1190: "Time"

[StratPlayer]

Them's isn't hieroglyphs, them's is Japanese numerals

Â, bikkurishita! Â, sô desu ka, airdrik-san!

[moody7277]

Spoiler:

EDIT to Add: WOOOT!!! Top 'o the Pi-Page!!!!

I think you missed that one by about 27 pages...

Oh, yeah... Well, if you use base-10 numbers, it's (approximately) 3.14... But in base-head-up-my-ass numbers, it's 3.41

<facepalm>

Sheesh...

Everybody makes mistakes, you don't need to worry. Unless you don't like to be burnt by the Inquisition, then you should worry.
This reminds me that once I started to recite the digits of Pi with "three point two... doh"^一, it happens.

一: then I restarted and went through the first 120 or so digits without errors^二
二: yes, I spent some of my time^三 to learn a lot of useless digits of Pi that I will never use because I will never need that level of approximation
三^四: sorry, I meant Time
四: I saw that footnotes are quite popoular, so I though: "Why not?"

Thanks.

And nice hieroglyphical footnotes.

Them's isn't hieroglyphs, them's is Japanese numerals

Which makes that last one a death footnote.

[richP]

And because it's a NewPage since the last one:

What is the airspeed velocity of these fully-laden ducks?

How many woods would a wood duck duck if a wood duck would duck woods?

[Valarya]

Spoiler:

Quest progress: 289 out of 341 pages.
The Scaffolding Continued. NP 521.

Such happenings in only a few short newpages of the thread of Time! The painstaking Scaffolding work Megan conducted alone apparently grew tedious to the thread-dwellers of the past, and they turned to various subjects, including the random perversity of BBCode, sleepless Knights, iPads with hover capabilites, and niblings, before once more the stream of consciousness swirled into a gender-neutral pronoun eddy. I waded through the discussion in somewhat of a haze, with a strong sense of déjà vu... Given enough Time, even forum threads will begin to repeat themselves.

I meandered past several more sig-sightings:[spoiler]

Another Spoiler for Blitzgirl!
Spoiler:
The Butler did it!
Also, time is recursive, and the world is an hourglass, klein bottle, ant farm, spaceship, 2D, 3D, 2/3D, and potentially all just a dream.

Good to know.

There will be cake on page 360.

Cake is good. As long as it isn't a lie.

"Time is amazing, each moment that occurs;
the more I learn of it, the less I know it.
Hail Blitzgirl, of the massive titulars:
Time traveler, inspiration, and poet!"

*looks at titulars* I wouldn't say they're massive... not yet, anyway.

There's nothing better than to rhyme
While travelling the thread of Time
And wandering from there to here.

Titled, yes, but I think I'm
A Knight with interests more sublime:
A Troubadour or Balladeer.

(Trobairitz, even.) Just part-time!
I hope that it is not a crime
To post words pleasant to the ear.

For the present, I Wait For It. and Wait for YOU Blitzgirl, travel quickly Teacher, I await your timely arrival.

You can't hurry Time travel. It should be done properly or not at all. A Time-traveller is never late. Nor is he/she/ce/qe/ve/ze/e/it/they early...etc.

I am taking a solemn vow of silence--I shall not post again until Blitzgirl reaches this page(339).

I appreciate the fact that this means less posts for me to traverse, though I know the sacrifice you are making.

BlitzGirl: if you insist... But bear in mind that madness lies ahead, and not of the RECKONING kind. You have been warned.

Madness lies behind me, too. Time and madness go hand in hand, it seems.

Brace yourself Blitzgirl. Things are going to get insane for you.

Oh, that's an important clarification. Unfortunately I didn't have much time to absorb it.

I quickly hit my next signpost:

Spoiler:

Quest progress: 203 out of 286 pages.
Second Megan Period. NP 291.

I have encountered a message from the future! It reads thus:

Dear BlitzGirl,
after all of your messages into the future, I felt compelled to reply by sending one into the past. I hope this message finds you well and that your quest continues strong.

Godspeed,
Smithers

It is the first post I have encountered that references my Quest; through the magic of edits, it pre-dates even my own signposts to myself. It is a beacon as I wade across the sea/not-sea of posts electing the Pope of the One True Comic. All is not lost. There is hope yet for me, future-dwellers (or rather, those who dwell in the present Time of this thread, while I stalk through its past)! One day, if all bodes well, I shall meet you among the living newpages. Until then, I journey onward!

And then this happened:

Spoiler:

I awake!

