…don’t try this at home kids
It would be sick to time travel, wouldn’t it? I mean, aside from all the implications for our world and how us little humans interact with our universe, it would be just down right wicked to go backwards or forwards and just have a bit of a sticky beak around. I wouldn’t change things; I would just appreciate the chance to have a closer look at things from another angle. I am also inclined to believe that even if I really wanted to alter the past there are, well, a few scientists and philosophers out there who say it is impossible’ to travel through time. Although the idea that something cannot be done does not sit well with this optimist, I agree on this one, the sheer logic of it is difficult to argue with.
You see, there is this theory called The Grandfather Paradox which can be used to sort of prove that time travel is just never gonna happen. Ok, so take this guy (we’ll call him George) and imagine he has figured out how to go back in time. George has also decided that he is a raging psychopath and wants to go back in time and murder his grandfather, Stan, for reasons that are unknown to us. So, George travels back in time and kills his grandfather, but it turns out that he killed poor Stan before he had met George’s sweet Grandmother and made babies. What this means is that if Stan did not meet his wifey before his untimely death at the hands of his mental case grandson, then George could not in fact exist at all. But, don’t you see? George does exist, he has a mother and father and siblings and grandparents, one of which is dear old Stan; sixty or so years from the time that George travels back in time to, he exists.
Confused? Me too. The point is this: that the fact that George exists at all and is able to go back and kill Stan negates the fact that he went back and killed Stan. If George had figured this out, he would have realised it was easier to walk the ten blocks to Stan’s house and killed him then and there, rather than messing with the space time continuum.
There are many other examples that pretty much tell us that to travel in time to the past is just silly nonsense, especially if you have some lame reason to time travel, like murder or un-inventing the wheel. Check them out here, as well as other info:
http://www.timetravelinstitute.com/theory/
All this so called proof about why it is impossible to take a trip through time does not deter people from writing, talking, and making movies about doing it. I’ve seen Michael J Fox and that pesky Doc mess with time and get themselves into a whole heap of trouble. I even came across a business card once that said ‘Time travel consultant’ and had a good chuckle. I recently read The Time Traveller’s Wife, which I found to be very interesting once you take away all the lovey dovey stuff which is put on a bit thick in places. In he interest of research I went and saw the film, but watching Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams smooch their way through what could have been a really good film, but was instead a sanitised love fest, was not all that fun. What I found exciting about the book, these people fumbling their way through weird circumstances and coming to out there conclusions about life, was missing from the bland film.
P.s I am SOOO not an expert on time travel, though my great grandfather’s name was Stan, so this fact does give this a touch of credibility, right?
Text and Photos by Samantha Murdoch
…Cocteau Twins
Lullabies to Violaine, 2005, 4AD records
It’s perfect dream pop; sweet, breathy and ethereal with a slightly sharper edge just below the surface. Listening to the Cocteau Twins leaves you feeling like the music might just float away into dust and mist and that you might be soon to follow and end up on some far distant planet. Those other worldly vocals circle above rhythm and synth backing that sounds like it has been pushed through a very very pretty filter to render it all soft and gooey. There are far too many similes to describe this unique band and the music they produce, but I think they are like pink marshmallows dipped in a bit of booze; what’s not to love about that? I do like them very much, but I am biased. You see they are Scottish just like me so I feel a duty to my cultural heritage to embrace them, because, lets face it, the bagpipes are shit.
Lullabies to Violaine is a two volume set, each volume with two disks. I recommend both, but volume two features kick as versions of Frosty the Snowman and Winter Wonderland, yes that’s right kids, the Christmas songs. My favourite by far is Evangeline, the first track on this volume. The rest of the collection is lovely, with little surprises along the way such as Rilkean Heart. This track plays like a traditional folk song (sans bagpipes of course) with the strong Scottish accent of Elizabeth Frazer and melodic piano, but is actually a reference to the German poet Rilke.
Both volumes are available at amazon.com
…evangeline
A song for remembering someone else
You find you know who you are at every age
Find treasure, and I will make it
I see me as other people see me
There is no going back
I can't stop feeling now
I am not the same, I'm growing up again
I am not the same
I'm growing up again
There's no going back I can't stop feeling now
I pledge to fantasise
There was a priceless moment that I couldn't keep
I pledge to hide from feelings
I see me as other people see me
There is no going back
I can't stop feeling now
I am not the same, I'm growing up again
I am not the same
I'm growing up again
There's no going back I can't stop feeling now
Feeling now
There is no going back, and
I can't stop feeling now
I am not the same, I'm growing up again
I am not the same
I'm growing up again
There's no going back I can't stop feeling now
I had to fantasise just to survive
There was a fear being silenced
Everybody took me seriously
Even those who were not close to me,
I had to fantasise just to survive
All text by Samantha Murdoch except the Cocteau Twins Lyrics "Evangeline"
All photos by Samantha Murdoch
Thanks again, next post will be much much sooner!
xoxo Sam
