The question posed in the kasbah last week – would you rather have to take over someone else’s body to have consistency and be with your loved one or have to body hop forever? – brought up a lot of moral dilemmas for many of you. Even so, most commenters chose to go with taking over someone else’s body in order to be with their loved one. One commenter cited pogo stick accidents as one of her reasons to go with the body hopping option (as in ‘what if your beloved fell off a pogo stick and developed amnesia?’) and I have to say I was impressed with thoroughness of her decision-making process.
So, what would I choose? I, too, struggled with the moral dilemma of taking over someone else’s body and life so I could be with my true love. I wouldn’t want to deny someone their life just so I could have my own happiness. As much as it would pain me to do so, I think I would choose the body hopping option, but I would never stop trying to find a way to end the craziness of waking up in a new body every day.
And now, for this week’s question:
If you were forced to spend the rest of your life in a museum, library, or a zoo, which would you rather live in?
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So, fine readers, which will it be? A life among antiquities and art? A home among the stack and shelves of a library? Or building your nest with the animals of your favorite zoo? Sit, sip, and share. I always love to hear from you.
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Alina Sayre said:
Oh. Library. Hands-down. Although I don’t think it would be bad to spend the rest of my life in a museum, either. Especially one in Florence 🙂
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Tami Clayton said:
Any museum in Florence would be lovely, wouldn’t it? I just hope there’s a great barista on hand to make my morning cappuccino. 🙂
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Ellen Gregory said:
You have not told me that I cannot have a kindle/iPAD with 3G and unlimited funds, so I am going to choose the museum option, armed with said kindle. That way I can have the stimulation of all that magnificent old stuff (and I’m assuming we’re talking a large reputable museum here, not some poky little back town version specialising on the local logging industry), while at the same time able to take time out and read. I hope I can also have a computer and a tab at the museum cafe, because then I’d really be quite happy to read, write and admire all day long.
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Tami Clayton said:
It can be whatever museum you wish it to be and you can have any accoutrements you desire. And since you live there, it is your home and you won’t need to carry a tab. You’ve thought of a perfect scenario. 🙂
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Sherry Isaac said:
Had the question been, where was I born, in a library, a museum or a zoo, the answer would have been readily on my lips. My mother has been quite clear on where I was born. Of course, I have no recollection on the zoo-based birthing room, but you’d think I could recall the whole being raised in the barn thing. At least from age 4 or 5 onwards.
C’est la vie.
Me, lonely writer’s, first concern is, will there be social interaction in the library or zoo, or will will the doors be sealed after they shove me in? In which case, I’d say, the zoo. I talk to myself, hear voices in my head, but the odd exchange with a panther or a gazelle might be a welcome diversion. And then there’s the whole companionship thing.
A museum is all visual, but the library would have picture books. I may tire of reading, but there are more books in a library than in a museum so a greater possibility of adventures.
Such a dilemma.
But the zoo has indoors and outdoors, flora and fauna, wind and sun. That’s it, I must go with the zoo.
Since I was born there… full circle, you know.
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Sherry Isaac said:
Question in my comment should read, will there be social interaction in the library or museum.
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Tami Clayton said:
I think I might have been born in the same zoo as you and raised in a similar barn. Go figure.
The ability to go outside and feel the sun on your face is a huge plus for the zoo option. Good point. I wonder how many times I could read the books on animals in the zoo gift shop, though. Maybe I’ll follow Ellen’s lead and bring a kindle. Hmmm…
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Suzanne Stengl said:
At first, I thought, well LIBRARY, DUH! But then, I think I’d start to feel confined. I would not mind the odd museum tour and I think I would quite ENJOY the local logging industry in the little back town.
However, for a whole life, it would have to be the ZOO – indoors and outdoors. animals and plants. probably a coffee shop.
Someday Sherry will have to write about that Zoo Birthing Room…
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Tami Clayton said:
I know what you mean – at first glance it seems like an easy choice, but then when you consider that’s where you’d be living for your whole life, it changes things a bit. A zoo has a distinct advantage that the museum and library do not.
I agree, Sherry should write a post about the Zoo Birthing Room. 🙂
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Liv Rancourt said:
Library. It’s a leftover fantasy from when I was a kid. 😉
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Tami Clayton said:
I think there’s a blog post in there somewhere, Liv. I’m wanting to know more about this childhood fantasy. Surely there’s more to it than you wanted to live in a library. 🙂
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Kim Griffin said:
Okay, I first thought the library because of the obvious ~ books~ traveling in my mind and all that. Upon further thought, though, and reading Ellen’s comment ~ I am choosing a zoo so that I have lots of company of the animal kind and I will have my Nook in my purse with a strong WiFi connection to purchase more books.
If I couldn’t bring my Nook, I would still choose the zoo. After all, I could still write ~ right? I dig animals that much 🙂 Hopefully, I wouldn’t go all feral and whatnot..
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Tami Clayton said:
I believe the e-reader is turning this question on it’s head – in a good way. The animals at the zoo would be good company. As long as you had some other human contact, I think you’d avoid the whole going feral thing. But if the gorillas start picking out bugs from your hair while grooming you and then eating them, you might want to reconsider and go with the museum. Just saying’. 🙂
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Elizabeth Fais said:
Oooh, what Ellen said! A museum, like the Louvre or the Metropolitan Museum of Art, with an unlimited tab at the museum cafe AND gift shop (which has tons of books), along with my loaded-to-the-hilt Kindle/Nook/or-whatever and a tablet device for all else. When can I go?
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Tami Clayton said:
Ellen made some great points. You can choose whichever museum you like in any city. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to spend the night in a museum. Where I live, you can sign up to spend the night in the coast aquarium or at the Museum of Science and Industry. Sure, those overnights are primarily for kids but if I ever get the chance to chaperone an outing like that, I’m so in. 😉
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Catherine said:
Zoo! Then you get sunshine fresh air and visitors.
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Tami Clayton said:
Fresh air and visitors are a definite plus in the zoo column, that’s for sure. 🙂
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Marcia said:
I think the sun and fresh air, birds, plants and of course all the animals, would make the Zoo my first pick. As long as I could take my camera, be assured of some days without the hoards of people and have a good cook on location, I think I could acclimate.
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Tami Clayton said:
I like that you thought about having a cook on location. Good thinkin’. Of course, I wouldn’t expect anything less from you on that. 🙂
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Brinda said:
Question: Would Ben Stiller also be in the museum? I kinda dig him.
Zoo? Too stinky. I love visiting but only for a day.
I guess the library wins on this one. BUT, I must admit that I worked for one year in a library during college and thought I would go MAD. You don’t get to stand around and read books. Can I live in a bookstore/coffee shop instead? Yes, I’m a little demanding.
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Tami Clayton said:
You can invite whomever you like to live in your museum/library/zoo. Ben Stiller is kinda awesome. I’m available to come visit you two anytime. Just sayin’.
Sorry, bookstore/coffee shop are not on the table. I’ve often thought a library would be an great place to work but I guess if you’re, you know, working then you don’t get to read all the spectacular books you’re surrounded by everyday. Maddening indeed.
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Ellen Gregory said:
heh – glad I came back just now to read the rest of the comments on this.
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Tami Clayton said:
You inspired an e-reader revolution. 🙂