You were all so caught up in your pronoun discussions that you missed an important piece of quest information from Blitzgirl: <snip>
She slowly but surely catches up. We should prepare a ceremony for when she finally reaches us, in the future!

Yes! A ceremony is definitely called for, and a custom title. "Omnilector of Time" perhaps.

I thought the title was the end of it. But nooo...a parallel conversation:

She slowly but surely catches up. We should prepare a ceremony for when she finally reaches us, in the future!

You are right! If Helper is still AWOL, I propose we make BlitzGirl the new Pope upon her arrival!

Which then leads to the question: Is "Pope" a genderless title, or do we need to come up with an alternative?

Speaking as an outsider (to the religion, not an "Outsider"), since there hasn't been a female Pope, it's hard to tell. Would they be called a Mome? If a Mome and a Pope owned a shop, would it be a Mome and Pope shop?
The if the knights are of the Eastern church, they will be welcomed by the Western Paradox Church, (who will no doubt shun them.)

Au contraire, a quick google search for "female pope" reveals Pope Joan, who may or may not be fictional but nevertheless proves that Pope is a genderless title.

Now Wait just a newpix! I didn't sign up for this!

This is all too much. I need to coma. Hopefully Pope Helper shows up somewhere in the thread between my present and your present, and we can forget this whole thing even came up.

After long meditation I declare that if when Too-Many-Titles BlitzGirl catch up with the thread she will be recognized as Living Blessed because the success of her Holy Quest is clearly a miracle.
If, when that happen, she will still be in full at least partial possession of her faculties, that will be considered a second miracle and she will be cannonized as Living Saint.

So seconded and so it shall be. By Ordinance of Cardinal udscbt of the TimeWaiters and Apex Bishop Valarya of the Conclave of the Eastern Unorthodox TimeWaiters.

Blitzgirl.
Cardinal Tempus Viator of the Timewaiters
B.O.B.
First of the True Followers of Time's time
Most True Followerer
Sister in Waiting
First (and last) Knight of the Knights Temporal
Red Spiders Eyes
Ghost of PresentPix
Time Architect of Signposts
Reader
Omnilector of Time
Mome/Pope Nominee of the TimeWaiters
Living Blessed
Living Saint - to be granted based upon your Sanity when arriving to the Present

Edited a ton for formatting purposes and general fuck-uppery on my part...

[Whizbang]

...somewhere in the thread between my present and your present.....

PRESENTS?!!??!!! I didn't know there would be presents!
*happy dance*

Each of us has but one present to give: our presence.

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the "present."
-Oogway

[StratPlayer]

EDIT: Removed and moved ahead -- comments were caught in some weird simul-posting Time flux...

[Valarya]

Edit: double post

[Flado]

(many helpful things)

Thank you!
"semen" was somewhat to be expected; I was wondering more about the cancer and the babies - whether there was a link with the "meaning of Time" theories?

[Eliram]

Quest progress: 289 out of 341 pages.
The Scaffolding Continued. NP 521.

This is all too much. I need to coma. Hopefully Pope Helper shows up somewhere in the thread between my present and your present, and we can forget this whole thing even came up.

I don't know if Helper will come back, or will wish to retain their post (perhaps they have forsaken us, and use only the Book of Aubron). We shall elect a new Pope upon your arrival.
Until then, I, along with the others here in the present, Wait for It. And for you. Keep it up!

Is the method of electing a new Pope at all similar to the methods of the Catholic Church?

No, Timewaiter Pope selection is not based on the rhythm method at all. It's fairly irregular and spontaneous.

And the only smoke is due to friction...

I suggest that he who writes the first post in each newpage will be proclaimed Pope for the period on that newpage. All through the page he/she will be referred to as "Pope BlitzGirl" (in example), and the title will also be kept as long as you directly quote a pope's post in a page when they are Pope.

[lmjb1964]

Left last night at page 335 (got my taxes done at 12:00:40. Hope the Service of Internal Revenue doesn't haul me off for missing April 15 by 40 secs.) Have made it up to page 340. Some wonderful stuff on those pages--two fantastic poems, nice graphs, quotes from The Phantom Tollbooth and Spaceballs, massive titulars...so much happening. Just wanted to post, as others have in the Past, about how forum life is creeping into my Outside life. Almost responded to a group email thread in the affirmative by quoting it and just writing "This," but then realized no one would know what I meants. And I just sent out a email with a footnote. Hopefully I can keep myself from sending out emails about semencancercoffeebabbybaconice, or they'll haul me away. (Thought the IRS may beat them to it.)

