The Common Puzzle

*and my children, and my dog, and my cat, and my turtles.

The following images have been sequenced to generate internal conversation and prompt personal creative endeavors. In the sections labeled, “Speed Write:� As you view the images it is recommended that you write on the page with a pen or sharpie marker and continue the emerging story. For additional benefits, play music in the background to access even greater creativity while viewing this material.

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(whale)

x

x

On the following page, your thoughts are needed to finish this unfolding visual story. Please mark your thoughts related to the previous pages (include anything that comes to your mind). Remember, you can always go back and modify the story later, for now simply fill in the space. You should be able to write about 240 words.

The following artifact contains selected words from Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code. This example uses a process that you are going to investigate in this chapter. This process is very direct: simply select a page and then arrange the words to generate a secondary message. In the following example, the lines were scanned from top to the bottom and then sentences were later constructed. Numerous liberties where taken, but a new story emerged.

This formula has a pinch of creativity, two parts participation, and one part deconstruction of environment. Please enjoy responsibly and follow these examples to make your own:

artifact (A.1)

Example based on the artifact (A.1): Play was involved now, and yet the radio wanted Langdon to transfer the keystone to the police.

Gunpoint grandfather was safe, private, whatever; but, he was letting Mr. Clink (mop the floor) confidently now.

So, he picked up the box. Brought it over to Vernet, who aimed on the ground and shouted, “rear his gun” and continued to say, “across the door”. Freaking out now, she said, “Do something Langdon...” and he said, “I am about to!”

artifact (A.2)

Example based on the artifact (A.2): Looking down to see Lieutenant waving up with a latex-hand… The ladder was narrowed and the barn alert finally reached the platform.

PTS(D) deep into Collet through the light projecting dimly against the far wall, nestled against the elaborate two tower flat video monitor speakers and a multichannel console. “Why in the world have you examined Collet?” The Surveillance system nodded, with its very long strewn manual wires and other sophisticated equipment.

“Miniature cells, high capacity nano systems” it said and, “and the base is high capacity.”

artifact (A.3)

Example based on the artifact (A.3): The wheel, the driver, curses, his arms, and his head.

Robert said, “I trust magic plenty and that is good here.”

And he gave Langdon the instructions.

Three days later Langdon (broke into) the car’s hesitated rear window. He yelled, “Shift and then Go”. But one woman was already placing the stick into the movable taxi (time was scarce) and she was already sliding it forward wildly and sending it into a gathering of people.

The-with-all (which is a magician of 15 or more years experience) leapt out of the only space left, avoiding the run stating, “doucement”.

It was over for now.

Now it is your turn to cut out three random pages from a book. Paste the examples in the designated spaces on the following pages.

Your directions: Scratch out every other word and then construct a new story based on the remaining words.

1.) Pick a new or used book, a novel or biography (that you don’t mind cutting up).

2.) After you randomly select the pages that you will use cut out and paste in place. Scratch out every other word starting at the bottom of the page. Use the space provided on the adjacent page to harmonize the material.

Chart the key concepts in your writing.

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Draw a picture related to the material, in the space provided.

The following story will reference the exercises from the previous chapter. To view this complete story, look through these pages and artifacts and then choose your own ending. Roulez doucement, drive slowly: --------------------------------------------------------On this day, an abscure historical footnote unfolded. It was an adventure of sorts filled with coffee, time travel and futurisms (which are regional dialects in the future).

Walking to a thrift store to purhcase the Dan Brown book, there was something very strange in an off street alleyway - uncommon graffitti. And, the fact is most graffitti uses tags which properly identify someones nickname or at least use semi-understanbale letter formations; but, this example looked like a fork and a tunnel meeing in a mouse hole (A.3).

Very odd, so I had to take a closer look at it.

When approaching the mural, the artist was brazenly finishing the work - in broad daylight! So, walking up to her I boldy said, “I am not with the police... Please do not be alarmed!”

She replied without looking at me, but still holding something in her hand, “I was walking to a local store of thrift, to purchase a Dan Brown book, a quite uncommon task, you see”.

And, this was alarming to me because I had not mentioned this to anyone that I was planning on repurposing the words of a book, using selective statements to produce unknown stories.

