Your Answers, Please.

Obviously, many amazing things have happened in the world since, well, ever. If you had the chance to go back and experience something from history, what would it be? Why? Would you want to sit down and have a chat with Ben Franklin, watch the Wright Bros. first flight, witness Lincoln reciting the Gettysburg Address, or do you just like the clothing? I have been thinking about this for the past few days for no reason in particular. It's surely crossed your mind, as well, whether or not you were asked, daydreaming, or consciously thinking about it. By the way, this has nothing to do with my trip.

It's very difficult to limit yourself to just 5. At first, I was going to say 3, but I kept thinking of things. Perhaps that just comes with my extreme interest in history. Here are mine:

1) I'm sure you can all guess: Berlioz, in general. I want to hear him sing, I want to see him conduct, I want to experience his wit first-hand, and I want to see the beak for myself. Oh, and I'd marry him.

2) Give Beethoven a hug.

3) Talk to my great-great-great grandfather Donaldson. He and his brother came over from Ireland (their parents moved there from Scotland...I have decided, therefore, that I'm half Scottish, not Irish) and started an iron foundry. It existed from 1862 until he died in 1937 (at age 93). As a first-generation American, he started that company, became mayor of his town in Michigan, possibly ran into Thomas Edison while TE was a kid working on the railway in said town, and started a bank. Also, I think it's neat that 2 of his other brothers started a merchant shipping line in Chicago in the 1850s. The first British merchant ship that was sunk by a German U-boat was one of theirs. Grandpa, if you are reading this and can remember, did he have an accent? Surely he did...

4) Live in upper-class Victorian England for wee bit. I'd like to be able to take a trip to my rich cousins in the country, go to a fancy ball (corset and all), disguise myself and explore the lowly worlds of Dickens' books, ride in a horse-drawn hack, and experience the atmosphere of the Sherlock Holmes tales- walk down the street at night in the rain as a bobby twirls his bat on the corner, whistling to himself...

5) Live in 1930s Hollywood and, again, upper-class England. My original number 5 was to work in the studio of Constable, JMW Turner, or Ingres, but this one might relate to more people. I would want to get to know the big old-time movie stars. Well, at least the ones I personally see as stars- Basil Rathbone, mostly. I want to go to another ball, only in '30s attire. I'd like to go to some Jeeves and Wooster-ey events, a horse race, etc...

What are yours? Enlighten me. If you're one of the people who usually reads this but says nothing, PLEASE leave at least ONE of your answers. I'm interested to hear.