Carry on with all the wonderfulness! And now that taxes are done, I can focus on important things, like coming up with an avatar. If anyone has a used one lying around that's still in good condition, let me know...

[manvandmaan]

Catching up!

I think the characters may have gotten away from Randall. Doesn't happen to all authors, but it isn't hugely uncommon for authors to explain that their characters have done things they weren't supposed to do. He may now be just watching and waiting along with the rest of us. (Although, presumably somewhere ahead of us in Time.)

This!
I adapt this theory, because it is full of awesome.

*ducks flying vegetables*

Ducks flying vegetables? Really, now, this is getting ridiculous.
First of all, where would they even get pilots' licences???

And also This!

[StratPlayer]

<snip>

Blitzgirl.
Cardinal Tempus Viator of the Timewaiters
B.O.B.
First of the True Followers of Time's time
Most True Followerer
Sister in Waiting
First (and only) Knight of the Knights Temporal
Red Spiders Eyes
Ghost of PresentPix
Time Architect of Signposts
Reader
Omnilector of Time
Mome/Pope Nominee of the TimeWaiters
Living Blessed
Living Saint - to be granted based upon your Sanity when arriving to the Present

Lots of edits for format purposes...

I fear we may be thrusting too much upon our esteemed BlitzGirl, traveler of Time.

She has inspired all of us and demonstrated an amazing ability to Wait for it. She has given us her poetic talent and provided us with retro-clarity as to the Madness that was our own, just a few short NewPages ago.

I must rescind my earlier suggestion as to her Pope/Mome-ship. Of course, she would be welcome to take this duty if she wished, but if she wishes to be but a Troubadour of Time, I fully support it. She doesn't need for us to be rabid Popearatzzi if she chooses instead to hold a more humble position in our present Time of Waiting.

Let her compose great odes and sonnets of her epic quest! Let her regale us with her word-wizardry! Let her enjoy the rest of the present as she sees fit, without pressure from us to give us more. She has endured much, witnessed much, and survived a harrowing travel through Time.

That should be more than enough.

ETA: Uhh,, there was some funky temporal simultaneous editing going on -- I'm bumping this to be AFTER Valarya's post as it should be in the normal flow of Time...

[Valarya]

Spoiler:

<snip>

Blitzgirl.
Cardinal Tempus Viator of the Timewaiters
B.O.B.
First of the True Followers of Time's time
Most True Followerer
Sister in Waiting
First (and only) Knight of the Knights Temporal
Red Spiders Eyes
Ghost of PresentPix
Time Architect of Signposts
Reader
Omnilector of Time
Mome/Pope Nominee of the TimeWaiters
Living Blessed
Living Saint - to be granted based upon your Sanity when arriving to the Present

Lots of edits for format purposes...

I fear we may be thrusting too much upon our esteemed BlitzGirl, traveler of Time.

She has inspired all of us and demonstrated an amazing ability to Wait for it. She has given us her poetic talent and provided us with retro-clarity as to the Madness that was our own, just a few short NewPages ago.

I must rescind my earlier suggestion as to her Pope/Mome-ship. Of course, she would be welcome to take this duty if she wished, but if she wishes to be but a Troubadour of Time, I fully support it. She doesn't need for us to be rabid Popearatzzi if she chooses instead to hold a more humble position in our present Time of Waiting.

Let her compose great odes and sonnets of her epic quest! Let her regale us with her word-wizardry! Let her enjoy the rest of the present as she sees fit, without pressure from us to give us more. She has endured much, witnessed much, and survived a harrowing travel through Time.

That should be more than enough.

She alone is more than enough. She is only bestowed these titles as due respect of appreciation for her absolute steadfastness and, as you stated, word-wizadry through Time. They can be mostly honorary titles and should not, under any circumstances, create panic or a sense of pressure.

[Angelastic]

Does the Troubadour of Time play ocarina?

[histrion]

Does the Troubadour of Time play ocarina?

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeey Ocarina!

[Asthanius]

Quest progress: 289 out of 341 pages.
The Scaffolding Continued. NP 521.

This is all too much. I need to coma. Hopefully Pope Helper shows up somewhere in the thread between my present and your present, and we can forget this whole thing even came up.

I don't know if Helper will come back, or will wish to retain their post (perhaps they have forsaken us, and use only the Book of Aubron). We shall elect a new Pope upon your arrival.
Until then, I, along with the others here in the present, Wait for It. And for you. Keep it up!

Is the method of electing a new Pope at all similar to the methods of the Catholic Church?

