Would you rather?

[Jubal]

I kinda think I have to go with the epic. I can't claim I'd be good at it, but I honestly do think I'd have a lot of fun being the lead in a bad fantasy film. I mean I periodically get itches to try making short films regardless, but I don't have good enough kit or know enough actors.

Would you rather learn to play the lute or the lyre?

[The Seamstress]

Lute, definitely. I actually regret that I never learnt to play an instrument when I was younger, despite trying piano and guitar.

Would you rather learn carpentry or blacksmithing?

[Jubal]

I'd use carpentry more, but I feel it would be cooler to be a blacksmith. I think I'd be more likely to sign up for a blacksmithing course, because I sort of can do basic carpentry already (not like furniture, but I could make a nestbox that would hold together assuming I had a normally equipped toolkit).

Would you rather have a really nice letter-opener or a very fancy set of paperclips?

[The Seamstress]

Letter-opener. Tiny sword! Besides, I don't really have much use for paperclips, I'm not McGyver, after all.

Would you rather be able to breathe underwater or to run at 100 km/h speed?

[Jubal]

Breathe underwater. "Things that help me survive" will basically always win out over "things that might lead me to end up accidentaly running into something at a speed my body would not handle well and other people might handle even less well".

Would you rather visit Hobbiton or Moominvalley?

[The Seamstress]

I haven't read the Moomin books (yet), therefore I don't know much about Moominvalley. So Hobbiton it is, bonus if it includes friendly hobbits, comfort, and food.

Would you rather be head of the radioactive glow-in-the-dark sheep breeders' association, or be a (non-radioactive) sheep yourself?

[Jubal]

I think I can be head of the association: I have handled sheep in the past and could probably do so in a hazmat suit if needs be. I don't think I'd make a very good sheep, I'm relatively fluffy but not sufficiently so.

Would you rather move to Thailand or to Nunavut?

[The Seamstress]

Nunavut. It's really cold there in winter, too cold even for me, but the alternative +40°C Thailand experiences would be far worse. When it's cold you can wear warm clothing, stay inside, hide under piles of blankets. But +40°C and floods? No thank you.

Would you rather be Sherlock Holmes or Dr. Watson?

[Jubal]

Depends on the adaptation! But I think Watson... a lot of my earlier life I'd have said Holmes without hesistation, but the coldness of his character no longer appeals even if I'd quite like to have his memory and observational skills.

Would you rather spend five full days a year on tax paperwork, but pay 5% less tax, or do no tax paperwork and pay 5% more tax?

[The Seamstress]

No tax paperwork...

If you had to wear historical (repro) dress as your everyday wardrobe, would you rather choose 1840s or 1740s clothes?

[Jubal]

No tax paperwork...

My thoughts exactly, especially right now

I'd go with the 1740s. I think the 18th century coats look more fun and I want an excuse to wear a tricorne hat.

If you could bring back a silly clothing item into modern dress, would you rather see the return of big neck ruffs or of shoe points that tied round and up at the knee?

[The Seamstress]

I'm not a huge fan of pointy shoes in any time period, so: ruffs! I like their particular ridiculousness.

Would you rather go on a quest to find the mythical Emerald of Effortless Eccentric Engineering, or search for the legendary Ruby of Refined Ruthless Revelations, assuming you already own the mysterious Sapphire of Substantial Supernatural Shenanigans which would combine its power with the other stone you choose?

(Yes, I used a dictionary for this one.)

[Jubal]

I think I have to go for the Emerald of Effortless Eccentric Engineering. It is eccentric (which I am) rather than ruthless (which I am not), and I feel like humanity might need quirky solutions more than harsh truths right now. Also because it's green.

Would you rather have an hour-long chat with Athena or with Demeter?

[The Seamstress]

Athena, definitely. She's the more interesting character of the two and I think we'd have some common ground for a chat.

Would you rather be stuck in an elevator overnight with 20 parrots, or with 120 hamsters?

[Jubal]

I think we'd have some common ground for a chat.

Just don't over-sell your sewing ability unless you want to be left with a few more legs than you started with

I think the 20 parrots are actually the better option. I think 120 hamsters would have started trying to eat each other by the end of the night which would be really grim.


You can only drink one thing other than water for a month: you can pick ayran or coca-cola. Which would you rather?