[audio]

[candothat]

[Oddly enough, there's no video accompanying this particular entry.]

I have been thinking, and it seems--at the risk of sounding Vulcan--illogical, putting effort into anything in the City. Yes, I realize that this way of thinking can be applied to life as a whole, but in the City, memory is so-- [a long pause, during which, one imagines, Chekov gestures wildly in an attempt to find the correct word] --tenuous?

What I mean is, at home, we are constantly learning, accumulating knowledge and, unless something out of the ordinary happens, what we learn never leaves us. And even when we die, there is something of our existence left... memories, a legacy--something. Memories may not last forever, and we are forgotten as those who knew us or have heard of us die also, but in the City... how long do memories of anyone last? Six years? Five?

That is not to say that I believe we should stop doing things here, in the City. As one of my professors would have said, work, activity, and social interactions are important to the well-being of humans and humanoids, even if none of the results are lasting, but it bothers me to think that there is nothing that I will retain from the time spent here. I cannot imagine that--living here and learning, only to forget once I leave. And those I have come to know, when they leave, will have no memory of what happened here. That--everyone forgetting--seems more final than death.

It bothers me more than death, I think. Maybe that is only because death is a phenomenon that I understand and have some familiarity with; maybe it is vanity speaking and I dislike the thought of being forgotten so easily.

Mostly, I am very attached to my mind. There is nothing that I value more than what I have learned and what I remember, and I do not want that taken away.

[He almost sounds... upset? But then, just as cheerfully as ever--]

Howl, Sophie--have you seen Peter recently? I am beginning to become concerned.

Comments

[everhoping]

That's a lot to think about- but maybe it's really not something you should worry about?

[candothat]

It does not worry you?

[everhoping]

I guess it does, a bit. But... I guess I'll worry about the things I can do now more. And maybe there's still a way around that? Maybe it doesn't have to be like that?

[mightbeconcussed]

Yeah. I try not to think too much about it 'cause lots of people I care about have left here and I know back home, they don't remember me at all, but that doesn't change how I feel about them.

[candothat]

How do you stop thinking about this, Lucy?

[mightbeconcussed]

Stay busy? Make lots of new friends. Drink. A lot. Probably best to avoid the last one if you can.

[synanthrope]

Hello, Chekov.

[candothat]

Miss Wallace, hello.

[synanthrope]

You ought to bring me your car.

[harrydresden]

We forget everything that happens here? Everything? That is really irritating, but I don't know that it's worse than death. As someone who's experienced both it was vastly more upsetting not to be able to affect things happening to the living than to forget. Of course what I forgot was something I chose so maybe that colors things.

[candothat]

Sorry; I did not think that the topic would be so unpleasant.

You have died? Sir, your life has been interesting enough that I would be surprised if you had time to think about these things.

[harrydresden]

Well, it's a lot like contemplating death, right? Everyone does it at about your age and then it scares us so badly we pretend to believe we're invincible for the next twenty years.

There's a lot of down time between near/death experiences. This is actually kind of saving me from facing another one in my own reality.

text

[dispossess]

There may be things that could be changed by being here.

text

[candothat]

What do you mean by this?

text

[dispossess]

To change the life of someone here in a way that doesn't rely on what they remember.

If someone that would have lived would die here, or if you saved the life of someone who would have died.

video/russian;

[majorcrotchgrab]

I'm on the edge about the whole thing. While I would like to remember, perhaps it's best we don't, since it could alter time...

video/russian;

[candothat]

Ah, but the question is this: would we alter time?

But no, I would rather remember, whatever the consequences of that.

video/russian;

[majorcrotchgrab]

What do you mean "would?"

[misfortunes]

Hmmmm ... is it really all so inevitable?

[candothat]

I believe it to be so.

[misfortunes]

Your argument for one side's too good, then, it seems. Is there really a reason we ought to do anything?

[mrsnose]

I've never thought about that before, but I have to admit the idea bothers me. It means I'd forget about this place and everything that happened here...

[See, now she's upset too.] Haven't heard him being a brat recently, no...

[candothat]

That is what happens... everything is erased.

[Sorry!] I have checked the basement. Should I check the Hall...?

Sorry if this is late

[threeolives]

Well, Pavel, that's why City Solutions is here. To create something lasting. True, the roster keeps changing, but the innovations will last. Or so we hope.

There's no such thing as late!

[candothat]

In theory, ma'am. It is a good thing to hope for.