No, Timewaiter Pope selection is not based on the rhythm method at all. It's fairly irregular and spontaneous.

And the only smoke is due to friction...

I suggest that he who writes the first post in each newpage will be proclaimed Pope for the period on that newpage. All through the page he/she will be referred to as "Pope BlitzGirl" (in example), and the title will also be kept as long as you directly quote a pope's post in a page when they are Pope.

I feel like this can result in power abuse.

[udscbt]

Them's isn't hieroglyphs, them's is Japanese numerals

Â, bikkurishita! Â, sô desu ka, airdrik-san!

Shouldn't there be a question mark?

Also, DONG

[Whizbang]

The seawall/marker is gone.

Semencancerbaconbabycoffee just got real

[Valarya]

Them's isn't hieroglyphs, them's is Japanese numerals

Â, bikkurishita! Â, sô desu ka, airdrik-san!

Shouldn't there be a question mark?

<snip>

the -ka denotes that it's a question. you don't need questions marks in japanese.

[StratPlayer]

(many helpful things)

Thank you!
"semen" was somewhat to be expected; I was wondering more about the cancer and the babies - whether there was a link with the "meaning of Time" theories?

That goes back to the darkness of the very-early-Times, when forum-dwellers sought meanings in but a few Newpix, and many of the comments turned to thoughts regarding Lord Randall's relationship and ill omens that Time might portend (The Dark Period).

[udscbt]

Them's isn't hieroglyphs, them's is Japanese numerals

Â, bikkurishita! Â, sô desu ka, airdrik-san!

Shouldn't there be a question mark?

<snip>

the -ka denotes that it's a question. you don't need questions marks in japanese.

Oh, ok. I thought you needed both. It seems that I will improve my Japanese in this thread in addition to English (not that I can say much more than "Good morning, my name is udscbt" in Japanese).

[StratPlayer]

Them's isn't hieroglyphs, them's is Japanese numerals

Â, bikkurishita! Â, sô desu ka, airdrik-san!

Shouldn't there be a question mark?

<snip>

the -ka denotes that it's a question. you don't need questions marks in japanese.

Well, I got the phrasing from a random Google search, and the Internet can't be wrong.

[histrion]

Spoiler:

Them's isn't hieroglyphs, them's is Japanese numerals

Â, bikkurishita! Â, sô desu ka, airdrik-san!

Shouldn't there be a question mark?

<snip>

the -ka denotes that it's a question. you don't need questions marks in japanese.

Oh, ok. I thought you needed both. It seems that I will improve my Japanese in this thread in addition to English (not that I can say much more than "Good morning, my name is udscbt" in Japanese).

How is "udscbt" syllablized in Japanese?

[Asthanius]

Them's isn't hieroglyphs, them's is Japanese numerals

Â, bikkurishita! Â, sô desu ka, airdrik-san!

Shouldn't there be a question mark?

<snip>

the -ka denotes that it's a question. you don't need questions marks in japanese.

Oh, ok. I thought you needed both. It seems that I will improve my Japanese in this thread in addition to English (not that I can say much more than "Good morning, my name is udscbt" in Japanese).

How is "udscbt" syllablized in Japanese?

Very carefully.
I've always wanted to be able to do that

[Montov]

What is disgusting to eat, but not a problem to stand in?

[histrion]

What is disgusting to eat, but not a problem to stand in?

More things than you'd think.

How is "udscbt" syllablized in Japanese?

Very carefully.
I've always wanted to be able to do that

[Angelastic]

What is disgusting to eat, but not a problem to stand in?

My shoes.

[thirds]

What is disgusting to eat, but not a problem to stand in?

Saltwater is an example.

[Eliram]

Quest progress: 289 out of 341 pages.
The Scaffolding Continued. NP 521.

This is all too much. I need to coma. Hopefully Pope Helper shows up somewhere in the thread between my present and your present, and we can forget this whole thing even came up.

I don't know if Helper will come back, or will wish to retain their post (perhaps they have forsaken us, and use only the Book of Aubron). We shall elect a new Pope upon your arrival.
Until then, I, along with the others here in the present, Wait for It. And for you. Keep it up!

Is the method of electing a new Pope at all similar to the methods of the Catholic Church?

No, Timewaiter Pope selection is not based on the rhythm method at all. It's fairly irregular and spontaneous.

And the only smoke is due to friction...

I suggest that he who writes the first post in each newpage will be proclaimed Pope for the period on that newpage. All through the page he/she will be referred to as "Pope BlitzGirl" (in example), and the title will also be kept as long as you directly quote a pope's post in a page when they are Pope.

