TikTok Time Traveler

Why? Why do people believe what they are shown, when they are already aware that most of the visuals they consume are manipulated into unreality? Why do people find it fun to choose to believe in something impossible? WHY?

It's incredibly tempting (my brain loves this), but there's no point for me to outline the "evidence" and debunk it piece by piece. There's no point because the only "real" evidence is chopped up video presented by a sincere-appearing individual who might be participating in creating this possible "subversive" advertisement for his Air BnB listing?

Being open about my autism while asking these questions on social media has given me a few answers, and they're not encouraging. One portion of the believers are (likely allistic-brained) individuals choosing to "believe" the premise because... it's fun. I realize as I type this that I've actually engaged in this behavior. 

The "Blue Box" Van Gogh, though to be painting during 1888 in Arles

A Van Gogh painting surfaced that had some sort of blue shed in it. While I do not believe this blue shed to represent a mid-20th century UK police box, I would like to imagine that it IS, and that the Doctor is real, and Vincent got to see his impact on the world before he left it. I just can't. It's probably because the Van Gogh episode had a giant invisible space chicken as an apparent antagonist. Also, a thousand-plus year old socialist, freedom-fighting, educating, autistic-coded protagonist like the hero of "Doctor Who," believing in the right of royalty to rule? Ha! Elizabeth the 10th indeed.

Sophie Okonedo as "Liz 10"

The other reason given (and not by the believers themselves), is the one with which I am forced to believe myself. Most people are stupid. That's all. Most people don't understand that there are massive amounts of missing information in a situation and therefore choose a side or belief without truly knowing enough to make a logical determination. What really blows my mind is that a lot of people have the type of doorbell cameras that present the "time traveler" situation.

• Doorbell cameras do not consistently record. It's more like they take "snapshots" when there's movement sensed by their sensors. 
• The TikTok content creator who has conflated the second man in question (the elderly man walking on the property on a different occasion than the younger man) with a deceased scientist who was into alchemical madness in the vein of an L. Ron Hubbard and had a conspiracy website including musings on time travel. The two men DO NOT resemble each other. Before my dad passed, I hadn't realized, and now I see "him" everywhere, because skinny OLD WHITE MEN tend to look a certain way.
• Did anyone EVER think, that maybe... just maybe, that first man's FAMILY is looking for him? That perhaps that older man is his father and his family cares about their itinerant family member with a backpack who "disappeared" at that location?
• I realize I'm doing the thing I said I wouldn't, so I'll stop now.

The First Fourteen Oz books by L. Frank Baum

I love narrative. I started reading when I was three and haven't stopped, though I must admit that as an aging autistic adult with a career I switched to mostly audiobooks back in 2010. Perhaps without that overwhelming career I'll be able to look at pages again without impatience. Perhaps I will learn more patience with people. People who believe stupid sh*t.

Free Crochet Pattern! Acorn Amigurumi!

Here's the pattern for my Acorn Amigurumi; I made half a dozen and still couldn't get my count right, so it's free!

This acorn is worked as one piece from the bottom of the inner nut to the tip of the stem. Some basic sewing is required to keep the acorn cap in place.

Materials:

Yarn: Worsted weight yarn in a dark brown and a light brown

Hook: Size 3.0 mm

Stuffing (polyfil)

Large yarn needle

Abbreviations in U.S. Terminology:

ch – chain

sc – single crochet

inc – single crochet increase

dec – single crochet decrease

st – stitch

rnd – round

The pattern starts with the bottom or nut of the acorn, then works up to the cap and stem. With the exception of the very last yarn tail, all tails can be cut relatively short as they will be sewn inside the finished piece.

Begin with light brown yarn.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic loop (6)

Rnd 2: inc in each st around (12)

Rnd 3: *sc, inc, repeat from * around (18)

Rnd 4: *inc, 2 sc, repeat from * around (24)

Rnds 5-9: sc around (24)

Rnd 10: *sc, dec, repeat from * around (16)

Switch to dark brown yarn.

Rnd 11: sc around (16)

Rnd 12: *inc, sc, repeat from * around (24) 

Rnd 13: *2 sc, inc, repeat from * around (30)

Rnd 14-18: sc around (30)

Rnd 19: *dec, 2 sc, repeat from * around (24)

Rnd 20: *sc, dec, repeat from * around (18)

Fill with stuffing at this time; packing the polyfil in the light brown section only.

Rnd 21: *dec, sc, repeat from * around (12)

Rnd 22: dec around (6)

Rnds 23-25: sc around (6)

Cut long tail and pull through. With a yarn needle, weave in and out of the remaining stitches, then cinch taut.

To shape the acorn:

With needle, push yarn back through stem and emerging at the stem base. Sewing a running stitch around the base of the stem to hold its shape. Inserting the needle back into the stem, bring it out through the bottom/side of the cap as in illustration. Using the photos as a guide, sew an “x” through the light section of the acorn to keep the cap from rolling up. Bring yarn up through “stem,” then finish by pulling the needle from the top of the stem to the tip of the light brown “nut” section. Cut yarn and squish acorn into shape as needed.