O. K. All, here is a new diversion.

Here's the question: With all constraints of preparation time and financial issues aside, where would you like to spend the roll-over? And secondly, if you could have one "outsider" in your group, who would it be (must be contemporary, nobody get to choose Attilla the Hun)

This is admittedly a Doomer game, because in order to play, you must assume a societal collapse of "significant" proportions (or else the anwers will all be " at Club Med with Miss August" [or some appropriate hunk, as the case may be]). But Doomers and Pollys are both welcome. Your answers may be serious or silly, just original.

And remember, this is just a diversion, so don't forget to read the other more important discussions, and only play here while you're thinking up names to call each other on the "serious" threads. :

-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), September 04, 1999

Answers

At the Yourdon Circus! Hey Lon, Donna Barthuley just got her computer fixed and made an appearance on the FRL thread. YEA!! :-)

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), September 04, 1999.

I'm going to Disneyland!

-- Uncle Bob (UNCLB0B@Y2KOK.ORG), September 04, 1999.

Well, Well, Well, ..... So there ARE other people out there with absolutely nothing to do this aternoon! :

-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), September 04, 1999.

OK, I'll play,

WHERE: U.S. Space Shuttle, with a hitch on back for the very large U-Haul trailer in tow (for preps of course) and extra rocket fuel, along with infrared cameras to survey the landscape: it will be dark everywhere you know, and if it isn't it will be when you get there !!

With Who: tall, young, gorgeous brunette,(female), whew! from the centerfold of Wilderness Camper Magazine 1999 calendar edition (used to roughing it) who would do "anything" to be on the space shuttle at rollover !!! or if that's a stretch, I'd go with Kristen Eichols, the host of the TV show Life Camera Action, she should be available after the first. !!!! Hello, Houston, TX please, the number for NASA.....

-- rob (rgt350@aol.com), September 04, 1999.

I'd suggest the Arrowhead region (NE) of Minnesota, between Lake Superior and Canada. East of the Boundary Waters looks best -- maybe over near the Gunflint area?

www.y2ksafeminnesota.com

-- MinnesotaSmith (y2ksafeminnesota@hotmail.com), September 04, 1999.

Lon!!!!! How nice to find you returned upon my return.

I'll play,....where would I chose to be? One of two places....here, at Shade Heaven, at my dad's homestead in the low country of S. Carolina. Only proviso would be that all my sisters and my folks, and my kids would all be in the same place. Some beers, some wine,...good tunes, some guitars, my nephew Matt here too, and not shipped off to Korea with the rest of the GI fodder.

I'm a cheap date.

--She in the Sheet

-- Donna (moment@pacbell.net), September 04, 1999.

Great idea - unfortunately, I'm afraid my answer will be a little boring. I want to be where I am now - North Central Florida - where I feel safe, know the it,s fairly warm, etc. I wish, though, that my house was in the middle of about 50 acres instead of having just 7 acres. For the person I would have with me, someone who remembers all the "old ways". I can't learn everything I want to in the short time remaining. Someone to teach me how to farm, raise livestock, fix things, cook, etc. I think the knowledge that remains in only few people at this point in time will be invaluable in the future.

As a more exciting alternative, I'd like to be on some verdant island with lots of fruits and fish and a beautiful sea to swim in (and, of course, plenty of fresh water) with, let's see, Arnold S. (smart, funny and not bad on the eyes!).

-- dakota (none@thistime.com), September 04, 1999.

Clinton's bunker with Monica and a box of cigars.

-- Bill (y2khippo@yahoo.com), September 04, 1999.

Bill, ...your life's rather narrow....

-- Donna (moment@pacbell.net), September 04, 1999.

At 11:00pm ET on December 31, 1999, I fully intend to be stepping into a hot shower, and will stand there until the hot water starts to run cold.

Why? Just because I can, and it might be the last one I get for a while.

With who? None other than His Majesty, King of Spain. After we mudwrestle, of course.

-- semper paratus (always@ready.now), September 04, 1999.

Donna!

How nice to have you back among our merry band. You'll find the forum changed and unchanged. Many new folks posting, with much new info and much ole info. And as always, quite a bit of growling and spitting. :

-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), September 05, 1999.

Donna,

Now that I've seen your rather dim view of Bill's solution I'm rather happy that I didn't post my answer. No, not Monica.