I feel like this can result in power abuse.

Why? The pope title will only last until the next newpage.
Besides, that gives me a chance of become a jewish pope... Hmmm

[udscbt]

Spoiler:

Them's isn't hieroglyphs, them's is Japanese numerals

Â, bikkurishita! Â, sô desu ka, airdrik-san!

Shouldn't there be a question mark?

<snip>

the -ka denotes that it's a question. you don't need questions marks in japanese.

Oh, ok. I thought you needed both. It seems that I will improve my Japanese in this thread in addition to English (not that I can say much more than "Good morning, my name is udscbt" in Japanese).

How is "udscbt" syllablized in Japanese?

アダスチボト?
EDIT for non katakana readers: adasuchiboto
EDIT2: that's actually a cool name... I will use it!

[thirds]

Looking for relevant quotes and passages on rivers, seas/oceans and Time in an effort to match up the variables...

It's made difficult because both Rivers and Seas/Oceans are used as metaphors of time. Google hit counts: "River of Time" = 1.1 million. "Ocean of Time" = 1.6 million. "Sea of Time" = 274,000.

“…how it would be nice if, for every sea waiting for us, there would be a river, for us. " - Alessandro Baricco, Ocean Sea

A wonderful stream is the river of Time
As it runs through the realms of tears,
With a faultless rhythm and musical rhyme,
And a broader sweep and a surge sublime,
And blends with the ocean of years.

Unfathomable Sea! whose waves are years,
Ocean of Time, whose waters of deep woe
Are brackish with the salt of human tears!
Thou shoreless flood, which in thy ebb and flow
Claspest the limits of mortality!
And sick of prey, yet howling on for more,
Vomitest thy wrecks on its inhospitable shore,
Treacherous in calm, and terrible in storm,
Who shall put forth on thee,
Unfathomable sea?

Percy Bysshe Shelley, Time.

There is a black river
It passes by my window
And late at night
All dolled up like Christ
I walk the water
Between the piers

Singing
Oh
River of sorrow
River of time, river
River of sorrow
Don't swallow this time

For we all know the baby has expired
Long ago she was pulled from the mire
And no precious liar or well-wisher
Can return the love that was stolen

- River of Sorrow, Antony and the Johnsons

The past is lost in the
ocean of Time, even as the waters of our rivers fall into
the sea and are swallowed up ; but it is not annihilation,
only a stage in the inevitable universal law of rotation,
in virtue of which the life of this globe continues from
age to age. The shores of the ocean of Time are ever-
more strewn with the wreckage of life, yet ever, as we
wander sadly amid the mournful debris, we shall find,
if we look aright, the reassuring emblem of Hope.
- "The Magic Carpet", Edward Rimbault

More to come...

[Caswallon]

We have a wiki!

Subtle

[udscbt]

Ooooh, head movement
EDIT: wrong image XD

[htom]

Have the mini-castles always been different sizes? Is this a (changing?) perspective thing, or just my old eyes?

[histrion]

Have the mini-castles always been different sizes? Is this a (changing?) perspective thing, or just my old eyes?

Based on using the slider here, I don't think they've changed. But maybe I'm not answering the question you're asking.

ETA: W00t! I'm POPE now, y'all!

[KarMann]

ETA: W00t! I'm POPE now, y'all!

If we were to go with this rotating-Papacy business, what happens if something happens like e.g. histrion getting first post on a NewPage, then some n00b's post from the past gets approved, and suddenly htom has the first post on the NewPage?

[histrion]

ETA: W00t! I'm POPE now, y'all!

If we were to go with this rotating-Papacy business, what happens if something happens like e.g. histrion getting first post on a NewPage, then some n00b's post from the past gets approved, and suddenly htom has the first post on the NewPage?

Then the papacy would be in chaos. Seems appropriate for a papacy.

[LoneMarauder]

So we can expect PopeSmoke every NewPage?

edit for proper typographical style

[Asthanius]

What happens if somebody with a position above Pope gets the top reply on a page? Do they get temporarily demoted, or does the Papacy go to the second reply?

[htom]

What happens if somebody with a position above Pope gets the top reply on a page? Do they get temporarily demoted, or does the Papacy go to the second reply?

There's a position above Pope?

My understanding was that the top poster on a page was Pope, reign ends with a new page, unless the same person manages to snag the top post.

I'm the Pope? Nah, must be a mistake, don't belong to a religion at all, so can't be a Pope.