pat Parelli, and Clinton Anderson.

 

Funny would be good! *has a feeling Em will be busy for awhile on that one! LOL!*

[keyholder21]

... I do hope they can keep their responses within the PG13 limit ... *snorts with laughter*

 

Would you be so kind as to ask Leonardo Da Vinci, Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh their (serious) opinion on "Happening"?

 

Elgee, they are asking for clarification on what you mean. Is this what you are referring to?

 

Thanks :), and I'll get back to them and then you!

[Elgee]

It is indeed, Key.

[keyholder21]

Crystal – I had them all clamoring over me to answer this one. Apparently Twilight is in as much discussion where they are as it is for us. I have a two-fer answer for you, since Shakespeare just HAD to chime in.

 

Dearest Crystal,

 

You may take this as humorous or serious – it depends greatly on your own opinion of the stories. I shy against calling them novels for they do not compare in use of words, description, nor characters of others I’ve read. While one can seemingly pull pleasure from the story - indeed, it is similar to mine own in that an average person eventually finds herself in a situation above and beyond what she knows or had ever hoped to know – the simplistic style of writing detracts from the story. It reads more as a story to be told in front of a fire than a book to be read silently, heads bowed, engrossed in the story, for what does it teach us? There is little description, so the world is not fully developed enough for my taste, and the girl at the heart of the story still seems lost even in her choices. Additionally, her relationships with the main men of the story seem forced, particularly with the one she chooses – what is this love based upon? It baffles me that this modern story should have a relationship more befitting my time than any of my own novels!

 

I was further perplexed by the main girl and how little we, the readers, know of her. Where is the description? As the main character, should she not be the person we know the best? Instead, we are adrift in a sea of vague statements, leaving it difficult to perceive why she takes the actions she takes, and think as she does. I would have preferred more about Bella and less about Edward’s chiseled abs.

 

Lastly, I feel shame for the girl child at the center of this story. Where is her spirit? Her fight? I fear women of any age seeing her as a role model. A woman cannot simply curl up in a ball and cry should her man leave her. No, she should hold her head up high, dry her tears, and rejoin society. Determination is a woman’s best friend and best line of defense.

 

Sincerely,

Jane A.

 

Shakespeare – Vampyres! Why didn’t I think of that?

 

 

Excellent, Elgs - thanks! I'll get with them and get back to you soon :).

[keyholder21]

Oy! I'll get to yours too Leala! Sorry, but they go in the order that they want, not necessarily the order I want *g*.

[Crystal Tipps]

I would have preferred more about Bella and less about Edward’s chiseled abs.

 

^^He he he

 

Thanks! :D

[Leala Sedai]

xD I understand, Key. :) I just thought Shakespeare might have something to say about the matter since he wrote a lot of what could be called 'fanfiction'.

[keyholder21]

Not a problem Crystal *g*, she was quite pleasant!

 

Is he your top choice Leala? I'll try to make sure I get what he says - he's pretty talkative though, so that shouldn't be a problem . I should be able to get him again this evening heh.

[Leala Sedai]

lol, Shakespeare is always my top choice! ;) Thanks!

[Charis alAslan]

LOVE THIS! Too funny.

 

Please ask J.R.R Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and George MacDonald their opinions on Harry Potter! (Serious or witty - both are fine.)

[Leala Sedai]

Or seriously witty? xD