Pamela.

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), September 05, 1999.

OoOoOo! I love games.

Ok, where do I want to be at roll over and with whom outside my group. You promise everyone you won't tell my husband?

I want to be on that US space shuttle leaving for a looong time, at least 6 months, but even though I'm everything Rob wants, I don't want him with me. I want the whole FRL gang, and Ed Yourdon (and his family if he insists). Wait...we'll need something much better and larger than the space shuttle...a space station at least. I want to be gone that long because when we get back to our bunkers we should have an idea how bad the mess is and how we're going to deal with it. And the FRL and Ed are the best brains and people I want as a team/family.

Uh...did I go to far in my fantasy? I did? oh...

Well then, I guess I'll settle for a well stocked nuclear bunker in the Texas desert with a certain FRLian...with lots of wine and a hamock.

-- Chris (%$^&^@pond.com), September 05, 1999.

wHILe iT IS TRuE THaT DIeTEr ENjoYS a WInE BUzzARD NoW And tHEN, ARe yOU So duLL NoT To knOW THaT HamMOCkS MaKE DIeTeR QUeaSY??????

-- Dieter (questions@toask.com), September 05, 1999.

Ok Lon ,Lets play--I'll be spending new year w/ my chillins that are flying (early) to join us on the Big Island. After watching the fireworks I'll sleep in. This computer will be shut down awaiting for the all clear. We will all enjoy a big meal of wild pig waiting in the pen ,for veggies we will enjoy egg plant parmesan and a great salad of banana pineapple ulu, mango and fresh strawberries from our organic garden,My larder is well stocked and there are fat fishies just waiting for the hook. the chickens and ducks are fat and ready to offer themselves or at least their eggs, my coffee trees are ready and the nut trees are loaded. the temp. should be low 80tys and sunny. it should be that temp for most of 2000. If the waves are good we'll go surfing and later I'll mix some kava kava and wine from my grapes and roll a big hooter---this will provide the nessessary mix and remove any terror the short wave solar radio may bring. thank God I listened to the 60tys prophets of doom and started getting ready in the 70tys, VERY EARLY. No stocks,no bonds,no savings and no worries!Sure hate to be sitting in the refugee camp in the California desert or cutting firewood with a misery whip along side minnisota smith. an old chinese sage once said "you can't change change cause its a universal but the sage anticipates the changes and avoids the pitfalls.Good Luck to all ,

-- Old Kahuna (just waiting@out island.net), September 05, 1999.

Chris, I'm ashamed of you! For about two hunnerd years, we've been tellin' folks that there ain't no Texas desert; why, that's just, uh, ah, semi-arid land. And you can't take everybody with you neither. I, for one, don't intend to be cooped up with a queasy Dieter for any length of time.

And Dammit, big Kahuna, that is SO unfair. Your reality is better that my fantasy! (you don't need someone to bait your hooks, or pick strawberries, or something, do you , now?)

-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), September 05, 1999.

Lon

Cool Diversion but I would like to be at home during the rollover. My New Years Day is always spent with friends down the road. Worth more than money.

As long as there hasn't been "beer hording" in massive amounts.

-- Brian (imager@home.com), September 05, 1999.

Brian,

Yeah, I guess whether it's on a beautiful island or a shack down on the bayou, we all will wish to just be home. I sincerely hope everyone here has some family or "friends down the road" to share whatever the new year brings.

BTW, just what is "beer hording"? It sound like one of them Nordic games. You know like "sheep tossing:

"Ha, Sven, ya tossed da sheep yet, didya? Noo, but I been hording da beer, prettigood, ya betya."

Sorry, but it is just too late for me to be up. And that nice young lady is here with my medication. So....

-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), September 05, 1999.

Hmmm, I'd like to be somewhere warm (that doesn't get really hot later), with people I love and people whose company I enjoy, and some I don't know (to add spice), lots of food and water, music to enjoy with the means to enjoy it, books to read and leisure time to do that in.

I know this doesn't quite follow the criteria, but I figured if I'm gonna be diverted, I might as well make it worth my while :-)

-- T the C (tricia_canuck@hotmail.com), September 05, 1999.

AWRIGHT! It's a new day. And we have new suck...ah, er,...players.