In reply I said, “how did you know this... I have not mentioned this to anyone!” And, I went on to say almost interupting myself, “are you some kind of time traveler with thought reading ability?” Then she replied, adding emphasis to the words, “no, I am you” when she said this it outlined her tiny eyes and shiny forehead. Then she began moving her eyebrows to add some perplexity to this statement then she continued with a smile, “just kidding, but I am from the future!” I nodded as if I hear this every day, then I pinched my chin with my left hand digging my thumb and pointer finger into the skin like a shoe slowly sinking into mud, “We must have coffee!” I said in reply. She said, “Oh, yes, I carry a coffee making device with me, let me get that out.” I smiled and said, “Ahh, a coffee pot?” because I thought he was being sarcastic - and silly.

But, almost like a magician she produced a moose-brown leather case, and with several unclasping sounds (wwwwrrrrreeeee) and hissing noises (ssssssssssssssss, ssssssss and hhhhhhhh) and a kindof a misterious fog, the breifcase was opened.

Inside the case, were several shiny silver viles that were being constantly injected from one chamber to another and blinking lights were flashing right in front of me (I am told the color of blinking light is related to the quality of the coffee).

Really, it was the most mysterious samsonite briefacase I have ever seen aside from the ones that have the typewritters built into them (those are pretty interesting too). But, this person, whom I affectionately now call person x, was quite strange and her beifcase was similarly facinating.

After person x had the briefcase open she retrieved from her coat pocket two retractable cups. Unmistakably producing a catheter like plastic nob she attached it to the coffee device and began pouring some of the coffee into these cups. Now, I must say, I normally do not drink unknown beverages from strangers in alleyways, but this was no ordinary day.

We began to naturally converse now, speaking directly with much more physical proximity than when I first approached her I said, “I have to ask you, how did you make something so interesting and how did you know so much about me when I first approached you?� In reply person x raised her hands above her waist with such calculated motion it almost like a baseball coach gesturing to do something unknown, “Well, quite simply, my grandfather is an inventor who has made time travel something of a possibility for me now and I enjoy going around and visiting different parts of time to discover regional events, myths and facts and then

I chart these happenings in my laboratory.” Then she produced from her back pocket a paper which she unfolded (A.4) , “Here is some recent documentation, as you can see, I am from the year 1976, and traveling into the future is radical.”

Snapping back from her comment I said, “I don’t believe you!” and I shook my head back and forth at least five times.

It was now clear that person x had mental illness. But, I could tell that she really wanted me to know how all of this time travel worked; however, without proof I would not beleive her. So she abruptly closed her briefcase, collected her graffitti tools and cups and said, “lets go, NOW!” Furrowing my eyebrows, clearly emphasing dramatic caution, I said, “Piss on it!” which from my understanding is a crude military expression that declares a disagrement.

“This is not a joke... man” she said while maintaining no expression in her face. Then I began to calmly think to myself well the coffee was unusual, but time travel is not real! Can this be some allice in wonderland alleyway and or maybe I caught the flu on my walk to the store and passed out halucinating all of these events. Interupting my thoughts she said, “look I have these sheds in all the parts of history I have unlocked and I will take you to the shed to show you the Time travel equiptment but you must not tell anyone!”

Predictably cautious and curious all the same I proceeded to say, “okay, okay, let’s check it out, but I am going to meet you here tomorrow at three pm”. Person x said, “Mutual agreements are always more beneficial.” To which I instantly said out loud, “that was a quite strange thing to say; but, she has a time travel device!” She flashed a smile and like Batman she vanished.

On the left, a drawing of time travel tubes that transport the traveler through portals. And, on the right, this is a logo that identifies a “transport zone�.

In the space provided on the next page, please complete the story indicating: ------------------------------------------------------------------1.) What does the time travel shed look like?

2.) Explain when, where and why time travel occured in the story.

3.) What technology in used for time travel including what fuel is used to power the trip?

4.) Re-describe what time travel looks like when you are a passenger in motion from one time period to another.

5.) Describe what happens when you see yourself or a relative that may recognize you in a diffrent time period.

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2.)

3.)

4.)

5.)