[network] @jwatson; text; Day 237 [open]

[jumpthegun]

[This is stupid. John's well aware it's stupid, but he can't help asking a question that's been gnawing away at him for more than a week now.]

How tall is everyone? I've been wondering, meeting with different people here, what the spread of heights might be. Among other things. If you aren't sure on specifics or if you don't know the measurement system, I can give you an idea of how to compare units you might be familiar with.

Here's my current list:

Alphonse - 7'4"
Stein - 6'10"
Joker - 6'5"
Magenta, Clint, Zack - 6'3"
Gabriel, House, Rhys - 6'2"
Mycroft, Castiel - 6'1"
Kunsel, Sherlock, Stephen - 6'0"
Enoch - 5'11"
America, Ecks - 5'10"
Alfie, Dorian - 5'8" - 5'9"
Ginger - 5'8"
Beckett - 5'7"
John - 5'6.5"
Sheena, Steph, Zell - 5'5"
Mary, Jim - 5'4"
Royce - 5'3"
Kid - 5'1"
Angel - 5'0"
Quark - 4'10"

Comments

[jumpthegun]

You weren't sure before? Of course you've always had a soul, Ecks. You're a person.

[ecks]

I am also a golem
golems do not have souls
golems have imprisoned elemental spirits
except for me

[jumpthegun]

You're a person first and a golem second. It doesn't matter how you were made, really. You know that, right?

[ecks]

it matters how I was made because that is how I became a person
I was constructed as a golem and then became a person
you wrote the two words in the wrong order

[jumpthegun]

I think we're talking about this different ways, Ecks. You're a person to me regardless of how you were made. Do you understand? I mean it more... metaphysically than literally.

[ecks]

oh
yes
metaphysically I am a person and that is important

[jumpthegun]

Good. That's settled, then.

[What were they even talking about? John double-checks the comments.]

And just for the record, I'm not actually planning to build a golem. Ever. I have a daughter and she's a handful enough.

[ecks]

I did not know you have a daughter
is she in your world?

[jumpthegun]

I didn't know I had one until the last time I died. Her name's Rosie. She's less than a year old.

[Like her Mum, he doesn't say.]

[ecks]

Rosie is a good name
like a flower instead of like a rock

[So many humans are named after rocks. It's strange and almost a little sad.]

[jumpthegun]

Yeah. Her full name's Rosamund. It means Rose of the World. Mary picked it.

How many people here do you know with rock names, though?

[ecks]

that is a good name
I knew two humans with rock names
Clayton and Clinton

[jumpthegun]

[... really?]

Most people have names that mean something, Ecks. But rock names aren't all that popular. My name's really common for humans, especially in my own country.

[ecks]

what does it mean?
does it mean a kind of rock?

:)

[jumpthegun]

[He sees your joke, Ecks.]

Not quite. It means 'God is gracious.' But Sherlock? His name means 'Head full of rocks.' Huh, maybe you're right about us having too many rock names.

;)

[ecks]

it is a good name for him though

:)

[jumpthegun]

Absolutely. If he ever has a kid, I'll warn him not to name them after rocks. Just to take a crack at running that trend into the ground.

:)

[ecks]

running that trend into the ground is the opposite of how to make it stop

:)

[jumpthegun]

Fair enough. What would you name a son or daughter if you had one?

[ecks]

I would let them name themselves

[jumpthegun]

That doesn't really work when someone starts out as a baby. They don't have words, yet. That's why parents name their kids. Sometimes they change their names later on in life, but you have have something to start with.

[ecks]

I might name a child after a person I like
even if it is a rock name

Alfie Solomons is named after a person in his family except that person's name is Albert
his parents did not duplicate the name correctly

but I think it is good to have a name that is only your own name
my name is only my own name
I could make up a new name if I had a child

[jumpthegun]

His parents probably wanted something similar, but not exactly the same. Like if I had a son and I wanted to name him something like John, I might go with Ian. They have a similar sound.

It probably is better having your own unique name, mind. Makes it easier to find you. I'm pretty sure Sherlock is the only Sherlock Holmes in existence, but there are probably dozens of John Watsons.

But that's all something to look forward to in the very distant future. I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to figure a name out if you need one.

[ecks]

yes
I would need to have sex in order to have a baby and I am not eighteen years old yet
or make a person like me but I do not think I should do that
if you have a child how do you stop the child from being a bad person?

[jumpthegun]

[Well, that's a hell of a question.]

You can't really stop it, just do your best. Make sure you're there for them when they're upset or angry. Talk through those feelings with them so they understand they can talk about it with people. Help them find ways that are constructive to deal will bad feelings. Like, instead of kicking a pet when they're angry, you can help them find a sport they like and then they can run off their energy and anger that way. Maybe they take up boxing and they can go punch stuffed bags for a while until they cool down. Or maybe they like running, so they can go for a run to clear their heads.

Making sure you teach them what's right and wrong early on is important, too. They need to know that stealing, lying, and hurting other people is a bad thing. When they do that you need to find a form of discipline for them, whether that's grounding them in their room, making them do chores, or something else. You don't ever want to seriously hurt them when you're trying to discipline them, though. Never physically. And too much of a certain thing can get to be abuse. You don't want to scream and yell and curse at them, even if you're angry. That just sets a bad example for them.

And really, a lot of it comes down to the example you set early on and the friends they eventually pick up. Kids are shaped by their environment as well as their genetics, and there's only so much a parent can do.

[He'd read a lot of parenting books before Rosie was born, wanting to make sure he got it right, given the... lackluster example his parents had set.

And still, he'd followed in their footsteps after Mary...]