Step right up, for just two bits, you can expose your innermost fantasies. Don't crowd now, sad, silly or sublime, all are welcome to try and to buy.

Step right up, loose the leash, and let your intellect run amuck. (Like we've never done that before) Hit the clown on the nose and win a kewpie doll!

-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), September 05, 1999.

First, an aside to the space shuttle suggesters: is this really a deep seated urge, to be the prophetic voice that says (while watchng the earths twinkling lights darken) "ah, Houston, YOU have a problem!" BTW, if TSHTF, just how do you plan to get *Down* in one piece ???? I'd love to see a contingency plan for that : )

But, back to the games afoot: a safe homestead, well stocked with renewable resources, anywhere far from the maddening crowds (preferably in mountain country-Tenn or even into KY),far from nuke power plants and military/terorist targets, with underground living and storage arrangements, and (since Carla Emery is already taken) Gene LOgsdon. Now, if he's already snapped up, then its a toss up between Steven Segal and Billy Graham. Oh, heck, I'll take both. With the first one I'd die happy, and with the second at least Id know I was going in good company!

With my luck, Id end up with Tiny Tim. Actually, with my luck, Id win the lottery the week before TEoTWAWKI. So, just in order to keep you all safe, I am not going to buy any lottery tickets for the rest of the year. I'll save the money for extra rice and beans for Steven.

-- LauraA (Laadedah@aol.com), September 05, 1999.

Laura, unfortunately it is a deep seated urge (who said urges had to be rational? Lon's rules don't mention it.)

I can't be far enough from Russian and Chineese nukes and plants blowing up. I'd rather die in style in space, at least I'd have fullfilled my dream, eh. Besides, Robert Cook or another FRLian would come up with a solution to get us back down later when the dust had settled. Or maybe he'd discover a way to extend oxygen and food forever on the space station. Self-regenerating food/water.

Alternatively, where I'd REALLY REALLY want to be on the roll-over is home with my kids and hubby, waking in the morning of the 1rst from the worst nightmare I ever had; dreaming that for a year and a half I was preparing for a possible TEOTWAWKI, trying to convince the people around me that it was coming, that no matter how I tried I couldn't find hard facts and people made fun of me, that I could only scrounge meager preps to last maybe 4 months. Then waking up to Nirvana, everything is like it always was, and Y2Kbug was just a mean winter flu virus strain that kept me in a semi-conscious coma and that made me delirious and prompted this nightmare.

I'm trying to wake up but I can't.

-- Chris (%$^&^@pond.com), September 05, 1999.

Humm.

W-e-l-l, Id love to be on about a 500 acre spread in Northern California near Mendocino or (see also 3 Days in Mendocino someones vacation with representative pics), in a great artistic ecovillage community of GI kind, and open-hearted souls... into organic farming, arts, crafts, music, and creative solutions to local community cooperative problems. (Sans guns or bunkers... no need when the neighbors are all rowing in the same direction.)

Of course, my nirvana is off-the-grid, and reminds one of all the 21st-century toys available at Real Goods Solar Living Demonstration Center .

I could continue to dream on, about straw-bale construction housing, independent homes, sacred geometry architecture, luminescent interiors and growing high-energy, sacredly designed water gardens a la concepts developed at Findhorn Foundation (international community and developing ecovillage) ... BUT, that dream may have to wait for another couple years.

Reality sets in, and camping at home in Silicon Valleys vast wonderland of the technologically brilliant n clueless java junkies, is where Ill most likely be. (Home of the Year 2K Bug you can eat.)

*Sigh*

Somewhere on the Hawaiian island of Maui or Kauai (take a Hawaiian Photo Tour ), would be a great second choice. Or, Id be willing to volunteer at the Old Kahunas place.

Now with who/whom? (Other than my favorite Yourdonites). That IS a question to ponder!

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), September 05, 1999.

Good to see you back here Donna!

-- coprolith (coprolith@rocketship.com), September 05, 1999.

Laura, You and Chris are about to win me over. I'm thinking about trading in Carla for Arnold or Steven. Now, now. Don't go jumping to any conclusions about my romantic fantasies (Hell, at my age anything romantic is a fantacy). I am just thinking that those boys SURE could chop some firewood!

And Diane. Boy, are you good! A vertual internet bug-out tour, no less! You know what I think I'm seeing? Some of us may have distilled our dreams because of Y2K. I'm hopeing that if we do not live them now, we may yet get to persue them. I have often thought of a hay-bale house with desert mountains in the near distance.

-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), September 05, 1999.

I'm not too sure that I'll be any good at this, since my real life has far exceeded any fantasies I had as a child, and perhaps because of that, my imagination seems to have gotten lost somwhere along the way. Still, I'll give it a try.

As for the place, it would be either the Sea of Tranquility or the South Pole of Earth. The moon and Antarctica are in reality the only two places that I've ever wanted to go that I didn't eventually get to and considering that the rollover might be the last cast of the dice, either one of those would provide me with an entirely acceptable last view of life.

As for who I'd take with me, I'd have to leave everyone behind. Those that I love, both within and without my "group" all have relationships and responsibilities that would be ill served by consigning their fate to a single roll of those dice.

I can't imagine anyone who wasn't used to covering their head with a pillow to block out reality, coming with me.

-- Hardliner (searcher@internet.com), September 05, 1999.

Hardliner,

Have you read Annie Dillard's "Teaching a Stone to Talk: Expeditions and Encounters"? It has long been a favorite of mine. She has a piece in it entitled "An Expedition to the Pole" that I think you might like.

"the great adventure of the ice, deep and pure as infinity...the eternal round of the universe and its eternal death" --Fridtjof Nansen

-- flora (***@__._), September 05, 1999.

Now just quit it ya'll. You're giving me goosebumps. You know, even though it's called the SOUTH pole, it's not like being in the Deep South. I mean, it aint exactly balmy, now is it? I've heard that even on the best days it can be cold and awfully drafty. I mean, them penguins don't stand around all day with their feet together for nothin, ya know.

If you can't think of a warmer fantasy, ya can't play no more. :

-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), September 05, 1999.

Lon,

Been thinking on your question since yesterday. Your scenario didn't preclude a time machine (well, except for no bringing dead guys to the party), so I would like to spend rollover in a place that the past few decades have annihalated. The place of my childhood was coastal So. Cal., where I would return, much older and wiser, to my home on the beach. It is a town, population 2,000, where there is no smog, no industry and no development. Walking along the shore one could go for miles without seeing another soul, pick up sand dollars and cowry shells (they're gone now), explore tidal pools of anenomes, starfish and hermit crabs, and watch dolphins play in the foam of the ocean's waves. What a joy, diving for abalone, cooking it up fresh for dinner, and not worrying about if it was okay to eat. At night, lying on my back in the sand, I could fall into a blackened field of stars, their beauty unobscured by nearby city lights, while hearing no sound except the murmured secrets of an eternal sea. Some days the memories are so vivid that I can almost believe the place still exists.

Who would I take? What a difficult question for me, because it would have to be someone I have not had the good fortune, as yet, to meet. But, this is a trip to Fantasy Island, is it not?

-- RUOK (RUOK@yesiam.com), September 05, 1999.

Ideally, I would be on Kauai with a setup like Mad Monk's but minus the SPAM. I'd have a sail boat of course, and my entire extended family would be there as well.

I really hope TS doesn't HTF.

-- nothere nothere (notherethere@hotmail.com), September 05, 1999.

My dream would be to be in a nice sized solar,wind powered house dead center in the Valle Grande in New Mexico, with my expanded family... (sigh)

Reality sucks...

waterin' the bush....

-- The Dog (Desert Dog@-sand.com), September 05, 1999.

RUOK, It's the rare voice which can paint such a vivid picture in the mind of another. Thanks, I could smell the saltgrass and hear the gulls for a moment. I believe in the magic found at the interfaces of land and water. Should we ever lose that magic, we'll mourn it with our lives.

And "nothere", if I was on Kauai, I certainly wouldn't mind a little Spam now and again.

And Desert Dog, so good to have you back, boy. I thought some farmer had shot you for sucking eggs or something. :

-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), September 05, 1999.

"Flora",

No, I've not read it, but on your recommendation, I'll make it a point to find it and do so. Even a vicarious trip to the Pole is better than none at all.

Thanks for the tip.

-- Hardliner (searcher@internet.com), September 06, 1999.

So Hardliner,

Why don't you share some of your travel stories? Humm?

;-D

Diane, who loves to wander the world and have "adventures"

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), September 06, 1999.